The African Development Center, the local group the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency partnered with to try and help Muslims become homeowners, put up a statement responding to former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty‘s remarks implying he shut the program down because helping Muslims acquire mortages was somehow bad:
ADC had no idea that the NMMP was ordered to be shut down by Governor Pawlenty because ADC never worked directly with his office, as this product was private –public partnership assisted by Minnesota Housing. Regrettably, ADC was not invited or included in any discussions or decisions by the former Governor or his administration regarding the direction given to Minnesota Housing to halt this product.
The African Development Center of Minnesota strongly believes the United States of America is exceptional country and is a beacon of hope for many throughout the globe. She can only shine and maintain her status as an economic powerhouse when she is tolerant, accepting, and uniting of her diverse constituency. ADC also believes that vast majority of Moslems in America want to see an inclusive and stronger America, and the only way to ensure this is by not demonizing all of Islam, including those who practice it here in the U.S. Islamic extremism will truly be defeated when the majority of American Moslems are genuinely proud of their country and able to fully participate in the economic and civic life of the United States of America. While it is necessary to work collectively to prevent those who want to harm this country and its way of life, it needs to be done in a way that maintains respect and the celebration in the differences and diversity of this great nation.
Clearly, they’re a little taken aback by the idea that the program had to be shut down because sharia-compliant mortgages are somehow dangerous or objectionable.