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Another Becket Fund Victory for Religious Freedom
Thursday, July 19, 2012, 10:12 AM

I’m particularly proud today to be a member of the board of directors and the executive committee of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Founded by Kevin “Seamus” Hasson in 1994, the Becket Fund is committed to defending the religious freedom rights of people of every faith, “from Anglicans to Zorastrians.” True to its mission and principles, the Fund is representing the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Tennessee in its efforts to build a new mosque to accommodate the growing community it serves.

Unfortunately, these efforts are being opposed by a small but very vocal group of non-Muslim residents who absurdly claim that Islam is not a religion, but is rather a sinister and dangerous political movement, and that therefore the rights of Muslims are not protected under the free exercise guarantee of the First Amendment. Yesterday Chief Judge Todd Campbell of the federal district court in Nashville granted the Becket Fund’s request for a temporary restraining order to make possible the completion of the building inspection for the new mosque so that the Muslim community can use the building for its observance of Ramadan, which begins tomorrow evening. Press release here.

Congratulations to Becket Fund General Counsel Luke Goodrich on this important victory for religious liberty. Congratulations, too, to the Becket Fund’s new president, William Mumma, who has stepped in to take the helm after Seamus stepped aside for health reasons, and to Executive Director Kristina Arriaga. And, while I’m at it, congratulations to Seamus, whose extraordinary work and witness were recognized a few weeks ago with an honorary degree from the University of Notre Dame. (Perhaps it would not be out of place here to mention that the Becket Fund does not accept government financial support. It relies for its important work on the generosity of private charitable foundations, such the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the John M. Templeton Foundation, and individual donors.)

6 Comments

    ahem
    July 19th, 2012 | 9:06 pm

    Unfortunately for us all, Mr. George, you are utterly, and tragically, wrong. If the matter were solely one of religious freedom, your case might have merit. The only problem is that the forces behind the establishment of the mosque are connected to radical Islam. In point of fact, Islam has a very decided political component, of which, apparently, you are ignorant, and which it would be suicidal for us to ignore.

    The problem with an open society is that its enemies can so easily abuse its ideals and institutions in order to undermine it, as has happened here.

    Your victory is surely a phyrric one.

    Readering
    July 19th, 2012 | 9:12 pm

    Professor George’s comments are very well taken and this development stands in contrast with a contemporaneous development on the SSPX front, where the Society has just now, in stiff-arming the latest overture from the Church, restated its objection to the notion of freedom of religion in society as being one of the supposed failings of Vatican 2.

    David Davies
    July 27th, 2012 | 3:52 pm

    Islam combines the political and the theological in comprehensive system which is totalitarian in scope. I don’t know how it cannot be called a ‘political project’ just as easily as it can be called a ‘religion’. We have the right as a nation to combat political forces intent upon our destruction. The only Islam we should permit is one which has been dis-integrated and no longer contains a political component.

    ahem
    July 30th, 2012 | 9:33 am

    Mr. George:

    The following link points to a document (“An Explanatory Memorandum, On the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America” 5/22/1991) that the FBI found in connection with its investigations surrounding the Holy Land Foundation terrorism finance trial. The paper outlines the Muslim Brotherhood’s plan to replace all institutions of the United States with Islamic institutions. The first half is in Arabic, the second half is an English translation. It’s only about 15 pages long.

    “…The memorandum is derived from 1) The General Strategic Goal of the Group in America which was approved by the Shura Council and the Organizational Conference for the year [1987] is Enablement of Islam in North America, meaning: establishing an effective and stable Islamic Movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood…”

    CAIR and, by extension,the Muslim Brotherhood (Hamas, Hezbollah, etc.) for which it fronts in the United States, was an unindicted co-conspirator at that trial. Oddly enough, Obama has allowed several advisers from the Muslim Brotherhood into the White House, among whom is Dahlia Mogahed, who, ironically, serves as Obama’s head of Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships–whatever that is. Ironically, because she supports sharia, which is inocompatible with, and inimical to, American law.

    Among the goals stated in the paper, is “civilization-jihad”, a key element of which is the establishment of mosques in America like there is no tomorrow—exactly what is happening in Tennessee. (That’s not exactly the way the paper expressed it, but you get my point.)

    It is a pity that terrorists are being assisted, and we are all being endangered–Christians especially–by well-meaning nincompoops such as yourself.

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