By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — The Rev. Terry Jones, famous for threatening to burn the Quran and for his speeches denouncing Islam, is scheduled to speak Oct. 10 at Edsel Ford High School at the request of several Dearborn residents who are affected by Muslim aggression, he said in a press release.
The exact time is undetermined.
The Gainesville, Fla., pastor came to Dearborn in April to speak in front of the Islamic Center of America — to a handful of residents and the media — and several times before that to discuss his beliefs about Islam being a threat to American values, and his allegations that preferential treatment of Muslims costs taxpayers thousands of dollars.
Jones said in the press release that in the last two years there has been an increase in tension in the city because of “aggressive bullying by gangs of Muslim youths.”
The press release said Jones and Stand Up America Now, a Christian non-profit organization, plan to stand in protest with those victimized by bullying in the area by Muslim youths, according to the press release.
Jones said the rise in bullying caused school officials to place video cameras in the school hallways, but problems still occur.
“The victims of the bullying and aggression are accused of starting the trouble and are punished,” Jones said in the press release. “But the Muslim youths are not punished.”
Dearborn Schools Communications Coordinator David Mustonen said security cameras have been in the schools for years but they were put up for the general safety of students.
“They have nothing to do with bullying,” Mustonen said. “They have everything to do with maintaining a safe environment.”
In the press release, Jones said often criminal acts are not paid much attention because local officials are corrupt.
“Whether officials do this out of Muslim sympathies or because of fear, we see a pattern repeating itself, a pattern of appeasing Islam that is common in Europe,” the press release said.
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at [email protected])