Dearborn, Michigan, Muslims and Christians

There's a yearly gathering of Muslims in Dearborn, MI, where about 30% of the population is Muslim. There's a group called Arabic Christian Perspective, a Christian group that ministers to Muslims. They've been showing up for years talking to Muslims about the Christian faith and handing out flyers. Never been a problem. Which is surprising to me because Islam is the religion of peace and Christianity is so violent.

This group has been ruled a menace apparently, by U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmonds, and have been isolated to a designated section of the festival. Not allowed on the sidewalks, or to talk about their religion unless they're in their State authorized section. I guess there's a little bit of free speech left there.

Fay Beydoun of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce in Dearborn told the Detroit News there was "no problem" with the Christians being at the event, "but we do have to think about the safety of everyone." Once again, you better watch out for those horrible, violent Christians. They might go about stoning women that may be adulterers or taking dull swords and hacking off the heads of non-Christians.

Some points from the lawsuit by the Christian group: Public streets are properly considered a traditional public forum. "The Supreme Court has emphasized that the streets are natural and proper places for the dissemination of information and opinion; and one is not to have the exercise of his liberty of expression inappropriately abridged on the plea that it may be exercised in some other place."

And my favorite: The complaints cited a police statement that the Christians would be classified among "political parties and protesters," and would be limited to a single location. Christians as a political party, or protest group.