Recently, Cranberry’s own Domenico’s Ristorante has received some media attention over owner Michael Pollice’s controversial sign posted in front of his restaurant.  

WPXI covered just two days ago Mr. Pollice’s message, which read: “Flying remote control airplanes into Muslim people at the mall is my thing.”  When questioned, Mr. Pollice was quoted saying that, “It’s not real deep because I am a shallow person”  (Link to the WPXI article by clicking here). 

Mr. Pollice received enough negative feedback from the Cranberry and surrounding area’s community to respond with a new sign, which was posted Saturday. The current sign reads: “If this sign offends you then call a dead soldier’s parents to complain.”

Well Mr. Pollice, this sign does offend me, but I will certainly not be complaining to the families who have lost loved ones in a tragic war on this Memorial Day weekend or anytime.

I understand that a sign posted within view of Route 19 with various controversial messages attracts publicity for Domenico’s, but is the restaurant doing so poorly that it needs to insult an entire religious community in order to gain new patrons?  

Mr. Pollice himself admitted that he is a “shallow person,” so I can hardly assume that he is actually advocating the public taunting of Muslims while using the sentiments of military families to excuse his own religious intolerance—and on Memorial Day weekend!

I completely respect Mr. Pollice’s right to post whatever message he would like in front of his own private business. Despite being a former constant patron of his establishment, I know that Mr. Pollice will respect my right to encourage Cranberry and the surrounding area’s residents to refuse to eat at this restaurant until Mr. Pollice publicly apologizes for his rash insults attacking the Muslim community.

I feel confident that the upstanding citizens of Cranberry Township are well aware that the United States of America is not at war with the Muslim community, and it was but a tiny faction of the Muslim extremist community that advocated the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11/2001.  

For the sake of Mr. Pollice’s own lack of knowledge, here is some brief information that he may find helpful.

The Islamic (Muslim) community is the second largest religion in the world. With more than one billion members, Muslims make up over 20 percent of the world’s population and is the only religion actually growing in size. Muslims primarily reside in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and in various countries in Asia

It is illegal for the U.S. census to ask for religious affiliation, but the United States includes a large population of Muslims. Famous American Muslims include Cat Stevens, Fareed Zakaria, Mike Tyson, Dave Chappelle, and Dr. Oz.

Muslims did not attack the United States of America on 9/11 or any other day. Al Queda was the aggressor, an extremist terrorist group. Osama Bin Laden has both denied and made claims that he led the attacks. This was in response to American troops remaining in Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War.

The attacks against the American people were condemned internationally by the Muslim community and multiple Muslim interest groups.

I will not go any further. As anyone can see, this information is readily available from multiple sources, and as I have said before, I am fairly certain that Cranberry and surrounding areas are well aware that it was not the Muslims who attacked the U.S.A., and we are not fighting the Islamic faith in the Middle East.  

Attitudes like Mr. Pollice’s only create hatred and intolerance while enabling our elected officials to declare war on any country under the banner “War on Terror” that some constituents incorrectly believe to mean “War on Islam.”  

Is the United States and the whole of the Christian community at fault for the kind of extremist bigotry that calls for acts of violence against Muslim Americans?  

No.  

We as a community do not encourage nor condone any actions fueled by the irrational and unfounded hatred of innocent people.  

This is a community of informed and peaceful people who wish to celebrate the memories of those who have served this great country with jubilation and hope for a world where prejudice and hate does not prevail.     

Shame on you Mr. Pollice for representing your community so poorly.