Utah Muslims Express Concerns Over Lawmaker's Controversial Post
The video, showing Shia Muslims dressed in black and carrying flags during a religious pilgrimage in Taylorsville, has sparked significant online backlash.
It’s unclear exactly what Lee’s post intended, but it was posted with the caption “in the small town of Taylorsville, Utah.” In the comments, Lee added quote, “not a single American flag in sight.”
The video, posted by Lee, has been viewed over 5.4 million times as of Tuesday afternoon. It shows women and children, many wearing black chadors, participating in a sacred pilgrimage called Arbaeen. This pilgrimage commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and is a significant event for Shia Muslims.
Avais Ahmed, founder of the Utah Muslim Civic League, explained that the pilgrimage marks the 40th day after Imam Hussein's martyrdom, a day of mourning for Shia Muslims. "It’s a very sacred date for Muslims and our Shia community in particular," Ahmed said.
Lee's post included the caption, "in the small town of Taylorsville, Utah," and a comment, "not a single American flag in sight." Ahmed interpreted this as a political statement, suggesting the event was un-American. "It felt Islamophobic, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and that he was ignorant of what was going on," Ahmed said, KSL TV reported.
The video has had a significant impact on the local Shia community. "I have talked to some members of our Shia community who felt very hurt and misunderstood by that post," Ahmed added.
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The participants in the video are members of the Alrasool Islamic Center in Taylorsville. Hassan Mardanlou, a member of the center's executive committee, stated that the march has been an annual event for many years.
Speaking to The Salt Lake Tribune, he emphasized that the U.S. Constitution protects Muslims' speech and religious freedoms.
Rep. Lee was scheduled for an interview with KSL TV but canceled, citing work commitments. When asked via text about the post, Lee responded, "Those are stupid questions," and declined to answer further, accusing the media of bias.
“Our door is open for everybody — please, please say this to everybody,” Mardanlou continued. “We don’t have any animosity toward anybody. … Some people misunderstand our religion — until you come and see us in person, you don’t know who we are.”
Source: Agencies
