For those of you unaware of the history of the War on Islam in my lovely state, let me give you a very brief summary.
A couple of years ago, a plan to expand a Middle Tennessee mosque was met with opposition and fear from local political and/or religious leaders...and arson and gunshots from local residents. Some residents even went to court trying to stop the construction, saying that it is all part of a conspiracy to take over the country, not the free exercise of religion that would be protected in the First Amendment. Thankfully, the courts ruled against the fanatical bigots, and construction was allowed to proceed.
So what is the next step?
A former FBI agent who claims Nashville’s mosques have no legal right to exist is training the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office about Islam and the threats of terrorism.
I couldn't find a better way to paraphrase the opening of
this article, so I posted it whole. No problem there, right? One of the key opponents to the mosque's construction, John Guandolo of the Strategic Engagement Group of Virginia, will now be teaching our local sheriff's department all about Islam. He previously spoke an anti-Shariah law rally, at which he insisted that local mosques are nothing but a front for the Muslim Brotherhood and "do not have a First Amendment right to do anything." He swears his current project is not about prejudice or profiling, he just wants "
to protect the people of this country." To
protect the people...from what? Muslims going to church?
And where is this "education" going to take place? Why, at the World Outreach Church, the multi-million dollar facility/arena located perilously close to my own neighborhood. Completely secular, I'm sure. The pastor at this church, Rev. G. Allen Jackson, had spoken against the mosque before the county commission, asking them to investigate the "nature and intent" of the Muslims who are trying to expand their mosque before allowing them to proceed. They want to pray. They have that right, just as well as you.
As it turns out, the Strategic Engagement Group and the World Outreach Church have a history. The same church hosted a community seminar conducted by the same group just this past Monday. The title of this seminar?
Understanding the Threat to America.
So now the Sheriff's department, which I'm fairly certain receives taxpayer funding, has hired this same group to "educate" local law enforcement about Islam in order to "protect the people." Which is a crock. In reality, taxpayer dollars are being funneled into a religiously motivated propaganda machine, to enlist the aid of local law enforcement to protect Christians against Muslims. This can't be good.