Fourth of July: What does it mean to an American Muslim

[Sunni Man]

I am privileged to personally know the only Muslim member of D.A.R. ( Daughters of the American Revolution)

She is the secretary at the Mosque and can trace her ancestry back to the Mayflower.

 

[Jroc]

Yesterday after the evening prayers at the mosque there was a little bit of controversy.

A Muslim from Bangladesh stood up and said he wanted to remind everybody that there is a big fireworks display downtown on 4 July. Then another Muslim spoke up and that he did not think Muslims had any business being there Because there would be a lot of drinking and women who were not dressed modestly.

He responded by saying that "yes everyone should go and take their children to see the fireworks display." " Just to show that we as Muslim Americans support America by our presents on the 4th "

He told them as long as it did not violate any Islamic rules then they should participate in every American celebration or event. He then went on to talk about how all three of his children were born in America . And were being raised to be loyal and patriotic Americans and need to experience the fullness of what being an American means.

Many of us give lip service to the concept of our nation being a melting pot.

But I was privileged to see this melting pot theory in action.

Happy 4th of July

That's some funny shit..... melting pot.... Weren't you the one who wanted all Jews rounded up and shipped off to some island somewhere.... for their own protection.

Muslim, maybe.... hypocrite definitely.

The problem is you can't believe a thing Sunni boy says, he was in Vietnam? and isn't he the person that wanted to give a medal to Julian Assange? A man who has damaged this country and might have helped in the deaths of U.S. serviceman? Screw Sunni boy he's scum and a liar.

 

[Sunni Man]

I am kind of puzzled that California Girul and others have given me neg reps over this thread.

Because 4 July is a day that all Americans should forget their differences and celebrate the birth of our nation.

btw Happy 4th of July to you California Girl

 

[Sunni Man]

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Muslims from around the country will be recording online video messages about America, sharing their proudest moments as Americans and what they love most about this country. An online platform dedicated to promoting the grassroots voice of Muslims in America, My Faith My Voice (MFMV), announced today that it is spearheading this campaign during July 4th weekend in honor of the national holiday.

The 30-60 second video messages will be available online at My Faith My Voice, starting July 1st.

"Being American Muslims is not something that we necessarily think about; it's just simply who we are," said Nagla Fetouh, a board member of MFMV. "But it's nice to use occasions like this to reflect on this aspect of our identity and share what we enjoy most about it. It will be interesting to see the different responses we may get."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=xprnw.20110628.PH27397&show_article=1

 

[brono921]

History reminds us that on July 4th 1187 Sulahudeen Ayoubi liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders and invited the expelled Jewish families to return to their homes in the Holy Land.

Interesting point. You're leaving out the part where Crusaders pushed back the Islamic invasion that was using Jerusalem as a staging point to invade Europe.


As an American Muslim I can’t help but wonder if perhaps when framing the US Constitution that Jefferson's Quran (The one that Congressman Keith Ellison was sworn into office on) gave reinforcement to the universal ideal of freedom of religion as a God given right from Sharia.

Don't recall seeing any references to Sharia law in our judicial system, but please correct me if I'm wrong.


Perhaps James Madison while studying the life of the Prophet Muhammad saw where he set forth in 622 the Treaty of Medina which proclaimed; the security of God is equal for all groups (including Jews), the people of other faiths have equal political and cultural rights as Muslims and that they will have autonomy and freedom of religion.

Wasn't the Treaty of Medina signed after the Islamic horde conquered much of Spain? Ooops.

But America has been since her inception a mixed bag of contradictions just like each of us. She is guided by universal principles yet all to often falling victim to human frailties, creating two Americas, one of discrimination and one of freedom. While holding Africans in bondage proclaiming, “.....all men are created equal”. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr reminds us, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” and the moral arc of America long and it bends toward freedom.

I'd suggest that you study history a bit more in depth. Many states outlawed the institution of slavery in that time.

Fredrick Douglas in his damning yet hopeful critique delivered on July 5th, 1852 in Rochester, NY ‘The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro’. Douglas reminds us of the contradictions between the ideals and the reality of The Republic. Although, the toll of enslavement on the African remains unmeasured, slavery is over.
Actually it can be measured. Look at the continent of Africa, a place rich in natural resources that could be a land of plenty for all who live there. Rather, it is a place of degenerate governments that war constantly with each other, starve it's own people, sell them in to bondage, and is being wiped out by HIV/AIDS.

As a descendant of enslaved Africans, many of whom were Muslim, I recall that in over two hundred years of slavery Islam was systematically removed from my people until emancipation in1865. In the post Malcolm X era (1965); after one hundred years of freedom, Islam is among the fastest growing traditional religions in America. Faith flourishes in freedom.

Again, you need to do a bit more research. Islamic Arabs hate Islamic Africans and seek to wipe them out.

 

[Sunni Man]

If you care to discuss these issues then you should start a thread.

I personally just want to Celebrate 4 July and wish America happy birthday.

 

[brono921]

[QUOTE=Sunni Man;3819441]If you care to discuss these issues then you should start a thread.

Sure. I'll remind you, however, that it's was your references to them in this thread that has shown a clear contridiction with historical fact. Just thought that should be pointed out.

 

[Sunni Man]

I saw no contradiction of facts.

Some people see America as a glass half empty

How others view it as completely full.

The OP was a mixture of both views good and bad of America.

Which just shows that America is a complex entity with many contradictions.

But when summed up has many things to be admired.

