www.amperspective.com Online Magazine
Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2015)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
April 2015
Majority of U.S. citizens are against surveillance by their government, shows poll
April 5: The United States’ mass surveillance of internet and mobile phone use flies in the face of global public opinion, according to a new poll published in mid-March by Amnesty International. The majority of U.S. citizens, 63%, are against their government’s surveillance. The release marks the launch of a worldwide UnfollowMe campaign, a global initiative calling on the leaders of the U.S. and UK - as well as their close allies - to ban indiscriminate mass surveillance and intelligence sharing. The poll, which questioned 15,000 people in 13 countries across every continent, found that 71% of respondents are strongly opposed to the U.S. monitoring their internet use. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of the respondents said they wanted tech companies like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to block governments accessing their data. The majority of U.S. citizens (63%) are against their government’s surveillance scheme compared to only 20% in favor. Steven W. Hawkins, Executive Director of Amnesty International pointed out: “If he wanted to, President Obama could halt surveillance programs that are jeopardizing the privacy of tens of millions of people around the world—he has the authority. He mandated limited protections for non-citizens more than a year ago, but they still haven’t come to fruition. Despite the President’s promises of reform, mass surveillance could prove to be a permanent scar on the USA’s human rights record, just like unlawful drone strikes and impunity for CIA torture." In June 2013 whistle-blower Edward Snowden revealed that the U.S. National Security Agency was authorized to monitor phone and internet use in 193 countries around the world, collecting 5 billion records of mobile phone location a day and 42 billion internet records – including email and browsing history – a month. “We’ve got agencies looking through webcams into people’s bedrooms. And they’re collecting billions of cell phone location records a day,” whistle-blower Edward Snowden said on Amnesty International’s blog in March. “They know where you got on the bus, where you went to work, where you slept, and what other cell phones slept with you.” [Counter Current]
A Houston area high school teacher gave his students a lesson full of anti-Muslim propaganda
April 9: Students at Foster High School in Richmond (Texas) got an off-book lesson during an economics class last month. The teacher—whose name has not been released by the Lamar Consolidated ISD, which oversees the school—distributed an eight-page document called “Islam/Radical Islam (Did You Know)” to his class. As KHOU-TV reports: The handout does not list any sources, but claims things like: “38% of Muslims believe people that leave the faith [sic] should be executed” and that: “There are an estimated 190-300 million ‘radical Islam’ followers.” The handout talks about Sharia Law, terrorism, jihad, even beheadings and “If taken hostage by radical Islamists, what to do.” One of the students in the classroom was Muslim. Her parents contacted the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who complained to the school. CAIR’s Houston director told KHOU 11 News that the Foster HS principal confirmed what the teacher handed out, and said that he is not happy about it. The document appears to be culled from various online sources that offer a number of subjective, inaccurate, and—not to mince words—deeply offensive opinions of the religion. [Texas Monthly]
280 Delegates Lobby Congress on 'Historic' First National Muslim Advocacy Day
April 13: Some 280 delegates from more than 20 states met today with elected officials and congressional staffers during the "historic" first-ever National Muslim Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), a coalition of leading national and local American Muslim organizations. Muslim delegates from a number of organizations visited (or were scheduled to visit) 200 congressional offices -- one third of the House of Representatives and almost half of the Senate. Before heading to congressional offices, the Muslim delegates met in the Rayburn House Office Building to learn lobbying tips from political experts. National Muslim Advocacy Day delegates are urging their elected representatives to support issues that address the domestic priorities of the American Muslim community. Chairman of the USCMO Advocacy Day Steering Committee, Robert McCaw, said National Muslim Advocacy Day exceeded all expectations in terms of nationwide participation by first-time Muslim delegates and of interaction with elected officials and congressional staff.The USCMO inclues: American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), The Mosque Cares (Ministry of Imam W. Deen Mohammed). [CAIR]
ADC Calls on Members to Support the Surveillance State Repeal Act
April 13: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has called on members to support the Surveillance State Repeal Act (H.R. 1466), which was introduced by Representative Mark Pocan. The Surveillance State Repeal Act would repeal the USA Patriot Act and FISA Amendments Act of 2008. The USA Patriot Act’s sunset provisions are set to expire on June 1, 2015. The sections set to expire include Section 215, which authorizes bulk metadata collection of Americans phone calls and other unlimited access to your personal information. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 allows wide collection of the content of American citizen email communications that are transmitted outside the United States. The misuse and abuse of the USA Patriot Act by the United States Government and National Security Administration (NSA) to target and spy on American citizens has not only caused great mistrust in our government, but also violated your constitutional rights. Furthermore, even the White House’s own Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board admitted, “We have not identified a single instance involving a threat to the United States in which [bulk collection under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act] made a concrete difference in the outcome of a counterterrorism investigation.” ADC called on its members to contact their Senators and Representatives to urge them not to reauthorize Section 215 and the USA Patriot Act sunset provisions. You must demand that your Members of Congress stand against mass surveillance that is conducted without probable cause and/or without a warrant. [ADC]
Outrage after picture of Muslims praying at Liverpool football ground labelled a 'disgrace'
April 17: Liverpool FC has assured to take action against a supporter who posted a picture of two Muslim men praying at a Premier League stadium, which he termed a “disgrace”. The picture, tweeted by Stephen Dodd, shows Asif Bodi and Abubakar Bhula praying in a stairwell of Liverpool’s Anfield ground. It was tweeted with the caption: “Muslims praying at half-time at the match yesterday #DISGRACE.” In a statement, Liverpool said discrimination would not be tolerated at the club and it would “take appropriate action against the individual involved”. Dodd’s post, which was shared on social media after Liverpool took on Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last month, was met with widespread condemnation with users referring to him as a ‘bigot’ and a ‘disgrace to humanity’. The tweet was also reported to the police, who investigated but decided that no criminal offence had taken place. They referred the matter back to the club. [Tribune.com.pk]
Congresswoman Honors Life and Legacy of Alex Odeh; Memorial Rededicated
On April 24:Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California spoke in the House of Representatives, about the life and legacy of Alex Odeh who was assassinated on October 11, 1985, when a bomb exploded as he entered the office of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Santa Ana, California during his service as the Western Regional Director of ADC. The remarks come one week after Congresswoman Sanchez spoke at the rededication of the Alex Odeh Memorial at the Santa Ana Public Library in Santa Ana, California. In her statement on the House Floor, Congresswoman Sanchez stated, “I will continue to fight for answers to Alex’s death and bring those that killed him to justice, but let us mark his death by remembering what he stood for and what he dedicated his life to: the pursuit to civil and human rights, as well as peace and mutual understanding between our diverse communities.”The rededication was hosted by the ADC Orange County Chapter (ADC-OC). Along with Congresswoman Sanchez, in attendance were many family members and close friends of Alex. The memorial statue was erected in front of the Santa Ana Public Library in April of 1994. In commemoration of the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Alex’s murder, the memorial was renovated and rededicated by the City of Santa Ana. At the rededication, Alex’s daughter Helena Odeh, along with close friends spoke of the legacy Alex left behind, and the importance of bringing his killers to justice. Representatives from a broad coalition of community groups were present, including Dr. Don Craig, President of NAACP Orange County Chapter. [ADC]
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