Interfaith Rally Against Hate in Dearborn: 'We Have to Work Together'
Michigan Muslim Community Council rallies to denounce Mideast violence and video that sparked it.
Photos
The Michigan Muslim Community Council rallied outside the Islamic Center of America this afternoon, and this time, it wasn’t because Terry Jones was coming to town.
The message was loud and clear as the MMCC, along with hundreds of protesters, condemned the violent unrest that resulted from an infamous movie trailer of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad entitled “Innocence of Muslims.”
The nearly 14-minute long amateur production portrays the Prophet Muhammad in a disgraceful manner, according to Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, leader of the Islamic Center of America.
“It is filthy, it is disgusting and it is a true disgrace and cheap propaganda,” said Qazwini of the video. “Instead of others depicting our prophet, we need to depict our prophet as a true messenger of god as a man who was compassionate and merciful, that’s what we need to promote.”
Qazwini, along with several religious leaders of different faiths, took to the podium to voice his disapproval of the killing of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya. Each speaker also denounced the chaotic reaction to the movie that has wreaked havoc among Muslims in the Middle East.
Dawud Walid, who is the Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, put an emphasis on the importance and sacredness of the Prophet Muhammad to all Muslims. He illustrated how the depiction of the holy figure hits home for Islam’s followers and relayed how painful it is to endure such mockery of a holy figure.
The Rev. Edwin Rowe of Central United Methodist Church told the crowd that the makers of the film “have blood on their hands.”
“There is absolutely no way that we can call this anything close to free speech,” he said. “If you know that the action you’re going to create is going to create violence and death, then you’re responsible for the blood that it causes. And, I pray that these folks will be brought to justice.”
After the protest, Rowe further elaborated on how he feels the film’s producers should be handled lawfully.
“First of all, I wanted the person who did the video to be locked up,” Rowe said. “It’s pre-meditated murder, they know what is going to happen after the video and the blood is on their hands. I am not for capital punishment, but I am absolutely for life imprisonment for people who cause other people’s death.”
Other speakers included Robert A. Brutell, Chair of Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit; Michael Hovey, Director of the Office for Catholic Social Teaching for the Archdiocese of Detroit; Senior Advisor of MMCC Victor Begg; the Rev. Rani Abdulmasih, pastor of the Abundant Life Arabic Church in Dearborn; the Rev. Charles Williams of King Solomon Baptist Church; Islamic House of Wisdom’s leader Imam Elahi; and United Methodist pastor Bill Wylie-Kellerman.
Each speaker took about three minutes to share their thoughts on how Muslims and non-Muslims should properly and peacefully react to bigotry and ignorance. The crowd was responsive by repeatedly reciting in Arabic, “O Allah, exalt our leader Muhammad and the people of our leader Muhammad,” and applause.
“I do believe we have to work together,” said 19-year-old Bilal Assi. “We have to protest and use our voice as a weapon. At the end of the day if we talk and speak loud and let the world hear us, we can get things done.”
Amal Berry
8:08 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
I was at this rally; it was so wonderful to see all the clergy from different faiths standing together, relaying a message of peace and tolerance. The message was clear- Islam does NOT tolerate violence of any kind, and that the makers of that filthy movie had clear intentions on creating hate. Hate speech is not free speech.
Your taxes pay my salary
8:38 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
You may not like it, and you may not agree with it, But hate speech is free speech.
Amal Berry
11:31 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
The founding fathers did not intend free speech to include hate speech- if you recall your history, the very reason this nation was founded was to protect freedom of religion and protection of persecution. Hate speech is what the fathers of this country were trying to reject. And hate speech derives from hate filled people.
