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Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2015)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
December 2015 page three
House Democrats introduce resolution condemning anti-Muslim bigotry
Dec 17: Following weeks of anti-Muslim bigotry and acts of hatred, over 70 Democrat members of the House of Representatives have introduced a resolution condemning anti-Muslim hatred, violence, and bigotry. This resolution was assigned to congressional committee on Judiciary on December 17, 2015, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Mike Honda (D-CA), Keith Ellison (D-MN), and André Carson (D-IN), along with 63 original cosponsors, introduced the resolution. The resolution said:
Whereas the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes and rhetoric have faced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse because they were Muslim or believed to be Muslim; Whereas the constitutional right to freedom of religious practice is a cherished American value and violence or hate speech towards any American community based on their faith is in contravention of our founding principles; Whereas there are millions of Muslims in the United States, a community made up of many diverse beliefs and cultures, and both immigrants and native-born Americans; Whereas this Muslim community is recognized as having made innumerable contributions to the cultural and economic fabric and well-being of American society; Whereas hateful and intolerant acts against Muslims are contrary to the American values of acceptance, welcoming, and fellowship with those of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures; Whereas these acts affect not only the individual victims but also their families, communities, and the entire group whose faith or beliefs were the motivation for the act; Whereas Muslim women who wear hijabs, headscarves, or other religious articles of clothing have been disproportionately targeted because of their religious clothing, articles, or observances; Whereas the rise of hateful and anti-Muslim speech, violence, and cultural ignorance plays into the false narrative spread by terrorist groups of Western hatred of Islam, and can encourage certain individuals to react in extreme and violent ways;
Resolved, That the House of Representatives: (1) Expresses its condolences for the victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes; (2) Steadfastly confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all its citizens of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures; (3) Denounces in the strongest terms the increase of intimidation, violence, vandalism, arson, and other hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim; (4) Recognizes that the Muslim community in the United States has made countless positive contributions to our society; (5) Declares that the civil rights and civil liberties of all United States citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected and preserved; (6) Urges local and Federal law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes; and to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those perpetrators of hate crimes; and (7) Reaffirms the inalienable right of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation, and to practice their freedom of faith.
Michael Moore to Donald Trump: 'We're All Muslim—Deal With It'
Dec 17: Yesterday Michael Moore stood outside Trump Tower with a sign that read, "We are all Muslim," to protest Donald Trump's call to ban all Muslims from the U.S. Moore stood there until the police came and then he went home and wrote Trump an open letter on Facebook. First Moore pointed out that he and Trump had met back in 1998 when they were guests on the same talk show, and Trump had been afraid Moore would pick on him. "'Pick on' you?" Moore writes. "I thought, where are we, in 3rd grade? I was struck by how you, a self-described tough guy from Queens, seemed like such a fraidey-cat." Nothing happened and Moore left thinking Trump was kind of a "wuss." Moore continues: And now, here we are in 2015 and, like many other angry white guys, you are frightened by a bogeyman who is out to get you. That bogeyman, in your mind, are all Muslims. Not just the ones who have killed, but ALL MUSLIMS. Fortunately, Donald, you and your supporters no longer look like what America actually is today. We are not a country of angry white guys. Here's a statistic that is going to make your hair spin: Eighty-one percent of the electorate who will pick the president next year are either female, people of color, or young people between the ages of 18 and 35. In other words, not you. And not the people who want you leading their country.
