Fire set to construction equipment at future mosque site

[her209]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/29/tennessee.mosque.site.fire/?hpt=Sbin

(CNN) -- Suspected arson at the future site of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has "really raised the fear factor" among area Muslims, a representative of the mosque told CNN on Monday.

The Saturday morning blaze destroyed an earth mover and damaged three other vehicles at the future site of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, said Camie Ayash, a spokeswoman for the center. The fire is under investigation, but "you can reasonably make the assumption" that it was deliberately set, FBI Assistant Special Agent Keith Moses said Sunday.

"The evidence is being analyzed to see what the origin of the fire was," said Moses, with the FBI's Nashville, Tennessee, bureau. "We have to follow the facts."

Ayash told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday the incident has provoked mixed reactions in the community, but "has really raised the fear factor for everyone."

"We see the different type of fear with our children. It is very hard to explain to children what is going on. It is hard to explain to the little kids when they ask you, 'Mommy, are these people for us or against us?'" Ayash said.

A candlelight vigil, organized by Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom in response to the alleged arson, will be held Monday night in front of the Rutherford County courthouse.

"We simply cannot allow the actions of a few destructive individuals to go overlooked by Rutherford County residents. It's truly a shame that we have reached this point, but it is up to us to ensure the intimidation goes no further," said Claire Rogers, spokesperson for the organization.

The blaze is being investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rutherford County sheriff's office.

Ayash said the Murfreesboro Fire Department told her the vehicles had been doused with an accelerant -- a substance, such as gasoline, that can help start or spread fires.

She told CNN on Monday that she was notified of the fire about 4:00 or 4:30 a.m. Saturday. A passerby had seen the fire about 1:30 a.m. and called the fire department, she said.

The lead detective told her that someone had opened the hood on the earth mover and set its engine on fire, she said. The other vehicles were doused with flammable liquid but not ignited. The detective speculated that the passerby might have spooked the arsonist, who fled, Ayash said.

"It really put fear into the community," Ayash said.

"Our children are heartbroken," she said. "When we broke ground a few weeks ago, they could see the new Islamic center as something that was tangible, something that was going to happen."

"Now someone had so much hatred to rip the joy out of their hearts," she said.

The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro has existed in the Murfreesboro area for over a decade, according to its website, and currently meets about a mile from the site of the future mosque.

"We have had members in our community in this area for around 30 years," Ayash said Monday. "So all of this really took us by surprise."

The congregation purchased a 15-acre plot in 2009 and announced plans for a center that will include a mosque, educational facilities, a gym, cemetery, and various recreational areas, including tracks, pavilions and a playground.

The project has provoked controversy in Murfreesboro, about 35 miles southeast of Nashville, and statewide.

In July, several hundred opponents of the mosque staged a march against the project. Some objected to Islam itself, carrying signs like "MOSQUE LEADERS SUPPORT KILLING CONVERTS," while others opposed the project for environmental reasons.

Last month, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey publicly criticized the project. "You could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, a cult, whatever you want to call it," Ramsey, then a candidate for Tennessee governor, said at a rally.

Ramsey placed third in Tennessee's Republican primaries earlier this month.

"I think a lot of this has to do with timing," said Ayash, who said her husband is a Muslim and she converted about 10 years ago. "This was an election year. You had a lot of candidates running their campaign off of terrorism or things like that, so I think it had to do with timing and misinformation."

The community has an open-door policy, she said, and welcomes the opportunity to answer questions posed by members of the public about Islam.

How many blocks is it from Ground Zero to Murfreesboro, Tennessee?

 

[Phokus]

Lets be honest, this arsonist is a patriotic american to tea baggers everywhere.

 

[bfdd]

Shitty, people need to get over it. It's lame, but whatever let them have their mosque we should be above this.


I know it's going to be brought up, but I like how it's under investigation and they're already assuming it's deliberate. They didn't choose to say "we're still investigating the matter further" as in the case of the white people getting beat up on "beat whitey day." Personally I don't give a flying fuck, I just want to see the arguments ensue.

