Minnesota Council of Churches Speaks Out on Cordoba House
The following is a statement by Peg Chemberlin, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Churches, issued August 12, 2010.
Recently, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty made a statement about an Islamic civic center and mosque that is planned for lower Manhattan. Because the proposed center happens to be two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attack at the World Trade Center, Pawlenty called the construction “inappropriate”, and said a mosque would “degrade or disrespect” the “hallowed ground” of Ground Zero.
We cannot understand how it is disrespectful or degrading to build a house of worship in the same neighborhood as the site of this great tragedy. The attack was an attack on Americans, and Muslims were among the innocent citizens who died there. There is hurt and anger still about that attack, for all of us, but most of us know it is misdirected to lay that horrendous act of violence at the feet of all American Muslims. It is not right to hold all Muslims, or the religion of Islam, responsible for the attack, and it is not right to ask American Muslims to atone for the act of foreign terrorists. That’s like equating all Christians with the vicious acts of Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma.
Since the day of the attack Muslims organizations, scholars and individuals, including local Imams and organizations, have spoken out against terrorism. Most Muslims take offense at the way their religion has been twisted by Muslim extremists into a justification for violent action. In contrast to the extremists Cordoba House is being founded as a place to increase understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims and is just the kind of place that should be encouraged. It is through increased interfaith understanding that we will be able to create a more peaceful world.
It is even more troubling that the Governor’s remarks come at a time of numerous protests of mosque construction around the country, and protests by Christians at Muslim weekly Friday prayer in several locations. Americans enjoy a constitutional right to practice religion, and the fact that the religion is Islam does not take away that right. Freedom to practice religion, even a minority religion, is one of the freedoms that Americans, and we assume Governor Pawlenty, hold very dear. Since the Governor has no authority to approve or deny the building of the New York mosque his remarks just serve to inflame the situation further.
We were pleased to work with Governor Pawlenty’s office to organize two interfaith prayer services after the collapse of the 35W bridge. And we worked with Governor Ventura before him in that fateful September to bring that same diversity to the capitol for the state’s gathering of remembrance. There was an Imam there that day and he spoke with grief and pain and denounced the violence in the name of Allah. The diversity in faith expression was essential to how meaningful these services were. Events such as these remind me of the greatness of our nation and our respective faiths.
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Thank-you very much Ms. Chemberlin for speaking out against Governor Pawlenty’s misguided comments and against prejudice towards American Muslims. I am not a practicing member of any religious group, but I fully support one’s freedom to practice their religion in America. We must all stand up for this right because today it is predujice against one religion and if not challenged, it will lead to prejudice against another religion.
We differ in many respects to what this dear woman is saying and would like to remind her that there ia already a mosque within 4 blocks of 9/11 site. We are very tolerant of a lot of the attacks against Christianity – to the point that political correctness causes us to not even be able to say Merry Christmas, put a cross in many places – or even have Christmas parties or programs. Does anyone ever prevent Muslims from having their prayer times? They even are provided places in public schools.
Are the US Muslims going to fund this many-storied building so close to Ground Zero? From all the reports we’ve been able to document – very little money is coming from the US. Funds are being raised overseae in Arab countries.
As Presbyterians we are tolerant – but not out of our minds! Two blocks from ground zero is not necessary or appropriate given other projects that have been discouraged near that site and certainly not acceptable to people of most faiths given an opportunity to express their opinions – be they persons of faith or not.
Perhaps you forget that coincidentally all 15 of the killers in the 9/11 tragedy were Muslims….and that there was great rejoicing for their actions among the Muslim community.
You also display your lack of knowledge and insensitivity for all Christians by asserting that McVeigh was a “Christian.” He had nothing to do with Christianity, and you should not indiscriminately repeat this common lie as well as well as try to justify the intolerant practices of an oppressive religion.
You also disrespect the sentiments of our Minnesota governor. If he regards these plans of Muslims as “inappropriate” you can at least respect his convictions as you expect us to sympathize with those of Muslims.
Just because in America we have the “right” to worship as we please, not not necessarily make this course of action the “right” thing to do. If Muslims want to “reach out,” they need to respect those who prefer a more fitting location. I may change my view when Mid Eastern Christians are not killed for their faith and when they permit a Church to be built in Mecca.
For your indifference for those 3000 who were brutally murdered on 9/11, you owe an apology.
Jon Abeler