Dearborn Free Press» Front Porch

Elderly Resident Targeted in Larceny

News Release — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:54:50 +0000

DEARBORN, Michigan — On January 23, 2012 at approximately 3:00pm, Dearborn Police officers were called to 24000 block of Ross in the city’s west end for a suspicious circumstance report. The elderly resident explained to the responding officer that an unknown male and unknown female with a baby came to her home and knocked on the back door. The resident was expecting a service call from a contractor so she opened the door.

Ross Street - Near Telegraph Rd. in Dearborn

The two subjects with the baby entered the home and spoke with the resident for some time. The female sat on the couch and the male stood behind the wheelchair bound resident. The subjects tried to convince the resident that she knew them from long ago. After some time, the subjects said that they had to leave and left through the front door of the home.

When the resident went to her bedroom she found some of her belongings disturbed. The resident found some tax paperwork and a key had been taken.

Dearborn Police detectives are actively pursuing leads that may lead to the identification of the perpetrators. Anyone with information is asked to please call the Dearborn Police Department’s TIP LINE at (313) 943-3012.

This incident resembles similar recent incidents in the Metro Detroit area. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s office is pursuing cases from the neighboring cities. This crime is consistent with other Wayne County incidents where unknown subjects attempt to befriend an elderly resident. When the resident is distracted, one of the subjects attempts to find anything of value that they can remove from the home. Small children and babies are often used as distractions.

Chief Ronald Haddad stated he would like to remind all residents to avoid letting unknown individuals into their home. Chief Haddad advises that when someone does come to the door, residents should ask who is at the door before unlocking or opening the door. If the subject cannot be identified, it is recommended that residents call the Dearborn Police Department.

Suspects utilize a number of means to attempt to gain entry into a home. If permitted entry one or two subjects attempt to distract the homeowner and direct them toward the kitchen or away from valuables with deceptions such as:

• Faking an illness
• Posing as a utility worker
• Offering to complete home repairs
• Pretending to have a package to deliver
• Asking for paper or pen to leave a note for a neighbor
• Asking if the house is for sale
• Looking for a lost dog or cat

Here are some safety tips from residents should consider:

Use caution when dealing with strangers – even those who wear authentic looking uniforms and may have a reason for entering the house.
Request and verify identification before letting somebody in your house.
Check a company’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau before conducting business.
When in doubt, call the police!

Mayor’s Letter About Terry Jones

News Release — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:59:49 +0000

An Open Letter from Mayor John O’Reilly

The mayor’s office issued a press release today regarding the upcoming visit of Pastor Terry Jones – and the upcoming Arab International Festival. We publish it here verbatim – as a service to the citizens of Dearborn.

Dear residents and friends of Dearborn,

This weekend we will again be visited by persons who want to use our community for their own ends. This time their target will be the Arab International Festival which has been part of our community for almost two decades. These visitors are not interested in the Festival or learning about and celebrating Arab culture. They are coming here to promote the concept that Islam is a false faith and that Muslims by teaching and nature are violent.

We know that there is no substance to their message – their goal is to promote fear and hatred in others. More than a month ago in Dearborn, faith leaders of all religions from all over Metropolitan Detroit rejected their message by standing together arm in arm and proclaiming that Islam is a legitimate faith and Muslims are an important part of our greater faith community.

Nowhere was the dishonesty of those using Dearborn to attack Islam more clear than when Terry Jones stood on the steps of our City Hall and recited the Pledge of Allegiance over and over as if we in Dearborn had never heard it. In his ignorance he failed to recognize that we recite the Pledge of Allegiance at events all over our City no matter who is the sponsor because we always stand together as Americans.

I sincerely ask everyone that cares about our City to wish these people peace and God’s forgiveness and then ignore them and their empty words. Their goal is to bait and anger us so that they can then misrepresent who we are in order to serve their personal agenda. Debating them and confronting them at this event or in our City can produce no positive result for us. We know we are people of peace but we are also people. All humans take exception to those who wrongly accuse us or suggest that our deepest beliefs are false and evil. It is human to become angry but it is divine to forgive. As all of our religions teach us we must rise above our human instincts and follow God’s instructions to be agents of peace and forgiveness. We must also encourage others to do the same.

