537 replies to this topic

[tessieca]

Excellent.  I can't wait for the 27 page thread on the building of the next Christian church in Folsom.  

Perchance the difference might be that 2% of Christians might think wives should submit to their husbands, but they don't promote stoning them if they do not. Nor do they promote killing you simply because you're an American. If the extremist Muslims simply held beliefs that are uncivil but didn't maim or kill, there would be fewer questions asked.

Sometimes I think some of you just want to be able to pat yourselves on the back for being so tollllerant and accccccepting.

[CostcoLover]

Don't have to be accepting to be tolerant. Now on to today's news...

U.S. Muslims feel sidelined in terrorism fight
By Caroline Drees, Security Correspondent Tue Aug 30,11:20 AM ET
http://news.yahoo.co...HNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is neglecting American Muslims in the fight against terrorism, undermining a potentially priceless resource that could be used to root out militants at home, major Muslim groups say.

U.S. officials agree they must do more to involve Muslim Americans in the fight against terrorism. But they say the administration is already actively cooperating with Muslim groups and say they enjoy greater access to the government than ever before.

"The momentum will accelerate. I think that over the upcoming year, or two or five, you will see the connections between the Arab American and Muslim American communities and the government really deepen," he said.

Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, secretary general of the Islamic Society of North America, said Muslim Americans had a unique infrastructure in place through their mosques, community programs and conferences to counter that threat.

Within the community, "people who may have doubts, who may have some kind of tendencies toward extremism, get diluted, and they are confronted with the right arguments and teachings," he said.

[jetsetter]

Whats with this 23% not welcoming the mosque. People who voted no are unAmerican and the worst type of unAmerican. Those people are a disgrace to Folsom and the whole of California.

[CostcoLover]

I wouldn't lump all 23% in the same boat.

Some are simply afraid. I can understand that.

Some are simply bigots. I can understand that.

Some simply do not understand our constitution. I can understand that.

Some are none of the above, but truly don't care for the traffic, or other factors that will inconvenience them. I can understand that.

There are numerous reasons why people would vote against.

[DrKoz23]

No doubt this poll is not scientific... but if 23 percent of this town is against the freedom of religion... that is really sad. I didn't know that about one-quarter of the residents of this town do not believe in one of the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution.

I feel sad for those of you who live in fear. Do you fear getting in your car with the possibility of an accident. Do you fear taking a shower and possibly slipping. Do you fear cutting the grass with the possibility of cutting your foot off. Do you fear walking out in the sun with the possibility you could get skin cancer. I wonder how you live this way every day... but would not give up my life to be like you anytime or anywhere.

Great letters to the editor in the Sac Bee today in support of this project! Maybe people will realize this entire city isn't naive and close-minded.

[CostcoLover]

AP: FBI to Do Prisoner 'Threat Assessment'
By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer 56 minutes ago
http://news.yahoo.co...orism_probe_fbi

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -
FBI agents nationwide have been ordered to conduct "threat assessments" of inmates who may have become radicalized in prison and could commit extremist violence upon their release, according to an FBI letter obtained by The Associated Press.

"The primary goal of these efforts is to assess and disrupt the recruitment and conversion of inmates to radicalized ideologies which advocate violence," according to a letter from the acting assistant chief of the FBI's Los Angeles office, Randy D. Parsons.

The agency has been concerned since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that groups with extremist ideologies may be targeting felons as prime candidates for conversion during their time in prison.

IMO, prisoners, the poor and others that may feel disenfranchised would all be potential candidates to be recruited by terrorists.

U.S. poverty rate rises, ranks of poor whites expand
By Kristin Roberts Tue Aug 30, 9:54 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.co...HNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. poverty rate rose in 2004 for the fourth year in a row, driven by an increase in poor whites, the government said on Tuesday in a report that White House critics called proof the economic recovery has bypassed most Americans.

