Muslim Communities Rally To Support Victims of Fort Hood

Islamic communities in America have experienced a harsh backlash of popular opinion following the attacks at Fort Hood, in which 13 people were shot to death by a devoutly Muslim Army psychiatrist.

Now, the Islamic Society of North America hopes to tackle new prejudices head-on by leading a nationwide fundraising effort to help the victims of Major Nidal Malik Hasan and the victims' families, Tonic reports.

"In the past, every time an incident like this happens, our community has to take the blame," Louay Safi, PhD, of the Islamic Society of North America, told WISH-TV News. "I believe there's a stereotype about Muslims in this country," he continued. "If a criminal happens to be any other religion, they say he's a criminal. But when the criminal happens to be Muslim, they say he's a Muslim. We're not happy as a community to have our faith dragged into those instances, but it's a reality now."

Tonic reports that to combat this stereotype, the group is hoping to mobilize Mosques and their members around the country to raise more than a million dollars for victims. The group hopes that these actions will help change public perception to show that the acts of one Muslim do not represent the entire Muslim community.

To learn more about the fundraiser or to donate, visit the Fort Hood Family Fund Web site.

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Comments

[msfyre]

What a tragedy for everyone involved at Ft. Hood. Our prayers go out to everyone and their families as well.

If Hasan was a devout Muslim then he would not have killed the soldiers. He's an extremist. He killed the soldiers who were in line getting their things together to be deployed to Afghanistan at the end of the month. Devout Muslims believe in peace and repect. Besides, a devout Muslim would not have sent thousands of dollars to Pakistan (which Hasan allegedly did that morning with a wire transfer), he would have given it to his mosque here or his family. The extremists are not true Muslims, they are adopting Jihadism from Kufr which was practiced in the dark ages. The extremists are seen by Muslims as going against the Koran.

[Thundercloud65]

I'm pleased the Islamic community is stepping up and trying to make a difference. Their silence after 9/11 was deafening, but maybe we can all move forward on this one.

[CaliTLC]

Did they condemn his actions?

[FrTown]

Did you bother to research it and answer your own question or you're just making a derogatory and bia$ed comment.

[CaliTLC]

Actually, I'm asking a legitimate question and not a rhetorical one. If I researched it, I'd already know the answer. How is the question biased and/or derogatory?

[Wintoon]

"Islamic communities in America have experienced a harsh backlash of popular opinion following the attacks at Fort Hood, in which 13 people were shot to death by a devoutly Muslim Army psychiatrist". What is the evidence for this statement?

[Geosota]

England, Japan and Germany attacked Americans. They are now friends but were we simply to report "White House Caught Fire Today" or "Lusitania Develops Hole in Hull" or "Navy Sinks in Pearl Harbor"?
Jihad, has been declared against the US and we cannot say what it is? Word will leak no matter how much stuffing is jammed into the media. Nidal Malik shouted a Muslim battle-cry before shooting up a room of honorable and defenseless Americans.
Of course, usually terrorist incidents take place abroad, Muslims killing Muslims, generally women and children, with the cry "Allahu Akbar". This time it was in America against Americans. Brilliant military strategy, Major Hasan. This will certainly end an unwanted war.
The article complains about "harsh backlash" against American Muslims. That's ridiculous. Has an equal number of Muslims been killed in retaliation? Under Sharia, reprisal is multiple. Anyone been herded into camps? This backlash has obviously not happened. Muslims kill people over political cartoons. We don't do that. The difference is so obvious it is not worth reporting.
Dr Safi blames America and then suggests other Muslims contribute "a million dollars" to the Ft Hood families, as if that pittance will be raised. Any believers may hold their breath.
As with the English, Japanese and Germans before, there is no question that after this horrid war is over, the United States will forget and make friends with the Muslim world.
But the war has to end first. Do something about that instead, Dr Safi.

[riff4u]

There has been a backlash against Muslims in America since 911. Muslims have been killed, mosques have been burned, and Muslims have faced discrimination and ridicule in the work place. The other day a Greek Orthodox priest was beaten with a tire iron in Tampa because he was thought to be a Muslim. A woman wearing a headscarf was shot dead walking with her child recently. The police confirmed it was a hate crime. Most of these stories do not reach the national media because they are not spectacular enough. They are reported on the local news for one cycle. Don't sit there and post about things you know nothing about.

[Naazish YarKhan - Huffpost Blogger]

The incident is really tragic and regretful. I pray that no family ever have to face such a loss. And yet, I must say, when I hear of a psycho killer or a serial murderer, I don't think, "Oh a Christian or a Hindu or a Jew did it." I think a criminal did it. When Tim McVeigh blew up the Fed. building I don't recall asking my Christian friends how a Christian could do something like this. Why does faith get dragged into the picture when it's a Muslim criminal. Hello???? The last time I checked, all peoples had their share of the good, bad and ugly. How long before we realize that guilt by association is just not cool.

[vernbvb]

My sentiments exactly. The Islamic Society could use their fundraising opportunity as a means of coaleasing with other non-Islamic organizations in helping Ft. Hood victims. I think that any time we have an opportunity to bring diverse groups together, it only increases understanding and contributes to unifying communities.

The Islamic Society might be of assistance as our troops disengage from the conflicts abroad. They could host dialogues on diversity and help with peer counseling.

I have been a supporter of our community's Race Relation Coalition and have participated in many enlightening dialogues.

We have many problems in our society that requires all of us working together in order to get the best results we can.

[vernbvb]

"sp" coalescing :)

[riff4u]

I don't believe that giving funds to the victims of FT Hood is a good idea. First of all it suggests that the Muslim community is to blame for this crime. Every time some nut goes postal, his religious community is not to blame. Secondly this simply gives the radical right more venom to label all Muslims as guilty by association. Nothing will satisfy these people other than the internment of all American Muslims. A few years ago a local Talk Show Host bullied a mosque to give a lot of money to a charity as if to say...." if you do this I will let up on your community." Charity is always a part of Islamic teachings and the donation was given without anything expected in return. A week later the talk show host let in to the Islamic community like never before. Such people will hate and fear Islam no matter what. The mosque was not well funded and this set them back in their community projects like feeding the homeless and a free medical clinic by several years.

[me1cagen]

Allahu Akbar is what he is reported to have said as he attacked like 4 dozen unarmed people. IT is regretful and tragic, and expected and anticipated, thanks to the likes of bin Laden. How long before people realize that the vast majority of Americans are neither stupid, nor buy into the PC constantly thrown at it?

By the way, how do you really know McViegh was a practicing Christian? All accounts are that he was agnostic at best...certainly not in counsel with the Catholic Church prior to the bombing.

[CRMurray]

Christian does not guarantee Catholicism.

[riff4u]

McVeigh sympathized with the Christian Identity Movement and The Church of Jesus Christ Christian, both are racist anti-government "churches." He was a Christian in radical sense that Maj Hasan was a Muslim. I don't blame Christianity for McVeigh and I don't blame Islam fro Hasan. Both men were twisted and they used religion as excuse to commit acts of hatred and terrorism.

[Amock]

Religion got dragged into it BECAUSE Hasan himself brought it with him to the gunfight at the OK Corral. Fort Hood style. Yelling 'Allah akbar" while shooting at unarmed soldiers does not help your cause either. As far as Tim McVeigh goes he was not recounted as yelling God is Great before blowing up the Govt bidg in Oklahama and I don;t hear Christians talk about a global JIHAD against the infidels either. I read the Quran and I understand what it says. But what t says and what its followers DO seem to be 2 different things.