Hello Jon, let me introduce myself. My name is Steven Pearce and I am an American Muslim who was born and raised in Redding, California. I converted to Islam in 1997. My reasoning for this conversion was due to the science that is found in the Qur’an. There are over 1,000 references in the Qur’an that agree with modern day science.
Also Islam explained the concept of God or Allah in a way that made sense to me.
Since the time that I have become a Muslim, I have studied from some of the top Islamic Scholars in the world. I have received several Ijazats or diplomas giving me the right to teach certain Islamic subjects. I also hold the distinction of being the only American to study at a program through the famous Zaytuna Mosque in Tunisia. The documents and the Islamic university are amongst the oldest in the world if not the oldest.
Like you I am an American who served my country. I was in the Marines but had a medical separation due to a condition that I had prior to joining which caused me to need a waiver to join. So just like you I was willing to die and fight for our country. I am a strict Constitutionalist. I believe in the Constitution and what this country was founded upon, religious tolerance and acceptance, amongst other liberties. Unlike you however, my devotion to the Constitution is not just lip service.
I say that it is not just lip service because you say that you believe in the Constitution but you just like many others like you really do not. You do not believe that the freedom of religion should be for Muslims. You are even going so far as too not only inflame Muslims by drawing cartoons of our beloved Prophet, but you are even asking people to bring weapons to a place of worship where women and children will be at. At the same time, people supporting your event are sending letters to the mosque saying that they will massacre the attendants.
If you are using intimidation to push a political agenda, then this makes you a terrorist. Terrorists use force and intimidation in order to push their agendas. This makes you no different than the people that you claim that you despise and are protesting against.
The vast majority of Muslims are opposed to groups like al-Qaeda and Daa’ish (ISIS). Muslims are being slaughtered by these groups for not believing the Khawarij or Khajarite methodology that these people preach. ISIS has even stated that they intend to take over Mecca and the Ka’ba and if any Muslim kissed the black stone of the Ka’ba that they would cut their heads off for being an idolater even though our Prophet kissed the black stone. Obviously, ISIS are not Muslims because they would never had made this statement, and yet many people think that they represent us even though ISIS is the enemies of Islam.
I know that you might say that I practice Taqqiya or lying to get a point across. I have heard many Islamophobes use this as a way to say that they will not listen to what Muslims believe because they lie about everything to non-Muslims. I have written many articles about the current situation in the world and the true Islamic position on these situations. Not one time has a Muslim said that I was dishonest, it was only Islamophobes who say that I was practicing Taqqiya. If I was being dishonest, wouldn’t you think that a fellow Muslim would have called me on my lie?
I am sure that you have never met a true Muslim. You have gotten your information from either Fox News, or extremist right-wing patriot sites. I have read many of these sites and I have read the comments that these people make threatening to slaughter American Muslims when they see them.
The irony of this is that inside of the Mosques they actually give us fliers warning us against these extremist groups that purport to be Muslims, and these fliers tell us that if we come across a terrorist to turn them in to our local authorities.
By having an event that you are planning to have today, you are actually alienating the group that is the first line of defense against terrorists. By proclaiming all of us terrorists and saying that it is a war against Islam you are playing into the hands of these extremist groups. I am sure that somewhere overseas right now, ISIS is using your talks as a recruitment tool. They are telling people, “Do you see, it is a war against Islam. They do not really believe in the freedom of religion. They are intimidating Muslims by bringing weapons to our places of worship. Come join us in the fight against these people”.
I am saying this because I do not think that you have the mental capacity to understand what you are doing. If you do then you are just as bad as the people that you claim to fight against. In fighting against the demon make sure that you do not become a demon.
I extend an offer to you. Feel free to add my Facebook and have a conversation with me. Ask me what Islam really teaches. There is no need to be afraid of Muslims. I know that you are scared. You have been programmed by the Fox News machine which in itself is promoting an agenda. Make friends with Muslims in your community.
You said in an interview that you want your family to be safe and to have a nice future. Well my little girl is not even 2 years old yet and I want the same for her as well. Like how you said you want to live in peace, I do to. However there can never be peace as long as people like yourself or ISIS are using terrorism and intimidation to push their agendas.