Islamic Center attacked by vandals

7/9/2005

Contact Info:
Nathan Ainslie
President, Islamic Center of Bloomington, Indiana
nainslie@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bloomington, Indiana -- This morning when Muslims of Bloomington came to attend the early Morning Prayer, they were shocked and dismayed to discover vandalism to the Bloomington Mosque. A window was broken and a fire had to be extinguished. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, although the fire could have caused extensive damage to the mosque if left to burn. The Bloomington Police Department and the FBI are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

We do not believe that such acts of hate are representative of the
Bloomington community at large, and we commend the City of Bloomington and Indiana University for continuing to educate their citizens, staff and students about hate crimes, diversity and multiculturalism.

The members of the Islamic Center of Bloomington whole-heartedly condemn any acts of terrorism, violence, and hate here and abroad, including those perpetrated only a few days ago in London. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been victimized, and we cannot help but draw parallels between those criminals who terrorized the people of London, and those criminals who sought to damage our house of worship.

The Bloomington Islamic community has been a feature of the Bloomington landscape for more than 30 years. The community has enjoyed friendly relations with its neighbors, fellow religious congregations, the city of Bloomington, Indiana University and the State of Indiana for all these years. We consider this crime not only an attack on the entire Muslim community of Bloomington Indiana, but on all decent law-abiding citizens of Bloomington as well as on all places of worship. We ask all members of the Bloomington community who may have any information regarding this incident to contact the Bloomington Police Department or the FBI.

Cowardly SOB's. :mad:

Bloomington is a very diverse community but Indiana IS a REDneck state. We're an island of peace and reason surrounded by HATE. :hide:

Both regular Christians, and the KKK sect. Were these Muslims breaking the law by living in Indiana?

don't you think? Name one predominantly white congressional district in Michigan that is represented by an African American. Actually, outside of the state of Indiana try to name one predominantly white congressional district represented by an African American. Right, can't be done. Only congressional district in the country for which this is the case - is in... Indiana.

We are not all KKK, nor RW Christians (though those do exist in this state, as is clear from this story.) Please do not paint us all with your broad stroke.

Having lived in your community for several years, I am quite aware that the problems here, extend there. While I was living there an african american elected official of Ypsi, was pulled over for DBI (driving while black) and roughed up a bit in the process. Not to mention the whole Maliss Green (sp) situation in Detroit that was going on at the same time.

Glass Houses and all of that.

This is a time of great stress in my bome community. The act has been roundly condemned - and the communityn is rallying behind the Muslim community. I would hope that the same would be true if this happened in Ypsi.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4061602

:grr:

There seems to be a traveling path from trash in the south to go past that place. Bloomington for the most part is very liberal and very accepting. I am from the music school, i should no, we are all very equal in terms of race there.

The Central Indiana Club of the Communist Party USA (CICPUSA) rejects
all hate crimes, and especially the recent attack on the Bloomington
Islamic Center early in the morning of July 9th. Someone broke a window
in the Center and used an incendiary device to start a fire. A burned
Quran was found near the broken window. Some have asked online whether
the Center is pro-American or anti-American, meaning the Center's stance
relative to the Iraqi war. The CICPUSA rejects that line of questioning.
Regardless of the Center's stand relative to the war in Iraq, hate crime
as what happened on July 9th is wrong. The people of the Islamic
Center's first amendment right to freedom of religion, freedom of
assembly, and freedom of speech must be respected and actively supported
in the fact of bigotry and attack. The CICPUSA strongly denounces this
sad event and expresses our warm support to the Center's members. We
reject and denounce acts of hate and violence against Muslims, as we do
against all people whether immigrant or native born, religious or
atheist, a citizen or undocumented person. The CICPUSA further calls for
the immediate withdrawal of all US and coalition forces from Iraq, and
an end to the bloody occupation of Iraq at the hands of the Bush
administration.

http://www.indianacp.org/