Pig's head thrown into mosque during prayers

NBC5 Chicago ^

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

LEWISTON, Maine --An Islamic civil liberties group is decrying an episode in Lewiston in which a man tossed a pig's head into a mosque during prayers.

Brent Matthews, 33, of Lewiston, was charged with the misdemeanor crime of desecrating a church, officials said. The Lewiston Police Department referred the case to the Androscoggin County district attorney as well as the state attorney general.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which learned of the incident, notified the FBI and U.S. Justice Department as well, said spokesman Ibrahim Hooper.

"All Americans should be able to offer prayers in their houses of worship without fear of attack or intimidation," Hooper said Wednesday.

The incident happened Monday night at the Lewiston-Auburn Islamic Center as about 40 men were bowed down as part of their prayer ritual. After the pig's head rolled in, the men raced outside to look for the perpetrator.

Muslims are prohibited from eating pork, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations contends the act was an insult upon Muslims.

Matthews told police it was supposed to be "a big joke," Lt. Don Mailhot said.

"The police department doesn't anything like that lightly," Mailhot said.

Lewiston is home to more than 2,000 Somali refugees, who began moving to Lewiston in 2001 to seek more affordable housing. The following year, Lewiston Mayor Larry Raymond created a furor by asking Somali community leaders to stop the influx.

Education and outreach are important, Hooper said, because anti-Islam prejudice decreases when people get to know ordinary Muslims.

"We urge Muslims in Maine to increase their outreach efforts to educate people of other faiths about Islam," Hooper said.

[Pro-Bush]

Freedom of expression?

[geopyg]

"All Americans should be able to offer prayers in their houses of worship without fear of attack or intimidation," Hooper said Wednesday.

That's probably one of the few things I'll agree with him on. I wonder if he really means it?

[blueminnesota]

Again?! Can't you freepers give it a rest?

;)

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Sorry, I did a search for it before I posted, but I couldn't find any.

[blueminnesota]

No, no, it's not a repost. I was referring to a similiar incident that occured in Israel about a year ago. Happening right after freepers on this forum were suggesting just such an action. Coincidence, I guess....

[DTogo]

"We urge Muslims in Maine to increase their outreach efforts to educate people of other faiths about Islam," Hooper said.

Yeah, we didn't get enough "outreach" on 9-11-01...

[Paleo Conservative]

[coconutt2000]

On the subject of the story, it isn't funny.

Throwing pork heads at terrorists is one thing. Throwing pork heads into mosques of peaceful Muslims (innocent until proven guilty), is pushing for retaliation.

If we aren't going to deport every Muslim in the country (a policy I don't agree with just yet) then we must be willing to accord them the same tolerance and intolerance that we accord ourselves.

But what worries me is the following line:

Lewiston is home to more than 2,000 Somali refugees

For the love of our country, allowing 2,000 refugees to set up a community in a limited area is just asking for them to never to assimilate. This will cause problems if they aren't resettled and scattered.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Great! First its angry muslims now add on some angry P.E.T.A. nut jobs and Maine is going to burn

[Anti-Bubba182]

"Lewiston is home to more than 2,000 Somali refugees."

Insane.

[blueminnesota]

Come to Minneapolis and you'll see a helluva lot more than 2,000 Somali immigrants.

[AntiGuv]

Brent Matthews, 33, of Lewiston, was charged with the misdemeanor crime of desecrating a church.

Mosques are not churches..

[IslandJeff]

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which learned of the incident, notified the FBI and U.S. Justice Department as well, said spokesman Ibrahim Hooper.

Would he support, say, Synagogues having such instant access to law enforcement? Overreaction Sensors are pegged, Captain.

[coconutt2000]

How limited of an area is Minneapolis compared to Lewiston?

I chose that wording specifically, but even then - insular communities within a major U.S. city would have a different set of problems, but would require much larger numbers of refugees to effect.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Posted a different link above. The link to the story as shown here is this

[Rays_Dad]

Come to Minneapolis and you'll see a helluva lot more than 2,000 Somali immigrants.

------
I flew into Minneapolis about five months ago and noticed that also. It seemed every other airport employee was dressed up in Moo-slim garb.

[blueminnesota]

I don't know the percentages offhand. I just know the influx has been HUGE and some areas look like little Mogadishu. I believe Minneapolis has the largest Somali community in the USA, but could be wrong.

[CheyennePress]

That's 2,000 people out of a population of 35,000. I would not be happy at all.

I thought we made immigration from Islamic countries tough after 9/11?

[Lurker]

"We urge Muslims in Maine to increase their outreach efforts to educate people of other faiths about Islam," Hooper said

Thanks Hooper, but we've already received about as much 'muslim outreach' as we need thanks all the same.

I'm waiting for some 'American Outreach to islam' in the form of a w-88 dialed up to about 50 kilotons right over that black rock you worship.

Nothin' but love for ya.

L

[familyop]

It was posted, but it was pulled. Some of the comments mentioned, "bowling for Muslims."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1660556/posts

[Thinkin' Gal]

LEWISTON, Maine --An Islamic civil liberties group is decrying an episode in Lewiston in which a man tossed a pig's head into a mosque during prayers.

