The five Islamic centers of Collin County, Texas, currently have no cemetery where they can bury their dead. A 35-acre plot in Famersville, north of Dallas, could fix that - yet despite the national conversation about "religious freedom," a standing-room-only crowd objected to the cemetery at a recent local government meeting.
"The concern for us is the radical element of Islam," Baptist pastor David Meeks told the Dallas Morning News.
If Christians like Meeks and myself wanted to build a cemetery in Iraq, but local Muslims said no because "The concern for us is Christianity's radical Ku Klux Klan element," what would he tell them?
Meeks and I actually have a lot in common. I grew up in Texas myself, and next month, I'll be enrolling in seminary to become an ordained Episcopal minister. As both a Texan and a future pastor, I believe in the power of love. Our state motto is "Friendship," and my faith teaches me that we must welcome all our brothers and sisters. Given the amount of persecution and bigotry that American Muslims face on a daily basis, it's important for us to let them know that we all stand with them.
Please sign to tell Farmersville officials that you support religious freedom for American Muslims, and need them to do the same!
To be clear, Mayor Joe Helmberger and City Manager Ben White have pushed back against the bigotry. We need to back them up in the face of negative pressure.
