OLYMPIA, Washington (AP) -- Two lawmakers left the floor of the Washington House of Representatives during a prayer by a Muslim religious leader this week, citing patriotism and a lack of interest.
Republicans Lois McMahan of Gig Harbor and Cary Condotta of East Wenatchee walked to the back of the chamber during Monday's invocation by Mohamad Joban, imam of the Islamic Center of Olympia.
McMahan said she did not oppose having a Muslim deliver the prayer but left because "the religion is the focal point of the hate-America sentiment in the world."
"It's an issue of patriotism," she said. "Even though the mainstream Islamic religion doesn't profess to hate America, nonetheless it spawns the groups that hate America."
Representative McMahan:
I'll admit up front, I am neither one of your constituents nor a citizen of the state of Washington. As a result, I'm sure the intern reading this email will promply delete it. I'll also admit, that I have never written my own local or national representative, much less someone not my own. Nevertheless, I was so shocked, angered, appalled, infuriated, disgusted, dismayed, sickened, and disappointed by your recent reaction to the prayer by Imam Mohammad Joban that I was forced to compose this message.
I believe that your actions were exceedingly disrespectful and insulting, to Imam Joban, to the institution of which you are a member, as well as the values upon which the United States was founded. Moreover, your attempts at rationalizing your behavior were, at best, faulty, and, at worst, disingenuous.
As a former elementary school teacher, I would think you would be more cognizant of the importance of showing respect to others. Would you have let one of your students remain sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance, even if he or she disagreed with part of the message? I seriously doubt it. I'm sure you would have told them to stand up, respect their country, and say the words. I guess you would not hold yourself to the same set of standards.
Perhaps you think the solution is to just simply eliminate prayer before session, that way no one has to be insulted prior to legislating? Again, I doubt it. So long as you agree with what is being said, I'm sure you're happy with a prayer to start the day. But what about your Jewish colleagues? I mean, just because mainstream Christian groups do not profess hatred of Jews, it did spawn groups that hated Jews to the point of attempted genocide. Or, perhaps the Protestants should walk out if a Catholic priest says the prayer. The Spanish Inquisition, the counter-Reformation, the Thirty-Years War, and the on-going war in Northern Irela! nd certainly caused much pain, suffering, and death.
Unfortunately, if you define groups by their extremes, you distort your view of reality. Should we pre-judge all white males who served in the first Persian Gulf War as terrorists, just because Timothy McVeigh and his other anti-government zealots blew up the Federal Building in Oklahoma City? I think I know your answer. Why should your faulty logic apply in this instance?
I am especially disgusted that you would dare wrap yourself in the flag in an attempt to justify your actions. This country is made great by its diversity and tolerance. Was it patriotic to herd American citizens of Japanese ancestry into prison camps during World War II? If so, why did we not do the same to American citizens of German or Italian ancestry? These actions were based on xenophobia, hatred, and racism; NOT patriotism. That is why. Your recent actions, while on a micro level vis-�-vis the Japanese internment example, reveal a similar motivation. Would it be patriotic to walk away from a Baptist Minister pray! ing for a successful end to the war on terrorism? How would you explain the inherent contradiction in your actions?
Let me conclude by saying that I do not believe you should not be able to express your views, as hurtful and misguided as I think they are. The thing about protecting free speech is that it is hard to do when you disagree with what is being said. In stead, I would ask that you think about your actions, and be cognizant of the impact of your actions. You and your colleague's little episode made the AP wire and appeared, at a minimum, on CNN.com. To groups around the world dissatisfied with US behavior, you have given them further proof of their (also misguided, I would argue, perceptions of the United States of America). To our skeptical friends and allies, you have given another example of the intolerance that can still plague our public discourse. And to all those American citizens that cannot find themselves on a Norman Rockwell cover of the Saturday Evening Post, you provide further evidence that the "American Dream" is the exclusive club of the privileged, the white, the Christian, the rich.
Perhaps you need to return to your roots at an elementary school. You could use a refresher on sharing, and working and playing well with others. And maybe a nap as well, it might make you less cranky.
I hope you can use these recent events as a learning experience. In this time of crisis and impending war, we should be working to understand each other, both at home and abroad, not creating unnecessary fissures.
Best regards,
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