To fight to protect our constitution. Isn't that what sarah palin says all the time. "She's fighting to protect our constitution." Yeah, by having a reality show.

So, they're good enough to offer their lives, but the constitution isn't really meant for them. Uncle Sam was "just kidding".

Marine Corps' First Islamic Prayer Center Dedicated

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2006 – Calling freedom of religion a principal right in "a nation of people from all races and creeds who believe in liberty and freedom," Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England helped the Marine Corps dedicated its first Islamic prayer center here yesterday.

England offered his congratulations to the Corps and the leadership of Quantico and the chaplain corps for seeing the need for the center, and working to establish it.

The Navy has two Islamic facilities; however, neither is a dedicated facility similar to the one at Quantico, a Defense Department official said. The Air Force has similar centers at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and Ramstein Air Base, Germany, according to Air Force public affairs officials. Army information was not available.

Quantico is considered the crossroads of the Marine Corps. The prayer center will help educate many about the Islamic faith while it serves the Islamic community here, England said. Quantico is host to a mixture of U.S. and foreign servicemembers, as well as civilians, Gen. Michael Hagee, commandant of the Marine Corps, said.

"This Islamic prayer center, the first of its kind in the Marine Corps, is really an extension or our ethos, (the) ethos that we take care of one another," Hagee said. "It is going to provide our Muslim Marines and their families, Muslim Department of Defense civilians and Muslim international military personnel serving with us a proper place for religious services."

Spiritual devotion is an important component of the profession of arms, as well as important element in quality of life, Hagee said. He added that events like the dedication of the prayer center strengthen the ties that bind.

"I believe that we all share some very important basic values; the respect for human life, the respect for truth and the respect for personal property," he said.

Rear Adm. Louis Iasiello, chief of Navy chaplains, lent his support to the establishment of the center with a story of Marines and local Iraqi leaders who had gathered in a train terminal south of Baghdad. A Navy chaplain offered a prayer that, "Betrayed neither himself, nor his country, nor his God," Iasiello said. In fact, the prayer served as an icon of religious respect that united the two groups.

"Today ... religious respect takes the form of a center, an Islamic center established to afford those of the Muslim faith the opportunity to pray and worship God in a manner that honors and respects their religious heritage," he said.

Twenty-four of the 426 Muslim Marines currently serving are stationed at Quantico. This center is a welcome haven for them, Lance Cpl. Mehreena Ahmad said.

"There haven't been a lot of centers to pray at, but this one's solely dedicated to us," she said. "So, we're just happy that we have a place."
Staff Sgt. Madyun Shahid echoed her sentiment. "The Marine Corps is recognizing diversity in the Marine Corps, and I'm just happy to have a place ... to go worship."

The prayer center, which was established in an existing structure on the base, is only temporary until an extension to the existing Marine Memorial Chapel is complete. Ground-breaking for the extension is scheduled for fall, and completion is expected in 2008.

Before touring the center with Hagee and Navy Lt. Saiful Islam, Headquarters and Service Battalion chaplain, England acknowledged the long history of Muslim servicemembers defending the United States.

"Their service continues a long and noble tradition," England said. "Muslim-Americans served in the ships of our Navy and in the U.S. Army in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Grenada, Panama and the 1991 Gulf War."

Some of those veterans of past conflicts were present for the dedication. England acknowledged Army Sgt. Nazeem Abdul Hakeem who fought on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, Air Force Sgt. Gath Noor Kas-Heef, who served during the Korean War, and Army Maj. Christopher Bell who served at Cam Ron Bay in Vietnam.

Also present was Army Sgt. 1st Class Mujaheed Muhammed, who was a Korean War prisoner of war. Captured by Communist forces while assigned to the 15th Infantry's reconnaissance patrol, he was held from 1952 through 1954.

"Your example of service continues today with the thousands of Muslim Americans in uniform," England said, recognizing the more than 4,000 Muslims who serve. "These men and women represent the best of our nation." http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=16101

the right ain't interested in facts   they have glenn beck

As I just posted on the thread about all faiths having died on 9/11....
 
 
What's next on the agenda of those who express so much disdain for Muslims........digging up the graves of the Muslims who are buried at the hallowed ground in Arlington National Cemetary who died in service to this great country and throwing their bodies in garbage dumps?

