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Inter-Religious Group Cleans Up A Vandalized Mosque In Chicago

Arthur J Pais

First they used the brooms to clean the floor. Then, the group of 22 men and women – Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and Christians – carried a concrete slab used to vandalize the newly renovated mosque and dumped it in the garbage lot, hoping their message is loudly heard. They asserted that religious bigotry targeted at one group affects every other religious group.

The prayers and reflection meeting held last Sunday was billed as an Interfaith Solidarity Against Hate Crimes. Among the attendees was Howard Sulkin, chairman of the board of the Council for a Parliament for the World's Religion; the organization had invited Swami Vivekananda to address its conference in Chicago over a century ago.

Acts of vandalism are attacks on the basic foundations of America, Sulkin said. They not only attacked freedom of religion, he said but also "the freedom to have peace and harmony in our lives."

His thoughts were echoed by other participants.

"Indifference and intolerance are fatal," warned Rabbi Ira Youdovin, a high ranking member of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. "We came here today so that we may never be indifferent or intolerant again."

The Villa Park-situated mosque, renovated at about $ 3.6 million, caters to a significant number of immigrants – reportedly about 10,000 – from the Indian subcontinent living in and around Chicago. It was vandalized on May 15 when a 60-pound chunk of concrete was hurled through its glass doors. Several windows were broken too.

In carrying the stone, which was placed on a large sheet of cloth, Muslim leaders reminded co-religionists a story about how the Prophet Muhammad united his disciples in Mecca. The followers were arguing over who would move a sacred stone away from a flooded house of worship, but the arguments stopped when Mohammad suggested they carry it together on a sheet.

"It takes all of us together to move a stone," said Hamid A Hai, a member of the Islamic Foundation’s board of directors. "And it takes us all to fight religious bigotry and hate."

Vandalism against religious places belonging to minority groups takes place continually across America. Jewish temples are often daubed with hateful graffiti including the Swastika; a Hindu temple in Flint, Michigan was vandalized several years ago, and dozens of churches run by African Americans were burnt two years ago.

Mosques have also come under attack during times of social tension – soon after the Oklahoma City bomb blasts a few years ago in which dozens died and rumors spread that Arabs were behind the attack, mosques were vandalized in several Oklahoma cities.

No arrests have been made 10 days after the attack on the Chicago mosque. Naturally the community is unhappy. There is also unhappiness that the police have not called the incident as a hate crime since the vandals left no hate notes. Perpetrators of hate crimes usually get a stiffer prison sentence than mere vandals.

Hamid Hai and several worshippers told reporters last week that as the renovation was being completed, there was an increase in name-calling and shouting of insults from motorists. Some motorists returned to shout obscenities and warning the congregation they should return to their own countries. Pebbles were also thrown at the worshippers. Naturally Hai and other worshippers want the incident labelled as a hate crime.

According to the police, the security videotape at the mosque shows a man getting out of a white sports car and crossing the slab. But the condition of the video is poor, making the identification nearly impossible, the police said.

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