Tennessee - USA: Hundreds Of Muslims Protest At State Capitol

"The intent of the bill is to protect Tennesseans, to empower local law enforcement, to preempt terrorist attack so we don't have to pick up body parts after an event. It's to prevent an event from happening."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: WSMV TV | NBC News
By Cara Kumari | April 26, 2011

Contentious Proposal Passes House Judiciary Committee

Hundreds of Muslims from across Tennessee gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday morning to speak out against a plan they said targets their religion.

The hearing over a bill supporters said is supposed to combat terrorism even had one lawmaker near tears.

The hearing started with the sponsor trying to convince the Muslim community that this bill had nothing to do with their religion and only with terrorism, yet Tuesday's debate still centered on Islam and the Koran.


Hundreds of Muslims walked up Fifth Avenue in the rain, waited to get inside Legislative Plaza and crowded into committee rooms to stand against a bill they said targets their religion.

"This bill is striking fear in the hearts of Muslims across the state," said Daoud Abudiab of Columbia. "My wife was in tears this morning. My son asked if the bill has passed. We're all very concerned about it."

The Material Support Act gives the governor and the attorney general the power to designate a group as a terrorist organization and allow punishment for people who knowingly provide support for those groups.

"The intent of the bill is to protect Tennesseans, to empower local law enforcement, to preempt terrorist attack so we don't have to pick up body parts after an event," said Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma. "It's to prevent an event from happening."

The sponsors took out all references to Sharia law in an attempt to quell fears that the bill targeted Muslims.

But Tuesday's debate turned emotional when a state representative piloting a plane on Sept. 11, 2001, recounted that day.

"All my life, I've prided myself on always being prepared," said Rep. Rick Womick, R-Rockvale. "That morning, I was not prepared."

And the discussion kept going back to Sharia law and Islam.

"I think at some point the debate became about Islam and religious law (rather) than about the bill," said Imam Mohamed Ahmed of the Islamic Center of Nashville.

The plan passed the House Judiciary Committee 12-4. The main opposition to the bill came from lawmakers who have concerns the plan doesn't do enough to allow those falsely accused of being terrorists to clear their name.

If this passes, Tennessee would be the first state to enact this type of legislation. A federal version of the law already exists.

  -- via @NJQRN


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