The percentage of the U.S. population living in poverty rose to 12.7 percent from 12.5 percent in 2003, the Census Bureau said in its annual poverty report. The ranks of the poor rose to 37.0 million, as 1.1 million more people slipped into poverty from the previous year, the report said.

[CostcoLover]

No doubt this poll is not scientific... but if 23 percent of this town is against the freedom of religion... that is really sad.  I didn't know that about one-quarter of the residents of this town do not believe in one of the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution.

I feel sad for those of you who live in fear.  Do you fear getting in your car with the possibility of an accident.  Do you fear taking a shower and possibly slipping.  Do you fear cutting the grass with the possibility of cutting your foot off.  Do you fear walking out in the sun with the possibility you could get skin cancer.  I wonder how you live this way every day... but would not give up my life to be like you anytime or anywhere.

Great letters to the editor in the Sac Bee today in support of this project!  Maybe people will realize this entire city isn't naive and close-minded.

I don't think most people see it as a simple issue. If it were a Buddhist temple, the numbers would probably be miniscule, so it's not just against freedom of religion per se.

As for the car, shower, grass, sun, etc. I'd go on a limb and say that folks feel they have some sort of 'control' over those issues, and they view them as less likely than what is an 'unknown' factor.

Ironically, there's less concern about the prison. Terrorists are not stupid, they will take advantage of our weaknesses. I imagine that in the years to come, the next wave of terrorist attacks will come from other Americans that have been persuaded to see their side, their beliefs, and then use them for their cause. They will seek out the disenfranchised and others that may be easily persuaded.

[dan76]

We are probably safe here as they won't blow up their own town. It should be the surrounding communities that should be worried.

[jetsetter]

We are probably safe here as they won't blow up their own town. It should be the surrounding communities that should be worried.

Nobody should be worried. There is nothing to worry about. There are hundreds apon hundreds of mosques in the United States.

[tessieca]

We are probably safe here as they won't blow up their own town. It should be the surrounding communities that should be worried.

Why would you assume that? Isn't the dam supposed to be a prime target?

[jetsetter]

The dam will not be blown up, crashed into, etc.

[ECEGatorTuro]

I'm just a recent member to Folsom and I wanted to contribute to this thread.

It saddens me that just after reading a few posts (maybe a page or two) on this thread that other people in this country can be so intolerant. People are talking about how "oh because they are building a mosque here, they won't bomb this town... blah blah blah". I can't believe that someone can even make the connection between a mosque and a terrorist. Muslims have the same rights and freedoms as any other group in this country and the diversity should be welcomed. Islam does not condone violence and neither do most (if not all) religions. If a bunch of fanatical Jewish people started running around blowing up buildings, are we going to fear the local neighborhood synagogue? What about Christians? Catholics? Hindus? Last time I checked, Islam is the second largest religion in the WORLD. Since when did 2 billion people become religious fanatics and start bombing everything? I think it is each and everyone's responsibility to learn about the differences amongst all of us and embrace the different cultures. Also, although many Islamic leaders around this country have expressed their outrage about terroist attacks, many of them are never heard because people choose not to listen (I beleive this was mentioned earlier). But even more interesting is that some Muslims feel that they shouldn't have to apologize for something that had nothing to do with them. That's like asking all of the Hindu people to apoligize for terrorist attacks caused by Hindus. Why should they do that? It's almost as if they are admitting guilt for actions they were not involved in at all!

We need to stop the hatred in this country. Last time I checked, this country pretty much started because of people fleeing religious persecution. Why should the Muslims be treated with such comtempt? Most of them have moved from their countries of origin to seek a better life in the US, the land of the free (supposedly). And not only religions are attacked but race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and so on. I sometimes wonder when I have children, if they should be raised in a city that would promote or reflect such ideas. That is why I am thankful everyday that I was born and raised in Miami, FL (I am Cuban-American), an enourmous cultural melting pot where you can find diversity around every corner. I am thankful everyday that I can say I get along with all without any prejudices. For that, I thank my parents and the city I grew up in. It's time we grow up America and stop acting like children. Let's be adults and get along with each other. We can learn a lot if we all became friends.

