Muslim American News Briefs, July 2, 2007
BECOME A CAIR
MEMBER
DONATE TO CAIR
* Hadith: Do Not Taunt or Abuse
* CAIR-FL: Racist Slurs Used During Attack on
Muslim Woman
- CAIR-FL: Mosque
Critic Calls Islam an ‘Evil Cult’
- MN: Minister
Supports Muslims After Hate Crime
* CAIR: GA Muslim Denied Entrance to Court
(Valdosta DT)
* ME: Official Sues Fox Over Report on Anti-Muslim
Incident
* CA: Judge Orders Man to Leave Mosque
Alone (LA Times)
* CAIR-CA: 'Ask a Muslim' Comes to KSAC
(Sacramento Bee)
* Afghanistan: 100 Civilians Die in U.S.-NATO Air
Assault (WP)
- Iraq: Al Maliki
Censures US Forces After Raid Kills 26
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: DO NOT TAUNT OR ABUSE - TOP
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “A believer does not
taunt, curse, abuse, or talk indecently.
Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 544
-----
RACIST SLURS USED DURING ATTACK ON TAMPA MUSLIM WOMAN
- TOP
CAIR-Tampa to call for hate crime charges against assailant
(TAMPA, FL, 7/1/07) - On Sunday, July 1, the Tampa chapter of the Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Tampa) will hold a news conference to
call on law enforcement authorities to bring hate crime charges against a
man who allegedly used Islamophobic and racist slurs during an attack
Saturday on a Tampa Muslim woman.
The Muslim woman, who is African-American and wears an Islamic headscarf,
says she was assaulted by a man shouting slurs such as “go back to your
country you f**king raghead.”
WHAT: CAIR News Conference About Hate Crime Against Muslim Woman
WHERE: Intersection of Morris Bridge Road and Davis Road (the site of the
incident), Tampa, FL (Near Fowler and I-75)
WHEN: Sunday, July 1, 1 p.m.
CONTACT: CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier, 813-731-9506, E-Mail:
abedier@cair.com
The victim and witnesses to the incident will be available at the news
conference.
CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 33 offices,
chapters and affiliates nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to
enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil
liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote
justice and mutual understanding.
SEE ALSO:
CAIR-FL: CONTROVERSIAL NEW MOSQUE IN POMPANO BEACH
MAY BE YEARS AWAY - TOP
Melissa Hoyos, Sun-Sentinel, 6/30/07
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbmosque0630nbjun30,0,4725797.story
Pompano Beach Abdesslan Jerrardi regularly stops at the Islamic Center of
South Florida for Friday prayers.
But Jerrardi, of Margate, longs for the day when Muslims are not packed
into the men's worship room, elbow to elbow.
"A lot people want to come here, but where's the room?" he said.
Prayer areas aren't the only tight spaces. Drivers cram cars into the
mosque's tiny parking lot or sometimes are ticketed for illegally parking
on the sidewalks near the building on Northeast Sixth Street. About 130
children learn about Islam across the street at Pompano Middle School in
seven rented classrooms.
The center's need for more space led it to plan a 29,000-square-foot
building on a 4.8-acre site in the predominantly black northwest area, a
proposal bitterly opposed by some residents who wanted to see affordable
housing there. . .
Rev. O'Neal Dozier of the Worldwide Christian Center Church, an outspoken
critic of the project who called Islam a "dangerous and evil
cult," claims the mosque's leaders share links to terrorist groups.
He wants low-income housing built on the site as the city had originally
planned.
In May, Pompano resident Rodney Wright filed suit, asking the court to
block construction of the mosque because it would be a
"nuisance."
But local Muslim leaders say the mosque is needed to serve South Florida's
growing Muslim population.
Altaf Ali, the director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations,
estimates 70,000 Muslims live in Broward, Palm and Miami-Dade counties.
There are 27 mosques in the three counties.
In Broward County, the number of Muslims increased by 2,000 people over
the past five years to 20,000, Ali said. The population in Palm Beach grew
by 1,000 to 10,000 people. (MORE)
-----
LETTER: WE STAND TOGETHER AGAINST HATE CRIMES IN
COMMUNITY - TOP
Rev. Randy Johnson, President, Great River Interfaith Partnership; Rev.
William Meier, First United Methodist Church; Rev. Dee Pederson, Pastor
St, St. Cloud Times, 7/1/07
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070701/OPINION/
107010029/1006/NEWS01
As local spiritual leaders, we were angered and saddened by the report of
an assault
on a St. Cloud Muslim man who was leaving a prayer service at the
Islamic Center across from the Methodist and Presbyterian downtown
churches.
