Lee,
"If you're Arab, if you're Muslim, you are my brother and sister and countrymen."
Being fellow countrymen does not mean everyone else must accept having one group's religious practices broadcast into their homes.
Muslims began forming a community in Dearborn during the 1920s, and the "American Moslem Society" established its Dearborn mosque in 1938. The Society's current website claims that its outdoor loudspeakers began operating in 2004. Reporting, however, proves they were operating as early as 1979.
The mosque was broadcasting the Islamic call to prayer over outdoor loudspeakers five times a day beginning at 5:30 in the morning. Residents said it could be heard half a mile away.
That history illustrates the point of this thread. As they have grown in numbers and political influence, they have begun pushing their worship and culture onto everyone else. Private worship is a constitutional right. Broadcasting a religious declaration throughout the entire neighborhood forces nonbelievers to listen, whether they wish to or not.
Muslims have the same constitutional rights as Christians, Jews and everyone else. They do not have a special right to ignore noise laws or require an entire neighborhood to accommodate their prayer schedule. Neither does any other religion.
America should welcome people who want to become Americans while retaining their personal faith and heritage. But assimilation also means accepting that public life is governed by the Constitution and laws applied equally to everyone. Bringing your culture to America is one thing. But expecting everyone to submit to your religious practices is another.
We need to nip this in the bud now before they become politically entrenched in American society.
Other countries demonstrate how difficult such demands become to reverse once government officials are afraid or politically unwilling to say no.
The call to prayer is only one example of religious practices and demands being pushed beyond the Muslim community and imposed upon the public. Read this entire thread and follow the links for further examples and supporting information.
Mystery meat coming soon to your nearest supermarket.