Official refuses copy of Quran
BY MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
2/15/08 at 4:38 AM
The latest on this story: 16 lawmakers reject copy of Quran
The latest on this story: More legislators turn down copies of the Quran
Vote in a poll: Do you agree or disagree with state Rep. Rex Duncan's and two dozen other lawmakers' refusals to accept centennial copies of the Quran, offered as gifts to legislators by the members of the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council?
OKLAHOMA CITY — A state
lawmaker strongly objected Monday
to receiving a centennial copy
of the Quran, compliments of the
Governor’s Ethnic American Advisory
Council.
Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand
Springs, wrote his fellow legislators
that he is refusing a copy of the
Quran because, “Most Oklahomans
do not endorse the idea of
killing innocent women and children
in the name of ideology.”
Marjaneh Seirafi-Pour, a Muslim
and chairwoman of the governor’s
council, said she received a call
from Duncan wondering whether
state money was used to buy the
books.
“Members of the Oklahoma
Muslim community paid for copies
of the Quran,” she said.
They include businessmen, doctors and professors, she
added.
“We are not trying to
force anything on anyone,’’
Seirafi-Pour said, ‘‘This is a
peaceful, thoughtful project
to introduce ourselves to
leaders.”
She estimated that there
are 30,000 to 50,000 Muslims
in Oklahoma.
Duncan, a lieutenant colonel
in the Oklahoma National
Guard, countered: “I
know that not all Muslims
are terrorists, but I don’t
know of another religion or
ideology that employs terrorism
and the threat of terrorism.’’
Seirafi-Pour said she has
been in the United States for
24 years and is a citizen.
The chairwoman said her
children had attended Norman
public schools.
The woman applauded
Oklahoma for being “very
inclusive, very diverse,” and
this is a way the Muslim
community can thank the
state during this centennial
year.
This spring, the Baptist
General Convention of
Oklahoma distributed copies
of a centennial Bible.
Duncan said he was
pleased to receive the Bible.
“I don’t know any Christians
who run around using
the Bible as their basis of
justification or instruction
booklet to keep killing innocent
people,” he said.
In an e-mail to legislators,
Seirafi-Pour said, “The Holy
Quran is the record of the
exact words revealed by
God through the Angel Gabriel
to the Prophet Muhammad.”
Her communication noted
that if people did not
wish to receive a copy, they
could let her know. She said
that so far, she was aware of
only Duncan’s refusal.
Mick Hinton (405) 528-2465
mick.hinton@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
NO QURAN
Rex Duncan:
The legislator
refused to accept
a copy of the
Muslim scriptures.
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