The incident was described as a hate crime, which should not be tolerated
in our community.
As people of faith, it is important that we stand united against such acts
of violence against our neighbors. We, the undersigned, pledge to work
together to increase understanding and mutual respect in our community.
As Martin Luther King Jr. declared: "We are caught in an inescapable
network of mutuality; tied in a single garment of destiny."
-----
CAIR: GA MUSLIM DENIED ENTRANCE TO COURT - TOP
By Kelli Hernandez, Valdosta Daily Times, 6/30/07
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_181234523.html
VALDOSTA A Muslim woman seeking to contest a simple speeding ticket
was denied
access to the Valdosta courtroom of Municipal Court Judge Vernita Lee
Bender because she was wearing a traditional Islamic head scarf.
The day of her hearing, 20-year-old Aniisa Karim said she walked in the
front doors of the Municipal Court building and was told that she would
not be permitted to enter the courtroom with her scarf on even after she
explained to the security officer that she is not permitted by her
religion to remove the scarf in public. Karim said the officer called for
his lieutenant, who affirmed the decision that Karim would be barred from
the courtroom unless her scarf was removed.
“I said, ‘No, I’m Muslim, and like I told (the first officer) I wear
this for religious reasons and if you don’t allow me in the courtroom
with my scarf on basically you are violating my civil rights and my right
to a free religion because this is my religion,’” Karim said.
Karim said one of the officers told her that the denial of entry to the
courtroom was due to “homeland security reasons” and that allowing her
to enter would show “disrespect” to the judge, though Karim offered to
walk through the metal detectors and allow the officers utilize the
handheld metal detector to scan the scarf.
Karim said she asked the officers what she was supposed to do about her
ticket since she was not removing the scarf in public. The officers then
called out a court clerk who told Karim that she would be permitted to
reschedule her hearing for a future date, though she would still not be
permitted to wear her scarf into the courtroom at that time.
According to Karim, her only option was to plead nolo contendere and pay
the $168 fine since that process could be completed in the lobby without
entering the courtroom. . .
Following the advice of a family friend who is an attorney and also
Muslim, Karim contacted the Council of American-Islamic Relations,
a prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.
In response to Karim’s story, the Washington-based group wrote a letter
to Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker which stated, “We assert that
Judge Bender’s actions violated the Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct,
which states: ‘Judges shall perform judicial duties without bias or
prejudice. Judges shall not, in the performance of judicial duties, by
words or conduct manifest bias or prejudice, including but not limited to
bias or prejudice based upon race, sex, religion, national origin,
disability, age, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, and shall not
permit staff, court officials and others to subject to judicial direction
and control to do so.’”
CAIR added that under Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the
courtroom should be considered a “public facility” and denial of
access to the courtroom based on religious beliefs or practices is
therefore discriminatory.
“In addition, we believe Judge Bender’s actions are in violation of
First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to freedom of religion and equal
protection under the law. Two state supreme courts have ruled that
government must show compelling state interest in preventing religious
head coverings in a courtroom. Obviously, we believe that no such
compelling interest exists in this case,” CAIR stated in the letter.
CAIR requested that Baker “take appropriate action to ensure that the
legal, religious and civil rights of Georgians of all faiths be
maintained.” The group also asked for a formal apology from Bender and a
written assurance that Karim and all others wearing religious attire be
allowed in her courtroom.
“I feel like in the year 2007 things like this should not happen any
more,” Karim said. “Of course everyone doesn’t know everything about
different religions, but if I tell you, ‘I’m Muslim this is a part of
my religion,’ I feel like if you are a public officer you should be
educated enough to know.” (MORE)
-----
LEVESQUE SUING FOX TO DETER 'RECKLESS' REPORTING - TOP
Bonnie Washuk, Sun Journal, 7/1/07
http://www.sunjournal.com/story/219134-3/LewistonAuburn/Levesque_
suing_Fox_to_deter_reckless_reporting/
The lawyer representing Lewiston School Superintendent Leon Levesque said
Saturday that Levesque is suing the Fox News Network "for what they
dragged him through," and to deter "irresponsible and
reckless" reporting.
Lawyer Bernard J. Kubetz of Bangor said he fully supports the right of the
media to report the news, "but when a broadcast giant like Fox acts
this irresponsibly and reckless without regard to the impact it can have,
there should be an opportunity for a jury to hear what happened."
Levesque is suing Fox News Network and two of its anchors for libel and
slander as part of a civil complaint. The complaint is seeking damages in
excess of $75,000, and was filed by Levesque, not in his role as
superintendent for the Lewiston School Department. . .
