Opinion: United States of Islamophobia?
Arsalan Iftikhar
Special to CNN
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/OPINION/08/12/iftikhar.islamaphobia/tzleft.iftikhar.courtesy.jpg caption="Arsalan Iftikhar: Anti-mosque campaigns spreading from New York throughout nation" width=300 height=169]
Almost everybody has heard about the protests against the mosque and Islamic center planned to be built about two blocks from ground zero in Manhattan. But most people are still unaware that these anti-Muslim political campaigns are spreading throughout our beloved country as a new wave of Islamophobia hits.
Debate over the Islamic center has become ridiculously absurd. An ad objecting to the mosque depicts a plane flying toward the World Trade Center's towers as they burn on the left, with a rendering of the center on the right, and is set to run in New York buses.
Far away from New York, some right-wing Republican political candidates in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, have denounced plans for a large Muslim center proposed near a subdivision and hundreds of angry protesters have subsequently turned out for a march and a county meeting on the matter.
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Filed under: Arsalan Iftikhar • Islam • Opinion |
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anderson what is wrong with american people? why do they hate so much? why do they allow their political representatives to spew hatred? do they have something against living peacefully with all people,
It saddens me to hear about and see the destruction they are causing.
I,m so glad I don't live in your country and I hope my country never behaves like that.
a canadian
I see the problem being caused by calling the new center a mosque rather than naming it an interfaith Islamic community peace center. The YMCA or YMHA don't identify as religious houses of worship (temple or church). They are sponsored by a religious group but are open to all. Calling this new proposed building a "mosque" is making a different statement and a provocative one.