Lewistan ping.

[familyop]

BTW, that was last night.

It was posted, but it was pulled. Some of the comments mentioned, "bowling for Muslims."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1660556/posts

[Dallas59]

"We urge Muslims in Maine to increase their outreach efforts to educate force people Kuffar of other faiths about to accept Islam"

OR ELSE!

[coconutt2000]

I wouldn't be happy about it either. That's entirely too many immigrants settling into an already small community.

That Maine is very liberal only compounds the problem, because Maine is most likely to make things worse. If Maine's private sector can't absorb and employ these refugees, they'll be setting themselves up for a big surprise when the refugees start trying to turn their little corner of Maine into the country they just fled from.

The key is settling immigrant populations into areas where they'll be employable and employed. Not sure what the situation is in Lewistown, but if it isn't good, they should think twice about allowing any more to emigrate there without firm employment prospects. Else, the state better start investing heavily in increasing employment opportunities, and english as a second language classes in the schools - including adult education classes.

[paristwelve]

Poor little guy lost his head and had it thrown into "one of those weird places". Can I do this without losing mine?

[devolve]

"Chemtrails Art?
What 'chemtrails'......"

[Dallas59]

These people can't work "normal" jobs. They would have to work with nonmuslims and that would send them straight to Allah's hell. Imagine...Muslim Men having to work with women who are not Muslim and ....and....and unveiled! Imagine...Women having to expose their hands and faces to kuffar! Why they may even have to work or provide services for Jooooosss!

[Ajnin]

Throwing pork heads at terrorists is one thing. Throwing pork heads into mosques of peaceful Muslims (innocent until proven guilty), is pushing for retaliation.

Throwing a pork head into a mosque is so much worse than cutting off an American's head with a dull knife.

[geopyg]

I was in Indonesia and while riding in the backseat of a noisy truck I was watching as the driver was pointing out to a coworker in the fron seat a brand new shiny building. It had long rows of open space with lines of white pillars. I said "Oh - is that a new bowling alley?" Opps. Seems he was one of the leaders of the new mosque that they had just built and that he was very proud of!

[Cobra64]

Mosques are not churches..

You beat me to it.

[AndyTheBear]

Mosques are not churches..

In its more classical usage "church" means what we now usually call "congregation" rather then a building. Its derived from the Greek word "eccleeseea" which roughly translates as "fellowship", and was in common use when the Gospels were written. It seems it would apply to the muslims who had gathered to worship.

On the other hand if we translate the word "church" as "temple" then that would certainly include a mosque.

Don't get me wrong. Islam is a religion built on the foundation of a demonstrably false prophet who had serious moral issues. But folks have a right to be stupid in how they worship God. The guy who threw the pig head in there was being a real <bleep>-hole.

[AndyTheBear]

Throwing the pork head into a mosque is the act of a real jerk. Cutting off infidel's heads with a dull knife is the act of a murderous thug.

They are not remotely comparable in scope, but a jerk is still being a jerk.

[Drammach]

Mosques are not churches..

If one were to look at the actual wording of the state laws involved, you might find it doesn't say "church"...

It more likely uses legal-ese, describing it as "houses of worship belonging to a recognized and established religious institution"... or something of the sort..
Likewise, "desecration" would be interpreted or described as "including but not limited to, blah blah blah.."
As many bases are covered as possible..
Many actions can be interpreted to be illegal..
Law Enforcement and the courts are guaranteed job security..

[familyop]

What 'chemtrails'......""

The chemtrails rant is an anti-American conspiracy story that I've ridiculed a few times. It's often spewed around Canada. But what does it have to do with the posted article? Did the post make you angry?

[Al Simmons]

I'm sorry.

I'm really, really, sorry.

But I had only one reaction to the headline:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[Al Simmons]

As MC Hammer might have put it:

PROPER!

[Al Simmons]

'It was posted, but it was pulled. Some of the comments mentioned, "bowling for Muslims." '

Oh God. I am CRYING from laughing so hard!!!

[sully777]

Pulling double duty

[wildcatf4f3]

only the head? the other end belongs in there too

[familyop]

LOL!

[familyop]

The article posted last night did not say, "After the pig's head rolled in, the men raced outside to look for the perpetrator." It stated only that after the pig's head rolled in, they ran out.

[monkeyshine]

Nah, people should not be harassed in their houses of worship.

[metesky]

Lewistan... I smell opportunity!

[jempet]

Can't honestly say this bothers me. I have no pity for this cult.

[Pro-Bush]

Define house of worship?

[MaDeuce]

Should of been a flaming pig's head so it could have burnt down that terrorist training center.

If islam was a religion, I would say this incident is wrong and the guy should be punished. but islam is a militant cult that should be run out of this country along with all of their believers. The longer we wait the worse it will get.

[muir_redwoods]

""All People everywhere Americans should be able to offer prayers in their houses of worship without fear of attack or intimidation," Hooper said Wednesday."

Contact Saudi Arabia and the taliban for comment, Mr. Hooper

[JohnCliftn]

Is Islam the only recognized religion that advocates killing people in the Name of God?

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Is Islam the only recognized religion that advocates killing people in the Name of God?

In the 21st Century?