The stamp in question

Clarksville Tennessee’s Mayor, Johnny Piper has sent an inflammatory anti-Islamic email to employees of the city, encouraging them to boycott a stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

According to the U.S. Postal Service, the stamp in question commemorates the two most important festivals—or eids—in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each other “Eid mubarak,” the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. “Eid mubarak” translates literally as “blessed festival,” and can be paraphrased as “May your religious holiday be blessed.” This phrase can be applied to both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

The email in question is the equivalent of a chain letter, which according to the Snopes Urban Legends web site was first seen in 2002. The letter was modified in August 2009 to falsely accuse President Barack Obama of ordering the U.S. Postal Service to issue a 42 cent first class stamp in honor of these Islamic holidays. In fact the stamp was first issued on September 1st 2001, and has been re-release several times since then. Mayor Piper’s email painted everyone of the Islamic faith with the same brush as those who carried out the various terrorist bombings over the years.

Several questions arise regarding the Mayor’s actions in sending this email that must be answered….

• Did the sending of this email by an elected official violate any local, state, or federal laws.
• Did this email violate city policies.
• What action would have been taken under current city personnel policies had another city employee sent the same email.
• Did the sending of this politically oriented email using city computers, on city time, to city email addresses constitute misuse of city computing resources.
• What was the cost to the city in time and resources from this incident, and will the Mayor reimburse the city for these costs.
• How do we prevent this from happening again.

Mayor Piper has since attempted to defend his actions, but they are simply indefensible. Muslims are a integral part of this country. They serve honorably in our armed forces, defending our nation, and our freedoms. No one should be treated like a second class citizens based on their religious beliefs, or the actions of a radical fringe. This incident created by our Mayor  has been an embarrassment for our City, our State, and our Country.

It is time for the City of Clarksville to establish a clear policy of non-discrimination, and to prohibit the City of Clarksville, the municipality’s elected officials, and city employees from engaging in activities or personal conduct which discriminates, or directly encourages discrimination by others on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, medical condition, ancestry, marital status,sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. The penalty for the violation of this policy this should be termination for employees; and removal from office for our elected officials, who should be held to a higher, not lower standard of behavior.

On a recent July afternoon, an Army officer carrying a sword approached Dr. Bert Randall, an APSU professor of philosophy. Randall had just spent the last two hours instructing approximately 100 soldiers with the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Unit at Fort Campbell, Ky., on the Qur’an and the way its teachings regarding war and peace have been perverted and misinterpreted by extremist groups.

As he saw the officer with the sword walking toward him, Randall’s first thought was “I hope the talk was not that bad.”

When the officer gave the professor a closer view of the saber, the name “Albert Randall” was etched into it. It was a token of gratitude from the soldiers for his taking the time to talk with them.

“Such a recognition was totally undeserved, but often these are the most precious recognitions we receive,” Randall said.

For the last five or six years, Randall has visited such units at Fort Campbell as the 1st Brigade Combat Team, the 5th Special Forces Group, the Night Stalkers Helicopter unit and the 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. As a professor of world religions specializing in Islam and the Middle East, he provides these men and women with valuable insights into the communities and cultures they encounter while deployed to areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

The soldiers offer to pay Randall for these training sessions, but he has always politely refused.

“Because these courageous and honorable men and women give their lives to protect our freedom, it would be dishonorable to receive any pay,” he said. “I asked Lt. Col. (Doug) Vincent to give me something special for my grandchildren, Shelby and Jace. Jace has been interested in Fort Campbell since he was 4. I suggested a company coin or hat or T-shirt if such a gift was appropriate.

“More important than the undeserved saber was their invitation to bring Shelby and Jace with me for the second session so that while I was doing the presentation, a couple of soldiers could take them to see the Humvees and helicopters. What a kind and thoughtful thing to do.”

On a Friday afternoon in August, Randall and his family returned to Fort Campbell. While the professor instructed about 30 officers on the Sunni-Shi’a conflict and the violent influence of the Wahhabis, al-Qaida and the Taliban, his grandchildren were accompanied by 1st Lt. Chaplain Corey Arnold’s assistant for the opportunity to sit in the pilot’s seats of the helicopters they often glimpse flying high above the city on clear afternoons.

The 1-32 CAV also presented Randall and the children with unit coins and Bandit (the unit name) T-shirts.

Randall and Jace with sword

]]> http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/08/24/soldiers%e2%80%99-kindness-touches-apsu-professor/feed/ 0 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/08/03/shelbyvilles-tyson-food-plant-shifts-holidays-trades-labor-day-for-ramadan/ http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/08/03/shelbyvilles-tyson-food-plant-shifts-holidays-trades-labor-day-for-ramadan/#comments Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:00:48 +0000 News Staff http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=6945 SHELBYVILLE, TN: Tyson Foods in Shelbyville is rocking the boat for approximately 500 workers accustomed to the traditional Labor Day holiday on the first Saturday of September.