We must be true to our collective goals of promoting a safe and positive environment for all of our residents and guests to be successful and enjoy their lives. We are a positive example of the ideals and goals of America to be a place of opportunity for everyone and a nation that respects everyone’s rights to their own beliefs. If we will stand for peace and tolerance, we will stand for America and Freedom.

Dearborn Budget Hearing Scheduled For June 6

News Release — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:43:04 +0000

DEARBORN, Michigan – The Dearborn City Council has rescheduled the public hearing for the proposed fiscal year 2012 budget for 6 p.m. Monday, June 6.

Tuesday, June 7 at 5:30 p.m. is the date to adopt the budget and set the tax rate for fiscal year 2012, which begins July 1, 2011.

Residents are encouraged to attend both meetings, which will be in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 13615 Michigan Avenue.

The remaining budget sessions, which are also open to the public, are as follows:

May 24, 5:30 p.m. – Mayor’s Conference Room: Police and fire
May 25, 6:00 p.m. – Mayor’s Conference Room: Historical museum, intergovernmental cooperation and pending tax cases.

For more information, contact the City Council Office at 943-2025.

Lessons from Terry Jones and Osama Bin Laden

Hassan Alaouie — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:28:16 +0000

Guest Editorial by Hassan Alaouie

Terry Jones and Osama Bin Laden: They both taught me a lesson in life . They both made me question who I am and what my role in society is. They both motivated me to take a real hard look at being Muslim and more accurately what being a Muslim in America is all about. In that search I found answers.

They both drove me to question my faith. At the same time, those questions resulted in profound and enlightening answers. They both spoke of an Islamic faith which I never knew, nor was ever taught. They both spoke of a foreign religion that seemed completely inhumane and ungodly. And both of them tried to instill in me a fear and unyielding hatred. That did NOT work on me. However there was at least one lesson that I learned from each of them:

The Osama Bin Laden lesson: Break out of your shell. Now that Osama is gone, many of us rejoiced in Dearborn. We (Muslims, Christians, and all others) have a sense of relief. One of the bad guys is gone. Many in the community believe that we will be more accepted into the mainstream. We can finally live our lives as Americans, instead of being looked at as outsiders. It’s as if the Navy Seal who executed Osama also removed the shackles of Muslim Americans.

It wasn’t one man who caused our disenfranchisement. It was the result of us not speaking openly and frankly. It was the result of us feeling secure in a bubble that we had created for ourselves. A bubble which was ultimately popped and exposed by the wrong person. It is time to come out of our shelters and show our true identity — Americans who will live in a country that honors, celebrates, and grows because of the numerous freedoms embedded in its constitution.

The Terry Jones lesson: Interfaith discussions are powerful and progressive. Now that he has “expressed” all his hearts desire, Terry Jones can go back home victorious. He received the much needed and wanted press attention, and at the same time ruffled the feathers of the sensitive. It is true that he has a right to protest. It is true that he has the right to speak freely. It is also true that he can publicly denounce an entire group, race, ethnicity, or religion without worrying about being arrested. However, what is the message in that? If his intent was to tarnish Dearborn area Muslims — then he did the exact opposite.

In all my years of activism, I have never seen the interfaith community of Dearborn come so close together. During the attacks of September 11^th, many of the interfaith partners came in and sympathized with local area Muslims. However everyone understood that Dearborn was not an area of concern because of the generations of Muslims that lived there. Terry Jones’ event was different. It was a direct attack on Dearborn Muslims. And that brought a much greater and more focused interfaith community. It brought political, and religious leaders in a bond that I had never experienced. With people of so many different backgrounds (ethnicity, racially, and religiously) it seemed as though the promise of humanity took a firm stance and claimed a throne in Dearborn. I was impressed by the many meetings and gatherings and I was humbled by the presence of all who attended. I was in complete awe of how they collectively worked for a common cause.

I would never congratulate Osama or Terry on these lessons because I know that wasn’t their intention; however I would like to thank the countless sources of accurate information. Thank you to the religious leaders, educational instructors, community leaders, journalists and countless authors that speak the truth, rather than those that leech on peoples’ fears.

Now I have a deeper of understanding of one principle: No matter how wrong or how inhuman a person or action is, there is a lesson to be learned.

…

Hassan Alaouie was born at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan and grew up in Dearborn Heights. Mr. Alaouie attended Crestwood High School and studied Computer Engineering at UofM Dearborn. He is the father of 4, and currently works as a Ford engineer.

