Terry Jones speaks on Islam, American politics at Capitol
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As the rain came Wednesday evening, Terry Jones’ supporters left him high and dry.
The controversial Florida pastor — known for declaring Sept. 11 International Burn a Koran Day a year ago — spoke on the steps of the Capitol in Lansing about Islam and the state of American politics.
“Americans as a whole are naïve and uninformed,” Jones told the attendees. “Our government is not taking the threat of Islam seriously.”
Before the event, Jones said officials the Capitol told him to expect more than 10,000 visitors for his speech, but the actual total was closer to 30 people, many of whom opposed his views.
Jones came to Lansing to offer his support to a bill sponsored by Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville Mich., which would prevent state courts from implementing foreign laws, notably Islamic law.
Gallery: Terry Jones
Video: Protests at the ...
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, who described Jones as “a national nut-job,” said the bill is merely an attempt to incite religious and ethnic hatred.
“It’s … just ignorance and trying to create a problem where there is none,” Bernero said. “We have the law of the constitution, and I see no threat to that.”
In an effort to promote unity, Lansing hosted an interfaith program at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1701 E. Saginaw St., in Lansing, to offer community members a place to discuss religion and stand against Jones’ message, Bernero said.
“Part of it is to wrap our arms … around our Muslim brothers and sisters and let them know we don’t approve of Jones’ approach,” he said.
“His eyes might work, but he’s blind to what tolerance and mutual respect can bring to a community.”MSU’s Muslim Students’ Association President and kinesiology senior Faraz Anjum said Muslim students are often in disbelief over the views Jones expresses.
“We don’t understand how at this time there could still be such an extreme view of Islam,” Anjum said.
Abdalmajid Katranji, public relations coordinator for the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing, 920 S. Harrison Road,, said despite the center’s experience having a desecrated Quran left at its doors in September 2010, the community largely is accepting of Muslims in the area.
The Islamic Center offered an invitation to eat and discuss Islam with Jones while he was in town, but Jones said he never received the invitation and wouldn’t have attended even if he had.
“I’ve talked to many Muslim leaders, and they tell you what you want to hear,” Jones said.
Ultimately Katranji said one of Jones’ biggest misunderstandings is the nature of the community he was speaking to, where he believes religious tolerance and acceptance are paramount.
“Mid-Michigan is one of the most hospitable and friendly places to live in Michigan,” he said. “We may have a few people that have problem interacting with the Muslim community. But overall we’re a fabric of the community, and I would live no where else. Mr. Jones can’t ruin that.”
Commentary
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James
(09/08/11 10:06am)Report
It is to bad your story is one sided, did you even listen? But I forgot the media gets to pick there side and report only half the case. Good work you fit the main stream media mold great!
MotorCity007
(09/08/11 10:24pm)Report
I went and seen Terry Jones speak in Lansing, Michigan the other night. The guy brought some very interesting and accurate information about how Islam treats women very bad in addition to being very intolorent to other religions being practiced in Muslim countries. Sharia Law should be banned from being used in American Court Systems. Freedom of religion should continue to remain in the United States.
marc hemingway
(09/10/11 11:22pm)Report
Islam is a lie.
Marc Hemingway
(09/10/11 11:39pm)Report
My personal message is that i love Muslims just as much as Christians or anyone else.
But, the Qur’an and teaching of Muhammad have lead to 270 million deaths.
Had the Qur’an never been written, and had Muhammad rejected the angelic revelations,
the 270 million infidels killed and their children who were never born would amount to over 1 billion lives taken by Islam.
PoliticalIslam.com -> “Tears of Jihad”
Persecution.org
JihadWatch.org
When they hold up signs saying, “Get ready for the real Holocaust,” and “God bless Hitler” they are getting these ideas from the Qur’an and Muhhammad’s life and teaching. And they aren’t making a joke either
Although most Muslims have a conscience and are peaceful, all 4 schools of Islam teach that the Qur’an is 100% Allah’s message and Mohammad is the perfect model of excellence we should all follow.
There are 109 verses in the Qur’an teaching to forcefully and violently impose Islamic beliefs upon all infidels.
Muhammad personally executed over 100 people, he built an army that lead 77 unprovoked battles, and he had over 20 wives and concubines.
I love Muhammad and hate his example as well as the perverted and hateful content in the Qur’an.
Do you know why 99.999% of all terrorists are Muslims?
Do you know why Jihad has lead to 270 million deaths?
Do you know why slavery and sex trafficking is so rampant in the Middle East and Africa?
Or why women are treated like cattle?
Do you know why people are killed every month for talking truthfully about Mohammad or insulting Islam?
