A BAD RULE FOR VOTE-MONGERING

I have been very vocal against the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the loot of the Middle East by the Western powers of Europe over Centuries and by our own oil tycoons in the not-too distant past, and the denial of freedom and a state of their own to Palestinians. As a Democrat, it is not easy for me to criticize a Democratic President I rooted and voted for, but I have criticized Biden too for tolerating the atrocities in Gaza. So, let no one accuse me of islamophobia or religious intolerance. As a Hindu, I would be equally opposed if this were a Hindu temple.

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This new rule in Minneapolis is bad in every respect and is more a vote mongering gesture than anythng else.

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1. A call for prayer should be a right in USA, but in these days does it have to be on a blaring set of speakers mounted atop a tower that disturb the peace and the beauty of silence that is already disturbed by so much noise pollution due to all kinds of traffic and electro-mechanical devices?

2. Today's Internet and wireless phones provide ample ways to make a call for prayer and reach those who want to be reached without disturbing others

3 What about my right not to be disturbed by unwanted loud blaring of devices irrespective of any religion and except to warn people of emergencies?

4. What about children, senior citizens, the sick and workers including doctors and policemen on call whose rest and sleep will be disturbed by loud noise?

5. The holy books of the religions were written when no such technology like loudspeakers existed and do not require such an onslaught on people's ears.

6. Are we going to have a competition in cacophony by competing religions as you see in every major town and city in India and other places?

7. Left alone, this runs the risk of increasing religious intolerance, and particularly against minority religions, and causing more division in this nation.

This rule is more than WOKE!!! It is dumb, stupid, and non-democratic in every way except perhaps to religious fanatics. I appeal to all moderate and progressive muslims to kindly stand up against this; your own school going children and old and sick will be impacted, and this will only increase the resentment towards Islam in general. It should be challenged in the courts and reversed at the earliiest opportunity. Point #2 above alone should show that its reversal will not curtail freedom of religion.