Waiting to hear any words of explanation, or better yet, apology, from the imam (or pastor), of the Powder Springs Road mosque about why he invited Siraj Wahhaj, an unindicted co-conspirator from the 1993 World Trade Center bombings to play a starring role in the press conference held last week shortly after mosque was gutted by fire.
Marietta officials, mosque leaders and officials of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wasted no time labeling the blaze a “hate crime” — even there was no evidence to indicate that, and even though Marietta Fire officials were pointedly refraining from suggesting that might be the cause. Indeed, city police soon arrested a member of the mosque, Tamsir Lucien Mendy (a Gambian citizen who is believed to be in the country illegally), and charged him with the crime.
But by then the press conference was history and Marietta’s good name had been dragged through the mud in countless national news reports as a scene of a suspected hate crime. We’ll give the mayor a pass this time. He was merely trying to emphasize that such ugly sentiments are unwelcome in our city. But we suspect that many viewers made an unconscious connection between “Marietta” and “hate crime” despite his calming words.
Much more serious was the fact that the imam, Hafiz Inayatullah, invited or allowed WTC bombing figure Wahhaj to be part of the press conference. I can’t imagine even an ardently pro-life Christian church welcoming an avowed, unrepentant bomber of abortion clinics into its midst, much less allowing said bomber to be its spokesman, for example.
Even if Wahhaj “crashed” the press conference, or showed up at the invitation of someone other than the local mosque, one would have hoped that by now Imam Inayatullah — or someone from his congregation — would have disavowed his presence there.
Something along the lines of “Islam is a religion of peace, and we in no way support Wahhaj’s agenda.”
But their silence is saying volumes.
VOLUMES.
I’m waiting — waiting for an explanation of some kind, of any kind, for why the mosque let a terrorist be its spokesman. And for why it has taken so long to disavow him
I’m waiting — and I’ll bet I’m not the only one in Marietta who is waiting.
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Truly sad.
'Oh, I can. Christians have no problem with sheer hypocrisy. They're just as bad as any other religion."
Mr Mankford, can you please back up this statement with an example of a Christian Church allowing terrorist to sit in at a press conference regarding a hate crime? Thank you.
Oh, I can. Christians have no problem with sheer hypocrisy. They're just as bad as any other religion.
Love thy neighbor? Sure thing, unless they're brown, pray differently, and they have oil. Then, there's no problem with dropping a Mark 84 on them.
(By the way, moderators, this is the second time I've submitted this comment. Do you hold the courage to approve it, or will you suppress it because it does not fall within your line of thinking?)
Oh, I can. Christians have no problem with sheer hypocrisy. They're just as bad as any other religion.
Love thy neighbor? Sure thing, unless they're brown, and pray differently. Then, there's no problem with dropping a Mark 84 on them.
I was disgusted to learn that this mosque brought that thug in to help them sing the "we are poor, peace loving Muslims being hatefully victimized by the cracka's" song. This was more than a simple, locally arranged get together. There were national/international strings being pulled by the muslim propaganda machine to put this little show on in Marietta.
I am sorry the mayor and others --who I know must have meant well --were suckered by these guys. I trust they will not be so easily duped in the future.