Letter Supporting Islamic Prayer
Thursday, September 9, 2010
To the members of the Hartford City Council --
President, Majority Leader & Councilwoman RJo Winch,
Assistant Majority Leader Jim Boucher,
Minority Leader Luis Cotto,
& Councilpersons Veronica Airey-Wilson, Larry Deutsch, Kenneth Kennedy, Matt Ritter & Calixto Torres:
I am writing in regard to the matter currently before the Council regarding the opening prayer to be offered at this coming Monday evening’s session (September 13). The original invitation had been issued to Imam Kashif Abdul-Karim of the Muhammad Islamic Center on Hungerford Street, to give an invocation from the Muslim tradition. Unfortunately, anti-Muslim bigotry is increasing both locally and nationally, and becoming more severe as September 11 approaches. This has resulted in an outpouring of opposition -- some of it simply ignorant, much of it viciously hateful -- to Muslim prayer being included in any way at a City Council meeting.
I would have liked to hope that you could overcome this criticism, and go ahead with allowing Imam Kashif to offer a Muslim prayer as scheduled. This would express your belief that Islam -- along with alldenominations of Christianity, Judaism from Orthodox to Reform, many Asian religious traditions, and other faiths and spiritualities -- is simply one more piece of the vibrant mosaic of religious diversity which strengthens Hartford. It would also make it clear that all faiths are welcomed here on equal terms.
It appears, however, that you may find it necessary to deflect the criticism and defuse this volatile situation by arranging to have prayers from multiple faiths at this Monday’s Council meeting. If this is your decision, you should do so while making it clear that the intent of such an action is to show the unity, harmony and strength present in a collaboration among persons of many faiths. You must also make it clear that prejudice against any religion is absolutely unacceptable. In particular, you must lift your voices in solidarity with the faithful Muslims of this community who greatly enrich this city. Imam Kashif’s mosque strengthens the Hungerford Street neighborhood and the surrounding area by its presence; Muhammad Ansari has dedicated much of his career to his work at the Open Hearth’s shelter and housing programs. The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut is a major participant in the Walk Against Hunger, Habitat for Humanity’s House of Abraham project, and volunteering to prepare and serve meals at South Park Inn and Mercy Housing and Shelter’s St. Elizabeth House. Local Muslims are leaders in the work for social justice, including universal healthcare, and against poverty. Muslims in Hartford are doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, hospital and prison chaplains, restaurant owners, parking lot attendants and more -- they are my colleagues and friends.
If you affirm the Muslim presence in Hartford and statewide by visibly, vocally praying with Muslims, you make it plain that the venom being spewed by those who are ignorantly or hatefully anti-Muslim is a lie. And you help to break the false connection so many Americans make between September 11 and Islam. Genuine Islam has nothing to do with September 11. You must have the courage to say that, and to pass that truth on to others.
I hope you will reach a decision which affirms the rights and dignity of God’s people -- all of us.
Sincerely,
Carole C.Fay
parishioner, St. Patrick - St. Anthony Parish,
former resident of Hartford (and I miss it !),
long-time employee of a Hartford insurance company,
current student at Hartford Seminary in the West End,
and always a supporter of this city, in its goodness, its diversity, its strengths and its challenges
To the members of the Hartford City Council --
President, Majority Leader & Councilwoman RJo Winch,
Assistant Majority Leader Jim Boucher,
Minority Leader Luis Cotto,
& Councilpersons Veronica Airey-Wilson, Larry Deutsch, Kenneth Kennedy, Matt Ritter & Calixto Torres:
I am writing in regard to the matter currently before the Council regarding the opening prayer to be offered at this coming Monday evening’s session (September 13). The original invitation had been issued to Imam Kashif Abdul-Karim of the Muhammad Islamic Center on Hungerford Street, to give an invocation from the Muslim tradition. Unfortunately, anti-Muslim bigotry is increasing both locally and nationally, and becoming more severe as September 11 approaches. This has resulted in an outpouring of opposition -- some of it simply ignorant, much of it viciously hateful -- to Muslim prayer being included in any way at a City Council meeting.
I would have liked to hope that you could overcome this criticism, and go ahead with allowing Imam Kashif to offer a Muslim prayer as scheduled. This would express your belief that Islam -- along with alldenominations of Christianity, Judaism from Orthodox to Reform, many Asian religious traditions, and other faiths and spiritualities -- is simply one more piece of the vibrant mosaic of religious diversity which strengthens Hartford. It would also make it clear that all faiths are welcomed here on equal terms.
It appears, however, that you may find it necessary to deflect the criticism and defuse this volatile situation by arranging to have prayers from multiple faiths at this Monday’s Council meeting. If this is your decision, you should do so while making it clear that the intent of such an action is to show the unity, harmony and strength present in a collaboration among persons of many faiths. You must also make it clear that prejudice against any religion is absolutely unacceptable. In particular, you must lift your voices in solidarity with the faithful Muslims of this community who greatly enrich this city. Imam Kashif’s mosque strengthens the Hungerford Street neighborhood and the surrounding area by its presence; Muhammad Ansari has dedicated much of his career to his work at the Open Hearth’s shelter and housing programs. The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut is a major participant in the Walk Against Hunger, Habitat for Humanity’s House of Abraham project, and volunteering to prepare and serve meals at South Park Inn and Mercy Housing and Shelter’s St. Elizabeth House. Local Muslims are leaders in the work for social justice, including universal healthcare, and against poverty. Muslims in Hartford are doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, hospital and prison chaplains, restaurant owners, parking lot attendants and more -- they are my colleagues and friends.
If you affirm the Muslim presence in Hartford and statewide by visibly, vocally praying with Muslims, you make it plain that the venom being spewed by those who are ignorantly or hatefully anti-Muslim is a lie. And you help to break the false connection so many Americans make between September 11 and Islam. Genuine Islam has nothing to do with September 11. You must have the courage to say that, and to pass that truth on to others.
I hope you will reach a decision which affirms the rights and dignity of God’s people -- all of us.
Sincerely,
Carole C.Fay
parishioner, St. Patrick - St. Anthony Parish,
former resident of Hartford (and I miss it !),
long-time employee of a Hartford insurance company,
current student at Hartford Seminary in the West End,
and always a supporter of this city, in its goodness, its diversity, its strengths and its challenges