 

[chanel]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwkCtuIauIE&feature=related]YouTube - ‪Battle Hymn Of The Republic with lyrics‬‏[/ame]

 

[brono921]

I saw no contradiction of facts.

Well, for starters, let's not pretend that Muslims treated the Jew fairly. They didn't. Mohammad himself put many to the sword, simply for being Jew.
Those he didn't kill had to suffer under the oppression of dhiminitude. It's kind of like Nazi Germany, only without the consentration camps.
Then there's the fact that Islamic conversion of many nations during that time was under duress. Those who didn't capitulate lost their lives, their women and children taken into bondage, and the wealth was stolen.
You would have to be completely blind to historical fact to not know this.
To this very day, Islamic governance is notoriously oppressive, even in it's mild form.
They abide no other religion to be practiced within their governance, it's citizens must adhere to a strict code of conduct that restricts their liberty, and penalties for actions outside of Sharia are swift and brutal.
The irony here is that you would praise such brutality as freedom, then compare Islamic teaching to the founding of this nation.
Therein lies your contradiction.

 

[Sunni Man]

Did I mention that this thread is about America's 4 July and American Muslims who celebrate it and wish it a happy birthday?

( the key word here being American )

 

[The Gadfly]

Who gives a fuck?

I do. If a man has enough love for this country to go halfway around the world to fight a war for her (which Sunni did, in Vietnam), then the way I see it, he has a right to talk about what America means to him, whether you or I agree with him, or not, and I've got a reason to at least hear what he has to say.

Of course he has that right. I applaud his ability to display his hatred towards Jews... and his ability to display his rabid hatred for non-Muslims, despite that they are his fellows Americans.

Fighting for your country does not make anyone above criticism. Sonny Boy is a hate filled anti-semite. I would not wish to silence him.... I prefer these bastards out in the open, where people can see them for who they really are.

You missed the point. I don't agree with some of the things Sunni says, but here in America, he has the right to say them. How many of you critics can say you have never uttered a hateful word about some one or some group, here or elsewhere; you don't think what you are saying about Sunni and Muslims in general is just a bit hateful? It's hateful enough, for the government in a lot of democracies to punish you for it, but it's allowed here, whether you say it, or Sunni says it. No veteran is or ought to be immune from criticism, but those who have served have at least shown their love for this nation in a way most Americans have not, and deserve a little extra slack, even when some of the opinions they express are misguided. There are other vets here I often disagree with, (U.S, Geauxtohell, U.S. Army Retired, MikeK, and others), but all of us agree on one simple thing: we all love this country, and we all want what we believe is the best for her. We may differ on a lot of things, but on that, we are united.

In any case, this is a day for celebrating all the good things America represents, not for trashing our fellow Americans. It's a day to focus on the things that unite us, not those that divide us, and whether or not we agree with many of Sunni's opinions, he has expressed his love for this nation in his post, and that common ground is what we need to focus on; you'd think we could do that, at least for one day (assuming the rest of you care at least as much for your country as you do for slamming those you don't agree with). So stop the trashing and bashing, and tell us what America means to YOU.

 

[Sunni Man]

I keep hearing people on this board asking where are the moderate muslims?

Although I am not quite clear exactly what that means?

I was just trying to start a thread showing that the vast majority of Muslims are patriotic.

And willing to buy into the American dream and democratic system

Isn't that what we hope all American citizens will do regardless of birth place or ethnicity ?

 

[Momanohedhunter]

So what is your point?

Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned, bought and sold slaves.

But should be remembered as two of our Founding Fathers on this 4th of July

Not as slave traders

Muslims are not supposed to keep other Muslims as slaves. Same as Jews and Christians.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

…there would be a lot of drinking and women who were not dressed modestly.

One can only hope.

The genius of America is that I may provide Sunni with a vigorous defense of his faith, although I consider his religion primitive and barbaric (indeed, all religions are primitive and barbaric), and his position on many issues reprehensible.

 

[smalltime]

I keep hearing people on this board asking where are the moderate muslims?

Although I am not quite clear exactly what that means?

I was just trying to start a thread showing that the vast majority of Muslims are patriotic.

And willing to buy into the American dream and democratic system

Isn't that what we hope all American citizens will do regardless of birth place or ethnicity ?

I hope you are a moderate muslim.

To me that means that you can suffer the rest of us to live our lives and not judge. To many of us (I think) we are convinced that your religion compells you to prejude all infedels as worth nothing but a bullet.

If you are past this point in your teachings, I comend you. But that brings us to the next big problem from the unwashed:

If you detest killing infedels just for the sake of it, Then:

DENOUNCE THE MUSLIMS WHO DO........ PUBLICLY

SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN THE SHARIA RULED KINGDOMS......... PUBLICLY


STOP SUPPORTING HAMAS WITH DONATIONS FROM YOUR MOSQUE......... PUBLICLY

Rant over

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

There is no such thing as a ‘moderate Muslim.’

One either practices the faith per doctrine and dogma, or one does not and is a heretic. Those who advocate violence with faith as justification – Muslim, Christian, or Jew – is a criminal, and his faith incidental.

 

[Warrior102]

Hey Sunni - Happy Fourth old man.

 

[Sunni Man]

#1) There is nothing in the Quran about killing Muslims just for the sake of killing them.

#2) What they do in other nations concerning women is none of my business; Their country and their laws.

#3) I do not know of any Mosque that provides funding for Hamas. As it is against federal law.

btw Happy 4th of July

 

[Sunni Man]

Hey Sunni - Happy Fourth old man.

Happy 4th to you young wipper snapper