Fear of Sharia or Fear of Losing Political Influence?

Dionysius Areopagite — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:13:53 +0000

Guest Editorial by Fr. John A. Cramer

As a resident of Dearborn Heights, I have been following with great interest the events related to the planned, cancelled and re-planned protests that involve our area. As a Pastor, I have been involved in the inter-faith dialogue that has taken place as well. As a United States Armed Forces veteran, I have considered the constitutionality of the events that have so far taken place. As a student of history and philosophy, I have seen some patterns emerge with regard to how the events related to the protests have unfolded here in our community.

Our Savior Polish National Catholic Church - Dearborn Heights

When I learned of the planned protest outside of the Islamic Center of America organized by Mr. Frank Fiorello and the Order of the Dragon based in Port Huron, MI, Pastor Terry Jones had already planned on coming.

On the surface, this looks like a disagreement about the role of religion in the public sphere, with the stated reason for the debate being about wanting to avoid the influence of Sharia on US Civil law at any level. The lengths that Pastor Jones goes to, however, I believe, show a deeper problem that dates back to the founding of our country, and even before.

As a Polish National Catholic priest, I have an historical perspective that allows me to see a pattern that began with the Puritan settlers in New England in the 18th Century. In many of the colonies, notably Connecticut, Roman Catholics were viewed with great suspicion. I bring up Connecticut because they actually had a law that in order to hold any public office in the colony, one had to swear an oath against the Bishop of Rome—the Pope.

Today, this seems almost ridiculous considering the fact that many Roman Catholics hold public office. There were two reasons for this law at the time though:

To avoid Canon (Catholic) law entering into the public sphere and
So that the ruling class (the Protestants) would be able to keep power against the influx of immigrants from Ireland, who were predominantly Roman Catholic.

It is this fear of losing power and control to a new class of people that prompts many to take drastic action.

In the history of the United States, there have been very few Presidents who do not fit into the Puritanical descendent mold. John F. Kennedy is a notable exception. As a public figure, he broke the mold in the early 1960s in allowing the nation to see Roman Catholics in a new light… that they weren’t a force to be feared. It was now clear the Canon Law would not make its way into US Civil Law. In breaking this mold when he did, women and African-Americans also began to enter the public sphere. Today we even have an African-American president. There are still some who feel threatened by this, as can be seen with the whole ‘birther’ controversy.

Again, when fear is the motivating factor, drastic action is sometimes taken.

We now fast-forward to September 11, 2001. When our nation was attacked by Al-Qaida and Muslim extremists, it shook the very foundations of our psychological sense of security as a safe nation. The face of the attackers was Middle-Eastern. Suddenly, American men and women, some of whom have been here for generations, were viewed with suspicion… be they Muslim or not. We then, at some dark level within ourselves, associate every Middle-Eastern person with wanting to do something to undermine our nation…whether we admit it or not. Without personal experience to counter this, it is easy to fall into the trap of blaming every person of Middle-Eastern heritage, and even every person who professes the Islamic faith, of having sinister motives.

This is where the fear that Sharia could overrule US Civil Law comes in. As time goes forward, we will see that Sharia will be as much of a non-issue as Canon Law is upon our civil legislators. The fear that Pastor Jones is playing upon is this fear of losing power to a new class of people, masked in religion.

The question then becomes, what do we do to have harmony in a pluralistic society? I believe that the first answer to this is what is already happening here in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, and that is to get the spiritual leaders of each community together in dialogue. Myself, I am a member of the Dearborn Area Ministerial Association (DAMA), which I am told had it’s beginning on September 12, 2001, when a Muslim cleric called a Christian pastor and they began a conversation. More and more spiritual leaders were invited and today we have a very diverse group who meet each month, and most of those who met with Mr. Fiorello on April 16, 2011 (myself included) are active members.

Secondly, each and every single one of us must open our minds to the fact that we harbor prejudice. This is a fact. Once we recognize that, we can work to keep our minds and hearts open to those whom we don’t quite know or seem quite different from us.

We also need to move out of our comfort zone and get to know people in our community whom we would not normally be drawn to because we consider them to be ‘different’ from us. Now—this does NOT mean that we have to change what we believe about our faith or our opinions on anything, really. What it means is that we need to accept each other on a human level with the respect and dignity that God gave each of us when we were created. This even means that we may have to agree to disagree at times.

