Several faith groups condemn Oklahoma lawmakers who arrogantly turned down copies of Quran

The Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, president of Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry Board of Trustees, speaks in front of a photo of Mecca during a press conference Friday at the Al-Salaam Mosque. Lavanhar criticized a Sand Springs lawmaker for his comments this week about the Quran.

In a show of solidarity with the Muslim community, representatives of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa and several interfaith organizations held a press conference Friday condemning Oklahoma lawmakers who turned down a copy of the Quran. Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, refused a gift of Islam's holy book earlier this week, saying, "Most Oklahomans do not endorse the idea of killing innocent women and children in the name of ideology." Other lawmakers joined him in refusing the gift, which was offered by the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council as part of the state's centennial celebration. "Today, I'm an American Muslim, speaking for our brothers," said David Bernstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation. "Hateful words inevitably lead to hateful actions," he said at the press conference held at the Al-Salaam Mosque, 4620 S. Irvington Ave. "Sometimes they set in motion a chain of events that turn them into self-fulfilling prophesy." He said hateful words often have an effect that the speaker did not desire or anticipate. Oliver Howard, president of the Oklahoma Conference for Community and Justice, said religious intolerance has no place in Oklahoma. "All religious communities have or have had zealots who exploit sacred scriptures for their own ends, including violent and inhumane acts," he said. The Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, president of Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry Board of Trustees, said Duncan's words were disrespectful of his fellow Americans and promoted religious bigotry. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible -- and we will not be divided by politicians who use religious and ethnic rhetoric to enflame bigotry," he said. Keith McArtor, president of the Tulsa Interfaith Alliance, said he hoped the lawmakers who refused the Quran would become "better acquainted with the true tenets of Islam, which are based on brotherhood, love, respect and dignity." Justice Waidner, with the Say No to Hate Coalition, said the lawmakers' refusal to accept the Quran "throws a dark shadow of misunderstanding and bigotry on a segment of our state's diverse population and their religious heritage." Allison Moore, speaking for the Islamic Society of Tulsa, said Islam clearly denounces all forms of terrorism. "Our religion teaches us to be peaceful, tolerant, loving and respectful of neighbors and friends, and to uphold justice for all people," she said. "We are deeply concerned about the rise in Islamophobic rhetoric," she said. "And we are very troubled by individuals who disrespect our holy book, the Quran, and quote verses out of context." Razi Hashmi, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he found Duncan's statement Islamophobic and disturbing, coming from someone who should represent his pluralistic constituency regardless of faith.