Daw - this ain't about what you are trying to suggest. But if you WANT to go there about Muslims in the U.S. Military try talking honestly and openly about Major Hassan and HIS own reign of terror and mass murder inside a military installment just recently. Against active duty U.S. Military. And of our own U.S. miltary surreally tolerating his open existence and hatred for his country - because they were passively disinterested in outting him. Under the Command of President Obama - during war time.  Try going there if you want to make some kind of point or not.
 
Otherwise don't go there. My ancestors were German and were active in fighting AGAINST Germany in World War II - and were Christian to boot - going full bore against Hitler and any Christian following him that were intent on harming Europe's Jewish population simply and solely because they were Jewish. 
 
Don't go there, dude....

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=jN5C6lCm8ic (http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=jN5C6lCm8ic)
 
 
 
This is the picture that Colin Powell spoke about in that video.......
 
 
 
(http://media.patheos.com/Images/picture2.png)

What's next on the agenda of those who express so much disdain for Muslims........digging up the graves of the Muslims who are buried at the hallowed ground in Arlington National Cemetary who died in service to this great country and throwing their bodies in garbage dumps?

Julianne, I have NO doubt there are some twisted people who would probably do just that and have not one iota of guilt doing it.

I say this a lot "They think God loves them best", but what else could possibly give people the feeling that they can express their intolerance so loudly and proudly and think there is some reason that excuses their need, desire, want, necessity to show intolerance. In their minds, it's OK.

They feel no guilt because they think they're right. And what makes them feel they're right in their exclusion, other than to feel they're superior.

Daw,
 
The bottom line is that "American" Muslims did not attack this country on 9/11 and they do not deserve to be used as scapegoats for political gain or fodder for bigots like many of the extreme far right wingers on this board.

because they were passively disinterested in outting him. Under the Command of President Obama - during war time.  Try going there if you want to make some kind of point or not.

io, you're completely misinformed and, as usual, you're full of it. But I'm certain little things like facts won't stop you from continuing to repeat this fallacy because it fits so nicely in your warped mind of trying to destroy President Obama by any means necessary, even if it involves telling lies to do it.


The investigation was done in December, 2008 and dismissed.



Last December, the surveillance of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical Yemeni-American cleric accused by the U.S. of having ties to al-Qaeda, revealed that he had received between 10 and 20 e-mails from Hasan. But the fact that a U.S. military officer was communicating with a Yemen-based cleric who openly supports jihadist causes did not prompt the bureau to open an investigation into Hasan's activities.
(See pictures of the Fort Hood memorial service.)


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1937574,00.html#ixzz0wtcHAJbu

Julianne, I honestly believe that if limbaugh or beck said the US Postal service was infiltrated by Muslims, within one week, without any factual informattion at all, these people would be refusing to accept their mail.

I honestly believe these people are 1. so eager to find the worst in people, especially if it's not white, anglo/saxon, protestrant or straight people

2. are so easily duped.

And I also believe that if republicans couldn't sell fear, they'd never control any part of the federal government again.

9/11 Families Group Announces Support for Islamic Cultural Center in Lower Manhattan

 
New York – Today, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a nationwide group founded by family members of those killed on 9/11 issued the following statement, which may be attributed to their spokesperson, Donna Marsh O’Connor:
 
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows strongly supports efforts to bring an Islamic Cultural Center to lower Manhattan, near the Ground Zero site. We believe that welcoming the Center, which is intended to promote interfaith tolerance and respect, is consistent with fundamental American values of freedom and justice for all.
 
We believe, too, that this building will serve as an emblem for the rest of the world that Americans stand against violence, intolerance and overt acts of racism and that we recognize that the evil acts of a few must never damn the innocent.
 
To arrange an interview with a member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, please contact David Lerner or Shonna Carter, Riptide Communications, 212-260-5000 (dlerner@riptideonline.com (dlerner@riptideonline.com) or shonnac@riptideonline.com  (shonnac@riptideonline.com%20)).
 
 
http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=977 (http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/article.php?id=977)

Daw, I honestly believe you are refusing to respond to my suggestion Major Hassan - loyal Muslim that he was in high rank in our active duty military. And very real treasonous terrorist in an officer's uniform that he turned out to be - who mass murdered Amercan active duty while calling out to his religion as justification for doing so.
 
And until we honestly talk about how wrong it is for ANY Muslim to kill others in the name of their religion (which they are very really capable of doing) or to complicitly try to revise history to cover up the terrorist action of others under Obama's administion a mosque/"community center" constructed in New York City is the least of our nation's worries.
 
But then you probably think Major Hassan had a right to do what he did to his fellow active duty military soldiers inside our country. As he pleased.
 
