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Statement on the Burning of the Qur'an in East Lansing, MI on
September 11, 2010
Pax Christi Michigan, the Catholic Peace
Movement, condemns the blatant act of hatred perpetrated against our Muslim
sisters and brothers by burning pages of the Qur'an in front of the Islamic
Center of East Lansing and in neighboring properties, on Sept 11th,
2010 - the 9th Anniversary of the 9/11/2001 airplane massacres in New York City,
D.C. and Pennsylvania.
Pax Christi Michigan firmly upholds that the catastrophic violence done on the
first 9/11 to the buildings and to all those whose lives were lost or
irrevocably changed by this nightmare of events was not representative of the
majority of Muslims either in America or across the world. We uphold with others
that this heinous act was done by a limited group of very sick and very
misguided individuals whose religious beliefs had been very sadly thwarted and
twisted by people focused on inciting a violent response.
Therefore it is an atrocity of the highest order to condemn the entire
world-wide community of Muslims for crimes committed by a deranged few. We
unequivocally believe that the vast majority of Muslims in local, national and
international communities around the world are, like ourselves, genuinely trying
their best to live peaceful, responsible lives with their families and with
their neighbors.
Actions like the scattering and burning of feces-smeared pages of the Quran are
indicative of deep hatred and subversive mentalities that are sadly no different
than those whose hatred took the form of dive-bombing into the buildings on
9/11/2001. Nor are they different than the hate crimes of Timothy McVeigh, an
American Militia Movement sympathizer and co-conspirator Terry Nichols that blew
up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995
killing168, injuring 680, and destroying or damaging 324 buildings in a 16-block
radius. The magnitude is the only difference.
And if left unaddressed, we are concerned that these same individuals or others
could be planning even more despicable hate crimes in the not too distant
future. Our belief and our hope is that in pinpointing the origin of these
actions, similar or greater crimes will be thwarted.
We believe that it is critical to seize this moment as a catalyst and come
together as community to address the smoldering alienation, fear and hatred that
is simmering just below the surface ready to explode at any time. And we urge
the planned gathering of all people to come together to work in solidarity
toward building a dynamic of mutual understanding, respect, cooperation and
peace in our local communities, our cities, our states, and in our world.
- Pax Christi Michigan State Council, September
14, 2010 -
*For more information on this crime, and
the Islamic Center's compassionate response, please visit:
http://lansingislam.com/
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