Indiana is no stranger to hate--the KKK flourished here after World War I, and then there's Ron Artest--but Bloomington is a different story. Or was a different story until last week.

On July 9, not long after the London terror attacks, someone tried to burn down the Islamic Center of Bloomington. An unidentified attacker threw a Molotov cocktail into the mosque's kitchen at around 4 a.m. in an incident that is being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI. A burned copy of the Koran was found on the sidewalk outside.

Fortunately, there was a worshiper in the mosque observing early-morning prayers who was able to extinguish the fire before any serious damage was done.

By an unknown coward who could not even identify him/herself

Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and loyal citizen?

Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran.

Geographically, no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially, no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically, no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.

This sign posted in front of Danieltown Baptist Church has sparked debate in Rutherford County about religious tolerance. (Josh Humphries/Daily Courier)

By JOSH HUMPHRIES Daily Courier Staff Writer

FOREST CITY -- A sign in front of a Baptist church on one of the most traveled highways in the county stirred controversy over religious tolerance and first-amendment rights this weekend.

A sign in front of Danieltown Baptist Church, located at 2361 U.S. 221 south reads "The Koran needs to be flushed," and the Rev. Creighton Lovelace, pastor of the church, is not apologizing for the display.

"I believe that it is a statement supporting the word of God and that it (the Bible) is above all and that any other religious book that does not teach Christ as savior and lord as the 66 books of the Bible teaches it, is wrong," said Lovelace. "I knew that whenever we decided to put that sign up that there would be people who wouldn't agree with it, and there would be some that would, and so we just have to stand up for what's right."

Seema Riley, a Muslim, who was born in Pakistan and reared in New York, was one of those upset by the sign.

But I wasn't.

The FBI is investigating a fire that broke out Saturday morning as a hate crime.

The fire started at the Islamic Center of Bloomington just after 4 a.m.

The physical damage isn't too bad. A member of the mosque was able to put the fire out before fire fighters even got there.

Members say it's the non physical damage that's the hardest to deal with

Under the crescent moon, members call the Islamic Center of Bloomington a home away from home.

Church member Nathan Ainslie explained, "If this building were to be burned down, people would be devastated. Absolutely devastated. Not to mention this is our house of worship. This is supposed to be an sacred space, just like a church or a synagogue. That's what it is for people. It's a sacred space."

THE problem created by the potential radicalization of Muslim youth in this country must be solved by all Canadians.

That, in essence, was the message - both an invitation and an exhortation - behind the call by eight Canadian Muslim organizations last week for federal, provincial and local politicians to convene a summit, by the end of June, that would focus on finding ways to dissuade disaffected Muslim youths from following the path of extremism.

While critics who say that such a proposal is long overdue do have a point - considering the events of recent years, and not just the high-profile arrests in the Toronto area - it's equally true that the Muslim groups' initiative, which has obvious merit, should be warmly welcomed, accepted and acted upon.

I thought we had seen enough of Flemming Rose, cultural editor of the sensation seeking right-wing newspaper Jyllands-Posten. I was wrong. He appeared in the CBS Sunday (February 19, 2006) program - 60 Minutes. Even the prestigious Washington Post published his article in its Sunday issue: "Why I published those cartoons."
 
As usual, Rose has been anything but sincere or honest. Unlike his TV interview in which he misleadingly claims that his paper makes funs of all religions, in the Post article, he confesses that he is not a ‘fundamentalist' supporter of freedom of expression, and as such, won't publish materials that are unethical, offensive to some readers. However, he audaciously claims that the ‘cartoon story is different.' He argues, "I commissioned the cartoons in response to several incidents of self-censorship in Europe caused by widening fears and feelings of intimidation in dealing with issues related to Islam." To bolster his argument, he says, "At the end of September, a Danish standup comedian said in an interview with Jyllands-Posten that he had no problem urinating on the Bible in front of a camera, but he dared not do the same thing with the Koran."

Two polls released on March 9, 2006 indicate that almost half of Americans have a negative perception of Islam and that one in four of those surveyed have extreme anti-Muslim views.

The results of the two polls - conducted by Washington Post-ABC and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) - are not unexpected as anti-Muslim and anti-Islam campaign continues unabated since 9/11 by print and electronic media along with politicians, religious leaders as well as the government policies that have reinforced Islamophobia which may be defined as "alienation, discrimination, harassment and violence rooted in misinformed and stereotyped representations of Islam and its adherents."

The two polls come at a time of increasingly charged atmosphere: the proposed takeover of six US ports operations by a Dubai firm (now abandoned); the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with little sign of ending; the election of Hamas in the Palestinian territories; and, above all, the riotous protests across the Muslim world against Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad.

My subject is Franklin Graham, one of President Bush's very-public religious confidants. Franklin's father, Billy, served President Nixon in a similar capacity. Billy's efforts were crowned with a kind of earthly immortality: he's on those White House tapes in the National Archives sharing anti-Semitic remarks with Nixon and never flinching or clearing his throat over the idea of using atomic bombs in Vietnam.

Franklin has pretty well replaced his ailing father in leading the huge Billy Graham organization. You may wonder about religious ministries being handed down like fifteenth-century dukedoms, but the practice is fairly common in America, and several of the nation's big ministries - the type of outfits that might be characterized as Las Vegas Showstoppers for Jesus - have been handed down in this fashion. This happens in American politics, too. After all, a hand-me-down evangelist serves a hand-me-down President who ran against (and lost the popular vote to) a hand-me-down politician from Tennessee.

POSTED: 11:44 am EDT September 17, 2004
UPDATED: 12:04 pm EDT September 17, 2004

WHITNEY, Pa. -- A Westmoreland County church has put up a controversial sign, blaming the Islam religion for the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

"To really remember 9/11, you must remember Islam is the enemy," says a sign outside the non-denominational Living Hope Church in Whitney.

Pastor Keith Tucci will keep the sign up for about one more week, then replace it with another one.

The church has a congregation of 200 people.

The term 'Islamophobia' has only very recently been coined, as recent as the mid-1990s. It is one of a whole range of expressions that has grown out of the 'politically correct' ethos of the 1990s. The spirit of multiculturalism and pluralism was the climate that enabled the birth and circulation of the term. But unlike other terms born at this time it has not become household currency; Muslim organisations alert to discrimination against Muslims appear to be the only users of the term, and there has been no shortage of occasions to use it.

But it is not merely another in the range of fashionable words made up in the West during this period - such as PC or 'politically correct' itself. The wholly negative attitude towards Islam in the West has a very long history and has a palpable feel more than ever at the moment. Islamophobia is alive and well.

by Iftikhar Ahmad (Tuesday June 22 2004)

"Through out the modern history, Muslims have contributed for the Renaissance of Western culture and society. Islamic values are not only compatible with the western values they are almost identical. Islamic ideas helped shape the European West that produced the values cherished by the constitution's framers. Western culture is infact based on Muslim culture."

Islamophobia and Arabophobia has been part of western culture since the Crusades, with Saddam and Osama only the latest in a long line of Arab bogeymen. The real reason for the current spate of Islamophobia is the fact that Islam has been the fastest growing religion in the world and as such poses a threat to the West. This is happening inspite of widespread misconceptions and negative media portrayed of Islam.