Posted on 09/05/2004 11:57:13 AM PDT by 4.1O dana super trac pak
"Wipe out Islam for world peace. The Koran demands your murder. Islam is terrorism.
Such were the words of an anonymous act of vandalism in Campustown. The graffiti left members of the local Muslim community aghast.
"I was just completely shocked," said Basil Mahayni, senior in political science. "We rarely ever see anything like that."
Members of the Muslim Student Association reported the vandalism after discovering it Aug. 20 on a picnic table at the corner of Chamberlain Street and Welch Avenue.
Saleh Tamim, general secretary of the Muslim Student Association, was among the group that reported the incident. Tamim said he found the words hurtful and baffling.
"It's really offensive," said Tamim, senior in engineering. "I don't know why somebody would write such a thing."
Tamim and Mahayni agreed such acts toward the Muslim community were rare in Ames. Tamim said he hasn't seen anything like this since he came to Ames in 2002.
Mahayni said his last experience with hate directed toward him as a Muslim was immediately after Sept. 11, 2001. He was walking with freinds when another student walked by.
"He told us to 'go drop a bomb on your own country,'" Mahayni said.
Ignorance exists, but people react to it differently, he said. Some act on it by asking questions to inform themselves, Mahayni said, while others choose to take their beliefs as fact and make blind statements.
Though Ames is an accepting community, Mahayni said, occasional expressions of hate indicate tolerance remains a work in progress.
"I think Ames is a very tolerant environment," Mahayni said. "But instances like this past week show we're not perfect and we do have a lot of work to do."
Several people will meet soon to plan a response, he said.
Cmdr. Jim Robinson of the Ames Police Department said the police currently have no suspects.
"As of this time, I don't believe there have been any witnesses or suspects that have come forward," Robinson said.
Vandalism is often a hard crime to investigate and prosecute, Robinson said. The police department has filed charges on some cases, though there have also been instances that no suspect was identified.
For now, officers will keep an especially close eye on the area, Robinson said.
Tamim said he hopes acts such as this don't ruin the community's pleasant atmosphere.
"I hope the Ames community continues to be as peaceful as before," he said.
I'm not stunned.
Any Russian populations there, btw?
Wonder what the charge would be if I put a sign in my yard demanding the death of Muslim terrorists?
And what did the Members of the Muslim Student Association have to say about a real hate crime - Beslan?
Oh my God!! I'm getting all misty eyed. So sad, too damn bad.
after I read this one, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1208007/posts
What is the issue?
Perhaps because they were angry over the cowards who continue to kill innocent noncombatants in Israel, Iraq, Russia...
They Knifed Babies, They Raped Girls
Hmmmm... I wonder?
...is the group's website. I found no condemnations of terror done in their faith's name.
Should be noted the "crime" occurred Aug. 20, this article is from Sept. 1.
Find out, maroon.
You watch, the media will get ahold of this and give it equal time to the Russian hostage deaths. Someone carved some graffite on the corner of a picnic table, big friggin deal.
Now it begins
"I don't know why somebody would write such a thing."
You've got to be kidding.
They need to be careful on this, it's getting to be almost common on Universiy campuses for "fraudulent" incidents of this nature, I can name a half dozen major national news stories off the top of my head that later turned out bogus.
Not to say that intolerant folks aren't out there, but it's getting ridiculous.
You SOB's!!
What a combination, Muslims and academics.
After we educate the world's Muhammadans over here, what, they take their skills back to the Muhammadan ghetto countries and work to defeat the infidel? Where is this Muhammadan from, American born? Just curious...
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