Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Politics With Nothing to Lose, Ben Leming Sides with Muslims in the 'Boro
Posted by Jeff Woods on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 8:40 PM
- Ben Leming
Murfreesboro, TN — Congressional candidate, U.S. Marine, and Iraq War combat veteran Ben Leming said he was encouraged by Jim Tracy’s courage in standing up for religious freedom in the State Senate.“My message in this campaign is that while we may run as Republicans or Democrats, we must lead as Americans. This is an example of how Republicans and Democrats can come together to protect the Constitutional rights of all Americans,” said Leming.
“Most every American will say that they believe in the principles and rights provided in our Constitution, but State Senator Tracy’s actions last year speak louder than words,” said Leming.
Tracy sponsored the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” in the State Senate. The law protects land use for religious purposes. Nashville attorneys recently advised Rutherford County planning officials that the law protects the proposed Murfreesboro mosque on the grounds of religious land use.
“This isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue, this is an American issue. I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution in the Marines and I hold our Constitutional rights dear. I will stand with any official, Republican or Democrat, that will fight for religious freedom of all Americans,” said Leming.
Murfreesboro native Ben Leming is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and Oakland High School. On May 1st, he finished 15 years of active duty service to the nation in the Marine Corps and is now a captain in the Marine Corps Reserves. He is a Democrat running for the seat being vacated by retiring Congressman Bart Gordon in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District.
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Comments (14)
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I'm delighted to hear a voice of reason and patriotism in this shameful episode of religious persecution and racial prejudice. The Bill of Rights is what is at stake! America was first started by colonists who were persecuted for their religion and sought freedom of expression and freedom of worship. I also support the right of the Republicans to state their views, even though I totally disagree with them. America is a difficult place to live because of our freedom of speech and religion.....If the Muslims, Bhuddists, Hindu's, Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, Jews, etc. want to build a center for their religious community and expression of culture and beliefs.....I support it!
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How refreshing! I've written to the Islamic Center folks to apologize for the intolerance being shown by my neighbors (I live less than half a mile from the site of the proposed new Islamic Center) and while I'm not looking forward to the traffic problems between my house and my favorite liquor store, I don't believe anyone has anything to fear from a little diversity in the god business... after all, Murfreesboro has a church on every other corner. Watching the planning commission meeting where yahoo after yahoo got up to speak against this proposed center I had to wonder if maybe we oughta increase the amount of chlorine we're putting in the ol' gene pool...
WOW !!!Diversity in the god business is something to fear. There is but one true God and I am praying that all who read this message will have eyes to see and ears to hear. One day every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. For those who don't think there's anything to fear in god diversity it will be a profession too late. While there is still time I pray you will confess Him to be your Lord and Savior. He is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.
God Bless
Mr. Woods applauds Mr. Leming for seeing differences among Muslims that Woods himself never sees among conservative Christians.
Mr. Rogers,
There is a vast difference in defending someone's rights and agreeing with them on any issue. That's the whole point a lot of people miss in rights debates. A frequently ignored cost of living in a free (relatively) society is living with and near people you don't like or with whom you strongly diagree. The plus side is you are generally free to criticize them or what you don't like about their positions.
What a refreshing point of view. Mr. Leming actually served his country rather than just talking about being a patriot. He should be elected but he probably won't be. I don't subscribe to any "revealed religion" but I completely agree concerning the rights of others.
I'd like to think nanna's comment is very clever satire. Sadly, it probably isn't.
Islam accepts Christianity and Judiasm as religions "of the book," accepts Jesus was a prophet, and believes basically in the same deity as Christians and Jews. Nanna, I am sure glad you aren't my aunt. I'd be avoiding you at all costs.
To Merlin: Ben Leming COULD very well win the primary and go on to be our next US Congressman for the 6th District. But, it will take people like you who believe his heart is in the right place for "the people" to go out and vote in the PRIMARIES. Please do vote in the primary for Ben if you believe he is right for you...and then convince 10 others to go and vote for him also in the primaries. Merlin, it's people like you who are going to make the real difference in this election...not corporations or big money folks. Let's show America that "We The People" can make the biggest difference, not the dollar bill. Thank you in advance for caring enough to vote!
I'm glad that someone is sticking up for true religious freedom beyond what this country was "founded on." However, I'm still waiting for the day where government is beyond religion and vice versa.
It doesn't matter in this lifetime - it matters in the next.
I've put my money on the saving grace of Jesus Christ's death on the cross for all of my character defects and shortcomings.
The Muslims have put their money on a prophet Mohammed and his teachings.
I'd say - let's have a contest - the Holy God taught by Christians and "Allah" as taught by Mohahmmed, much like Elijah had a contest with the priests of Baal. My money is on Jesus.
JKennedyMD - I'll take that bet, but I'll just take the side without any god. So, how are we gonna settle it, prior to dying?
The Muslim Brotherhood sums up religious freedom best:
"The process of settlement [of Islam in the United States] is a "Civilization-Jihadist" process with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that all their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and "sabotaging" their miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny except for those who choose to slack."