Your taxes pay my salary
8:03 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
But the courts have agreed that hate speech is protected.
anonymous
9:01 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
When u attack black people, they call it "Racism"! When u attack Jewish people, they call it "anti-semetism"! When u attack Women, they call it "Gender discrimination"! When u attack Homosexuality, they call it "intolerance"! When u attack ur Country, they call it "Terrorism"! When u attack a Religious sect, they call it "Hate speech"! But when they attack at the dignity of our Beloved Prophet MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H), they call it "Freedom of expression" !!! Share! Raise ur voice, at least it's the lowest level of iman
AC
1:21 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
So if someone attacks the integrity of an historical figure I revere, this gives me the justification to burn buildings and riot? Get over it. Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, David Koresh - they were all mortals, like the billions who preceded them, and billions more who came after them. If you believe he is something beyond that, that is your personal belief and I respect that. But you can not impose this on the rest of us. Next time I hear Fox News disparaging Karl Marx I suppose I'm gonna take to the streets.
Greg
11:34 am on Saturday, September 29, 2012
Its simple we need to stop the Islamatization of America....if you don't like it do us all a favor and pack your bags and go back to the middle east
Lee Jacobsen
11:31 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
All this hoop-la over a 14 minute movie any 10 yr old could make in art class shows a certain lack of common sense, or lack of a sense of humor, especially among Muslims. The PACs produce slicker political commercials. Why are the Muslims even paying any attention to it?
It is drivel, and certainly won't be on the big screen.
Think of the other controversial movies about Christian religions. Why don't Christians get into a funk and burn embassies etc? One that spoofed the life of Jesus for example , the title song, was used at the recent Olympics, we all know 'The life of Brian', and the song 'Aways look on the bright side of life', sung of course, while he is hanging crucified on the cross. The other two crucified with him soon join in as the chorus. Can't get more controversial than that can we? Don't recall any one getting killed back in 1979 over it. The Christians apparently have hard enough skins to be able to have some good natured fun with their religion and films.. 'The Life of Brian' was a world wide hit, and is still popular today. Why can't the Muslims do the same thing with films , photos etc having fun with their religion instead of getting upset about it?
A link for Life of Brian http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/
allforpeace
5:20 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
I am against all violence. shouldn't we coexist peacefully on this planet? If there are people with no brains or with hearts filled with hate, should they be allowed to spill all their hate even at the cost of innocent lives. With freedom comes responsibility, besides we all know that most christians don't even practice their religion that is why they don't care if you make fun of Jesus or anything related to christianity. The case is different with Muslims, many of them practice their religion if not fully at least partially, and their prophet and religion is very sacred.
Charles L Walls
11:51 am on Monday, September 24, 2012
@allforpeace: Your statement and question: "I am against all violence. Shouldn't we coexist peacefully on this planet?" suggests a profoundly naive attitude. You state the obvious. Violence comes from frustration. If you want peace and no violence, then you have to be willing to pay the price of appeasing the frustrations of the violent people. Are you willing to do that? For example: If there are religions zealots who believe that their God is the only true God, and that their Prophet is the only true Prophet, and that their holy book is the only true holy book, and they are willing to kill and die for those beliefs, are YOU willing to give up YOUR beliefs in order to appease them -- and thus have PEACE????
Lee Jacobsen
11:31 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012
News Flash! The Immaculate edition of 'The Life of Brian' is out! The trailer is almost identical to the Muslim controversial 14 minute film. Get ready for massive Christian demonstrations! Terry Jones alert!
Watch it if you dare! http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi783089945/
Your taxes pay my salary
8:03 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Another News Flash! Terrorist groups started the riots to attack our embassies. This stupid film that has been out for over a year was just a cover.
AC
8:03 am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
This whole incident is a perfect example of why I disdain all organized religion. I guarantee you that virtually every person in the Muslim world that is protesting this film (if you can even call it that) has not even seen it. I blame the ignorant, reactionary clerics for creating this mess. Had they not latched on to this and made it such an explosive issue, it would have remained an amateurish waste of time, seen by less than 10 people worldwide.
