American beachhead...

[Gob]

This is an issue which goes far beyond a Brooklyn courtroom.

Muslim Americans building places of worship are encountering fierce opposition across America, where freedom of religious expression is a constitutional right.

The Sheepshead Bay case has attracted prominent US critics of Islam, like the blogger Pamela Geller, who played a leading role in the protests against the proposed Ground Zero Islamic Center.

Ms Geller takes issue with the Muslim American Society, the group backing the Sheepshead Bay mosque.

"It's a proxy of the Muslim Brotherhood, an extremist organisation," she says.

She adds: "They're violating building codes, yet the city, and government officials are in the tank on these issues, it's political correctness."

"They're trying to establish a rabat, a beachhead, in a small residential neighbourhood."

Ms Deek told the BBC that the idea that Muslims were foreigners no matter how long they had lived in a neighbourhood was racism, intensified by the political environment.

But she sensed a change, as Muslims assert their constitutional right to freedom of worship.

"The Muslim community is tired of being victimised," Ms Deek said.

National critics of Islam see the Sheepshead Bay mosque as yet another encroachment by what they believe is an oppressive ideology.

Muslim Americans are determined to stand up for their rights. Bin Laden's death has done nothing to lessen the mutual suspicion between the different sides.

Debbie Almontaser, of the Muslim Consultative Network, a group advising Sheepshead Bay Muslims, says Muslim Americans will stand up for those rights against what she calls a national epidemic stemming from Islamophobia.

While local opponents of the Sheepshead Bay mosque state their opposition in terms of noise concerns, national critics of Islam see its construction as yet another encroachment by what they believe is a repressive ideology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/13342408

[Scooter]

The fact that a bigger Christian church without parking, a synagogue, and a six-storey building all went up in this neighbourhood without opposition, and they only went after the mosque, says all that needs to be said about their motives.

Racism is as racism does, to paraphrase Forrest Gump.

[@meric@nwom@n]

I live about 2.5 miles or so from the Islamic Society of North America. It is the largest in North America. It is an impressive building just outside of town. Our high school has an Islamic Student Society. I promise anyone who is worried, these people are barely noticed and do their share in the community. I have never seen a hint of violence or scandal associated with them.


We are all just getting along here in middle America.

[dgs49]

(1) Building codes and whatnot should be applied uniformly.

(2) You can (obviously) practice whatever religion you want in this country, provided you don't break any laws. If any church were being built in my neighborhood that promised to have prayers (or bells) blasting out at ungodly hours, I would be a bit agitated.

(3) There are Muslim sects that preach sedition against the United States. Some of their ministers do so in American prisons, for example. If a new Mosque is being planned by a sect that has traceable ties to terrorist organizations, then maybe they should be looked at a little closer than, say, a new Quaker meeting house.

(4) Not to be a smart ass, but the word, "racism" is absurd in this context. Muslims come in ALL races, and Arabs are caucasian. Where does "racism" come in?

(5) Oh, yeah. I forgot. If you don't like Mexicans you are also a "racist," so I guess the word doesn't actually mean anything - like "homophobe."

[quaddriver]

...across America, where freedom of religious expression is a constitutional right.

Is it?

It we (incorrectly) assume that 'hatred of muslims' is a product of the 'right', then what about the 'hatred of the baptists' that we hear about every day due to stances on school prayer, gay marriage and abortion?

Baptists, to my knowledge, do not make a habit of shouting 'death to xxxxxxx' like muslims might. (and actually carrying it out. nutcases, shooting a doctor is a far cry of difference from a highly trained govt backed paramilitary organization that tries and regularly succeeds at mass murder world-wide)

It wont take me long to find similar intolerance here and elsewhere for other relgions like catholocism for example.

So tell me again about this 'right'...right to do what?

[dgs49]

Just because you have a constitutional right to do something doesn't mean you are immune from getting your ass kicked.

The Constitution only constrains the government.