We here at MK have been getting a little riled up over recent events where Islamic extremism seems to be taking a foothold in the western world. We tend to get a little grumpy when people start declaring that human rights are meaningless and the world should be under the rule of religious bigotry.
But today, whilst munching on a delicious 12″ Subway Club on whole wheat, I found a glimmer of reason and sensibility in a small 5 paragraph article in the Calgary Sun. After my initial shock at finding an actual newspaper in my hands, I found the encouraging story of a group of Canadian Muslims protesting the controversial Ground Zero mosque. The Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) is taking an official hard-line stance against the Cordoba House Initiative, the organization proposing the building, calling it an act of ‘fitna’ or mischief which the Qur’an forbids.
The MCC’s official statement can be found here
In a letter to Faisal Rauf the leader of the Cordoba House Initiative, MCC board member Raheel Raza writes “Many Muslims suspect that the idea behind the Ground Zero mosque is meant to be a deliberate provocation, to thumb our noses at the ‘infidel.’ We believe the proposal has been made in bad faith” Many non-muslims suspect the same, and public outcry against the mosque has been building since it’s announcement in May of this year.
The MCC was planning on meeting with the CHI this week to discuss their grievances. Ms. Raza stated that one of the motivating factors for the protest is the fact that there are many unanswered questions about the details of the proposal, especially concerning the source of funding for the building. If it turns out that the Saudi’s are injecting cash into the project then the MCC would consider it a “slap in the face of Americans as nine of the jihadis in the Twin Tower calamity were Saudis”.
In conversations with Jim, as well as other friends and family, this point has often come up: if Muslims are truly looking to portray their religion as one of peace and tolerance, then they need to speak out against the injustices of the more intolerant members of their society. It’s great to see this group standing up for the reasonable course of action. Building this mosque is not just a case of causing mischief, but would be a huge slap in the face for all the families who lost loved ones on that day.
Good luck to you and your crew Ms Raza. I hope you talk some sense into these idiots.
-BoyInfidel
I must admit, I think its in bad taste to build a mosque there. I don’t believe that those who came up with the idea are actively seeking to be insulting, or at least I hope they aren’t. But the obvious fact of the matter is that it is.
I don’t think the Saudi involvement should be a bone of contention either. Just because nine of the attackers were Saudi hardly means that Saudi Arabia is to be distrusted. Timothy McVeigh was an American, and at no point did that cast question on any money donated by the Americans to fix the building. I’m being facetious, I admit, but unless the money is coming from Saudis who are or were in support of the attack, there is no reason to assume any slight. They may, for example, see this as a way to offer their condolences. Naturally, I’m speculating.
I guess the bigger issue to me is that, no matter what the intentions, most people will consider this an insulting and tacky thing to build on that particular site, and I’m in agreement with them. No good can come of this.
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