Reposting criticism of Islam costs coach job

A Maine lacrosse coach who reposted on Facebook a viral open letter challenging President Obama's claim that Muslims have played a role in America throughout its history has lost his job.

The Conway Daily Sun reported Scott Lees, who had coached the Fryeburg Academy's boys lacrosse team for four years, was forced to resign over the posting.

"I thought it was an interesting letter to President Obama and his current administration, who are not paying attention to Israel and focusing on Iran," he told the Sun.

The school, whose team was winless the first year Lee coached but reached the playoffs last year, reportedly had told the coach he would have to leave, so he resigned, the report said.

Late Tuesday, WND was unable to make contact with anyone at Fryeburg Academy to obtain a comment.

The letter, which has been circulating on the Web, is a challenge to Obama's statement in Cairo, Egypt, early in his administration that Islam "has always been a part of America's history."

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The letter asks: "Have you ever seen a Muslim hospital? Have you heard a Muslim orchestra? Have you seen a Muslim band march in a parade? Have you witnessed a Muslim charity?"

"Were those Muslims that were in America when the Pilgrims first landed? Funny, I thought they were Native American Indians. Were those Muslims that celebrated the first Thanksgiving day? Sorry again, those were Pilgrims and Native American Indians. Can you show me one Muslim signature on the United States Constitution? Declaration of Independence? Bill of Rights? Didn’t think so. Did Muslims fight for this country’s freedom from England? No. Did Muslims fight during the Civil War to free the slaves in America? No, they did not. In fact, Muslims to this day are still the largest traffickers in human slavery. Your own half-brother, a devout Muslim, still advocates slavery himself, even though Muslims of Arabic descent refer to black Muslims as 'pug nosed slaves.' Says a lot of what the Muslim world really thinks of your family's 'rich Islamic heritage,' doesn't it Mr. Obama?"

The piece also questions Muslim participation in the Civil Rights Movement and the pursuit of Women's Suffrage. It points out Muslims were aligned with Adolf Hitler during World War II and were found "rejoicing" after the 9/11 attacks.

Islam expert Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch wrote: "Freedom of speech, you say? Increasingly not, in the United States: those who dare notice jihad violence and Islamic supremacism are vilified, marginalized, and defamed. When Scott Lees was fired, was truth a criterion? Apparently not."

The Sun said Lees, 48, who calls himself a politically independent conservative, posted the letter on his personal Facebook page March 17.

The school reacted immediately, and he resigned two days later.

"He said that although he was supposed to meet with Head of Schools Erin Mayo and Dean Charlie Tryder on March 19, Athletic Director Sue Thurston told him a decision to fire him had already been made," the Sun reported.

School officials now are looking for a replacement.

The job pays only $3,200 over the course of the spring, and Lees said that works out to about $7 an hour.

He said as a coach he never heard of a policy regarding what coaches could do with their personal social media.

At the Gateway Pundit blog, Jim Hoft wrote: "The first mosque constructed in the United States was not built until 1929 on a remote prairie in North Dakota. Before that the U.S. fought Barbary Muslims pirates off the Mediterranean coast in 1801."

Lees, a property manager, said he got the letter from a friend, and he posted it "to see what people would say," the Daily Sun reported.

A Muslim former student told the newspaper that Lees was never viewed as a bigot. The student, in fact, stayed in Lees' home with the family when he needed to visit the region a few years ago.

The school's website provides contact details for those with comments.