As we live through the events that are unfolding in our community, we need to all be respectful of each other. While in this nation we do indeed have freedom of speech—and I took an oath 22 years ago to defend it myself, and I still am—we also have a duty to be respectful. Speaking ideas that some may not want to hear is our right… our obligation as citizens of a melting pot is to do it while respecting the dignity of each human person in our society.

…
Rev. John A. Cramer is the Pastor of Our Savior Polish National Catholic Church in Dearborn Heights

The Evolutionary Hermeneutic and Dearborn

Dionysius Areopagite — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Imagine if someone came up to you and wanted you to trade your old fashioned, heavy, silver dollar for his brand new, modern, crisp, green, dollar bill, a Federal Reserve Note (FeRN). Silver has been flirting with $50 an ounce lately so in fact that dollar bill is worth about 2 cents worth of silver for now. You would laugh in the guys face. Silver is YHVH’s money while the FeRN is man’s money. One holds its value, the other always goes to zero value.

Federal Reserve Notes

So it is with words. There are YHVH’s old words and man’s new words. One holds its value and the other eventually goes to zero value. We see this most clearly in politicians words (promises) which drop to zero value as soon as they are said, or, if you are gullible, as soon as the election is over. Most of us are gullible so politicians keep making worthless promises because they work long enough to get them elected. Why are we so gullible? Simply because we too are full of worthless words and zero value thoughts.

The word oriented Mohammedans are the Sunni variety – especially the Wahhabi sect. They too like the later words of Mohammed after he became a warlord in Medina and was all about “kill the infidel”, rather than his first words when he was a “let’s all just get along” kinda guy in Mecca. They like man-made fatwas even better. I have yet to hear of a Mohammedan who is willing to actually take the Scriptures seriously even though they claim to regard it as holy.

Many Christians (aka baptized humanists) also prefer the later words and ignore the first words of Scripture. They don’t really like the Torah and prefer to ignore the law of YHVH, much less delight in it. They prefer to listen to man-made words as well. (When was the last time the entirety of the law was read – see Nehemiah – in your church?)

The humanists (collectivist/statist, individualist/anarchist and macho/logical, feminist/emotive) also like new words, redefining them as they go along, and usually don’t know what to think about something till their media tells them which way the politically correct winds are blowing at the moment.

The Jews have the dubious distinction of being first to jettison the Torah in favor of man made words, in their case the oral traditions/traditions of the elders/Talmud et al.

Eventually we are going to get this right and start to respect the first words first. We will interpret and evaluate everything that comes later in the light of what came earlier. We will be reconciled to Torah, have it written on our hearts. True believers will be true inwardly. Everyone will know the Torah, and love it and live it.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law (Torah)? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

A Christian Response: Comparing Bible and Koran

Dionysius Areopagite — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:30:07 +0000

Guest Editorial by Bob Siegel

The recent book burning of Pastor Terry Jones [Ed: and his recent visit to Dearborn] has caused understandable concern and mixed emotion. Many Christians with misgivings about Islam find themselves in the uncomfortable position of condemning a horrible book burning without wanting to express too much sympathy for some of the verses inside this particular book. These same Christians wonder if an unfortunate action of one pastor might appear to justify in the minds of some ignorant people, Rosie O’Donnell’s infamous statement from a while back that “radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam” (ABC’s The View, Sept 12, 2006).

Bob Seigel

For a sobering examination that moves beyond today’s heightened emotions about Christianity, we’d be well served to examine the words of Jesus Himself. How would Christ have felt about book burnings? And while we’re in the neighborhood, are Jesus’ own words (written down in another sacred book) comparable to the Koran? (Typically spelled Quran or Koran in English.)

For starters, Jesus DID NOT order Christians to kill in His name and conquer the world for His kingdom. He DID NOT command us to execute all people who will not convert to Christianity. Mohammad DID command such things in the name of Islam and we’ll look at this command when we’re done examining the Bible.

But if Christ did not give such orders, others did in His name. Yes, we’ve heard it a million times: Christians and Muslims both fought in the Crusades. Putting aside the fact that in many cases, Christians were trying to take back land that had forcefully been stolen by Muslims, let us concede that the Crusades were nothing for Christians to brag about. They were far too preoccupied with the Holy Land and they made a mistake in thinking that the cause of Christ was enhanced by such geography. There were also adventurous soldiers in those days that saw the Crusades as a license to plunder and butcher, using Christianity as a rationalization.