 

[Infohawk]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/29/tennessee.mosque.site.fire/?hpt=Sbin


How many blocks is it from Ground Zero to Murfreesboro, Tennessee?

A long way. Nobody but the most radical are suggesting a Mosque in Tennessee is insensitive.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Similar thing happened not far from Murfreesboro a few years back. Local church took them in while they rebuilt.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/30/murfreesboro-mosque-fire-arson-accelerant_n_699696.html

Two years ago, several men broke into the Islamic Center of Columbia, about 30 miles southwest of Murfreesboro, and torched it with molotov cocktails, stealing a stereo system and painting swastikas and "White Power" on the front of the building.

In some ways, the Muslim community in Columbia has emerged stronger than ever. After being welcomed at a local Presbyterian church for a few months, the group bought a new building with the support of people of many faiths from across Tennessee and across the countr

Might be the same neonazi group, close enough to be the case.

 

[her209]

A long way. Nobody but the most radical are suggesting a Mosque in Tennessee is insensitive.

They are Muslim. I thought that was reason enough for you.

 

[werepossum]

A long way. Nobody but the most radical are suggesting a Mosque in Tennessee is insensitive.

Probably the people around the site are. Now the police will have to provide security for the site.

Not to correct CNN or support Ramsey, but Ramsey's quote in context is: "But you cross the line when they start trying to bring Sharia law into the United States. Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult, whatever you want to call it. Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face." Note that this was specifically in regard to Muslims pushing for Sharia law, which does make the Muslim faith difference from most others (although inarguably not beyond the concept of 'religion') as a complete way of life, government as well as religion.

 

[Infohawk]

They are Muslim. I thought that was reason enough for you.

You think that because it's easier to argue against a strawman.

 

[her209]

You think that because it's easier to argue against a strawman.

Your strawmen...

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2075105

I think people are responsible for groups they choose to be part of. That includes members of religions and countries for the most part.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2071316

At the moment I believe this involves keeping many muslims out of the country. They simply do not want to play by our rules. At the same time we need to stop invading other countries in vain attempts to make them more like us.

Edit: I hate having to add caveats for the slower among us, but I'll do it anyway. I'm not saying US is as bad as Islam. The US is in large part a force for good. Islam has no value.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2100212

So since so many Islam apologists on this board and on the streets are outraged at the outrage over the Ground Zero Mosque

I could keep going...

 

[Throckmorton]

This is a wake up call. Yet I doubt you charlatans who think it makes sense to oppose Muslims building their mosques will open your eyes any time soon.

 

[Orignal Earl]

"The evidence is being analyzed to see what the origin of the fire was," said Moses

It was God set that bush aburning.

 

[bfdd]

It was God set that bush aburning.

n1

 

[CallMeJoe]

Probably the people around the site are. Now the police will have to provide security for the site.

Not to correct CNN or support Ramsey, but Ramsey's quote in context is: "But you cross the line when they start trying to bring Sharia law into the United States. Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult, whatever you want to call it. Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face." Note that this was specifically in regard to Muslims pushing for Sharia law, which does make the Muslim faith difference from most others (although inarguably not beyond the concept of 'religion') as a complete way of life, government as well as religion.

Thank goodness we don't have Christians trying to get the tenets of their faith enshrined into law in this country, or insisting that their Ten Commandments are necessarily the basis of all our laws...

 

[cubby1223]

Of course we all know what the best solution to resolve these religious issues are - vote Democrat, vote Progressive, support government redistribution of wealth!

 

[manimal]

I hope this is an isolated incident. The tensions being stoked nationally are quite disturbing. Can we all agree that violence is wrong?

Where is our common ground? Can we at least agree that the rhetoric has become too heated and needs to be stepped down?

