Islamophobia Today:

* Angry Protesters Descend on Conn. Mosque
* Anti-Islam Hate Group Leader to Speak at Fla. Tea Party Event
* Minn. Governor Says NY Islamic Center 'Unpatriotic'
* Protesters Target Calif. Mosque
* Indian Muslims Protest Fla. Church's Plan to Burn Quran
 
Challenging Islamophobia:
 
CAIR-OK Hosts Muslim Youth Symposium
 
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Angry Protesters Descend on Conn. Mosque
Daniel Tepfer, Connecticut Post, 8/6/10
BRIDGEPORT --

About a dozen right-wing Christians, carrying placards and yelling "Islam is a lie," angrily confronted worshippers outside a Fairfield Avenue mosque Friday.

"Jesus hates Muslims," they screamed at worshippers arriving at the Masjid An-Noor mosque to prepare for the holy week of Ramadan. One protester shoved a placard at a group of young children leaving the mosque.
"Murderers," he shouted.

Police arrived on the scene to separate the groups, but said no arrests were made.
Flip Benham, of Dallas, Texas, organizer of the protest, was yelling at the worshipers with a bullhorn.
"This is a war in America and we are taking it to the mosques around the country," he said. (More)
[NOTE: CAIR received a report of a similar incident outside a mosque in Virginia on Friday.]
 
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Anti-Islam Hate Group Leader to Speak at Fla. Tea Party Event
Tom McLaughlin, Daily News, 8/6/10

A national Muslim organization asking local politicians and U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio to boycott an event being put on by the Emerald Coast Tea Party.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is protesting the group's choice of Brigitte Gabriel as its speaker at an Aug. 21 event at the Emerald Coast Conference Center.

CAIR calls ACT! for America, the Pensacola-based group Gabriel heads, an "anti-Islamic hate group."
Geoff Ross, the leader of the Emerald Coast Tea Party, said he will not back off of his decision to have Gabriel speak.

Several politicians and candidates who also are scheduled to speak also say they will attend despite CAIR's call for them to step away.

"Are none of the Muslims going to vote for me if I do?" asked Rick Hord, a candidate for Okaloosa County sheriff. . .
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said he was disappointed Northwest Florida's leaders will stand behind Gabriel's right to speak and not even question the content.

"Nobody has ever questioned her right to speak. We question her speaking on the same podium as people seeking public office. Given the nature of the content, those who do speak will be giving tacit endorsement to her bigoted views," he said. (More)
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Minn. Governor Says NY Islamic Center 'Unpatriotic'
Ellison said Pawlenty's opposition to a ground zero mosque is a divisive ploy to further his presidential campaign.
Jeremy Herb, Star Tribune, 8/6/10

The controversy over a proposed mosque near New York's ground zero memorial hit Minnesota on Friday, with Gov. Tim Pawlenty trashing the idea and Rep. Keith Ellison, the nation's first Muslim congressman, slamming the governor.
"I know he wants to be president really bad, and I know he's trying to appeal to the most extreme elements of his party to do that," Ellison said, "but I hope he doesn't want to be president so bad that he's willing to dishonor the First Amendment and our heritage of religious tolerance."

In an interview with Real Clear Politics on Friday, Pawlenty suggested it would be unpatriotic to build a mosque near the site of the 2001 terrorist attack on New York City. (More)
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Proposed Temecula Mosque Sparks Heated Emotions for, Against Plan
The Valley News, 8/6/10

An emotional standoff during a religious service last week has spotlighted tensions over plans to build a new mosque in Temecula.

A 90-minute rally by mosque opponents and an even larger show of support from religious rights advocates unfolded last Friday under the watchful eyes of about a half dozen Temecula police officers.

The standoff - which drew nationwide attention and widespread media coverage - came as Temecula officials added a new layer of study for what has become the most controversial house of worship to be planned in the city in about a decade. (More)
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Indian Muslims Protest Fla. Church's Plan to Burn Quran
Bhopal, Aug 7 (ANI):

Stung by the blasphemous statements made by an US-based church against their holy text 'Quran', scores of Muslims vented their fury by staging a mass demonstration on the streets of Bhopal.

The angry protestors on Friday raised slogans, and issued a warning saying the global Muslim community would not tolerate any act of damaging Islamic faith.

Deeming it a 'crusade war' the Muslim community lashed out at western conspirators who were targeting Islam for political gains.

"We will not take this lying down. We will give a tit for tat answer to all those who try to hurt our religious sentiments. We have never made any derogatory statement about the holy texts of other religions, and we respect other faiths too," said Asif Khurram, President of the All India Muslim Festival Committee. (More)
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Challenging Islamophobia:
 
Video: CAIR-OK Hosts Muslim Youth Symposium
Carla Hinton, Oklahoman, 8/7/10
 
Muslim high school and college students recently gathered together to discuss their roles as leaders in their faith communities and beyond.

The second annual Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium was held July 30 through Aug. 1 at Oklahoma City University, 2501 N Blackwelder.
 
Young people gathered to hear special guest speakers and participate in workshops designed to raise their awareness about their leadership potential and role in their community.

The event was sponsored by the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Razi Hashmi, the chapter's executive director, said the symposium was held to empower the young people and prepare them to become the next generation of leaders. (More)
 
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CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. 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.

CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com;

CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com