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| Joplin Islamic Society/image courtesy of Joplin Islamic Society |
I don’t know how many of you know about this, but two nights
ago the only mosque in Joplin was burned to the ground. While there is no proof yet of arson,
suspicions are strong that the fire was intentional, given that surveillance cameras
captured images of a man attempting to set the mosque on fire on July 4th.
Last night on CNN Gary Tuchman reported from the site of
the fire and interviewed one of my daughter’s friends, Laela Zaidi, whose
family are members of the Islamic Society of Joplin.
Most of us here in Joplin are deeply saddened by this act of
hatred and ignorance. While I understand
the fear that so many Americans have regarding terrorism, we must remember that
terrorists come in all shapes, sizes, and religions. Just like I do not wish to be indicted for
every crime some so-called “Christians” commit in the name of their religion
(i.e., abortion clinic bombings, Westboro Baptist Church protests, persecution
of homosexuals, etc.), Muslims should not be blamed for the actions of extremists
who claim they represent Islam.
Much like Christianity, Islam is a religion that has been
misinterpreted throughout the centuries in an effort to justify political
dominance over others. And, just like in
Christianity, some of its leaders use fear tactics to control their followers
and to help increase and maintain the expanse of their power. Rest assured, the members of the Islamic
Society of Joplin have no intention of taking over our city and turning us all
into Muslims. They, like us, just want a
place to bring their families for worship and community in an environment that
embraces and supports their culture and beliefs. Sort of like why my family and I attend St.Mary’s Church. Or why you and your
family attend the house of worship of your choice. And, let us all remember: this is America,
the land of the free. Not just the land
of the Christians. Or the
Protestants. The Land of the Free.
If you would like to help the Islamic Society of Joplin in
its rebuilding efforts, please feel free to visit their Facebook page where you
can find information on how to make a donation, or you can go to their indigogo fundraising page to make a secure donation online. Thank you.
What a moving post, Dawn. Only wish more people had your outlook.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cindy. There are plenty of us out there, we just haven't needed to speak up until lately....
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ReplyDeleteMakes no difference. It's crucial that this Mosque be rebuilt, whether torched or tornado-ed!
DeleteHijacking religion is evil beyond measure. History is replete with examples. Circumstantially, this looks like an arson event. No point putting on blinders. Blinders help no one see anything. Even if an arrest and conviction results, there will still be those who claim the arrest was done without good cause and the conviction was achieved without foundation. So we can't be done with this just because some investigator determines it was or was not "arson." The burning of this Mosque demands that attention be paid.
ReplyDeleteExactly. I am proud to note that the outpouring of support and generosity both locally and globally has been tremendous! Thanks for reading and joining in on the conversation!
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