Over the last few years I have enjoyed developing good relationships with leaders in the local Muslim communities.  They have been effective partners on a number of issues from hate crimes to anti-bullying measures to health reform to same-gender marriage. 

There has been growing anti-Muslim rhetoric of late, which has deeply concerned me.  It culminated, so far and hopefully finally, with the "We Don't CAIR" rally in March.  CAIR is the acronym for the Council on American-Islamic Relations and an effective local civil rights group with whom I have worked often and well.  Here is a photo of myself and CAIR Executive Director Razi Hashmi taken at an interfaith event.

Yesterday's Oklahoma Gazette included a point/counterpoint on CAIR, the local interfaith climate, and Christian-Muslim relations.  The point was written by Mayflower Congregational UCC member Bob Gresham.  The counterpoint was by Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ founder Paul Blair, who is familiar as a leader of local anti-LGBT efforts as well.

Blair wrote:

That was our balanced goal: Warn Americans about the threat to our constitutional liberty presented by Islam, while sharing the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Proclaiming truth is not hateful, and it is not bigotry. It is simply truth.

I'll let you judge who is hateful, and thereby you can determine who speaks truth.