Garwood man says home’s flag represents Islam, not ISIS, is not anti-American
GARWOOD — A photo of a Garwood home flying a black flag with an Islamic message has gone viral on Twitter after it was posted Tuesday morning, with commenters expressing concern the resident supports the ISIS jihadist group, with whom the flag is sometimes associated. The Winslow Place resident, Mark Dunaway, 44, told NJ.com he has flown the flag for at least 10 years during Ramadan and on Fridays when he goes to mosque without issue, until the photo of his home was posted on Twitter by @Marc_Leibowitz.
By Jessica Remo | NJ Advance Media, for NJ.com
on August 13, 2014 at 6:20 PM, updated August 14, 2014 at 2:16 PM
GARWOOD — A photo of a Garwood home flying a black flag with an Islamic message has gone viral on Twitter after it was posted Tuesday morning, with commenters expressing concern the resident supports the ISIS jihadist group, with whom the flag is sometimes associated.
The Winslow Place resident, Mark Dunaway, 44, told NJ.com he has flown the flag for at least 10 years during Ramadan and on Fridays when he goes to mosque without issue, until the photo of his home was posted on Twitter by @Marc_Leibowitz.
“I understand now that people turn on CNN and see the flag associated with jihad, but that’s not the intention of that flag at all,” Dunaway said. “It says ‘There is only one god, Allah, and the prophet Muhammad is his messenger.’ It’s not meant to be a symbol of hate. Islam is all about unity and peace. I am not a part of any group like that, and I’m not anti-American. I love my country, but I am a Muslim.”
Dunaway said when Garwood police spoke to him Tuesday, he had no idea a photo of his home was on Twitter and he removed the flag voluntarily given the public concern.
https://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2014/08/garwood_resident_removes_isis_flag.html
He can fly whatever flag he wants.
I have lived in Ridgewood in the same for 21 years, my elderly dad watched my house while we were on vacation and hung our flag off the porch. He by mistake hung it the wrong way. (note his car has 5 flag stickers on it, every other shirt has a flag and he has a flag belt).
We received the nastiest letter in the mail about it, of course the coward did not sign there name. Obviously they watch to much TV. I am so upset about it our flag will never fly again on our house.
A flag was hung by mistake and the rudeness was unwarranted. My dad commented on it disappearance and did not have the heart to tell him the truth.
Get over yourselves people!!!!!
When did garwood start hanging the flag?
Is it a recent thing or has he been doing it for years?
Doesn’t change his right to hang it,
but could say a lot about its meaning…
Been hanging it for 10 years – pretty strong evidence it was not hung to support ISIS.
I can fly the papal flag if I want. To each his own.