So, in desperation and insanity, you call for a ban on all Muslims entering this country. I was raised to believe that we are all each other's brother and sister, regardless of race, creed or color. That means if you want to ban Muslims, you are first going to have to ban me. And everyone else. We are all Muslim. Just as we are all Mexican, we are all Catholic and Jewish and white and black and every shade in between. We are all children of God (or nature or whatever you believe in), part of the human family, and nothing you say or do can change that fact one iota. If you don't like living by these American rules, then you need to go to the time-out room in any one of your Towers, sit there, and think about what you've said. And then leave the rest of us alone so we can elect a real president who is both compassionate and strong -- at least strong enough not to be all whiny and scared of some guy in a ballcap from Michigan sitting next to him on a talk show couch. You're not so tough, Donny, and I'm glad I got to see the real you up close and personal all those years ago. We are all Muslim. Deal with it. Moore closes with a call to his Facebook followers to visit his website and sign the following statement: "WE ARE ALL MUSLIM." "Then post a photo of yourself holding a homemade sign saying 'WE ARE ALL MUSLIM' on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #�WeAreAllMuslim. I will post all the photos on my site and send them to you, Mr. Trump. Feel free to join us." [AlterNet]
Number of incidents targeting mosques in 2015 highest ever recorded
Dec 17: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today released a preliminary report on incidents targeting American mosques and religious institutions in 2015 that shows a greater frequency of damage, destruction, vandalism, and intimidation than in any other year since CAIR started tracking such cases in 2009. Of the total of 71 incidents to date in 2015, 29 occurred since the November 13 terror attacks in Paris. Of those 29 incidents, 15 occurred prior to the December 3 San Bernardino killings and 14 took place after that attack. CAIR has attributed the recent unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes nationwide in recent weeks at least in part to anti-Muslim rhetoric by GOP presidential candidates like Donald Trump, who called for a complete ban on Muslims entering America, and Ben Carson, who claimed a Muslim should never be allowed to be president. [CAIR]
Racist outrage ensues as Muslim Judge is sworn in on Quran
Dec 17: “Sickening,” is what one hateful Facebook user posted in response to video of a Brooklyn Civil Court judge being sworn in using a Quran. “Is this America or the Middle East,” the user continued.The routine municipal ceremony has become shrouded in controversy after Carolyn Walker-Diallo, who was elected last month in Brooklyn’s 7th Municipal District, took her oath of office Thursday using the holy book of Islam as a testament to her Muslim faith NY Daily News reports. After video of the swearing-in session hit social media, the backlash became so severe that some of Walker-Diallo’s supporters became concerned for her safety. “Another piece of s— Muslim,” another racist user wrote, “trying to take over this country.” Walker-Diallo is not the first Muslim judge to serve in the state. In 2013, Sheila Abdus-Salaam became the first black woman and first Muslim to sit on the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest judicial body. Back in 2007, Keith Ellison made history when he became the first Muslim member of Congress, and highlighted the occasion by taking a ceremonial oath with a Quran once owned by Thomas Jefferson. [Electronic Urban Report]
All schools shut down in Augusta County Virginia, over Islam homework
Dec 18: After a teacher at a Virginia school handed out a standard homework assignment on Islam, such an angry backlash flooded in that it prompted officials to close every single school in the county as a safety precaution. "While there has been no specific threat of harm to students, schools and school offices will be closed Friday, December 18, 2015," Augusta County Schools said. Extracurricular activities were shut down Thursday afternoon. Too many people in this country have simply gone over the cliff with “Islamophobia”. It is ironic to see this posted at CNN, one of the main ‘news” outlets that when not breathlessly reporting this story, is breathlessly exacerbating racism and hatred and distrust of Islam and Muslims. So because a teacher was simply teaching about Islam this one particularly STUPID county goes freakin BERSERK over even the fact-based, non-hysterical discussion of one tiny part of the real world. Well, they were to draw something that was in Arabic: "Here is the shahada, the Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. In the space below, try copying it by hand. This should give you an idea of the artistic complexity of calligraphy." The illustrative classical Arabic phrase was the basic statement in Islam. It translated to: "There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah." And all the idiots of the village erupted into bitter displays of Islamophobic stupidity and the schools were closed down and fights broke out on facebook and twitter. Yes, some people were more than stupid enough to see this as some attempt to convert them to Islam right in their own homes.The Sheriff’s department felt a need to secure the schools because of the uproar. I am stunned no shots were fired. This country has become so stupid and it is exactly this sentiment and sub-demographic the GOP are massaging and encouraging in particular. This IS their base and their base listens to them and they GOP presidential contenders encourage this. Islamophobia is patently unAmerican. [Daily Kos]
Anti-Muslim hate crimes have tripled
Dec 18: Hate crimes against Muslim Americans and mosques have tripled in the U.S. since the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, according to new research by California State University, San Bernardino’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. These crimes include arsons, shootings, assaults, vandalism, and death threats. In the month since the Paris attacks, there have been at least 38 anti-Muslim hate crimes in the U.S. Before the November attacks, there was an average of 12.6 suspected hate crimes against Muslim Americans each month, according to the FBI. The only other time there were more anti-Muslim hate crimes in the U.S. was in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, criminologist Brian Levin, told the New York Times, “The terrorist attacks, coupled with the ubiquity of these anti-Muslim stereotypes seeping into the mainstream, have emboldened people to act upon this fear and anger.” A previous study conducted by the leading Muslim civil rights organization the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) found that, from the beginning of 2015 up to Dec. 8, American mosques and Islamic centers were the scene of at least 63 acts of vandalism, harassment, and anti-Muslim bigotry. A CAIR spokesman noted, however, that this figure is likely drastically underestimated. California State University, San Bernardino’s new study better reflects the rapid increase in hate crimes. [Salon]
Hate attacks on U.S. Muslims are spiking — and where’s the outrage?