On April 19 the Sun Journal published a story about a Lewiston Middle
School student who was suspended after he left a ham steak on a table
where Somali students were having lunch, knowing ham is offensive to
Muslims. The Sun Journal later was told it was a ham bone leftover from an
Easter meal.
In the story Levesque said the incident did not reflect the moral values
of the school. "We need to take a look at this and review how a
careless act is degrading and causes hurt to other people," Levesque
said. "All our students should feel welcome and safe in our
schools."
A parody of the story was displayed April 23 on the Web site Associated
Content. The parody changed the ham steak to a ham sandwich. The
Associated Content story quoted Levesque saying ridiculous things he never
uttered, including that, "Children have got to learn that ham is not
a toy, and that there are consequences for being nonchalant about where
you put a sandwich."
Kubetz said he suspects Fox saw the fake story and aired it without
fact-checking. (MORE)
-----
CA: JUDGE ORDERS MAN TO LEAVE IRVINE MOSQUE
ALONE - TOP
Worshipers say they reported him to authorities after he asked to become a
convert and began talking about jihad.
H.G. Reza, Los Angeles Times, 6/30/07
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-me-muslim30jun30,1,4211787.story
At the beginning, worshipers at the Islamic Center of Irvine said, they
thought Craig Monteilh was just an overzealous convert when he criticized
U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. But when he started talking about
jihad and dropped oblique references to violence, congregants contacted
authorities.
On Friday, an Orange County judge issued a restraining order barring
Monteilh from going near the mosque and its employees. Members of the
mosque testified Friday in court that the FBI opened an investigation
earlier this month.
An FBI spokeswoman declined to confirm or deny that an investigation was
underway.
Monteilh, 44, has not responded to numerous telephone calls and e-mails
seeking comment and did not appear at the hearing. He told mosque members
he worked as a personal fitness trainer.
In interviews and testimony at Friday's hearing, four men said Monteilh
appeared at the Islamic Center in September and said he wanted to convert.
Mohammad Elsisy, a mosque volunteer who teaches Arabic, said Monteilh
wanted to be called Farouk Monteilh and appeared eager to learn about
Islam.
But earlier this year, Monteilh began shifting religious discussions to
jihad, or holy war, talking about "operations" against U.S.
military targets, and suggested that he had access to weapons, said Ashruf
Zied. No weapons were seen, Zied said in an interview.
"I said, 'Dude, stop right there, What are you talking about?' "
said Zied, a software engineer who said that he was born in Ohio and that
his father worked for NATO. "I was trying to steer the guy in the
right direction. He was talking about something that's taboo."
Zied, who testified at the court hearing, said that he was frightened by
Monteilh's rhetoric, and that it was the last discussion between the two.
They used to socialize, but after that talk, Zied said, he changed his
phone number so Monteilh could not contact him.
Former Islamic Center president Asim Khan testified that several
worshipers felt threatened by Monteilh and that he talked about getting
involved "in a 9/11-type operation."
Some stopped attending mosque because of him, Khan said.
"We're members of the American community, and it's our duty as
Americans to make law enforcement aware of these activities," he
testified. (MORE)
-----
CAIR-CA: 'ASK A MUSLIM' COMES TO KSAC - TOP
Sacramento Bee, 6/29/07
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/ticket/archives/007500.html
That irrepressible leftie radio host Christine Craft (right) on KSAC (1240
AM) has introduced a new weekly feature that, at first blush, sounds
racist but actually is meant to foster ethnic and religious understanding.
It's called "Ask a Muslim," and it features Craft and Basim
Elkarra (left), the executive director of CAIR's (Council on
American-Islamic Relations) Sacramento office, who will field listener
questions during the 5 o'clock hour of Craft's show each Wednesday.
"Basim is articulate and very funny, and that's one of the reasons
he's so effective a communicator," Craft says. "He's well versed
on the intricacies of Islam but can make it come across clearly and with
humor." (MORE)
-----
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AVOID LINKING TERRORISM
WITH ISLAM, UNLIKE REPUBLICANS - TOP
KEN HERMAN, Cox
News Service, 7/1/07
The presidential campaign debate about what to do about terrorism now
includes a debate about how to talk about terrorism.
While GOP presidential candidates are not shy about using phrases like
"Islamic terrorism" that link the tactic to a specific religion,
Democrats largely avoid that connection.
GOP front-runner Rudy Giuliani says it tells you something - something he
believes is negative - about Democrats.
