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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Help save mosque at Shaw University NC |
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| yunus |
| 08/02/02 at 19:28:25 |
| Three letters below - PLS READ, WRITE, AND CIRCULATE THIS NOTICE FRIENDS: Shaw University, in Raleigh North Carolina, a liberal arts college with an affiliated divinity school, is planning to shut down its mosque on campus. They have not been talking loudly about this apparently and it was discovered by the second letter writer (below) who implies it is to be replaced by a sports facility. (Shaw has plans underway to build a "Wellness Center" and is soliciting funds from alumni; perhaps this is the replacement.) Shaw has an outreach program to prison inmates for univ studies. It has a language school; that teaches Arabic and Middle Eastern studies. It has a divinity program, and on its faced, would seem to be an all around good place to study. Here is Shaw's own statement about their curriculum, from their website: Founded to provide educational opportunities for African Americans primarily, but not exclusively, Shaw University is a founding member of the United Negro College Fund, educating students from across America and from 10 foreign countries. Accordingly, Shaw represents a multi-cultural academic community, thus a microcosm of the real world. Believing that true education is both cerebral and attitudinal, Shaw University incorporates values and ethics, intent on graduating students with sound character. For the goal of education is the development of character. In the absence of a compelling reason for closing a mosque, which provides access to their multicultural academic community, this is shortsighted and borders on political (in)correctness in view of our President's messages urging tolerance and understanding of the Moslem community, particularly in this most sensitive time. There are two mosques listed in Raleigh - but I could not get anyone there to answer if one of them is at the Univ. The Islamic Center of Raleigh says they have about 2000 celebrants at Jumah on Friday - Raleigh has a population of 276,000. There are approximately 2000 churches. PLEASE WRITE AND URGE THEY RECONSIDER THEIR PLAN TO CLOSE THE MOSQUE. Lane Pope Here are some addresses of administration: Email address of President Thomas Shaw: toshaw@shawu.edu Head of the Divinity Dept James Terry Roberson, jtrob@shawu.edu - teachings aimed at students entering the religious arena (as it is now) Mr. Mack Sowell - Assistant Vice President for Fiscal Affairs - 919-546-8230 msowell@shawu.eduVaughan C. Witten - Vice President for Student Affairs (919) 546-8270 vwitten@shawu.edu Helga A. Greenfield - Vice President for Institutional Advancement 919 546-8260 helgag@shawu.edu Vivian Galbreath - Administrative Assistant viviang@shawu.edu Dr. Ernest L. Pickens - Executive Vice President - 919/546-8300 epickens@shawu.edu Ms. Betty Allen - Administrative Assistant 919-546-8300 bettya@shawu.edu Ms. Reekitta K. Grimes ’88 - Director, Alumni Relations and Planned Giving E-mail: rgrimes@shawu.edu Religion and Philosophy Chairman, Dr. William A. Thurston wthursto@shawu.edu. August 2, 2002 Dr. Talbert O. Shaw Shaw University 118 E. South Street Raleigh, NC 27601 Dear Dr. Shaw: At a time when Christians most need to show their lack of hatred for and willingness to communicate with Muslims in this country and the world over, you are considering closing the mosque at your university. For 12 years, the United States has imposed the cruelest of economic sanctions against the country of Iraq, hypocritically saying that they are not imposed to hurt the people of Iraq but to stop their leader from producing weapons of mass destruction. It is the ultimate lie, and the world knows it. We have been bombing Iraq every week relentlessly since December 1998. The people of Afghanistan committed no crime against the United States; yet, their country has been bombed repeatedly even continuing after the US has declared victory. We have killed thousands of civilians, and thousands more will die as a consequence of our use of cluster bombs which continue to explode for many years later and our use of depleted uranium. We unjustifiably bombed an innocent pharmaceutical plant in the country of Sudan, and, when the government of Sudan demanded that the UN investigate both their factory and the bombing, the US "strenuously objected," and the Sudanese request was shelved. Although our government knows the truth about the factory, it has refused to apologize or to provide restitution to the impoverished people of Sudan who depended upon that factory for their survival and the survival of their farm animals. We bombed Serbia claiming it was to help the Muslims in Kosova, but the truth is it was for the purpose of occupation and control and to gain an oil pipeline which is the same reason we are in Afghanistan. We send and pay for weapons to Israel used for the purpose of killing Palestinians. The world knows this is not done in the name of security but to assist Israel in stealing the rest of the Palestinian homeland. No