Dec 18: There has been a relentless string of attacks on American Muslims in the past month — incidents that have been nothing short of extreme, and enormous in number. In just a few weeks, there have been dozens of attacks throughout the U.S., often several per day. A study conducted by CAIR and reported by CNN found that, from the beginning of 2015 up to Dec. 8, American mosques and Islamic centers were the scene of at least 63 acts of vandalism, harassment, and anti-Muslim bigotry. A CAIR spokesman noted, however, that this figure is likely drastically underestimated. Since the Nov. 13 Paris attacks — for which ISIS claimed credit — and the Dec. 2 San Bernardino shooting — which was blamed on Islamic extremism, about which the FBI investigation has raised doubts — the incidence of anti-Muslim attacks has rapidly spiked, to off-the-chart levels. Where is the outrage? These are Americans. These are innocent civilians. These are members of an oppressed minority. There only a few million Muslims in the U.S., but the chances of the victim of a hate crime being Muslim are enormously disproportionate. Meanwhile, it would be hard to imagine less outrage over so many attacks on any other minority group. Far-right “patriot” groups have organized several hate demonstrations in which dozens of heavily armed white men stand outside of Islamic community centers with anti-Muslim paraphernalia. Photos have circulated widely online of muscular rifle-clad white men following around Muslim women outside of local mosques. At what other place of worship would this be tolerated? If people with assault rifles stood outside of a Christian church or Jewish synagogue, Americans would explode in fury. Those with the assault rifles might be arrested for threatening worshipers; they might even be shot. When it is Muslims that are threatened, dare I say terrorized, by heavily armed Islamophobes, on the other hand, suddenly the problem is framed as a First Amendment issue. [Ben Norton - Salon]
Civil rights report documents anti-Muslim discrimination, harassment in Oklahoma
Dec 19: Increased presidential campaign rhetoric about terrorism is fueling anti-Muslim discrimination and harassment, according to a lawyer with the Council on American Islamic Relations of Oklahoma. “Comments by this crop of candidates are normalizing ideas about Muslims and that people need to be afraid of them,” said Veronica Laizure, CAIR’s staff attorney and the group’s civil rights director. “People are actually entertaining the idea that banning Muslims could actually happen.” Remarks by presidential candidates such as those made by Donald Trump regarding a proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S. have heightened fears among American citizens while also creating added tension between Muslims and non-Muslims, she said. Because of the candidates’ remarks, CAIR-OK held a press conference asking each candidate to place their emphasis on issues and not Islamophobic comments. “We called on all political candidates to stop normalizing anti-Muslim fear and hatred,” Laizure said. Laizure made her comments in connection with CAIR’s 2015 Civil Rights Report which shows 32 percent of the discrimination cases reported to CAIR-OK involve a denial of religious accommodation. Samantha Elauf was at the center of a high-profile religious accommodation case in Tulsa when she was not hired at Abercrombie Kids. Although she scored well in the personal interview, a regional manager recommended against hiring Elauf because her hijab did not fit the store’s “look policy.” Eventually, Elauf’s case made it to the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled Abercrombie violated federal law by failing to hire her because of her need for a religious accommodation. The civil rights report also shows 27 percent of the discrimination cases focus on harassment while three other categories – bullying, employment and denial of service or access – are listed at 9 percent. Unfortunately, acts of terrorism – whether in the U.S. or overseas - create a spike in harassment cases and anti-Muslim abuse in Oklahoma, Laizure said. “Muslims have become the scapegoat and are automatically supposed to be supportive of anything ISIS or other terrorists do,” she said. “That’s not the case. We have issued countless releases and statements that say in no uncertain terms that we do not support attacks on civilians and do not support terrorism in any way.” Still, homegrown bigotry and an uneducated citizenry create struggles for Muslim adults and children, the civil rights report shows. “We see cases where students struggle with the prejudice and ignorance of their peers, their classmates, and even their teachers,” Laizure wrote in the report. “When we hear about these situations we intervene and spread awareness and education, ensuring that the learning environment is protected for our Muslim children.” [Red Dirt News]
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