I am surprised at the lack of reasoning when it comes to this false claim. Take a look at the source - World Net Daily. They are known for providing twisted and false information to try and derail people. And it works. You may believe what you want, even when it doesn't gel with the facts. Enjoy your fear and paranoia.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion dncprayer.asp#MmpcuhRMdq7RAM1J.99
Cardinal Rule
Claim: The Obama campaign is sponsoring an "Islamic Jumah" at the Democratic National Convention but declined to allow a prayer from a Catholic cardinal.
FALSE
Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2012]
Did President Obama deny a Catholic Cardinal's request to say a prayer at the Democratic National Convention at the same time allow 20,000 followers of Islam start the DNC with a jummah prayer? I saw this on Facebook.
Origins: In August 2012, news outlets such as the New York Post reported that Catholic official Timothy Cardinal Dolan, who was to perform the closing benediction at the upcoming Republican National Convention, had offered to perform the same function at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, but had not yet received an invitation to do so:
[...] Cardinal Timothy Dolan told Democrats he would be "grateful" to deliver a blessing [at the Democratic National Convention] in Charlotte.
Dolan — considered the top Catholic official in the nation, as head of the Archdiocese of New York and president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops — tipped off Democrats that he had agreed to deliver the prime-time benediction at the Republican convention in Tampa, Dolan's spokesman Joseph Zwilling [said].
"He wanted to make sure that they knew that this was not a partisan act on his part and that he would be just as happy and grateful to accept an invitation from the Democrats as he would to have received one from the Republicans," said Zwilling.
"He has not been contacted by them" since, he added.
However, four days later Cardinal Dolan announced that he had indeed accepted an invitation to give the closing benediction at the Democratic National Convention:
Cardinal Timothy Dolan has accepted an invitation to give the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Dolan, the archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also will give the closing benediction at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.
When he accepted that invitation, Dolan said his appearance would be prayerful, not political, a sentiment reiterated by his spokesman in announcing his appearance at the DNC.
"It was made clear to the Democratic Convention organizers, as it was to the Republicans, that the Cardinal was coming solely as a pastor, only to pray, not to endorse any party, platform, or candidate," cardinal spokesman Joseph Zwilling said.
The Bureau of Indigenous Muslim Affairs (BIMA) is hosting an open air Jumah Congregational Prayer at Marshall Park, Charlotte, North Carolina, on 31 August 2012. However, that prayer offering is an independent, non-convention community event which will take place four days prior to the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte on 4 September 2012 and is neither sponsored by the Democratic National Convention Committee nor a part of the official convention schedule.
As reported in the Charlotte Observer, the Jumah Congregational Prayer is one of about a thousand non-official events timed to coincide with the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, and BIMA expected to hold similar activities in conjunction with the Republican National Convention:
A national Muslim American organization plans a series of events to coincide with the Democratic National Convention in September.
The kick-off for its three days of events begins with a jummah prayer, the weekly mid-afternoon Friday prayer, at Marshall Park in uptown. Other events include an Islamic issues conference and banquet, and a cultural festival held in different parts of the city, including at the Park Expo and Conference Center off Independence Boulevard.
At a news conference at Marshall Park, Jibril Hough, a local Muslim activist and spokesman for the nonprofit Bureau of Indigenous Muslim Affairs, said the events will be open to anyone.
Hough, who expects up to 20,000 Muslims to attend the events, said he spoke to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe about the public prayer in particular and was told to go ahead with it.
Hough said the events are scheduled for several reasons: including to hold political parties accountable for issues that affect Muslim-Americans.
There were 1,200 nonofficial convention-related events during the DNC in Denver in 2008. Charlotte expects about 1,000, said Suzi Emmerling, spokeswoman for the host committee Charlotte In 2012.
Emmerling said the host committee will publicize events for those groups that want their events to be made public.
"The host committee is trying to keep track of all events and also let our partners at CMPD know what's going on so that they can allocate their resources appropriately," Emmerling said.
Muhammad Jaaber, executive director of the Bureau of Indigenous Muslim Affairs, said smaller events are planned for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., in late August.
As noted on the Charlotte in 2012 web site, which lists the events happening around town during the week of the Democratic National Convention (including the Jumah Congregational Prayer):
This events page is intended to give local residents and convention-goers a comprehensive look at convention week activities and should not be considered an endorsement of any particular event or group by the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee or the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). Official convention events are denoted with the Charlotte in 2012 or DNCC logos. All other submissions are user generated.
(The Jumah Congregational Prayer is not listed with a Charlotte in 2012 or DNCC logo denoting an official convention event.)
Last updated: 28 August 2012
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2012 by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson.
This material may not be reproduced without permission.
snopes and the snopes.com logo are registered service marks of snopes.com.
Sources:
Campanile, Carl. "Cardinal Sin: Bam Blew Off DNC Blessing."
The New York Post. 24 August 2012.
Cusido, Carmen. "Muslims to Host Events During DNC; Up to 20,000 Could Attend."
The Charlotte Observer. 2 July 2012.
Marrapodi, Eric. "Dolan to Pray at Democratic National Convention."
CNN. 28 August 2012.
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