Separate out the cream from the fat, dude. You cannot justify all of them - and it is high time - just as the Christians were required to do post WWII to call HATE and terrorism and genocide what it is. An wrongful agendas of terrorism against innocents, too.
 
Sheez. You dems/dums are sumthun else.

maybe she would answer you if you made sense
 
why do you even suggest this hassan guy is anybody here's hero ?

Number 1 (Julianne)  - the first paragraph - a hypothetical scenario that you paint - is outrageous and an insult to any decent person that has the audacity, in your mind, to think differently from you. 
 
Number 2 (daw) - I read this and shake my head in amazement at some of the statements you come up with about the dreadful "they" - the all encompassing "they".  "They" in your mind are anyone and everybody that might disagree with or think differently from you - which is not an option - right?  From this very statement that you make, does it ever occur to you that you, yourself, have shown superiority and intolerance towards anyone who does not fit into your agenda?   How much hate do you generate in your posts?   You might want to take a deep breath and realize that there are two sides to most arguments and that at least 50% of people with opposing views to yours are coming from the point of frustration and do, in actual fact, have minds of their own!
 
Everything over these past few days comes back to the proposed building of the Mosque near ground zero.  If it is not agreed with then accusations of disdain for the Muslims are hurled at the offender.   How about the actual victims of 9/11 which includes (I know) 300 Muslims.   Do you have disdain for the other 2,700 odd victims that do not want to see this built?  Where is your tolerance for them.   
 
Maybe a little more thought and communication with all sides should have happened so a workable solution could have been arrived at before irreparable damage was done resulting in the hyperbole we are witnessing today from extremists on both sides.

good work emily:
 
terrible hyperbole from both sides so juli should make the adjustment
 
the sad part is you don't even realize what you said

And case does nothing, not one thing, to bolster daw's twisted and meritless protestations. Thems the facts.
 
We are who we are in this nation. Not so complex if we look ourselves critically and crucially in the mirror and OWN IT. American citizen by American citizen. Instead of trying surreally to wish it away and revise it all. As if that will stand the test of objective historical scrutiny.
 
During war time being waged against a very real and determined enemy terorrist entity and a cruel economic downturn that shows NO END. And is only tanking us worse as Obama tries to bury his head further in the sand and ignore it all. And I mean ALL. 
 
Don't shoot me for truthfully stating as much.
 
 

Number 2 (daw) - I read this and shake my head in amazement at some of the statements you come up with about the dreadful "they" - the all encompassing "they".  "They" in your mind are anyone and everybody that might disagree with or think differently from you - which is not an option - right?  From this very statement that you make, does it ever occur to you that you, yourself, have shown superiority and intolerance towards anyone who does not fit into your agenda?   How much hate do you generate in your posts?   You might want to take a deep breath and realize that there are two sides to most arguments and that at least 50% of people with opposing views to yours are coming from the point of frustration and do, in actual fact, have minds of their own!

Emily, what part of the word SOME don't you understand? I will say it again, I don't doubt there are SOME who would do just that and absolute NOT feel one bit of regret. Not one. Don't tell me you don't think there are people in this country who wouldn't do that. There are people in this country who would still be lynching black people if they could get away with it. Don't think for one second there aren't. And, there are many of them in the south. It's no coincidence the south turned republican after the civil rights movement in the 1960's. No coincidence at all.

You're right, I am absolutely intolerant of the ignorance and ugliness shown on this board from people who show their absolute contempt for people who were born with a different skin color or a last name that isn't anglo, or born with hormones different than theirs. The minute these babies take their first breath, there are people in this country who have intolerance for them, immediately!  And, add to that list religion that is not protestant. I am intolerant of their agenda, an agenda which is feeling superior because they consider themselves to be a more "pure" or more "real" American than the rest. They feel entitled and don't tell me they don't.

You probably came to this country thinking it's the wonderful, shiny, mom & apple pie and everyone is treated fairly, Ozzie & Harriet country. Well, it's not. And, if you can't see that from the hatred expressed for people because of the way they were born or which religion they practice or don't practice, from posters on this board, you are blind.

Caserio - I know exactly what I said.  I meant both sides.  It is sad that you don't see how one-sided you are like some others here.

daw - all you contributed in that spewing opinion piece of yours was your opinion. In case you thought diferently of yourself. And your words of choice.
 
