The Enemies Within

In a country where government entities are openly hostile to religion isn't it curious how we keep hearing about special accommodations being made for one religion under the guise of "tolerance".

In Minnesota and other states as well we read how colleges and universities are constructing special ritual washing areas for Muslim students because it is an important part of their prayer requirements. These are public institutions not private colleges. Where is this so-called separation of church and state? According to article by Katherine Kersten in the Minneapolis StarTribune the accommodations will not stop there.

"eventual objectives on American campuses include the following, according to the website: permanent Muslim prayer spaces, ritual washing facilities, separate food and housing for Muslim students, separate hours at athletic facilities for Muslim women, paid imams or religious counselors, and campus observance of Muslim holidays."

Again, I ask where is this so-called separation of church and state? These things are already in place in many colleges. We have heard of some colleges who are now removing the crucifix from chapels citing the divisiveness and offensiveness of this Christian symbol.



In Boston it has come to light a sweetheart deal for the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) for a prime piece of land adjacent to Roxbury Community College. According to an article in the Weekly Standard plans for the land were initially for the construction of a "garage." When the deal was investigated by Bill Sapers, a member of the college's foundation he learned:

"the land had been conveyed for somewhere between 10 percent and 40 percent of its appraised value. On the plot, the ISB was going to build a $22 million mosque with a 125-foot minaret and a 75-foot dome. In exchange for the city's largesse, the ISB would provide nebulously defined services to Roxbury Community College, including an educational lecture series, and nebulously defined services to the city, including maintenance of a nearby public park."

He also learned the the ISB has as members known radical jihadists. It comes as no suprise that most of the local media (read: liberal media) in Boston is ignoring the story. Only the local FOX affiliate (surprise, surprise), The Boston Herald (a paper a fraction of the size of the Boston Globe) and Jeff Jacoby, the token conservative at the Boston Globe, have picked up the ISB's sleight of hand aspect of the story.

There is evidence that just as large swaths of the mainstream media conspired in 1996 to ensure favorable press for Bill Clinton's reelection there has been a concerted effort to turn a blind eye to Islamic encroachment into the public realm. This while the media actively chides Christian and Jewish aspects of the culture for the very same thing. It can be argued fairly that no religion should be entwined into the public realm, but this kind of story is repeating itself across the nation.

There is no intent by me or any of the people bringing this phenomenon to the publics attention to deny Muslims in America their right to worship. Let them build their mosques - we just don't like the double standard and the uncritical examination by the powers in the media and the governments that oversee public policy and the cultural implications of these blinders.




CW