Do you know why people pack explosives on themselves by the droves to kill peaceful civilians?
It is because Islam is a lie, and there is hatred towards infidels in the Qur’an (109 infallable scriptures of Allah from before time)
and because of the life and teachings of Muhammad – the perfect man and example you must follow.
There is ONLY ONE way Muhammad gave that your entry into paradise is assured – that you would slay infidels until they kill you.
marc hemingway
(09/10/11 11:43pm)Report
I love my Muslim brothers and sisters enough to tell them the truth: Islam is a lie.
The reason most Muslims are peaceful is because they aren’t practicing their religion. Once someone becomes a perfect Muslim, they are a terrorist.
Marc Hemingway
(09/11/11 12:05am)Report
I was not really concerned about Shariah law in America during my lifetime, until i saw this film: http://vimeo.com/20197444
Iran will soon have nukes and immediately give them to terrorists.
In the same way madmen in Afganistan have prohibited us from burning paper and ink,
madmen with nukes will be able to hold countries hostage or compel our governments to enforce Shariah.
marc hemingway
(09/12/11 2:09am)Report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEON4GAPBwk&NR=1
Palestinian speaks at MSU.
Patrick Hoffman
(09/19/11 11:20am)Report
@Marc Hemingway- You sir, need to check your facts.
1.)Every religion in history has engaged in terrorism. What of the Zionist Stern Gang in Israel that attacked British and Palestinian civilians during the 1940s? The Hindu Thugees who terrorized the trading routes from Baghdad to India? You think Hitler’s SS was Muslim? What of the Klu Klux Klan here in America? I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard the phrase “God-fearing Klan.” You think they are Muslim?
2.)You also claim that “Jihad” has resulted in the death of 270million people. I would ask you to present your sources on that. And from when are you referring? Are you beginning in 622, when Mohammed completed his Hegira and began preaching Islam? Or the most recent wave? Either way, it does not come close to reaching 270million. (The highest credible estimates for total dead in the Second World War are 70million… no religious movement in history can claim they have killed 4x as many people as World War II)And aren’t you forgetting something? How many pagans died at the hands of the Roman-era Christians? How many people (Jews, Muslims, and fellow Christians) died at the hands of the medieval crusaders? How many Jews and Muslims died at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition? (Modern Catholic scholars list it at 14,000, but they use a loophole… 10,000 men, women and children were executed in Granada in 1492 alone for refusing to convert).
3.) You think sex trafficking and slavery is not a problem in the United States? It is estimated that over 100,000 people are used as slaves through economic and sexual exploitation.
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/may/humantrafficking_050908
3.) It is true that in many Muslim countries, women are not treated with the respect the deserve. But the same can be said in the United States. Just walk around campus, or go to a bar on Thurs. night. How many times do you here men making disparaging comments about a woman’s appearance or sexuality. How many times do you see a man open a door for a woman without having his own agenda? How many times do you see the media judge a woman on her intelligence and character rather than her appearance? Also, it should be noted that Mohammed did not condone the mistreatment of women: “Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Who among the people is most deserving of a fine treatment from my hand? He said: Your mother. He again said: Then who (is the next one)? He said: Again it is your mother (who deserves the best treatment from you). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Again, it is your mother. (translation from the Qu’ran).
4.) Again, Islam is hardly the only religion to use violence to ensure unity. How many people were killed for questioning the Catholic Church? How many people were killed for questioning the KKK? It is also important to note that only a handful of countries execute religious dissidents (mainly Iran, who is disliked and distrusted by most Muslims around the world).
5.) Islam did not introduce the idea of suicide assasins. In fact, suicide was illegal under Islamic law up until the 1970s, when Ayatollah Khomeini called a group of like-minded mullahs to Iran and ordered them to allow suicide bombing because it was the only way to hurt Israel. In that case, suicide bombing was a political weapon used for political reasons, not religious ones.
6.) I seriously suggest you take the time to read an English translation of the Qu’ran. The vast majority of the Qu’ran overlaps with the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah. And many Muslims treat the Qu’ran the same way most Christians treat the Bible..they know and follow the fundamentals (which are the same through all three religions), and ignore the fine print (which is what is different between the three.
7.)You think Islam was the first to preach that killing an infidel assured a place in paradise? (I would ask you cite the Surah from the Qu’ran where he actually says that). Pope Urban II (a Christian) unleashed the Crusades by declaring that “to kill an infidel is not murder… it is the path to heaven.) And he was not the first. Early Christian leaders in Alexandria, Rome and Western Europe all preached the same message.
Kyle
(09/20/11 8:59am)Report
American politics – Lie lie lie, spend spend spend.
Islamic politics – BOOM!!!!!!