What will Muslims do when burning Quran happens? A purposeful Unity Day is the answer

PURPOSEFUL EVENT :  10TH ANNUAL UNITY DAY USA
It is a purposeful event to bring Americans of different faiths, races, ethnicities and other uniqueness together to rededicate ourselves to our pledge; One nation under God with liberty and Justice for all. We will pray for peace, prosperity and security of our nation.

Last year the event focused on the positive response of Sikh community to the Wisconsin Shooting and this year, we will be the positive response of Muslim community to the planned Quran Burning by Pastor Terry Jones in Mulberry, Florida.

Event: 10th Annual Unity Day USA
Time: 8:46 AM
Date: September 11, 2013
Place: Mulberry Civic Center,
901 NE 5th St  Mulberry, FL 33860
http://www.cityofmulberryfl.com

Press Conference: 8:00 AM

 PICTURES  INDICATE HOW IT WILL BE DONE IN MULBERRY, AS HAS BEEN DONE

PICTURES FROM UNITY DAY IN DALLAS

The 10th Annual event is moved to Mulberry, Florida - for a singular purpose - to mitigate possible apprehensions generated by the planned burning of 2998 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013. We hope it restores our faith in the cohesiveness of America, and we the people will go on about our business of living our daily lives.We honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution, and have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones freedom of expression.  Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to prevail.

We hope, our mercy based message will remind those few Muslims elsewhere in the world that violence is not the way. We believe it may bring a change in the attitudes of followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety.

The full press release: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html

We will gather;
    to be together as Americans
    to express our gratitude to our men and women in uniform
    to honor individuals who have contributed to the well being of Mulberry, Florida
    to emphasize and appreciate diversity represented by America.
    to cherish the otherness of others.
    to commit to be good neighbors
    to rededicate our pledge to the peace, prosperity and security of America

Please join us with your family and friends to be together as Americans. Your presence is a valuable expression of unity. Along with our elected officials, civic, religious and business leaders, you help fulfill our common values and aspirations. Your presence fortifies our commitment to a pluralistic America.

As Americans, and as American of all hues, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution. All our faiths reinforce the creed of "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all”.

On this Unity Day USA, we, the people of the United States of America of every faith, race and ethnicity, will gather to express our commitment to co-existence, safety, prosperity and the well being of our nation.

PROGRAM OUTLINE Event: 10th Annual Unity Day USA
Time: 8:46 AM

Date: September 11, 2013
Place: Mulberry Civic Center, 901 NE 5th St  Mulberry, FL 33860 FLAG CEREMONY

 

NATIONAL ANTHEM
(Preferably joined in by members of at least 7 faith traditions, if not all)

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
To be led by the Hon. Mayor George Hatch of Mulberry

   

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgement of dignitaries- Suzanne 

Thanking key volunteers - Curtis 

Thanking the Media- Butch

Appreciating the sponsors - Lynn

PURPOSE 

Purpose - a new positive approach to conflict mitigation and rededicating to our pledge – one nation under God with Liberty and Justice for all- Mike

Blood donation – Dr. Bajwa (3 Minutes) about the nationwide blood drive

GREETINGSGreetings from several religious traditions a few Video Samples;  City of Carrollton-II - City of Carrollton – Chicago Bible College


CIVIC LEADERSHIP

Mayors, Police and Fire chiefs, and Civic Leaders to share 3 minutes each – about their responsibility in treating each citizen with respect and dignity

HONORING THE ACTIVISTS
Those who have stood up for others

SPIRITUAL LEADERS

All-inclusive spiritual leaders will be on stage representing each tradition, and lighting a candle of the next, a symbolic gesture to be the light to others. Every available religious American representation in Polk County will be accommodated. This is not about sermons but about being together as Americans. Please beware, it is about Americans and included in the group will be Atheists, Pagans and other non-religious traditions.

PEACE PLEDGE

• I will I will speak up when there is injustice.
• I will speak up when truth is not spoken.
• I will make my words and my actions mitigate conflicts.
• I will do my share in nurturing goodwill for the benefit of all.
• I will do my share of peace work, without looking for others 
• I will do respect the God given uniqueness of each individual.
• I will do my best to live and let others live their way.
• I will do my best to nurture goodwill in everything I do.

SPECIAL MUSLIM PRAYER ( 3-4 Minutes)Muslim prayers and supplication for the safety and security and unity of our nation. Pray for the well being of all Americans, and seek forgiveness for all of us, and may God guide  Reverend Terry Jones to become a be blessed peace maker. Pray for the goodwill of the people of Polk county and Mulberry City, and pray for a cohesive America, where no American needs to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear or fellow Americans.

CONCLUSION REMARKS
Mayor Hatch and one of the top officials will make the remarks.

