On September 16, 2015, a few miscreants painted hate symbols on the River Road mosque in Louisville. When the local community at large found out about this, nearly 1000 people from main stream and disparate ethnic communities came to the mosque to show their solidarity with Muslims, and they joined in the community cleanup and re-painting the mosque.
This act of support was not just out of a sense of justice, compassion or help for the underdog, but clearly out of enduring friendship, which is the most reliable relationship, not bound by time or situation. The America Together Foundation congratulates Dr. Babar Cheema and the Louisville Muslim leadership, which has nurtured a relationship of friendship and trust with the local community over many years.
As time permits, we will write more about this, and we hope it becomes a model for other American Muslim communities, just as different communities have successfully dealt with Rev. Terry Jones in Mulberry, Florida who wanted to burn 2998 copies of Quran, and Rev. Robert Jeffress of Dallas, Texas who called uncivil names about Quran and the Prophet. Indeed, we need to keep a record of our contributions to the well being of America, there is so much to be proud of our work.
In the end, this freedom from fear will bring peace and prosperity to our nation. Indeed, that is the essence of Quranic guidance in verse 49:13 which says God has created us into different tribes and nations and says, the best ones among you are those who learn and care about each other. If we can learn to respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
Please tell us your story, where your acts have changes the minds of others, bringing us all towards a more cohesive America. Send us the details to us, and will help share it with the widest audience. Join us in our mission.
- The Louisville Story
- Are Muslims a part of the American Story?
- Terry Jones and changing perceptions of Muslims
- Robert Jeffress attacking Quran (www.QuraanConference.com)
- Sean Hannity and Fox News– Positive engagement produces positive outcomes.
- Amins of the Society
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Mike is a social scientist, thinker, writer and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, foreign policy and building cohesive societies. Mike offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day and more about him is in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at TheGhousediary.com