But let’s face facts; all ideologies get misrepresented. The ideology itself must be critiqued.

Jesus Himself condemned religious hypocrisy in His name:

“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers’” (Matt. 7:21-23), NIV)

What then, is the difference between the Christians who fought in the Crusades and Muslims who fought in the Crusades? The difference is quite simple: Many Christians were waging war in disobedience to Jesus. Muslims were fighting in obedience to Mohammad.

Of course, some would challenge that statement by pointing to Jesus’ words about “bringing a sword.”
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:34, NIV). In context, Jesus was speaking metaphorically, predicting that His movement would divide families. He did not intend this as a mandate for physical force as demonstrated at His arrest when He commanded Simon Peter to put his sword away. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matt 26:52, NIV)

It’s true that in the Old Testament, Israelites were commanded to make war against Canaanite countries, but this was because God hated a particular practice of the Canaanites, placing live human babies on the alter to their gods and destroying them (Deut 20:18). Nobody understood God to be insisting that Israel travel the world forcing either conversion or death upon all lands. There are other things to also understand about the Old Testament but taking an appropriate amount of time would warrant a separate article. In any event, Christians get their direction from the New Testament, not the old.

Returning then to the New Testament, how might Jesus have dealt with an idea such as book burning? No incidents of book burning are recorded in the gospels, but we can still draw some conclusions from Christ’s behavior in general. We know, for instance, that Jesus did not refute ideas by attempting to silence His opponents. On the contrary, He engaged in the kinds of dialogues which made the inconsistency of His adversaries crystal clear (Matthew 22).

Given the example of Christ, I am grateful that most Evangelical Christians have condemned Pastor Jones’s burning of the Koran. True, he had a constitutional right but something can be constitutional and stupid at the same time, especially when we consider the red alert atmosphere related to Muslim relations these days. This does not mean people should hold Jones responsible for terrorists who have killed as a result of his actions. Those responsible for murder and violence are the ones who commit murder and violence.

Neither should criticism of Jones translate into a burying of our heads into the sand. Without approving book burnings, we’d be well advised to still pay attention to the concern which inspired this particular book burning. Jones may deserve criticism for his exaggerated methods of protest, but the Koran really is a book filled with commands of Jihad. It also contains strong anti-Christian and anti-Semitic language.

“Prophet make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home ….they uttered the word of unbelief and renounced Islam after embracing it.” (Surah 9)

“Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship will become one of their number. God does not guide the wrong doers…. The most implacable of men are the Jews and the pagans.” (Surah 5)

Of course, those are not the only verses in the Koran. Yes there are also verses which talk about peace, but both sets of scriptural passages are in there. While many Muslims focus only on the peaceful verses, others take Jihad commands seriously.

Some might quickly point out that verses of the Koran should be read in context, much as Christians put the words of Jesus in perspective. Fair enough, but the only authentic context is determined by asking what the original author honestly meant to say. Mohammad himself, (author, or more correctly put, a professed messenger claiming to repeat only what he heard from Allah) did conquer with a sword. For this reason, it should be painfully apparent (albeit not Politically Correct) that the Jihad commands were intended by Mohammed to be taken literally and not figuratively as we interpreted the words of Jesus above.

Again, none of this justifies a book burning but we need to be careful, for many would view an honest spotlight on the Koran to be every bit as inflammatory and those who seek laws against book burnings may just end up threatening other kinds of speech.

Even though we can respect a man like General Petraeus and his desire to protect lives, Petraeus’ response to the Koran burning was chilling:

“The American Congress and Senate must condemn this in clear words, show their stance, and prevent such incidents from happening again.” (Reuters, 4-3-11)

How exactly would the government “prevent such incidents” without passing new laws?” And will such legislation be the tip of a much bigger iceberg? Will the day come when those who wish to peacefully critique the Koran find their First Amendment rights in jeopardy? If we go the way of Canada with its “Hate Speech” legislation, all that will have been accomplished is a more sanitized form of book burning called censorship. That should concern true followers of Jesus who are instructed to carry His peaceful gospel message. It should also concern anybody else who loves freedom.