suicide bombing has ever occurred except in immediate retaliation against the Israeli government or the terrorist settlers’ killing of unarmed, non-combatant Palestinians. Since the birth of Israel, Hollywood and television movies have demonized Arabs and Muslims. Are you now going to join the hatred against Arabs and Muslims by removing a mosque, a temple to a God you claim you love? Sincerely, Betty Molchany THE PEACE AND JUSTICE FOUNDATION 8604 Second Avenue, PMB 173 Silver Spring, MD. 20910 In the Name of G-d, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful August 2, 2002 Dr. Talbert O. Shaw Shaw University 118 E. South Street Raleigh, NC 27601 Dear Dr. Shaw: Greetings of Peace; may this find you and yours well. Let me begin by noting, given the fact that Shaw University is an institution of higher learning affiliated with a religious organization, it should be easy for us to appeal to the better angels of Shaw's decision makers. We pray this will indeed be the case. I am an African American Muslim who has had the pleasure of visiting Shaw's campus and speaking on a number of occasions. I vividly recall, on my very first visit, being amazed and feeling a measure of pride at seeing a masjid (mosque) that was built into the very fabric of a historically black college - and it only deepened my respect for the institution's leadership when I learned that this historically black college was also affiliated with a Christian organization. It reflected an openness and tolerance which is so painfully lacking in America right now. And now, I must confess to being deeply disappointed at hearing that the masjid (a gift to the university from another nation) faces the prospect of closing. I have heard the reasons for the possible closure, and I must respectfully submit that they just don't measure up. To begin with, a Muslim Masjid (mosque), like a Christian Church, is a House of G-d. No Muslim individual, group, or government would build a masjid for one specific nationality or race. The very thought is anathema to Islam! Secondly, in a world as spiritually adrift as ours, what is more important to the overall welfare of society - a sports program (any sports program), or a place where soieone in need can find a moral compass to guide them back to a safe harbor? Lastly, dear sir, we are living in a time when people of faith and goodwill across the religious and ideological spectrum, should be reaching out in faith and good will for the benefit of all. This is especially true for Christians and Muslims - respectfully, the largest and the fastest growing religions in America. As Rev. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, so eloquently stated: "The Coming century will most surely witness either a coalition or a collision between Islam and Christianity. I have a dream that positive believers from both religions will find each other, and once finding each other, and helping each other, can and will write a new history, a new legacy for the world: from collision to coalition. True believers in G-d must move our society and our world from combatibility to compatibility, from intolerance to tolerance; positive Muslims and Christians becoming partners in peace." I too share this dream. We all have a part to play in this process, Dr. Shaw; and whether you realize it or not, the outcome of your decision in this very important affair may very well have long term implications (in this regard) for the city of Raleigh - either positive or negative. In my conclusion, if nothing else gives you pause - enabling you to think long and hard about the decision that you are about to make - I can only hope that this final thought will. There is a wise admonition deeply intrinsic to Christian theology: "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." I pray that you will take this admonition to heart, and let your conscience (your better angels) be your guide. With warm regards, El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan Director of Operations cc: Mr. Willie E. Gray ------------------------------------------------- Dear Mr. Shaw: Your brochures describe Shaw University as a microcosm of the world - a university that urges character, development of character, and ethics, which is as it should be. But, the microcosm of the world should represent every part of the world that can been, and removing a mosque from the campus removes that part of the world from your university. What are the ethics of removing a mosque to be replaced by a sports facility? Particularly in this critical and sensitive time, we should all, and educators, most especially, be reaching out to different cultures, widening our personal and intellectual horizons and reminding young persons that we all worship the same Supreme Being, whether called Allah, or Jehovah, or God. A mosque on campus says a lot to your students and Raleigh community about your sense of the world; removing it says more and diminishes you. Please do reconsider this action. A sports facility in place of a mosque is a poor exchange. Lane Pope 10686 SW 79 Ter Miami FL 3373 |
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