Jacksonville leaders fear perception of intolerance may carry economic price

[thelakelander]

In the room when the Jacksonville City Council debated the appointment of Parvez Ahmed, a Muslim scholar and university professor, there were a lot of people holding their breath.

Ben Warner, deputy director of the Jacksonville Community Council Inc., said he heard from many who said they just hoped the story wouldn't "get out" of Jacksonville.

"Everybody is just praying, 'Keep it off Drudge,'" he said, referring to The Drudge Report, a news aggregation site with a national following.

So far, the story hasn't gone national. But those fears illustrate a broader concern about the price of perception. If Jacksonville develops a reputation as being more tolerant, could it have deeper economic ramifications?

Throughout the Ahmed controversy that culminated in the April 27 meeting, many wondered whether it would tarnish the city's image. Already, the story had locals buzzing after Councilman Clay Yarborough told Times-Union columnist Mark Woods he would prefer gays not hold public office, and he wasn't sure whether Muslims should either.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-05-04/story/leaders-fear-perception-intolerance-may-carry-economic-price

[Tripoli1711]

Most of the people who have posted comments at the end of the story make me ashamed to be alive.  I really should stop reading them.

[Dog Walker]

Do!  That's a bad neighborhood, hopefully not representative of our city or species.

[fsujax]

The man was voted onto the commission, end of story, yes some put up a fight and they lost. Now if he hadnt of been voted to the commission, then it probably would have made Drudge, CNN or Fox.

[Tripoli1711]

Stephen-

Sounds exactly like what people say about Muslims vis-a-vis terrorism...

[Tripoli1711]

I agree!  My thought was this:

People say:  If only outraged muslims would speak up and speak out against terrorism and refuse to associate with people who harbor terrorist sympathies!  Most muslims don't feel that way and it makes them look bad!


But many will say:  The reason they don't speak up is because they DO agree!


In this instance, you said "The intolerance and simple rudeness to this man sum up what many people perceive to be the testimony of that church, and until there are other people besides these people speaking up for the thousands of good and decent people that go to that church, then both the perception and public testimony of the congregation is going to suffer."

To that, many will say:  The reason other people from FBC do not speak up is because they DO share the same sentiments as Mr. Redman.

I've always been inclined to give Muslims the benefit of the doubt.  As to FBC... I am not so sure.

[Jaxson]

What concerns me is that we in Jacksonville are treating Christianity as the default, albeit not official, religion in our city.  We immediately presume that everyone in the city who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is fit for public service or has the morals and values to be an upright citizen.  I do not know if transforming city council meetings into de facto Bible study classes is going to improve the state of affairs in our city.  I, for one, do attend church on a weekly basis.  I, for one am content to privately worship without requiring others to think the way that I do.

[Tripoli1711]

No.  Either I did not do a good job of explaining or you are totally misinterpreting what I did say.  I think what I said was pretty clear.  I am totally disgusted by what happened.  I am essentially saying you were trying to vouch for FBC at large.  That's fine with me.  The way you vouched for them sounded exactly like the way people vouch for muslims at large when there is outcry about them as a group based on the actions of the few.  I just thought it was an interesting coincidence given the circumstances of the present discussion.

I went on to say that I have always given muslims at large the benefit of the doubt, and not lumped them in with the actions of the few, but there are many out there who do not give them the benefit of the doubt because they believe that the general silence of muslims at large serves as tacit approval of the actions of the few.

In this instance one might just as easily say that they will not give FBC at large the benefit of the doubt because their silence serves as tacit approval of the actions of the few (Mr. Redman, for example).  I am actually much more inclined to believe FBC at large tacitly approves of Mr. Redman's behavior by their silence.

[BridgeTroll]

or you are totally misinterpreting what I did say.

Could it be intentional?

[at8363]

Most of the people who have posted comments at the end of the story make me ashamed to be alive.  I really should stop reading them.

I completely agree. I'm hoping I haven't relocated to a hotbed of ignorant conservatism. Although I did have fair warning with the anti-choice license plates...

[at8363]

OMG. I'm watching the video now and am literally open-mouthed in horror. Stephen and Ennis, ya'll told me about this last night, but actually seeing it is blowing my mind.

[Doctor_K]

How about a good old-fashioned boycott of Don's Sportsman's Barber Shop? 

That'd show him how people feel about this incident.

Then again, I wonder if most of his clientèle isn't already in socio-political lock-step with him anyway...

[Dog Walker]

OMG. I'm watching the video now and am literally open-mouthed in horror. Stephen and Ennis, ya'll told me about this last night, but actually seeing it is blowing my mind.

DON'T WATCH, DON'T WATCH!   Smashing your face into your keyboard HURTS!

[sheclown]

Intolerant behavior functions as anti-evangelical.  

God does not need us to be RUDE to get his point across.  (Even if we are so bold as to think we can figure out his point). 

Son of Man, we are such a mess.

Dear God,
Help us to be tolerant of each other, understanding that we are all your children, beloved and cared for by you.
Amen.

This is my prayer.

[sheclown]

CM Redman, this is for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHKWBxDzyfU