Clarksville mayor defends e-mail that blasts Muslim stamp

Clarksville Mayor Johnny Piper is being criticized by local and national Muslims for forwarding an anti-Islamic e-mail Friday morning.

The e-mail urges “patriotic Americans” to protest a U.S. Postal Service stamp commemorating two Islamic holidays.

Piper did not make any comments in his e-mail, the body of which has been circulating nationally.

The e-mail asks readers to remember a series of what it calls “Muslim” terrorist attacks. For example, “Remember the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!”

After a series of similar comments, the e-mail concludes: “To use this stamp would be a slap in the face to all those AMERICANS who diaed at the hands of those whom this stamp honors.

“REMEMBER: Pass this along to every Patriotic AMERICAN that you know and let’s get the word out!!!”

According to the USPS, the stamp “commemorates the two most important festivals — or eids — in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each other ‘Eid mubarak,’ the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. ‘Eid mubarak’ translates literally as ‘blessed festival,’ and can be paraphrased as ‘May your religious holiday be blessed.’”

The e-mail falsely claims that the stamp is new, and that its creation was ordered by President Barack Obama. In fact, the stamp was first issued in 2001, and was reissued in 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Piper defended his actions, saying the e-mail was neither anti-Muslim nor anti-Islamic.

“I don’t see any reason why it would be inappropriate,” Piper said.

He said he forwarded the e-mail to provide “information” that others could make up their own minds about.

“I was surprised at a stamp being developed, and would have thought others would be, too,” he said. He added that he did not know what the stamp was commemorating.

Piper also said he was struck by the reminder of several terrorist attacks against Americans.

“I read it and thought about the bombings of our buildings, of our national buildings,” Piper said. “In my mind, it presented an image of mass death at the hands of Muslims.”

He added later, “I don’t believe, just for the record, that all Muslims are linked together with radical Muslims that are out to harm Americans … I have several good Muslim friends.”

The e-mail repeatedly refers only to “Muslims,” and does not use any adjectives such as “radical.”

News of Piper’s actions traveled quickly, reaching national news organizations and interest groups.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations announced in a news release that it would send a copy of the Quran to Piper and each city council member. CAIR is the country’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization.

Locally, Ahmed Joudah, president of the Islamic Center of Clarksville, said the e-mail represents “appalling ignorance of what Islam is, and who Muslims are.”

“I laughed when I read it, but at the same time, I felt sorry that we still have people around us that think that way,” Joudah said.

Joudah said he was unsure why Piper would have forwarded the e-mail.

“I don’t want to say harsh things, because he’s a very nice man,” he said. “I know him personally, and he’s a very nice, decent man.”

With 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, Joudah said it is unfair to blame all Muslims for the actions of a radical fringe. Likewise, Joudah said it would be unfair to resent all of Clarksville for the acts of vandalism by a few against their local mosque.

“I cannot deny and I cannot be unfair to my neighbor,” Joudah said.

Austin Peay State University philosophy professor Bert Randall, who is a published author and student on Islamic culture, provided the following reaction to Piper’s e-mail, emphasizing that his thoughts were his personal opinion and not the university’s.

“I am puzzled by the e-mail. Last year about this time, Mayor Piper and I were the only two members of the Clarksville community, out of dozens who were invited, to share in the celebration Eid al-Fitr, the end of fasting during Ramadan,” said Randall, who indicated his pleasure that Piper’s comments to the Muslim community stressed a respect for Islam as well as the importance of the Muslim community for the spiritual growth of Clarksville.

“This is why I accept as genuine his response that he did not mean to stereotype all Muslims as terrorists. While all of the events he mentions in the e-mail are correct, his use of the term Muslim in each event communicates a message that will be interpreted in a way different than he intended,” Randall said, stressing current events provide context and frame of reference influencing perspective.

“Further, as a student of Islam, I am appalled by perversions of the Quran used by terrorists to justify violence in the name of God. Stereotypes are always based on lack of knowledge and fear,” he said.

Randall emphasized his view that responsible community leaders, teachers and preachers promote “respect for all of God’s children and to work to unify rather than separate the wonderful diversities that make America different than other nations, we have a special responsibility to carefully and judiciously choose our words.

“Like Mayor Piper, there have been many times that I have meant to communicate one thing but it has been perceived as somthing quite different. Boycotting the stamp is an action based on stereotypes,” Randall said. “Rather, we should celebrate its use as a part of what makes Amrica great.”

Ward 8 Councilman David Allen said he called the mayor after he read the e-mail. After speaking with him, Allen said he took the mayor “at his word” that he was sorry if he’d offended anyone.

“I hate it, because it puts our city in a bad light,” Allen said. “It’s good to be patriotic, but it’s bad to stereotype.”

Allen said Clarksville is a diverse city, largely due to Fort Campbell, and should be recognized as such. Indeed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Clarksville’s rate of foreign-born citizens, 5 percent, is twice the state average.

Allen said it also puts Piper in a false light.

“I know him,” he said. “I know that’s not who he is.”

Allen said the main thing left to do is move on.

“It’s just kind of like a lesson learned — don’t forward everything you get,” he said.

According to a copy of the e-mail obtained by The Leaf-Chronicle, Piper forwarded the e-mail to every city council member and every department head.

He also sent it to a “City General” e-mail group, which, according to City Communications Director Christie Hill, goes to every city employee with an e-mail account.

Additionally, the e-mail was sent by name to Chief of Staff Jim Durrett; former communications director Missy Graham; Valerie Catignani, his administrative assistant; Debbie Johnson, an administrative assistant in the city’s Legal Office; City Clerk Sylvia Skinner; Wayne Wilkinson, chairman of the Power Board; and Power Board members Tom Cassetty, Mabel Larson and Charles Hand. It was also sent to four other e-mail accounts whose identities are unclear, but at least two of whom appear to be Piper relatives.

Even as the story was breaking Friday morning on The Leaf-Chronicle online, some recipients were already passing along the e-mail.

Brittnye Tranberg, marketing and public relations supervisor for the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department, forwarded the e-mail from her city of Clarksville account to 16 recipients, including the The Leaf-Chronicle’s sports editor and local radio station WJZM.

After lunch Friday, Piper sent a second e-mail to the same recipient list. It read, in full: “My forwarding of the e-mail earlier was motivated by its reference to senseless acts of terror still haunting many Americans and their families today. My love of country and sympathy for those who have suffered losses overshadowed the reality that the e-mail could hurt or offend others. I regret any hurt or offense it may have caused others.”

Piper called The Leaf-Chronicle before 4 p.m. Friday to clarify his actions and previous remarks.

“It was an innocent sending off, but I’m not taking it back, either,” he said. “I don’t like people killing Americans.”