Palm Bay, Are muslims a part of our community?
The following is an opinion piece written a citizen of the community and does not reflect the views of Palm Bay Live LLC or its subsidiaries.
Palm Bay City Councilman Chandler Langevin, or as many are now calling him “The Randy Fine wannabe” & “sock puppet” has made headlines, once again, recently making statements asserting that Muslims “do not belong in this great nation” and advocating for bombing Lebanon to restore a Christian majority. News flash Chandler, The history of Islam and Christianity is deeply intertwined, sharing significant theological and historical connections. Both religions trace their origins to Abraham, recognize many of the same prophets—including Moses, David, and Jesus—and uphold similar moral teachings. Islam reveres Jesus (Isa) as a prophet and honors his mother, Mary (Maryam), more times in the Quran than she is mentioned in the Bible. For centuries, Christian and Muslim communities have coexisted, influenced each other culturally, and even preserved each other’s sacred texts and knowledge. Lebanon itself is a testament to this coexistence, historically serving as a melting pot of religions where Christians and Muslims have lived together for generations.
The suggestion that bombing Lebanon would “restore” Christianity is not only historically ignorant but morally reprehensible. Such rhetoric echoes the darkest chapters of human history, where religious intolerance led to devastating wars, genocide, and suffering. Or is this in line with the handful of MAGA’s who say the quiet parts out loud, and are afraid of their own extinctions? TRUE faith does not demand destruction; it calls for understanding, respect, and coexistence. Advocating violence in the name of any religion is a fundamental betrayal of its core teachings, although many in Brevard have come to understand the real motives of those local politicians kissing the asses of the elites and not serving EVERYONE.
Let’s move on to the contributions of Muslims in American Society and even here in Brevard County.
Muslims have been an integral part of the United States since its inception, long before you were born and definitely long after you’ve departed, contributing significantly across various sectors, including medicine, engineering, business, and the arts. In Palm Bay and the surrounding areas, Muslim-owned businesses enrich the community.
For instance, the many Restaurants in Palm Bay that offer authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, contribute to the local economy and cultural diversity in far more ways than you can imagine. How about Dr. Imami, a surgeon with Health First? How about the Honorable Judge Majeed? Just two examples of the many respected and valued members of our communities that you’re saying do not belong here. Will Health First, Brevard County Government, and others stand up and denounce this rhetoric as well!?
The importance of diversity may be lost on some, but those who value cultural understanding are willing to learn and educate others. Diverse communities consistently prove to be more innovative and economically prosperous, benefiting EVERYONE. Diversity fosters a variety of perspectives, leading to better decision-making and problem-solving.
In cities like Palm Bay, embracing residents from various cultural and religious backgrounds enhances social cohesion and economic vitality. It makes me wonder if statements like this from Chandler this will cause serious harm to those who listen to closely to politicians and take matters into their own hands. It shouldn’t be – but apparently is still – surprising that elected officials need to evaluate their words and actions extremely carefully as we’ve seen on Jan 6th at our nations capital!
The dangers of segregationist rhetoric and promoting the exclusion of any group based on religion or ethnicity is not only morally reprehensible but also poses tangible dangers. Such rhetoric can lead to increased discrimination, social fragmentation, and even violence. History has shown, despite extremist political actors such as Chandler, that societies embracing inclusivity thrive, while those that don’t often face internal strife.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution GUARANTEES individuals the right to practice their religion without government interference. Singling out a specific religious group contradicts these foundational values and undermines the rights that countless Americans have fought to protect.
In conclusion, Langevin’s statements not only misrepresent the Muslim community here in Brevard and the United States in a massively negative and xenophobic way, but also threaten the inclusive values that make the nation strong. It is crucial to recognize the invaluable contributions that individuals of all faiths bring to society and to uphold the principles of diversity and inclusion.
I would highly encourage you to detract the statements you’ve made in bad faith and make an equally off handed statement that you’ll work hard to earn the trust of the people in Palm Bay back. We won’t hold our breath on the latter though!
For everyone else, I would highly encourage you to give the Mayor of Palm Bay a call to express your disgust of this type of behavior and ask him to immediately denounce it.
Contact info:
Mayor Medina
120 Malabar Road
Palm Bay, FL 32907
Phone: (321) 952-3414
Email: MayorRobMedina@pbfl.org
Anthony Yantz
State Committeeman, Brevard Democrats
Community Outreach Chair
