Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door. The CNN documentary.

[R/T Hemi]

No, that's not my opinion, It's a CNN documentary that aired last night. I don't know how many of you saw it, but it was excellent.

Link re: the documentary

Two things really jumped out.
There are some very ignorant people in Tennessee, especially the lady who funded the law suit to stop the building of the new mosque. To call her ignorant is being kind. Her anti-Muslim philosophy centered on a "I might be right, we don't know yet" theory of ignorance. Unfortunately, she had enough money to fund this lawsuit. I hope it was very expensive.

There was also a young Muslim woman, one of the most articulate individuals I've seen on TV in all my years. She filtered the static from the legitimate concerns with comments such as "You're quoting my culture, not my religion" when confronted with feminist issues. She just got better and fielded clear and concise answers to the tough questions.

The lawsuit (In Tennessee), challenging the right of these Americans to build their mosque, became focused on whether or not Islam was a religion. Then something happened I'd never seen before in any trial. Government lawyers appeared and presented the judge with documentation that Islam is a religion recognized by US law. End of that avenue.

By the way. They (the plaintiffs) lost the law suit, construction will continue pending the appeal.

quoting the article
The Muslims interviewed by O'Brien note they have lived in Murfreesboro for decades as integrated residents of the community. They say they have felt welcome. They say they consider themselves Americans and honor American law. They note that one of the big selling points of America is freedom to worship as one chooses.

It's time to grow up America.

If you didn't catch this, it's really must see TV.

[IBCoupe]

I foresee a lock on this thread.

[R/T Hemi]

Why, we can't fight ignorance? This isn't about religion, but how ignorant people can be with respect to the rights of other Americans.

[AppleBonker]

[IBCoupe]

You can certainly discuss individual rights, but you even wrote that part of the debate (on the deep side) is that Islam isn't really a religion. How much you want to bet that it's going to make its way in here?

[AZhitman]

I didn't watch it.

I've got mixed feelings on the documentary, though. TN is only one of 50 states, and I think the reality is that we (as a nation) are pretty tolerant (despite what the media sensationalizes)...

Silly lawsuit is silly, for sure.

In our endeavor to "fight ignorance", it's important to note that last (italicized) part of your post. It's also important to understand that the people of Murfreesboro are under no obligation to like, accept, welcome or be friends with anyone else.

In fact, they can be downright unwelcoming if they want (kinda how I feel when I wind up in South Phoenix, because I'm not brown and my Spanish sucks).

Their only obligation is to comply with the laws that apply to everyone. "Fighting ignorance" does not equal "changing the way they think".

[heliochrome85]

I didn't watch it.

I've got mixed feelings on the documentary, though. TN is only one of 50 states, and I think the reality is that we (as a nation) are pretty tolerant (despite what the media sensationalizes)...

Silly lawsuit is silly, for sure.

In our endeavor to "fight ignorance", it's important to note that last (italicized) part of your post. It's also important to understand that the people of Murfreesboro are under no obligation to like, accept, welcome or be friends with anyone else.

In fact, they can be downright unwelcoming if they want (kinda how I feel when I wind up in South Phoenix, because I'm not brown and my Spanish sucks).

Their only obligation is to comply with the laws that apply to everyone. "Fighting ignorance" does not equal "changing the way they think".

i have to agree. that being said, our mosque back home has been attacked with molotov cocktails a couple of times and we no longer publicize the location via an exterior sign. now its a non-descript building. i just wish that there wasnt a large segment of the population so determined on staging an american inquisition. i cant tell what is a more derogatory term: homosexual, immigrant, or muslim.

[IBCoupe]

Yep. The gay, immigrant, Muslim of 2011 is the Irish-Italian Jew of 1911.

[heliochrome85]

how much would it suck to be the trifecta of all evils, the gay immigrant muslim? i like to think that when someone in those shoes presents themselves to a republican, the republican's head asplodes like in MARS ATTACKS!

[IBCoupe]

You know, I never have tried to yodel at Republicans.

[heliochrome85]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDXCwd65 ... dded#at=33[/youtube]

[IBCoupe]

This is actually the first video I've ever watched of Herman Cain. And I'm not at all impressed.

[AZhitman]

You know, I never have tried to yodel at Republicans.

I'll take a gay immigrant Muslim over a metrosexual yodeling Jew. All day long.

In all cerealness, remember this: Whenever a news station interviews "Man On Street", they seem to get the "extremist" - no matter what the issue is, no matter how big or small, relevant or irrelevant... Very little of America is like this. Despite the hubbub, we're pretty accepting.

Tariq, you know as well as I do that it's better to be "you, here" than "me, there" (altho after 3 days of no shaving, I can pass for Angry Arab status)... maybe that's NOT such a good example.

Not to make excuses, but c'mon... it's freakin' Murfreesboro. Hellllooooooo. There's certain places where certain folks just don't fit in as readily, and that's just reality - Not that we shouldn't continue to work on it, but dayum. Let's be realistic.

[heliochrome85]

man, im going to hug you forever come carlisle. hug. forever.

[AZhitman]

I'm surprisingly huggable for an angry White pseudo-conservative Independent.

[heliochrome85]

[IBCoupe]

Oh, dear god.

[themadscientist]

Richard Simmons is an individual demographic all his own. It's hard not to respect a guy that comfortable in his own skin, though. People would be a lot nicer to each other if they liked themselves more. A lot of the hatred and violence we see in society has its seeds in self-loathing and the need to redirect that judgment at others. Rich accepts himself so it's easy for him to accept others as they are. People could take a lesson. Maybe he could make a deal a meal system for the personality.

Let's see, I gave two people the finger so move the obscene gesture cards over there. I can't flip anybody else off today. I gave that one guy my spot in line, though so that card goes over there. Whoops, I tripped that girl scout and took her cookies; I'm still an ***hole. Day by day, start over.

[AZhitman]

Oh, dear god.

Shhh. There's a Muslin in teh room. Show some common decency.


Huh? What? No, doofus, not the buttsechs reference... they don't mind that. Just don't say "god".

[heliochrome85]

Oh, dear god.

Shhh. There's a Muslin in teh room. Show some common decency.


Huh? What? No, doofus, not the buttsechs reference... they don't mind that. Just don't say "god".

im not really a muslim. i just claim it on here, and on college loan apps.

Someone somewhere made that charge. funny how i cant seem to remember them anymore.

[AZhitman]

[heliochrome85]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/52132.html

[stebo0728]

This is actually the first video I've ever watched of Herman Cain. And I'm not at all impressed.

Therin lies your problem. Fix it. The more you learn of him, the more you'll like him.

[IBCoupe]

No, Stebo, I don't think there's a darn thing Herman Cain could say to sway me back to neutrality on his candidacy. 

When a person states outright that "Muslim" is a disqualifying feature for members of their administration because some Muslims are radicalized and some of those Muslims are violent, that person has displayed a level of derpitude that calls into question their ability to reason on a wide array of topics. 

Beyond that, were he to be elected, he's just opened the government up to a lawsuit for an unconstitutional violation of equal protection if he follows through on that promise. Heck, he's probably opened himself up to civil suit TODAY for discrimination against any Muslim job applicant he might have turned away in the recent past. 

This guy is dumb, with a capital "F," and we can't afford for someone like this to be President.

Now, maybe he's backpedaled away from that absurd answer he gave in the beginning of that video, and if that's the case, I might reconsider. But not a moment before.