…

Bob Siegel is a Christian apologist, a weekend radio talk show host on KCBQ, 1170 San Diego, and columnist. Details of his show can be found at www.bobsiegel.net. Mr. Siegel hosted a debate featuring Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly on his radio program on July 25, 2010.

Diversity and Peace

Dionysius Areopagite — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 03:43:01 +0000

Guest Editorial by Randy Van Doornik

Not gonna lie: I was the guy choking up and getting misty-eyed at the “Imported From Detroit” commercial during the Super Bowl. As those epic two minutes unfolded, the heart and determination of the Motor City came shining through. A wonderful departure from the national media’s pitying coverage of the struggles of Detroit, the ad emphasized the strength and perseverance I remember from my youth. You see, I am Imported From Detroit.

Rev. Randy Van Doornik

Today, I live my life and calling in Newark, New Jersey, a city similar to Detroit in its troubles and its heart. As Detroit is the Motor City, Newark is the Brick City. Nicknames deriving from the industrial identity of the past continue to describe the fundamental identity of people and place. As Detroit continues to press on with the low rumble of a V-8, Newark is building on the rugged foundation of rock formed and re-formed under pressure. My identity in Newark today is formed by my youth and adolescence in the Detroit area – Dearborn and Dearborn Heights in particular. The intensity, diversity and even the tension of growing up in Metro Detroit has produced in me a life of attempted peacemaking in another troubled but strong city – a city with brick dust in its veins instead of motor oil.

Times like these – where the likes of Terry Jones and his most vocal opponents threaten to undo us – call for the impression of peace on the process of community building. Those who value peace and community building must step out of the shadows and lead the way.

It’s been more than 15 years since I’ve resided in the Detroit area, but as the saying goes, you can take the man out of “The D,” but you can’t take “The D” out of the man. As such, I view my former home with affection and concern, especially with the entrance of Terry Jones into the system. I observe from afar geographically, but the current tension in my hometown hits me close to home. As I read and hear reports from national media and from local outlets, I feel myself connecting to the dilemma. Protests are met with counter-protests, which are in turn met with counter-counter-protests. Where is the peace in that? Where is the heart of Dearborn and Detroit?

Terry Jones is not new to stirring the pot and threatening peace. Late last summer, Mr. Jones announced he would commemorate the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack with a burning of Koran, the holy scripture of Islam. This action created an uproar where I live – a place where the reality of those attacks remains current and painful. In a season of great tension in the citizenry here in the New York area over the place of Muslims in community, Terry Jones added fuel to the fire. He now seems intent on inflaming the situation in my hometown as well.

Making matters worse, Mr. Jones appears to be acting out of a religious conviction he calls Christianity. As a missionary in the Christian faith myself, this grieves me to the heart of my being. The Christian faith is one of peacemaking at its core, with God seeking healing and reconciliation with His own creation. The central message of Jesus – “the author and perfector of our faith” – is one of barrier-crushing peace. Jesus built connection where the world was dividing. Jesus sought shalom as the world (including both religious and state leaders) sought power via violence and strife. It is heartbreaking to see my faith twisted for political and publicity motivated goals.

The thing is, Terry Jones is a symptom (even a byproduct) of the state of daily affairs in America. Mr. Jones is able to harvest national media attention even as a marginalized leader of a tiny sect because he is so ably tapping the vein of anger and polarity so prevalent in so many venues of public discourse. Terry Jones is just another product of a culture driven by the likes of Fox News and CNBC. As we elevate the likes of Rush, Beck, Olberman and Maddow to mega-celebrity status, it should come as no surprise that folk such as Terry Jones will come out of the woodwork to enter the fray. This is the new order of things. We find ourselves unable to communicate our diversity without polarizing the debate.

Is it possible to believe strongly (my ordination vows called me to express my beliefs “Yes truly, with all my heart”) without breaking peace with my neighbor? As I work out my calling in Newark – a very diverse place – I have to believe the answer is found not just in the possibility of peaceful discourse, but the necessity of peaceful discourse.