BLOOD DONATION

Please donate to defray the costs. All donors over $100 will be listed on this site. If one or two individuals want to sponsor, we would really welcome it. It will save us time.  Donate at http://americatogetherfoundation.com/donate/ 
 VIDEO MESSAGE TO MUSLIMS AND PASTOR JONES

A VIDEO MESSAGE TO MUSLIMS AND PASTOR JONES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsQq-tbJ89k&feature=youtu.be

 

All of this is at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

1. PLANNED MUSLIM RESPONSE TO PASTOR JONES QUR'AN BURNING URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html

4. A PROPER RESPONSE TO INFLAMMATORY ACT - SAUDI GAZETTE
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130821177617

5. FOR MUSLIMS IN AMERICA, A NOVEL PROTEST - TIMES OF INDIA
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/From-Muslims-in-America-a-novel-protest-against-quran-burning/articleshow/21982162.cms

6. TAMPA BAY FOX NEWShttp://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/23233567/2013/08/22/pastor-wants-to-burn-3000-korans-in-mulberry

9. MUSLIMS PROTESTS - MULBERRY LEDGER
http://www.theledger.com/article/20130820/news/130829938

 A FEW CURRENT PICTURES:

 

MULBERRY MAYOR HON. GEORGE HATCH

LAKELAND MAYOR HON. GOW B. FIELDS

 

THE MULBERRY UNITY DAY TEAM - MIKE, CURTIS, SUZANNE, LYNN
AND FRIEND SUSIE (NOT ON THE TEAM)

All the original pieces related to the Quran burning even are at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com 

HOW UNITY DAY WAS BORN
http://911unitydayusa.blogspot.com/2011_12_01_archive.html

Unity day 2009

Unityday 2006

Thank you.
Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk
www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com

www.FoundationforPluralism.com
www.UnitydayUSA.com 

Pastor Looking for New Place to Burn Qurans Due to Flooding in Mulberry - Ledger

Pastor Looking for New Place to Burn Qurans Due to Flooding in Mulberryhttp://www.theledger.com/article/20130827/NEWS/130829333/1001/business?p=3&tc=pg

Pastor Terry Jones, Pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Bradenton.

ERNST PETERS | THE LEDGER

By Suzie Schottelkotte
THE LEDGER

Published: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 4:38 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 9:40 p.m.

MULBERRY | Terry Jones is searching for a new place in Mulberry to burn 2,998 Qurans on Sept. 11 because his first site is under water.

Bill McKinney, the Mulberry resident who offered his home for the protest burning, said Tuesday the event won't take place in his yard because it's flooded.

Jones, a Florida pastor who's organizing the protest, said he remains committed to staging the event near Mulberry and is looking for another site.

"I'm not worried," he said Tuesday. "Something will come along."

Tuesday afternoon, Jones, and a friend and his daughter drove around Mulberry looking for possible sites, including the Carter Road Sports Complex on South Carter Road. He hasn't found one yet.

McKinney said he's disappointed he had to cancel two weeks before the protest, but he doesn't expect his 1-acre yard to dry out before then.

"This is an old cow pasture," he said, "and with all the rain, I've been under water for about a month. If it wasn't for my property being under water, this (event) would happen. I haven't changed my mind about that."

McKinney, 58, said the water is up to his 4-year-old grandson's knees.

McKinney, who lives off Shepherd Road, said he told Jones Tuesday he would have to find another venue. He said no one has pressured him into pulling out of the protest.

Despite plans by groups to challenge his protest, Jones said he won't be intimidated into leaving the Mulberry area.

"If we have to, we will fill up the back of a pickup truck with (Qurans) and set them on fire in front of City Hall," he said. "We are going to do what we're going to do. We will stay within the confines of the law, but we will push it as far as we can."

Jones said he plans to burn 2,998 Qurans in memory of each American lost in the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. He staged a similar event in March 2011, burning a single Quran and sparking deadly violence in Afghanistan.

Jones said he didn't set out to stage this latest protest in Mulberry. He was searching for a location earlier this summer after selling the Dove World Outreach Center, his church in Gainesville, when McKinney stepped forward, saying he shares Jones' ideology.

"I really wanted to do this," McKinney said Tuesday. "We have got to stop the Islamification of America. They said they were going to take over America and we have to take them at their word."

McKinney, who said he's a faithful man but practices no specific religion, said he doesn't consider Islam a religion, but rather a geo-political system.

"If it's a religion, that gives it standing and protection under our Constitution," he said.

He said he'd been telling Jones for the last month that his yard might be too soggy for the event.

The call from McKinney on Tuesday sent Jones to Mulberry in search of a new location. He said his church has purchased land near Bradenton for a new worship center, and he could stage the Sept. 11 protest there, if need be.

"But we are determined to go ahead and keep it here," he said during his visit to Mulberry. "People are expecting it to be here."

Jones said he's anticipating about 20 to 50 participants.

Since Jones announced his plans in July, others have scheduled Sept. 11 events in Mulberry to counter the protest.

