City Council members in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow didn’t just slap Muslims in the face when they voted not to allow a mosque to be built there.
It was an assault on American freedom, specifically, the guarantee of freedom of religion in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The council voted down the mosque Monday night after another four-hour display marked by self-professed Christians breaking the Ninth Commandment and bearing false witness against their neighbors.
Like this guy: “I just think that it’s pretty obvious the way that the citizens feel about this, and I think that their input on what is culturally accepted in the area should be taken into account. And one of the first ladies that spoke also talked about the numerous ties to terrorism . . . But anyways, I think a lot of people have been woken up by this issue, and I hope that you represent the citizens when you make your vote, so they’ll vote you back in office.”
The council meeting wasn’t quite the anti-Islamic slam-a-rama that the planning commission hearing had been.
There was a reason for that.
Opponents held an anti-mosque meeting, attended by hundreds, a few days before the council meeting, and told everyone to soft-pedal their Muslims-are-a-Satanic-cult rhetoric and complain about traffic and sewage disposal instead.
Wink wink, nod nod.
Muslim teen schools City Council on rights
The highlight of the meeting was when a teenage Muslim girl used her allotted three minutes to school the council and the crowd on American rights and comparative religion.
“I’m honestly so surprised today when I came in and saw how many people really disliked me for my beliefs,” she said. “With over 5,300 churches in just Oklahoma and only 12 mosques, you all are throwing a fit over one more. And you all try to use the excuse of traffic or land issues for the reason that you oppose, but really it’s just racism. This country is not a theocracy government, and the U.S. is called the melting pot for a reason. We have Jews, Hindus, Catholics, atheists and even Satanists . . . We are all our own person and shouldn’t be deprived of our rights.
“Our religion is filled with love and kindness, and it is very similar to Christianity. And in fact, do we respect other religions? It is quoted in our Quran ‘indeed, the believers, Jews, Sabians and Christians, whoever truly believes in God in the last day and does good, there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.’ Christianity is also built around love, which some of you have lacked very recently to do so.”
I’ll never live in Broken Arrow, but if I did, I’d rather live next-door to her and her family than the guy who wants to enforce what he believes is “culturally accepted in the area.”
Freedom of religion isn’t the only part of the First Amendment that was violated at the council meeting. There was also freedom of speech.
The council abruptly shut down public comments with speakers left to go, after council member Lisa Ford announced “I think we’ve heard as much as we’re going to hear. I haven’t really heard anything new.”
That went over poorly with mosque opponents who had waited four hours to speak. They booed and shouted anti-Muslim tirades from the audience and at least two were ejected by police.
