Hoping for Healing

As of Friday, August 27, 2010

Paul Dunn’s column (Aug. 15), was absolutely on target. How can anyone continue to harbor such negative feelings toward each and every Muslim in existence?

This type of behavior is prevalent in some Slavic groups, who after centuries show hatred for each other. I would imagine that they don’t even remember what occurred in the distant past that causes them to hold such contempt for these “enemies.”

Here’s hoping that those who oppose the construction of the Islamic center will someday view it as a step toward a healing process. In their defense, however, I believe that it would be important to obtain some knowledge concerning the financing of this project. If this information was made public, I think there would be less opposition to this building at ground zero.

Jeanette Kauffman

Southern Pines

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dustyrhoades 1 year, 5 months ago

Thank you, Ms. Kauffman. People like you give me hope for Moore County.

teufelhunden 1 year, 5 months ago

I'm concerned about you DR.

teufelhunden 1 year, 5 months ago

"...I believe that it would be important to obtain some knowledge concerning the financing of this project."-Ms. Kauffman

Yes, it would be nice to trace the money trail. It is possible that this is one HUGE taunt.

JimHeim 1 year, 5 months ago

Let's see if I have the picture: A bunch of mainly Saudi Arabians led by a Saudi Arabian attacked the US. Now people think that it's Islam vs. America. Really.

For the first time I can recall I am actually ashamed to be an American. I now live in a country that tortures people, where the president can have any American killed without charge or trial, and a religion practiced by more than a billion people around the world is suddenly our enemy. Muslims join Irish, Italian, Jewish, black, Catholic and Mormon residents as having been subject to discrimination for no apparent reason. Shameful.

The Islamic Center planned to be one block closer to Ground Zero than an existing mosque and farther away than a strip club is somehow a problem. Please note that the center is no more a mosque than a Las Vegas casino is a church simply because it has a wedding chapel.

MikeNC 1 year, 5 months ago

Ms kaufmann remarks...."How can anyone continue to harbor such negative feelings toward each and every Muslim in existence?" I say that is not an accurate statement and far from the truth. However, many have developed an awareness of a trend spanning quite a few years which makes them cautious while interacting with practitioners of the peaceful religion. And 9/11 causes many, to include myself, feel that a better place should be picked for such construction. The legality is not in question, the wisdom of this peacenik imom is. The reasons are partially punctuated because of the actions and statements that this particular imom has and still stands for. Some reasoning for much of the apprehension can be found below in partial lists......Mike

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/AmericanAttacks.htm http://factreal.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/list-of-islamic-attacks-against-america/ http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/chronology.html

dustyrhoades 1 year, 5 months ago

Jim: I'm not ashamed of America. But I AM ashamed of some of my countrymen who seem to have forgotten its basic values.

Ms Kauffman and people like her, however, remind me that there are still some people who aren't filled with hate and fear. Some people don't regard some of the the bedrock principles upon which this country was founded as a "steaming load of talking points", in the words of one particularly hateful commenter here.

There are still an awful lot of people in this country who don't feel that loving America means bitterly loathing everyone in it that doesn't look, love, pray, speak, or think like them. And when, like Ms. Kauffman, those people speak up, they ought to be recognized.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 5 months ago

oh, and the next time someone starts up with the whole "why aren't more Muslim leaders speaking up against terrorism" nonsense, here's a good collection of people doing just that:

http://emilylhauserinmyhead.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/muslim-responses-to-extremism/

Ross 1 year, 5 months ago

Dusty - be careful ......... that "strawman" might come get ya!

MikeNC 1 year, 5 months ago

Hey Dusty...Yeah you Mr. Citations....Is that the best reference you can provide...very lame. Muslims on every level have been VERY SILENT on this issue??? You claim forgotten BASIC American values....which ones of these American values has this administration of yours stuck up for? This 'Awful Lot" of people you speak of do NOT loathe anything you speak of, but rather we endorse just that. We want sanity and true equality of all. I understand you are an attorney or something?? Just who do you represent??? Mike