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"National Islamic Leaders" Call For "Week of Dialogue"
By
Bilal Khan
Published Sep 20, 2010
Modified Sep 20, 2010
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Bilal Khan/Gothamist
By
Bilal Khan
Published Sep 20, 2010
Modified Sep 20, 2010
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Standing just before a former Burlington Coat Factory store on Park Place—the controversial location of a proposed community center and mosque— a group of Islamic leaders called for an end to anti-Islamic bigotry and announcing a national "Week of Dialogue." The speakers, who also had a banner acknowledging them as "National Islamic Leaders," alluded to Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement as they explained their concerns as "religious leaders in a time of religious intolerance" as well as being increasingly distressed by a wave of "anti-Islamic" sentiment since the announcement of the Park51 project.
The leaders had met over the weekend to discuss the project as well as the apparent increase in anti-Islamic attitudes. The group reaffirmed its commitment to the Park51 project and Imam Al-Amin Latif recalled a mosque that was in the South tower of the World Trade Center, later stating that "Ground Zero belongs to all of us."
From their official release:
"We stand for the constitutional right of Muslims, and Americans of all faiths, to build houses of worship anywhere in our nation as allowed by local laws and regulations.
Also, we stand against the racism, hatred, religious intolerance and ethnic bigotry, directed at Islam and American Muslims.
We call upon local and national elected officials to join their colleagues in denouncing and rejecting inflammatory rhetoric that endangers the lives of Muslim Americans.
Further, we call for a nationwide "Week of Dialogue" around October 22, 23 and 24, during which Muslim leaders will conduct open houses at their places of worship. It is our hope and desire that these events will help to allay tensions in civil society caused by the Park51 controversy, and will build bridges of understanding that unite and strengthen our nation."
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