American Muslims Ask, Will We Ever Belong?

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN  Published: September 5, 2010
  

For nine years after the attacks of Sept. 11, many American Muslims made concerted efforts to build relationships with non-Muslims, to make it clear they abhor terrorism, to educate people about Islam and to participate in interfaith service projects. They took satisfaction in the observations by many scholars that Muslims in America were more successful and assimilated than Muslims in Europe.

 

Now, many of those same Muslims say that all of those years of work are being rapidly undone by the fierce opposition to a Muslim cultural center near ground zero that has unleashed a torrent of anti-Muslim sentiments and a spate of vandalism. The knifing of a Muslim cab driver in New York City has also alarmed many American Muslims. 

 

“We worry: Will we ever be really completely accepted in American society?” said Dr. Ferhan Asghar, an orthopedic spine surgeon in Cincinnati and the father of two young girls. “In no other country could we have such freedoms — that’s why so many Muslims choose to make this country their own. But we do wonder whether it will get to the point where people don’t want Muslims here anymore.” 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/us/06muslims.html

Dr. Asghar and his family at an Ohio Islamic Center

 

 

 

 

 

Petraeus Condemns U.S. Church's Plan to Burn Qurans

By JULIAN E. BARNES And MATTHEW ROSENBERG

US General Patraeus

KABUL—The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a small Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort.

 

Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.

"It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. Petraeus said in an interview. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community." 

 

Hundreds of Afghans attended a demonstration in Kabul on Monday to protest the plans of Florida pastor Terry Jones, who has said he will burn copies of Islam's holy book to mark the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

 

Afghan protesters chanted "death to America," and speakers called on the U.S. to withdraw its troops. Some protesters threw rocks at a passing military convoy. 

Military officials fear the protests will likely spread to other Afghan cities, especially if the event is broadcast or ends up on Internet video.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703713504575475500753093116.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLTopStories

Stranger sexually assaults woman in Fargo

A north Fargo woman was sexually assaulted by a stranger in her apartment Thursday night, police said on Friday. 

 

A 49-year-old Fargo man was arrested Friday morning on suspicion of gross sexual imposition in connection with the suspected assault, Sgt. Mark Lykken said.

 

A woman living in an apartment in the 2500 block of Broadway told police a stranger entered her home about 8:30 p.m. Thursday and sexually assaulted her, Sgt. Mark Lykken said. 

 

Police arrested Todd William Naatus at 11:55 a.m. in connection with the incident but wouldn’t release any further details about the assault on Friday, Lykken said. 

 

According to police dispatch logs, the woman reported the allegation to officers at 11:05 p.m. 

 

Naatus is being held in the Cass County Jail, awaiting possible charges of gross sexual imposition. No charges were filed in Cass County District Court on Friday, according to court records.

 

Police say sexual assaults by strangers are relatively rare because the majority of sexual assailants target people they know. 

 

Gross sexual imposition is a North Dakota criminal charge for forcible rape or sex acts with victims. Charged as a Class A felony, it carries a prison term of up to 20 years upon conviction. 

 
Fargo Forum

Republican Muslim says right is wrong on mosque

He is a staunch Republican, a conservative, a small-business owner. He was a Republican delegate to the state convention, is vice chair of a district, was appointed to a state board by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He has participated in demonstrations against gay marriage and he's running for mayor of Apple Valley.

 

But he also thinks the debate over a mosque near the site of the former Twin Towers is dumb, and downright un-American.

 

Maybe that's because Ikram ul-Huq has a unique perspective. He is also an imam at a Bloomington mosque, reads the Qur'an every day and likes to say "I came to the United States because of the freedom."

Read the Rest at Star Tribune...