Thanks for listening (actually reading) and I hope this all makes sense since I was just typing whatever came to mind.

[EDIT] PS: Are there any more city meetings regarding this construction of the mosque? If so, could anyone tell me when and where? I would like to attend... [/EDIT]

[ram1005]

I think America stands for Freedom! My guess is folsom would be no different. I have not lived in Folsom for a long time to really comment on its culture. But, I am little dissappointed to see that it lacks religious tolerance. Of course, this might be a small group of people and surely may not reflect the general culture and mind set.

If there can be churches, temples built, there can be mosques. No questions about it. But, it needs "customization". I come from a part of the world, which has a large Muslim population. Of course their illetracy and poverty leads to multiple challenges there, which will NOT be the case in Folsom. Coming back to the customization point, I dont think I could tolerate if the mosque put loud speakers to relay their namaz every morning and evening.

No noise, and I am game. Muslim friends - pray to your lord, but dont disturb others.

Terrorism and Islam is a completely different chapter... would prefer that it not be mixed with this issue, unless our Muslim friends decide to do so... which hopefully they will never...

[Mennabear]

The dam will not be blown up, crashed into, etc.

It is this type of thinking that terrorists depend upon. I don't think we should ever assume that a dam which, if damaged, could potentially flood the capitol of one of the world's largest economies, would not be a target.

[Folsom voter]

I'm just a recent member to Folsom and I wanted to contribute to this thread.

It saddens me that just after reading a few posts (maybe a page or two) on this thread that other people in this country can be so intolerant. People are talking about how "oh because they are building a mosque here, they won't bomb this town... blah blah blah". I can't believe that someone can even make the connection between a mosque and a terrorist. Muslims have the same rights and freedoms as any other group in this country and the diversity should be welcomed. Islam does not condone violence and neither do most (if not all) religions. If a bunch of fanatical Jewish people started running around blowing up buildings, are we going to fear the local neighborhood synagogue? What about Christians? Catholics? Hindus? Last time I checked, Islam is the second largest religion in the WORLD. Since when did 2 billion people become religious fanatics and start bombing everything? I think it is each and everyone's responsibility to learn about the differences amongst all of us and embrace the different cultures. Also, although many Islamic leaders around this country have expressed their outrage about terroist attacks, many of them are never heard because people choose not to listen (I beleive this was mentioned earlier). But even more interesting is that some Muslims feel that they shouldn't have to apologize for something that had nothing to do with them. That's like asking all of the Hindu people to apoligize for terrorist attacks caused by Hindus. Why should they do that? It's almost as if they are admitting guilt for actions they were not involved in at all!

We need to stop the hatred in this country. Last time I checked, this country pretty much started because of people fleeing religious persecution. Why should the Muslims be treated with such comtempt? Most of them have moved from their countries of origin to seek a better life in the US, the land of the free (supposedly). And not only religions are attacked but race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and so on. I sometimes wonder when I have children, if they should be raised in a city that would promote or reflect such ideas. That is why I am thankful everyday that I was born and raised in Miami, FL (I am Cuban-American), an enourmous cultural melting pot where you can find diversity around every corner. I am thankful everyday that I can say I get along with all without any prejudices. For that, I thank my parents and the city I grew up in. It's time we grow up America and stop acting like children. Let's be adults and get along with each other. We can learn a lot if we all became friends.

Thanks for listening (actually reading) and I hope this all makes sense since I was just typing whatever came to mind.

[EDIT] PS: Are there any more city meetings regarding this construction of the mosque? If so, could anyone tell me when and where? I would like to attend... [/EDIT]

Great post! I just joined this forum so I could vote in the poll on this issue, and I'm so relieved to find out that there are other people in Folsom who share my opinion.
I think it is my mother's spirit that will not allow me to be silent in the face of fear and prejudice in my own backyard.