Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber killed 168 people by detonating a bomb, making that the deadliest act of terrorism in America prior to 9/11. McVeigh was raised as a Catholic, was pro-militia and an NRA member. What shaped his life to the extent of his terrorist act is not certain although this is attributed to his fear of a tyrannical government taking over.
Dr George Tiller’s murderer, Scott Roeder was a self professed Christian, striking him down, thinking of it as an act to save unborn children over the abortion issue. Many Christians denounce Roeder’s act, but some embrace him as a hero such as Randal Terry.
Admittedly, Roeder provides us with an extreme example of Christian terrorism. Some Christian extremists who oppose reproductive rights for women engage in many less violent terrorist acts (e.g., harassing women outside clinics, vandalism, etc.) but draw the line at murder. And yet,Randall Terry was observed outside the courthouse during Roeder’s trial showing his support for the admitted murderer.
The right wing name for the Muslim recreation center and place of worship which has become highly controversial is, The Ground Zero Mosque. The same political party that claims to embrace The Constitution has dismissed it entirely:
In any legal or constitutional showdown over whether a mosque can be built near Ground Zero, the mosque would win, hands down.
The First Amendment of the Constitution requires it. The amendment, perhaps the most cherished of the Bill of Rights, guarantees that government may not interfere with the practice of religion.
A letter to the President:
Dear President Obama,
I write to thank you for your support of the plans for the Park51 Islamic Cultural Center in Lower Manhattan and of religious freedom for all Americans. I know I speak for many, many Jewish leaders when I express my thanks for your support of Park51. I have worked with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and with Daisy Khan. I appreciate their commitment to interreligious dialogue and so, have been outspoken in my support for them. I can think of no better memorial to the Americans who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, than a place of prayer, contemplation, and communal engagement.
I also deeply appreciate your standing up for our freedom of religion. It is not sufficient to assert the right to build; only the free exercise of that right is a guarantee of religious freedom. I am distressed at those who would divide America and use hatred of other Americans as a political tool. I applaud your courage at speaking out on this issue. We consider support of Park51 essential to the rights of religious expression for the Jewish community, as well.
My best wishes to you, in the hopes that you continue to serve America in helping ALL of our citizens achieve their basic rights such as healthcare, economic wellbeing, and freedom of expression and religion.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Burt Visotzky
Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies
Director, Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies
I’ve become used to seeing images of protests on the news recently. While a few years ago these were displayed as sure signs of anti-American sentiments, they are now a mainstay on the nightly news. Hardly a day goes by without seeing some sign calling Obama a Muslim socialist or demanding that the government not take away Medicare in order to pay for socialized heath care. But it was seriously disturbing to see the images from New York City yesterday of the protest of the Muslim center going in two blocks from the site of Ground Zero. The planned center is being built in an old Burlington Coat Factory building and will include a fitness center, community meeting rooms, and a mosque. Basically it’s the neighborhood YMCA with that weird contemporary church plant meeting in the yoga room on Saturday nights. But it’s Muslim and therefore has drawn out the haters.
Just recently, a group of 40 leaders of varying religions spoke up in support of the Cordoba recreation center and mosque while denouncing.“xenophobia and religious bigotry,”
“We have witnessed this sinful corruption of religion across faith traditions throughout history and must condemn it without equivocation whenever or wherever it occurs,” the religious leaders wrote in their statement. “However, we fail to honor those murdered on that awful day – including Muslim Americans killed in the Twin Towers and Pentagon – by betraying our nation’s historic commitment to religious liberty, fueling ugly stereotypes about Islam and demeaning the vast majority of Muslims committed to peace.”
While debating what’s right and wrong, the same people who wish to judge others, are rejecting Constitutional rights of others by saying it’s not appropriate. Suppose we say guns aren’t appropriate? Suppose we say no Christian church is allowed in close proximity to the spot where Dr Tiller was murdered. In this line of thinking, we should shut down any Catholic Church and gun shop near the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Timothy McVeigh targeted, killing 168 people including 19 children.
Scott Roeder is part of the religious right which some see as the sister of the radical Muslims in the Taliban. Any extremist using religion as a scapegoat for their acts, will now effect everyone in that religion? Is this now perceived as freedom and liberty?
If we are stereotyping peaceful Muslims, lumping them in with extremists and radicals, then the same can apply to the rest of us. If fair is fair, then by God, let’s be fair, but let’s not feign devotion and love for our Constitutional rights simply because you have a pocket version in your bag or brief case. The Constitution applies to all Americans, from all religions and faiths. These rights are ours and the rest of America is tiring of the twisted up version the religious right have morphed into their won set of rights. pertaining only to them.
This could be our one chance at building bridges with these people who hope to improve relations and they’re blowing it. Once we set an example of freedom in America, that example must always apply. Cordoba House must stay if they still choose to.
This blogger is a Christian. Why are some of you making the rest of us look like bumbling idiots?