“America rejects bigotry. Wе reject еνеrу act of hatred against people of Arab social class οr Muslim faith America values аnd welcomes peaceful people of аll faiths — Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu аnd many others. Eνеrу faith is adept аnd confined here, bесаυѕе wе are one country. Eνеrу settler саn bе fully аnd equally American bесаυѕе wе′re one country. Rасе аnd color ѕhουld not divide us, bесаυѕе America is one country.”

BTW that quote was from George Bush

While I disagreed with much that man said did and believed. I always gave him credit for his stance on Muslim faith in America after 9/11

Why is the GOP and the conservitive machine pushing so much hate now? Is it because the lies about Obama being a Muslim is working?

 

[5150Joker]

Lets be honest, this arsonist is a patriotic american to tea baggers everywhere.

No doubt about it. He's probably a bible thumping Christian no less, you know, love thy neighbor type..LMAO.

 

[5150Joker]

Thank goodness we don't have Christians trying to get the tenets of their faith enshrined into law in this country, or insisting that their Ten Commandments are necessarily the basis of all our laws...

Nor do we have them insisting on pledging our allegiance to their Christian God in classrooms or large rallies in Washington demanding a return to Christian values or telling us Gays are evil and that abortion should be outlawed because it's contrary to their Christian beliefs.....oh wait.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Nor do we have them insisting on pledging our allegiance to their Christian God in classrooms or large rallies in Washington demanding a return to Christian values or telling us Gays are evil and that abortion should be outlawed because it's contrary to their Christian beliefs.....oh wait.

You were born stupid and have been losing ground ever sense.

Anyway,
Whoever did this needs to go away for a long time.

 

[5150Joker]

You were born stupid and have been losing ground ever sense.

Anyway,
Whoever did this needs to go away for a long time.

Speaking of stupid, it's spelled SINCE.

 

[FuzzyBee]

Could also be an insurance issue. Wait - people never set their own stuff on fire, do they?

Glad to see people are jumping to conclusions, though. Whomever it is, they should go away for a long time.

 

[Moonbeam]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hayabusa Rider
You were born stupid and have been losing ground ever sense.

Anyway,
Whoever did this needs to go away for a long time.


Speaking of stupid, it's spelled SINCE.

You have less cents than a three penny nail.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

Probably the people around the site are. Now the police will have to provide security for the site.

Not to correct CNN or support Ramsey, but Ramsey's quote in context is: "But you cross the line when they start trying to bring Sharia law into the United States. Now, you could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion, or is it a nationality, way of life, cult, whatever you want to call it. Now certainly we do protect our religions, but at the same time this is something we are going to have to face." Note that this was specifically in regard to Muslims pushing for Sharia law, which does make the Muslim faith difference from most others (although inarguably not beyond the concept of 'religion') as a complete way of life, government as well as religion.

So you are trying to defend this, by showing that politician is totally clueless, and doesn't understand a thing about Islam? Really? If you are not defending this, then what on earth is your point?

Just because you and him are out there with regards to the cluelessness about Islam, somehow thinking next year you will be under Sharia law, doesn't make it so. That ranks right up there with believing Obama is a secret Kenyan Muslim, or that Bush was behind 9/11. Its patently false.

It's just another BS false truth thrown out there to make you and others feel better about being bigots, and discriminating against a whole religion.

The people that did this, and oppose Mosques across the US, are all bigots, for the most part. They hate all Muslims, mostly because they are clueless, and have not idea what the facts are.

EDIT: Don't even bother with the liberal tag....please don't tell me you seriously think someone that opposes bigotry is a liberal as well.

 

[5150Joker]

You have less cents than a three penny nail.

You have less scents than Hayabusa Rider, InfoHawk and JediYoda combined. Top that bitch.

 

[cubby1223]

Can we at least agree that the rhetoric has become too heated and needs to be stepped down?

<snip>

Why is the GOP and the conservitive machine pushing so much hate now? Is it because the lies about Obama being a Muslim is working?

The ironing is delicious.

 

[JulesMaximus]

A long way. Nobody but the most radical are suggesting a Mosque in Tennessee is insensitive.

How about an abortion clinic?