Anti-mosque Sentiments Represent Frightening Isolation
Dear Editor,
I live about half a mile from where that mosque would be built.
I have absolutely no problem with it.
At my job in San Jose are engineers and sales people from all over the world: China, Korea, Thailand, Iran, Turkey, India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Ireland, etc. I, as a native born American, am definitely in the minority. We all work together with no problem.
The June 1 letter from Bill Currie shows an isolation from the world that is frightening.
Based on my experience, I think the problems in the Middle East are cultural, not religious. Yes, some religious leaders there may encourage violence, because that is the local culture. But that doesn’t mean they will here, where it is not the local culture. My friends at work are not violent. They want to do a good job and raise their families, just as I do.
As far as religious violence goes, Christians have done there share in the past also, when it matched the culture. Think of the crusades, the inquisition, and the Salem witch hunts. But that is no longer our culture.
Nancy Schulenburg, San Martin
Disturbed by Anti-Mosque Rhetoric
Dear Editor,
As a Muslim who has been born and raised in South County, I am profoundly disturbed by Bill Currie’s June 1 letter regarding the construction of a mosque in San Martin on a number of levels.
First, the idea that members of any religious or spiritual belief should be denied the right to have a place of worship goes against my, and any American’s, First Amendment right. This country was founded on the idea that all citizens should be afforded the right to worship, or not, as they choose. To say that allowing construction of a mosque, and providing citizens with a place to worship freely, is not a benefit to local residents is absurd. Â Second, Muslims, both American and worldwide, have made numerous and invaluable contributions to society in positive and constructive ways. Take, for example, Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X) and his work towards empowerment for African-Americans and the Civil Rights Movement, or Mohammad Ali and his contribution to sports. One can also consider 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus’ work to help uplift the poor and disadvantaged in Bangladesh, and has been used as a model in other countries. Also, if we are going to consider historical benefits, Europe would not have come out of the Dark Ages had Europeans not come into contact with Muslims in the Arab world and learned about necessities such as personal hygiene and sewage systems. I know that my seventh-grade students learn about this in our social studies class, which brings me to my final point. I take a personal affront to Bill Currie’s bigotry as stated in his June 1 letter to the editor. I have been proud to represent my country as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa, and as a world traveler. I teach in our public school system because I believe in its principle of equality in education for all people, no matter race, religion, or creed. I believe in leading by example, and to be grossly generalized as a terrorist because my religion happens to be the same as a handful of people who have bastardized it, is unconscionable. I am a civil servant who works towards building understanding and tolerance between all people, I hope that I am not wrong in assuming that Currie and people holding his opinions are in the minority in South County.
Shana Alavi, Morgan Hill