Would that you had contributed something SUBSTANTIVE in the manner of exposing whether or not discourse is occuring critically and crucially in the American Muslim community about it all. All across this land. Not just in New York City.
 
No community center is needed for any of that. Or mosque. Time's up for Muslims in this country expecting to tow the line of not calling out to terrorists in their religion's midst targetting and murdering innocent persons - solely because they determine they deserve to die.
 
In their offices, in airliners flying across this nation. Anywhere free people in this nation choose to be. That no Muslim has any right to wish harm upon - or act terroristically against. And very really harm. Killing wrongfully in this nation other Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc.

Emily, I'll admit I'm one-sided. I'm 100% for tolerance of people who are not white, anglo/saxon, protestant and straight and who are breaking no laws, and I'm 100% against people who trash them simply for how they were born or their religion.

AND, I'M DAMN PROUD TO BE 100% FOR ONE GROUP AND 100% AGAINST THE OTHER.
_________________________________________________________________________

And, io, as usual you make no sense. Am I understanding that you think all muslims want to kill everyone and therefore no community center is needed for any of that? You make no sense at all.

Emily, in light of the fact that I distinctly remember some of the extreme far right wingers on the old Iwon board complaining about the Muslim symbol of the Crescent and Star being allowed to be engraved on the tombstones at Arlington National Cemetary, my comment is not as far fetched as "you" seem to think.

Dismiss and deny instead of articulate how it is I "make no sense". How disappoininting, daw.  After all YOUR head dem in the U.S. Senate - Harry Reid - says to build the mosque somewhere else.
Is it perhaps Reid you have issues with - for daring to truthfully discuss this issue. Or little ole me - who you dismissively call out to but all in all cannot quite articulate expressly how it is I make no "sense"?
 
Daw - just not liking all of our reality is not the same as wishing it were, all in all, rainbows and unicorns floating all around America inclusive of only peaceful worshipping Christians, Jews and Muslims. Or whatever it is you are "articulating"....
 
You know because you are an "intellect" that this country and this world is a far more complicated MESS than that simple "dream" country of ours.

Again, io, I don't know what you're trying to say.

Is it to say that I think life should be unicorns and rainbows? No, I just wish for a country where a person is judged for the person they are and not the group of people they're lumped in with because of birth or the religion they choose, if one at all. You know, the principles this country was supposed to be founded on.

Just like you have lumped all Muslims into a group who want too kill everyone. Like trying to make your point that all muslims must be bad because that one major in the US military shot people. (The Major in Tx that you said happened because President Obamba ignored it when it was actually the bush admin that did that.)

At least I think that's what you said and I can't try to decipher another one tonight.

SO FUCKING WHAT!!! JAPANESE SERVED IN THE US ARMY DURING WW2 BUT WE AIN'T BUILDING A FRIGGIN SHINTO TEMPLE AT PEARL HARBOR!!!

There is a Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu.......
 
 
http://jcch.com/default.asp (http://jcch.com/default.asp)
 
 
 
 

Julianne, thanks for that. Every bit of sanity helps in a sea of insanity. Who knew that when I posted about Muslim-Americans fighting wars to protect this country, it could stir up so much ugliness.

Daw, here's more information related to the topic of your thread .........
 
 
History of American Muslims (1) (http://www.middle-east-studies.net/?p=2755)
 
 
On June 17, 1775, Peter Salem (Saleem) born (1750?-1816) a former slave who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The battle was fought at Breed’s Hill according to one story, the colonial troops were near defeat, and British Major John Pitcairn ordered them to surrender. Salem then stepped forward and shot Pitcairn. Pitcairn later died of the wound. Peter Salem got awarded for fighting in the Revolutionary War, and he also fought at Lexington. Peter Salem and Salem (Saleem) Poor were honored for their bravery.
 
 
Peter Salem was born a slave in Framingham, Massachusetts. He had at least two owners in his lifetime. The first owner was Jeremiah Belknap. Belknap sold him to Lawson Buckminister of Framingham. Buckminister allowed Salem to enlist in the colonial army. In exchange for enlisting in the army, Salem received his freedom.
 
 
After receiving his freedom “Peter Buckminister” changed his name to Salem. He was also known as “Salem Prince.” Local legend has it that the name Salem came from a Massachusetts privateering port where all of the sailors went during the Revolutionary War when people were fighting on their boats. History reports that an old Jewish man told the people that the word was like “shalom” which means peace. The name for peace in Arabic is Salaam and Saleem in Arabic means one who is peaceful.
 