In its new five-year contract, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union has opted to ditch the familiar paid holiday in favor of a change that will please the plants 700 Muslim workers: Eid-al-Fitr, which occurs at the end of Ramadan. The contract contains the same number of paid holidays as before; the holidays have simply changed. Eid al-Fitr, which this year happens on Oct. 1, ends the Muslim faith’s month of fasting.

Ramadan or Ramadhan is the holiest month in Islam, when it is believed the Holy Quran “was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation”. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

The Union in a press statement said the plant employs 700 Muslims, many of them Somalis, and called the decision a “contractual agreement” rather than a “religious accommodation,” adding that it was a majority rule decision. The Tyson Plant in Shelbyville is also the only Tyson facility that has a Muslim Prayer Room for the convenience of its workers. According to reports, the new holiday applies only to Union workers; other employees will retain their usual Labor Day holiday.

Brother Andrew was identified as “God’s Smuggler” in the 70s, and his objective was the distribution of the Bible to communist countries, an unpopular move with officials in these sanctuaries of atheism.

Brother Andrew dropped out of the media limelight for years, but his efforts today are receiving renewed attention. He is a Dutch-born evangelist with a spirit-directed mission now concentrated on the Muslims of the Middle East and the broader Islamics of the world. Islam is now his mission.

Brother Andrew enjoys unique relationships with the Muslim leaders of Hamas, the Taliban and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). In summarizing his political correctiveness, one writer said “In the course of his work Brother Andrew befriended the founder of Hamas. This relationship subjected him to criticism and ridicule by political and church leaders of the world. he is unconditionally open to dialogue with Muslim leaders.”

Brother Andrew shares the faith and conscientiously strives to view Muslims simply as people. he is the organizer and supporter of a hospital, recruits doctors and nurses, and solicits medical equipment for a medical center at the heart of the Muslim world.

The response to his socially oriented ministry is mixed and critical. In evaluating his work and reading accounts of his contributions, he says “some Israeli friends hate me now.”

Is this prophet pro-Israel or Pro-Arab? Brother Andrew view that choice as a trap. He again gives us insight into how we can personally respond to what seems an unsolvable conflict between cultures. I appreciate his balancing act, which deserves emulating. Brother Andrew said “…just because I am for the Palestinians doesn’t mean I am against Israel — it is not about taking sides.”

In the American appreciation of Christianity and politics, there is a seemingly eternal need to have an enemy. With the interjection of the communist empire, America has held firs place on the enemies list to Islam. Brother Andrew is aware that many Christians and non-Christians in the West see Islam as “the great enemy.”

“This demonization of Muslims and Islams is particularly common among evangelized Christians.” writes Dr. Chapman. Brother Andrew’s strong faith and enthusiasm for the gospel continues to open doors to Islam. But why is he so accepted by members of that faith?

I believe the answer is in part because he respects their life and theology; he honors Jesus with his life and work; he is compassionate and non-threatening; he is admired for his honesty; he willingly criticizes the injustice in both Western and Islamic culture and politics.

Welcome back, brother Andrew. You are a role model in your quest to change the world. ‘ While meditating on this narrative, it is my goal to inspire at least a few readers to review, reexamine, and even reform their personal views and attitudes toward people of other faiths.

Brother Andrew’s commitment to dialogue and respect with Islam is in keeping with the latest thinking of a chorus of Israeli officials, academies and dissenting faiths in Arab-Israeli conflict.

Brother Andre’s tireless efforts inspire unconditional negotiations. Such dedication to this change is an option too for our own country and our personal convictions. Brother Andrew’s example is a challenge, but with spiritual strength we can alter our negative and prejudicial thinking toward people of the Islamic faith.

Brother Andrew’s strong faith and enthusiasm for the gospel

Holy Scriptures as Justification for War focuses a lens on the relation between Holy Books (Scriptures) and war. Throughout their histories, Jews, Christians and Muslims have used their Holy Books to justify external violence against the “enemies of God” and internal purges to purify the faith from heresy. This study explores the beliefs in literalism and inerrancy that are the interpretative principles necessary for such justifications. Randall begins with ten representative passages from the TANAKH, New Testament, and Qur’an that are used to justify divine violence and critiques their misuse by literalists. He goes on to explore the origins and histories of these great scriptures,examining the factual and logical flaws in literalism and inerrancy that result in perverting scripture to justify Divine violence.

The book offers an analysis of the origins and theology of Holy War in the Bible and offers a resolution to the violent God who commands genocide in the Old Testament and the God Jesus preached. It also explores in detail the doctrine of jihad in the Qur’an and its distortion by extremists and terrorists.

Wrapping up the discourse, Randall scrutinizes one of the most contentious beliefs among Abraham’s quarrelsome children: Who are God’s Chosen People? It concludes with a historical, scriptural, moral and theological argument for Chosenness that rejects Holy War because it is a perversion of God’s creation.

In answer to the idea this book and title may suggest to some that Dr. Randall does not support war and therefore does not support the troops Randall says:

“Your soldier is the one who values peace more than anyone. The military may be the only place left with any honor and courage left.”

He proudly displays a certificate of honor he was given by Ft. Campbell for his work done there.

