At a recent Dearborn City Council
meeting, Michigan resident Edward Barham, a practicing Christian, expressed
concerns about new street signs honoring Arab American News publisher Osama
Siblani. Barham, who goes by “Ted,” introduced himself and stated his
objections to two intersections being renamed after Siblani. The objections? Barham
stated that Siblani is “a promoter of Hezbollah and Hamas.” That seems valid,
for starters.
And then Barham quoted a few past
remarks of Siblani’s, including: “…the blood of the martyrs irrigates the land
of Palestine … whether we are in Michigan and whether we are in Yemen. Believe
me, everyone should fight within his means. They will fight with stones, others
will fight with guns, others fight with planes, drones, and
rockets."
Barham called the signs "provocative" and
stressed that, as a Christian, he wanted to encourage peace. Council members
then reportedly interjected, warning Barham against "personal attacks.” Of
course they did.
One council member noted that the signs were placed on
Warren Avenue, which is in Wayne County, by the Wayne County Executive, but
Barham explained that the issue mattered to Dearborn residents because the
signs stood in their city.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud then said of Barham: "The
best suggestion I have for you is to not drive on Warren Avenue or to close
your eyes while you’re doing it. His name is up there and I spoke at a ceremony
celebrating it because he’s done a lot for this community.” The mayor tells a
resident to close his eyes while driving?
Incredibly, Mayor Hammoud then told Barham that he was
"a bigot,” adding, “and you are racist, and you’re an Islamophobe,"
before declaring: "Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city
will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out
of this city.”
It can’t be made any clearer than that as to where we’re
headed if we keep tolerating—and celebrating—everyone but ourselves. So, where
Muslims are now prevalent, those of us who were born here and still live here are
not welcome here?! Is this a hostile takeover or an invasion? A tip: Sharia Law
is utterly incompatible with a free democratic republic, as are certain other
tenets from the Quran.
Nevertheless, someone should send Mayor Hammoud a peace
offering. Perhaps a basket containing a honey-baked ham and a six-pack of
Budweiser. Would that not be a touching gesture?
Surely we can all just get along. Allahu Akbar. Right?
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