A burned Qur'an was found on the doorstep of the East Lansing Islamic Center in Michigan Sunday, September 12, 2010. Pages of the holy book, smeared with feces, were scattered on nearby streets. The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations — the premier Muslim civil rights organization in the United States — called on the FBI to investigate the hate crime.
Tennessee Pastors Burn Qur'an in Backyard
Rev. Bob Old and Rev. Danny Allen burned two copies of the Qur'an in Old's backyard in Springfield. Old said "This is a book of hate, not a book of love. It's a false book, it's a false prophet and it's false Scripture," before igniting the lighter-fluid soaked holy books, according to the Tennessean. The incident took place before a small gathering of journalists.
The pastors are not affiliated with any mainstream church and they admitted to having little support. Three protesters stood out front of Old's home. They carried signs reading "My husband fights terrorism and your actions perpetuate it" and "Proud of my country but ashamed of my neighbors."
Demonstrator Burns Qur'an at Anti-Mosque Rally Near Ground Zero
Thousands of pro- and anti-Park 51 demonstrators gathered at the site of the proposed mosque and community center, according to the New York Post. A strong police presence kept the noisy demonstrators apart and no arrests were made during the event.
But a lone man, who refused to identify himself, tore pages from a Qur'an and burned a few at a distance from the main demonstrations. Police quickly escorted the man from the scene.
CAIR Decries Incidents
"They have a profound misunderstanding about Islam. And if they are Christians, they have a profound misunderstanding of Jesus Christ," said Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"The American public should not take the burning of the Qur'an so lightly. It is equivalent to burning a cross at a Black church or the spray-painting of a swastika at a synagogue. It is an act of intimidation and goes past the First Amendment," Walid added.
Anti-Muslim Atmosphere Largely Political
Walid believes the anti-Muslim atmosphere is attributable, in part, to politics. "A lot it has to do with the mid-term elections. One in four Americans believe Obama is a Muslim,"Walid explained, adding, "During the Bush administration, when President Bush said Islam was peace, there was not all this ant-Muslim fervor. Now that President Obama is in office, we see anti-Muslim hysteria like you never have before and this is during mid-term elections."
A Way Out of the Quandary
"Muslims should reach out to their politicians and to interfaith leaders and pray for peace during these very difficult times," said Walid.
"We as Americans need to engage in a national dialogue about the role of religion and race. It is a broader discussion that needs to take place. It is not just confined to Muslims and Islam. There have been a lot of anti-Black sentiments expressed during Tea Party rallies and anti-immigration sentiments have been invoked," Walid stated.
"Our nation is more sharply divided and polarized than it has ever been since the 1960s. So we need to have a very candid and open discussion about race and religion in America. The best person to lead this discussion would be the President of the United States of America. Other leaders in this conversation could include national civil rights organizations like the NAACP and organizations like the Catholic Church and like-minded groups and institutions," Walid concluded.
Sources:
Dawud Walid, executive director, CAIR, telephone conversation, 9/12/2010.
"2 ministers burn Quran in Tennessee backyard," Tennessean.com.
"Mosque rallies mar solemn 9/11," NYPost.com.
Rothwell Polk - Rothwell C. Polk, Jr. is a sixty-one-year-old living in Englewood, Colorado.. His interests include independent living, community and ...
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