An American Tradition

Monday, August 30, 2010
On Friday night, vandals set fire to equipment parked at the location of the proposed new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The local Sheriff's Department discovered the fire, and the Center has notified the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, who have indicated this will be investigated as a hate crime.

I can't tell you how sad this makes me.

It's nothing new, of course. Americans have a long history of marginalizing and damaging those we consider to be "other." We stole from and butchered those who lived on the land we wanted. We enslaved millions of black people, based solely on the color of their skin. Once they were free, we denied them full standing under the law, including blowing up their buildings and making their community members "disappear." We interned thousands of American citizens and other legal residents based solely on their Japanese ethnicity during World War II.

So I suppose I shouldn't be surprised when the bigots and the racists determine that having an Islamic Center in their neighborhood is grounds for this type of behavior.

And yet, I am. I'm surprised because I believe we're better than that. Even in places where institutional bigotry and racism is a cultural norm, I believe Americans are capable of living up to the ideals on which our nation was founded, and complying with the rule of law enshrined in our Constitution. The freedom to worship (or not worship) as we choose is not a right that is selectively given - it applies to everyone or to no one. It guarantees the right of the minority not to be persecuted by the majority, and it holds us to a standard that protects all Americans, not just the Christian ones that happen to go to your church.

As Americans, we have a dichotomy of traditions. We can choose to follow the tradition that ostracizes and persecutes those who are different from us. Or we can choose that other American tradition - the one that defends the weak, the oppressed minority, and chooses to do what's right, and just.

I am uniquely American. I'm an upper middle class white woman. I'm a military veteran. I have two children. I own my home. I'm completely irreligious. I'm concerned about the state of our nation and the danger posed by the radicals that seem to be popping up in every aspect of American life.

And today, I'm a supporter of the Muslim community in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. My September charitable donation will be going to the construction fund for the new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.

It's time to stand up. Muslim-Americans are our neighbors, our workmates, our brothers and sisters in arms. They are deserving of the same rights and privileges as any American citizen. To treat them otherwise belittles us all.

9 comments:

vince said...

As a Christian, I am outraged. As an American, I am outraged.

And I would really like to bitch-slap Palin and Beck and Terry Jones and the other high-profile assholes who's rhetoric feeds the hate being directed by their followers. I'm a firm believer in freedom of speech, but there are (or should be) consequences when your speech stirs people to violent acts and you damn well know it will.

I'll be joining you in making a contribution in September.

mom in northern said...

To quote the Supreme court.
"The freedom of speech does not mean you can yell fire in a crowded theatre.."

Warner (aka ntsc) said...

http://www.ilike.com/artist/Tom+Lehrer/track/National+Brotherhood+Week

Janiece said...

Thanks, Warner.

Hee.

Thordr said...

Another thing that sucks, is that the equipment that was destroyed belonged to a construction contracter, and seldom are these very expencive pieces of machinery insured for such things, so its not really the Islamic center that is out money, they are just delayed in getting thier project completed, its some guy who gets up at 4 in the morning to head out to the job site and climbes in a dozer that is now wrecked that is out of a job, at least for a while.

Janiece said...

Thordr, I read that, too.

Another fine example of the thought processes associate with the Mensa candidates who conflate "Muslim" with "terrorist" in all cases.

Nathan said...

This article from Memphis might make you feel a little better.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/28/common-threads/

Not everybody sucks.

Janiece said...

Thanks, Nathan. I needed that.

I also got a very nice note from the treasurer of the ICM, thanking me for my support in their hour of need.

It made me feel the same I felt when I counter-protested those WBC whackos outside the Jewish Synagogue and one of the board members came out and thanked us for standing with them.

:-)

WendyB_09 said...

I'll keep them in mind for next month.

This month I donated to a local Boys & Girls Club that had all 8 of their AC units stolen for the copper piping & wiring. The theft occurred 2 days before their after-school programs were to start, and in the middle of the hottest summer we've had in a decade. Mini-telethon during the news one night
raised $30K in just a couple hours. It will be enough to upgrade the security system.

Why target the kids?