In this culture, I wonder if it is even possible to express our beliefs and patterns in a pluralistic society without demonizing those with differing viewpoints, much less to come together in peace. Is it possible to believe strongly – my ordination vows called me to express my beliefs “Yes truly, with all my heart” – without breaking peace with my neighbor? As I work out my calling in Newark – a very diverse place – I have to believe the answer is found not just in the possibility of peaceful discourse, but the necessity of peaceful discourse. As I explore and deepen my faith and life, I find no other way than the way of peace. My faith brings me to Jesus, a man called the Prince of Peace by the prophets of scripture. How can I follow the leadership of Jesus without pursuing peace?

“How can I follow the leadership of Jesus without pursuing peace?”

Ironically, the deeper I journey into my particular faith, the more I am convicted to relate with those of differing viewpoints with peace as my primary goal. This conviction comes not from a desire to “convert” the other to my point of view (though I would love to see it happen), but from a desire to love my neighbor and to bring shalom (peace and prosperity) to my community and to the world. As my Christian faith deepens, I hear the call of God to bring a “ministry of reconciliation,” as the Apostle Paul writes in the New Testament. As I attempt to live out my following of Jesus, I see him making inroads of peace with his culture’s fiercest rivals, the Samaritans. How can I hold back from connecting with my neighbors of varying backgrounds and points of view?

Perhaps we would do well to pause and reflect on what it is we really believe. It is difficult to imagine a person of faith – any faith – believing in their heart of hearts that God wants us at each other’s throats the way we see in our current public discourse. As I pursue relationships with authentic believers of other faith traditions – including Jewish faith and followers of Islam – I see a common theme of peacemaking and community building. If we were to pursue these themes with energy and integrity, we would find ourselves coming together for the blessing of our communities instead of sniping at our differences.

What would happen – in Dearborn or in Newark – if people of faith banded together in the themes we hold in common, and left our differences to be expressed in our private times of worship and teaching? Could we hold our own beliefs with all our hearts without demonizing those who disagree? We do not have to pretend we are the same, or that “all religions lead to the same place.” We can, however, find connecting points amid our diversity and pursue relationship and purpose on this common ground. We can pursue our deepest identity – in faith, politics and worldview – without dividing against ourselves. We can … if we will.

In order to come together for a common good, we need to learn to value community over correctness. We need to resist the urge to be “right” and to “win” a debate, and instead use our convictions for a common good. We live in a world full of varying viewpoints and cultural touchstones. This diversity lends a beauty to life. While life with like-minded people is important for security and development, so is living out these themes in the tension of diversity. One thing I have learned is that I find myself most and most deeply when I live and act among those very different from my version of “normal.” The perspective gained by existing in contradiction with my surroundings has added texture and depth to my faith and worldview. In the process, I have learned to appreciate and love the varying patterns I see around me. I come to a more glorious view of my Creator, who is able to express life and vitality in so many ways. An inevitable byproduct of this view is peacemaking and bridge-building in my community.

If we choose to value community, we will inevitably choose a more peaceful manner of discourse. If we intend to remain in community no matter our differences, we will tread more carefully as we interact. We will value knowing the other over convincing or convicting the other. We will seek to hear and understand our neighbor in an effort to deepen connection. In the process, we will create an environment where we ourselves will be more likely to be heard and understood. The result will be a community where our mutual understanding will deepen and our common goal of peace will more likely come to fruition.

Those who value peace and community building must step out of the shadows and lead the way.

Times like these – where the likes of Terry Jones and his most vocal opponents threaten to undo us – call for the impression of peace on the process of community building. Those who value peace and community building must step out of the shadows and lead the way. Leadership in peace will best come in the form of gentle communication in the face of polarized mud slinging. Such leadership is difficult because the rising din seeks to overwhelm peaceful interaction. Still we press on, making inroads where we can, usually at street level in smaller venues. As we seek these relationships and choose to come together in peace, we draw closer to the center of our personal beliefs even as we draw closer to our neighbors, no matter their personal beliefs. As we draw together, peace is possible and communities are strengthened.

Ultimately, the presence of Terry Jones in a community presents both a threat to peace and a call to claim the best parts of who we are. How we respond to threats such as these will determine if we will move forward in community. Today, I am praying for my cities – Newark and Detroit – that we will press on in our pursuit of the best possible peace and the strongest communities we can experience in such a time as this. We are better together, and we will indeed come together when we choose to live out the best and purest forms of our deepest faith and convictions.

—

Rev. Randy Van Doornik was raised in Dearborn Heights and Dearborn, and is currently serving as a missionary pastor in Newark, New Jersey for the Reformed Church in America.