AC
1:21 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
ps, I bet the comments section for this article is the most heavily vetted by Dearborn Patch editors. Stop treating certain groups with kiddie gloves. When in Rome...
Charles L Walls
1:21 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
Why should it matter what anyone says or writes? It is only an opinion. It is only words. What harm is it to me if someone calls me names or ridicules something that I believe in? If I react to it, it only means they "got my goat". It is me that looks stupid not them.
I would only get upset over something said or written by other people if their opinion threatened my own beliefs...if I had doubts, and their statements made me question my own convictions. If I am secure in my own beliefs, then anything to the contrary that someone else says is only so much blabbering to me! But if what they say might actually be true, then I had better beat them down quickly!
Intelligent, civilized people know that "freedom of speech", regardless of how offensive it may appear to particular persons, is far more important than repression of oral, written or graphic expression. Give a government the smallest opportunity to repress speech, and before long the whole society will tread in fear of oppression. It is a slippery slope!
Lee Jacobsen
1:21 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
AC and Your taxes have pretty much covered all the bases on this topic, could not agree more. The real issues are being ignored, such as why Congress decided to pack their bags early (again) and go home with nothing being done the last 3 years. However, with this Congresss , that may be a 'plus' considering all the damage done the first year, with record borrowing, joblessness, etc etc. Must still all be Bush's fault.
Sandra Amen-Bryan
9:43 am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
@C. L Walls. You are right in the sense that people choose their own reactions to words. But if one guy tells another guy his wife is fat/ugly, guess what the likely reaction will be. I don't think we would call that freedom of speech...more like stupidity for the expected reaction. And it is the intent to slander that motivated the film. The remainder of the 'grand scheme' goes like this: This film, like hundreds of articles, dozens of books, speakers, protesters, web sites, legislation; all seek to marginalise, criminalise, the religion of Islam. The producers of these materials want Americans to be suspicious, afraid, and hostile to any one person/group affiliated with the religion. The goal is to halt construction of new mosques by swaying public opinion, to disband musllim civil rights groups, to cast clouds of suspicion over muslims in the highest levels of civil service, to make certain acts of public worship criminal. So words do matter. Our laws reflect this truth.
Charles L Walls
5:20 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
You are correct that there is heightened hostility towards muslims (or more aptly, "Islamism"). But I don't think the "goal" is to halt construction of new mosques, etc. There is almost no Christian hostility towards construction of Mormon temples, or Jewish Synagogues. What I believe non-Muslims REALLY fear is what they read, hear and see about the aggressive "in your face" behaviors of some practicing muslims -- the wearing of their religion "on their sleeves" so to speak -- the apparent discriminatory treatment of women, especially as to dress, head-covering, and subordination to men -- the resistance to full assimilation into the traditional AMERICAN culture. Members of other religions seem to embrace "Americanization" when the come to America, and often restrict displaying VISIBLE symbols and practices of their religion to the privacy of home and place of worship. Constant, un-moderated display of religious practices makes non-practitioners wary and suspicious of people who appear to be living a life where their religion is more important than anything else. This fear is constantly re-enforced by the news from predominantly muslim countries where the Islamists seem to dominate the whole society, encouraging violence against non-muslims and even laws that demand the death penalty for muslims who leave the faith.
Charles L Walls
5:20 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
...continued...
Even the Amish, Mennonite and Hutterite religions that require severe dress and behavioral practices from their members do not engender the hostility of non-believers as with Islam. This is because, different as they are, and as resistant to "Americanization" as they are, they value absolutely peaceful, non-injurious respect towards non-believers.
Islamism, on the other hand, seems to celebrate "jihad" in such a boisterous, exuberant, and yes, even arrogant, fashion, that hostile kick-back from non-muslims is a natural and expected human reaction. The idea of one religion being the ONLY correct one is utterly abhorrent to most of the world. And the idea that Islam will eventually sweep the world can only lead to more violence, distrust and heartache -- especially for the muslims themselves.