 
Salem (Saleem) remained in the army for several years, long enough to fight in the battles of Saratoga and Stony Point. After the war he settled in Leicester, Massachusetts where he barely earned a living weaving cane seats for chairs. He died in the poor house in Framingham in 1816. Postage stamps have been made of Peter Salem and Salem Poor as American Revolutionary war heros.
 
 
http://www.middle-east-studies.net/?p=2755 (http://www.middle-east-studies.net/?p=2755)
 
 
 
 

I don't think you are being particularly straight up with that statement Daw.   From what I perceive of your one-sidedness, it is 100% left wing, no matter what their policy is and 100% against right wing.   Left wing = saintly, right wing = evil!.  That is what I get from your posts and your coffee klatch discussions with Cheryl, Julianne, Kook etc. on this Board - you know "how nasty, mean and evil they all are".   It's all party politics!  What you describe as quoted above can be found in both parties.  Myself, I take people at face value - I always have and I don't hypocritically patronise someone because of their color, religion or background, neither do I rush to judgement.
 
When I came here to America (legally, I might add) it was because of the promises of opportunity that we didn't have where we came from.  I believed in the free enterprise system that this country was all about.  Maybe it was 'pie in the sky' but for us on the other side of the world it was the American dream.   BTW I hadn't seen an Ozzie and Harriet show.
 
I do believe that all of you mentioned above can be pleasant company when politics is taken out of the equation.

so emily posts that being against bigotry is in itself evil because it's negative
 
now there's a defense worthy of  nurenberg defendent

What?  Have you been drinking?  I would say that your powers of deduction are zero % or you just fail to understand basic English.

From what I perceive of your one-sidedness, it is 100% left wing, no matter what their policy is and 100% against right wing.   Left wing = saintly, right wing = evil!.

You're almost correct, except that I have blamed some democrats. That can't be denied. I have, repeatedly, stated that most of the current problems in this country are due to republican legislation, with the help of corporate democrats.

Not backing away from that because I can't find any information to counter that statement.

There is a Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu.......


APPLES AND ORANGES OLD GIRL!!! BUT YOU KNEW THAT!

Oops, it appears that Rush Limbaugh screwed up big time again.....
 
 
 
There are plans to build a Muslim community center a few blocks from the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, and some American nationalists are not happy about it. Some of those opposing the construction have tried to compare it to hypothetical situations that would outrage Americans. Since the shock induced by the 9/11 attacks had often been compared to Pearl Harbor, a (http://tented.blogspot.com/2010/08/obama-supports-shinto-shrine-at-pearl.html) few (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2266266) people (http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/d1s31/limbaugh_sarcastically_suggests_that_we_build_a/) have tried to argue that a mosque near Ground Zero in New York would be just as offensive as Japanese building a Shinto Shrine near Pearl Harbor.
 
 
If they’d bothered to do some fact checking before opening their mouths, they’d have probably already Shinto Shrines (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1437) in Hawaii, with a (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izumo_Taishakyo_Mission_of_Hawaii) couple (http://www.e-shrine.org/) not far from Pearl Harbor. (There are also some Buddhist Temples (http://www.userinstinct.com/hi/pearl-city/2388602-buddhist-temples.htm) in the area.)
 
 
Here are two of my favorite incredibly stupid comments about Japan that people have made when attempting to argue against the construction of the NYC mosque:
 
 
1) Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh asked listeners (http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201008160016) what they would think if a “Hindu Temple” was built at Pearl Harbor, apparently thinking that Japan was a Hindu nation.
 
 
2) One of the Wall Street Journal’s readers left an angry comment (http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/08/06/us-move-falls-short-for-hiroshima-survivors/tab/comments/) on an article about the A-bomb anniversary. Here it is [hat tip to Fat Tony (http://www.mutantfrog.com/2010/08/06/hiroshima-bombing-anniversary/#comment-547552)]:
 
“Perhaps we should test the Japanese people’s resolve by attempting to build a big christian church at ground zero.”
 
The reader is unaware of the fact that Urakami Cathedral (http://tenthousandthingsfromkyoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/urakami-nagasaki-august-9-1945-today.html) is one of the major landmarks associated with the Nagasaki bombing.
 
There were also churches in Hiroshima in 1945, with at least one near ground zero (http://www.wjpbr.com/hiroshi.html). Of course, both cities have Christian churches today.
 
 
http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/08/17/shinto-shrine-near-pearl-harbor/ (http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/08/17/shinto-shrine-near-pearl-harbor/)