"During their two debates they never mentioned the word Islamic
terrorist, Islamic extremist, Islamic fascist, terrorist, whatever
combination of those words you want to use, (the) words never came
up," Giuliani said Tuesday in Virginia Beach. "Maybe it's
politically incorrect to say that. I don't know. I can't imagine who you
insult if you say Islamic terrorist. You don't insult anyone who is
Islamic who isn't a terrorist."
Giuliani also offered a slightly tweaked version of a popular disclaimer
about Islam and terrorism.
"I recognize that this does not involve most Islamic people," he
said of terrorism. "I also recognize it involves more than an
insignificant number of people who organize themselves around a perversion
of the religion."
Giuliani said he has been "studying" Islamic terrorism since
1975 and found its perpetrators to be "some of the most violent
people in the world."
Muqtedar Khan, an Islam expert at the University of Delaware and the
Brookings Institution, said the terminology matters and U.S. outreach to
the Muslim world is hurt by the use of phrases such as "Islamic
terrorism."
"It reflects a great amount of ignorance of what is really happening
because many of those so-called terrorists are not fighting for Islamic
causes," Khan said. "This whole idea that this is one monolithic
threat motivated primarily by Islamic values leads to false
policies."
Giuliani's stance is politically motivated, according to Khan.
"He is trying to say 'I might have some liberal tendencies (on social
issues) but on foreign policy I am just another Bush.' That's the point he
is trying to make," Khan said.
John L. Esposito, founding director of the Muslim-Christian Understanding
center at Georgetown University, concurred, saying Giuliani "clearly
wants to play to and exploit the notion that he, and not the Democrats, is
tough on terrorism."
"Democrats have been focusing on specific issues like Iraq in which
you can talk about Sunni and Shi'a or al-Qaida without necessarily using
generic terms like Islamic terrorism or Islamic fascism," Esposito
said.
Richard C. Martin, a religion professor at Atlanta's Emory University,
said the phrase "Islamic terrorism" is "terribly
loaded."
"I appreciate the caution of those Democratic candidates who want to
address the issue of terrorism without confining it to a particular
religion," Martin said, adding that "Muslims who are terrorists
may be, and often are, terrorists for reasons other than being
Muslim."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations long has urged avoiding
references to Islam in talk about terrorism.
"We have asked President Bush and other elected officials to avoid
the use of hot-button terms such as 'Islamo fascism,' 'militant jihadism'
or 'Islamic terrorism' because we believe the use of these loaded and
imprecise terms promotes a false and negative impression that we are at
war with Islam," CAIR spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed said.
At an event Wednesday marking the 50th anniversary of the Islamic Center
of Washington, Bush soft-pedaled the link between Islam and terrorism,
opting instead to blame terrorism on a "self-appointed vanguard
(that) presumes to speak for Muslims."
A day later, at a different kind of event in front of a different kind of
crowd, Bush's word choice changed a bit.
America, he said at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, is at war with
"Islamic extremists" who covet a "radical Islamic
empire." (MORE)
-----
CIVILIANS DIE IN U.S.-NATO AIR ASSAULT IN AFGHANISTAN
- TOP
Griff Witte and Javed Hamdard, Washington Post, 7/1/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/
30/AR2007063000537_pf.html
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 30 -- Just a week after Afghan President Hamid
Karzai chastised international forces for being "careless,"
Afghan officials reported Saturday that possibly 100 or more civilians had
been killed in a NATO and U.S.-led assault.
The battle in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, which was prompted
by a Taliban ambush, began Friday night and continued into Saturday
morning, Afghan officials said. It ended with international forces bombing
several compounds in the remote village of Hyderabad.
"More than 100 people have been killed. But they weren't Taliban. The
Taliban were far away from there," said Wali Khan, a member of
parliament who represents the area. "The people are already unhappy
with the government. But these kinds of killings of civilians will cause
people to revolt against the government." (MORE)
SEE ALSO:
AL MALIKI CENSURES US FORCES AFTER SADR CITY RAID KILLS
26 - TOP
Associated Press, 7/1/07
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10136062.html
Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki condemned a US raid
yesterday in Baghdad's Shiite Sadr City slum - a politically sensitive
district for him - in which American troops searching for Iranian-linked
militants sparked a firefight that left 26 Iraqis dead.
The US military said all those killed in the fighting were gunmen.
But residents said eight civilians were killed in their homes and angrily
accused American troops of firing wildly during the pre-dawn assault.
(MORE)
-----
CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: info@cair.com
URL: http://www.cair.com
Fair Use Notice
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
||||||