Suzanne Carter-Moore, who grew up in Mulberry, initiated a Facebook page entitled "Not In Mulberry Terry Jones," and the Dallas-based World Muslim Congress is bringing its annual Unity Day ceremony to Mulberry.

Mike Ghouse, resident of the World Muslim Congress, finalized plans Monday for the celebration designed to counter the burning of the Muslin holy books with peaceful prayer.

Ghouse said the ceremony celebrates the unity among faiths and ways in which communities promote that unity.

"We want (the protestors) to know that violence is a behavior that will not be tolerated," he said.

The Muslim group also is sponsoring a blood drive in conjunction with the ceremony.

[ Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached atsuzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. ]

A proper response to an inflammatory act of Quran Burning by Pastor Terry Jones

A proper response to an inflammatory act

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130821177617

Last updated: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 10:10 PM

Tariq A. Al-Maeena
 

REMEMBER the contentious Pastor Terry Jones out of Florida, who rose to fame back in 2010 with his controversial declaration of burning a copy of the Qur’an, an act that was surely meant to inflame passions within Muslims the world over?

Well guess what? He is now planning something on a much bigger scale. On Sept. 11, 2013, the pastor and his disciples will carry out an “International Burning of 2,998 Qur’ans” to “send Islam a very clear warning.”

The 2,998 figure is meant to signify the number of people who died during the World Trade Center(WTC) attacks.

In a message he said: “On September 11, 2013, to remember those who were murdered by radical Islam, and to send Islam a very clear warning that they will not get their foothold in the American Constitution as they have done in Europe, we will be holding an International Burning. The radical hand of Islam shows itself with violence against anyone who dares to stand up and speak the truth. … We will not be silent.”

This time around an American and his associate have decided to counter the pastor’s intended inflammatory actions with a carefully executed response that smacks of ‘turning the other cheek.’

Mike Ghouse, a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work and social settings is spearheading a move to meet the pastor’s response head-on with a worthy response. Mike, who is zealous toward building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day is planning “to respond to Pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 2,998 copies of Qur’an on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.”

In a press release, Mike and his associate Mirza Beg speaking for the organization (www.worldmuslimcongress.com) said: “Our response — we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an. It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

“God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.”

“We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity DayCelebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

“Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3,000 copies Qur’an on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

“As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

“We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) — that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society. 

“We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

“We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time the Pastor sought notoriety — We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

“Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores. 

“Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and fire chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the city’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

“We thank the media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.”

Thank you for your commitment towards a peaceful solution, Mike. It is the media who should thank you for your commendable cause. 
 

— Tariq Al-Maeena can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com and followed @talmaeena

From Muslims in America, a novel protest against Quran burning in Mulberry, Florida

READ MORE World Muslim Congress|US Muslims Blood Donation Campaign|Quran Burning Stunt|Pastor Terry Jones|American Muslims
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/From-Muslims-in-America-a-novel-protest-against-quran-burning/articleshow/21982162.cms

A Texas-based outfit said many Muslim organizations across America will go on a "blood drive" to save lives and serve humanity with kindness on the same day pastor Jones has said he will burn the copes of the Quran.

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WASHINGTON: In an effort to overturn the image of Muslims as fire-breathing, sword-slashing conquerors and avengers, a Muslim group in America will resort to a pacific response to the provocative burning of the Quran by afundamentalist Christian evangelist. 

Pastor Terry Jones, the notorious Christian extremist who riled Muslims across the world with his inflammatory burning of the quran in 2011, has upped the ante by threatening to burn 3000 copies of the Quran on September 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attack on America that killed nearly 3,000 people. But instead of getting provoked, the so-called " World Muslim Congress" in the US said it will "reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the prophet concerning scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Quran."

It cited a quranic verse that says, "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil," and said it is also strongly enjoined in the Quran in the same verse 41:34 that "Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend."

The Texas-based outfit said many Muslim organizations across America will go on a "blood drive" to save lives and serve humanity with kindness on the same day pastor Jones has said he will burn the copes of the Quran.

"As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society," said Mike Ghouse, an Indian-American Muslim community leader who has been promoting inter-faith harmony in the US for several years.

Ghouse said the organization hoped that the blood drive event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world that violence is not the way. "Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few," a statement from the organization said.

Jones's Quran burning capers have caused universal revulsion, including in the United States, and also led to sporadic episodes of reactive violence in some countries. US government officials, from the federal, state, and local levels, have repeatedly condemned his antics.

"It's regrettable that a pastor in Gainesville, Florida with a church of no more than fifty people can make this outrageous and distressful, disgraceful plan and get, you know, the world's attention," former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said when Jones first announced his provocative move in 2010.

But Jones has kept at it despite universal condemnation, including promoting a movie called the "Innocence of Muslims" that vilified Islam and conjuring up September 11 as "International Judge Muhammed Day." Although dismissed as a wingnut in the US, he still gets enough attention to rile up some Islamic extremists.