Dr. Randall, philosophy teacher for 37 years at APSU, has spent 30 years arguing that it’s not important for religions to have the exact same belief, but to recognize and share the same values that are the core for all major religions. He also argues that religions have given our cultures very important sources of very important values which are:

• Humility
• Generosity
• Honesty
• Integrity

Called by some a Joseph Campbell of the South, Dr. Randall says that the spiritual values which Jesus taught is found in most of the world’s great religions, especially Buddhism.

In the foreward of this text, Royce P. Jones, Ph.D., Capps Professor of Humanities Emeritus at Illinois College, writes:

“The interpretive issues explored in this study are crucial, for the very character and development of religions is a function of, or follows from, the interpretation of believers of their Holy Books. This point is significant for both believers and nonbelievers, for religions are not simply the private affair of those who adhere to them, but, in addition, movements which play a role in determining the character of a people, the social and foreign policy of nations, and, in the end, the level of violence in the world. If the latter point seems large, one only has to remember that leaders who take their countries or their followers into conflict attempt to justify their actions and appeal to perceived religious values in the process. If Professor Randall’s thesis in this study were to come to be widely recognized as true, the Holy Books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam could not be successfully used to justify violence.”

Dr. Bert Randall received a B.S. in mathematics, Maryville College, TN (1964); an M.Div. in Theology, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (1968); an M.A. (1970) and Ph. D. (1973) in philosophy, The University of Oklahoma. He taught for 37 years at APSU and was named Professor of Philosophy in 1981. He served one term as Chairman of the Department of Philosophy, two terms as Chairman of the University Assembly, two terms as President of the Faculty Senate and as a member of the Academic Council. He teaches at least two courses a year at the APSU Educational Center at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He recently developed and teaches two courses in APSU’s new Masters of Military History: The Battle for God: “ihad, Herem and Other Theologies of War and Peace and Islam as a World View.

Among the awards and grants he has received are the following: Hawkins Award for Excellence in Scholarship (APSU, 1993), six APSU Tower Grants, grants from the American Center for Oriental Research (Amman, Jordan), the National Council for US-Arab Relations, the Joseph J. Malone Foundation in Arabic and Islamic Studies, Aramco, the Riyadh and Jeddah Chambers of Commerce, and APSU Faculty Development for study and travel. On these grants he has traveled to Syria and Kuwait (1993), Jordan, Syria, and Israel (1994-95), Egypt and Yemen (1995), and Saudi Arabia (2006). He has twice been the APSU nominee for the Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year Award (1996 and 1997). He received The Annette Cox Humanitarian Award given by the Bahais of Clarksville (1998), The Peace Award from the Nashville Bahai Spiritual Assembly (2003), Certificate of Recognition from the Clarksville Police Department for In-Service Seminars on Islam and Arab culture and Certificates of Appreciation from the 1st Brigade (Bastogne Brigade) Combat Team, 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell , the 5th Special Ops Officers and several other brigades for training sessions on Islam and Arab culture before their returns to Afghanistan or Iraq.

Among his scholarly activities are the following: appointed an associate editor, Explorations: Journal for Adventurous Thought (1995); 45 presentations to professional societies including the XVIII World Congress of Philosophy , the 3rd International Conference on Persons, and the 4th International Conference on Persons; twenty-nine articles published in professional journals; and was twice invited to address the National Meeting of the Gabriel Marcel Society (1992 and 2002).

He gives more than three dozen talks to educational, civic, community, and religious groups a year and has written a a column on religion, Beyond the Barricade, for the Leaf-Chronicle for two years. He also wrote a monthly column on Islam, Christianity, America and the Arab Middle East for Our City. He presented numerous sessions on Islam to various Brigades at Fort Campbell prior to their return to Iraq September 2005 and continued those training sessions with the officers of the Night Stalker Brigade at Fort Campbell.

He says he is married to a Medievalist, Dr. Jeanie Page Randall, APSU Associate Professor of English.

3053 Highway 41A South

Clarksville

Dr. Awadh Binhazim is a leader in Nashville’s Muslim community and instructor on the subject for 12 years. Binhazim is president of Olive Tree Education; a nonprofit group in Nashville dedicated to Islamic education and outreach, and was raised in Kenya. He also taught courses on Islam at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Nashville.

Dr. Binhazim is interested in Comparative Religions and Islamic Jurisprudence. He is fluent in English, Kiswahili and Arabic and has given numerous lectures on Islam in theology classes, local churches, law enforcement agencies, and at many universities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Kenya.

He has appeared in many Radio and TV programs to discuss various issues on Islam. He is the founder and program director of a series of courses on Islam held in Nashville, Tennessee for those interested in Islam. Within these courses, Dr. Binhazim teaches about Islamic beliefs, spirituality, moral code of Islam, monotheism, Muslim cultures, and civilizations. Dr. Binhazim is the Director of the Public Relations and Outreach program of the Islamic Center and serves as the spokesperson of the Muslim community in Nashville.

For more information about Binhazim’s talk at APSU, contact adjunct professor and former national television journalist W. Thomas Osborne by telephone at (931) 721-3952 or by e-mail at  .