Whitehall bigots don't like to vote in the mosque

[PsychoDad]

Whitehall bigots don't like to vote in the mosque
Paul Carpenter


http://www.mcall.com/news/columnists/all-5whitehall.4943342nov13,0,4680840.column

The other day, we learned that dozens of people got their shorts in knots over just one of those 58. Some voters, said a story published Thursday, were ''offended at the idea of voting at a Muslim mosque.''

This was the first time, it was reported, that the Islamic Center of the Lehigh Valley was used as a polling place.

Betty Hillwig, chief clerk of the county's Election Board, was quoted as saying a half-dozen voters complained to her about voting in a mosque. A poll worker, Tina Palagonia, said another 70 complained at the site, including one with a daughter serving in Iraq, finding it ''offensive to come to an Islamic center to vote.''
...
On the walls of the mosque lobby, where the polling place had been, there are plaques. ''What do Muslims think about Jesus?'' said one. ''Muslims respect and revere Jesus.'' I wondered how many of the other 57 church/polling places in Lehigh County had plaques expressing respect for Islam.

At a time when some people are fighting and dying in the name of American freedom, others are displaying bigotry just because a polling place is in a religious establishment that shares a theology with some of our adversaries.

I remember World War II, but I do not recall any complaints about voting in a Roman Catholic Church, even though Adolf Hitler was a Catholic who was supported by Pope Pius XII — until the tide of war turned, that is.

[ck4829]

1. Then they shouldn't get to vote

[PsychoDad]

3. I wonder what party the majority of the offended belonged to....

I have a sneaking suspicion... lol :)

Perhaps more Islamic centers need to be polling places.

Peace. :)

[billbuckhead]

2. Here in Buckhead we always have to vote in some church or another

I object to voting in religious buildings but whats true for Christians should also be true for Muslims, Jews, Hindi and all the other oragnized religions.

[shenmue]

4. Many times the polling place is in a church

Don't they see the irony?

Oh wait, they don't care...

:(

Jerks.

[necso]

5. I wouldn't like to vote

in any building primarily used for "religious" purposes.

And I don't like the idea of anyone voting in such a building.

Voting is a civic duty, not a "religious" one.

[Maat]

6. This makes me so sad.

My daughter's pediatrian is my dear friend of twenty-plus-years. She and her husband are Muslim, and they attend the local mosque. I hurt just thinking about how this affects my Muslim friends.

Well, the mosque extended a helping hand to the community, and this is what they get for it. Any who complained should be ashamed of themselves.

I'm part of an Interfaith group, and the local mosque will be hosting our next meeting; I cannot wait to meet the local Iman - he has a reputation for being very kind and hospitable (and community-oriented).

I'm sorry, PsychoDad.

:grouphug:

But we progressive will affirm diversity, prevail, and live in peace! I'm an optimist.

On re-edit.
I may have a different viewpoint here than many DUers - I do not mind voting in a church, mosque or temple.

This has a very racist flavor to it - the complainers obviously view Islam as the enemy, not the Iraqi 'insurgents.'

[QC]

7. Lots of people here gripe about voting in church basements.

How is this any different?

[GrumpyGreg]

8. Hitler was Catholic? Really?

[realisticphish]

9. hitler was pagan

well, a form of paganism; he believed in a mish-mash of christian and astrological theories

[LibDemAlways]

10. I would bet that many Americans know

nothing about Islam. My 12-year-old is studying world history in public school this year and had an interesting and informative unit on the origins and tenets of the Islamic faith. Only education on this subject can combat ignorance and misinformation, but our dumbass media is only interested in portraying Muslims as terror suspects. Truly a disgrace.

[Solo_in_MD]

11. There was an interesting piece in the LAT

By Dennis Preager. Be interesting to hear the responses to it.

I would not mind voting in a mosque or other house of worship as long as I not have to make any accomodation to it (take off shoes, not eat my BBQ pork sandwich while I waited etc. in the case of a mosque.