…

Daddy, I Saw the Mayor Do Something

Douglas Vos — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:48:49 +0000

DEARBORN, Michigan – (Front Page Front Porch Opinion)

Open Letter to Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly:

Dear Mayor O’Reilly:

I think it was last spring, around this time of year, my daughter told me she saw you do something. She was riding her bike at Summer Stephens Park – early in the morning around sunrise. She saw you walking around the park. Then she saw you do something and she may have been the only witness — while no one else was around.

My daughter saw you walking around the park picking up trash, before most people even got out of bed. Some people don’t know you care so deeply about Dearborn — but we know. We have evidence. We know you love Dearborn. You love Dearborn more then some people will ever be able to understand. Thank-you for being the mayor of my hometown, and my good neighbor. Thank-you for always trying to do the right thing, even when no one is watching … even when the bright light is not on, and the TV cameras are not rolling.

I’m glad we’re neighbors and I want you to know I’m praying for you. I was sad the other day when people said bad things about you and Dearborn on television. Some of the criticism might be true — about the 1st amendment violations. I have Muslim and Christian friends who are upset about it. I’m not a legal scholar, and don’t pretend to be. The courts will decide. Our family is still praying for you.

Later this morning, you will probably drive by my street on your way to church. Or maybe you already went to the Easter sunrise service while I was typing this letter. This morning the pastor will say something about how Jesus died (video), and that He rose again. That gives me hope.

Not everyone goes to the same church or believes the same way. Sometimes we have disagreements about politics or religion. That’s OK. This is America – the land of the free.

Tell Chief Haddad, I think he’s doing a good job — most of the time. We feel secure living in Dearborn — knowing that if we ever need to call 911, two officers will arrive within minutes. Thankfully, Dearborn is not suffering through troubles like Detroit where police are called but they don’t show up for hours.

(To be fair, Detroit is working hard on improving it’s response time. The Motor City is praying for healing and knows where peace and liberty come from. It’s carved in stone to remind us. May we never forget and become like Beijing where Christians were rounded up on Easter morning.)

We need each other. You’re the Mayor of Dearborn, and I’m the editor of the Dearborn Free Press. Together, we’re showing the world how free speech and freedom of the press works in America.

With love and prayers – your friend as always,

Douglas Vos, Editor and Publisher – Dearborn Free Press

…

We encourage our readers to click the links, read the source material, and form their own opinions.

Terry Jones News Coverage Cancelled

Douglas Vos — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:39:27 +0000

DEARBORN, Michigan – The Dearborn Free Press has made a decision to cancel news coverage about the controversial Pastor Terry Jones until further notice. This was a hard decision, since yesterday we experienced the highest web-traffic in the history of our publication. So, while other media outlets, TV stations, and news organizations are ramping up for minute by minute coverage of Dr. Terry Jones visit to our home town, we will remain silent. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Think about it.

Pastor Terry Jones at the White House

Enjoy the media frenzy for the next several days. We’ll be back after the dust settles to provide accurate, and in-depth coverage of the real Dearborn.

Related news:

Dearborn Free Press» Front Porch

Elderly Resident Targeted in Larceny

Mayor’s Letter About Terry Jones

An Open Letter from Mayor John O’Reilly

Related Stories

Dearborn Budget Hearing Scheduled For June 6

Lessons from Terry Jones and Osama Bin Laden

Guest Editorial by Hassan Alaouie

Related Stories

Fear of Sharia or Fear of Losing Political Influence?

Guest Editorial by Fr. John A. Cramer

Related Stories

The Evolutionary Hermeneutic and Dearborn

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Related Stories

A Christian Response: Comparing Bible and Koran

Guest Editorial by Bob Siegel

Related Stories

Diversity and Peace

Guest Editorial by Randy Van Doornik

Times like these – where the likes of Terry Jones and his most vocal opponents threaten to undo us – call for the impression of peace on the process of community building. Those who value peace and community building must step out of the shadows and lead the way.

“How can I follow the leadership of Jesus without pursuing peace?”

Those who value peace and community building must step out of the shadows and lead the way.

Related Stories

Daddy, I Saw the Mayor Do Something

Open Letter to Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly:

Related Stories

Terry Jones News Coverage Cancelled