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| Mother Mosque in 2011 (Photo by Rifeldeas) |
When people think of America’s heartland, they are more apt to conjure up images of churches than of mosques.
Nevertheless, North America’s “oldest
surviving mosque” is still going strong in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, land of covered bridges
and covered wagons. This
Mother Mosque was founded by Syrians who settled there
during the late 19th century.
Although "only about 1% of Iowans are Muslim,” Mother Mosque has been well
received by the community.
Imam Tawil, a Palestinian who hails from Jerusalem, “cites strong relationship with law enforcement and local political leaders.”
In response to anti-Muslim political ploys, Tawil (a registered Republican) has invited Donald Trump to “come and talk to his fellow citizens who have been born here, whose parents were born here… to tell us how he can help us out as American citizens.”
Short of a satisfactory RSVP, the Republican party stands to lose Tawil's vote this time around.
Resources
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/oldest-mosque-in-america-invites-donald-trump-to-visit/ar-AAgpjDE?li=BBnb7Kz
Copyright January 6, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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