www.amperspective.com Online Magazine
Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2015)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
December 2015 page four
Fight back against the rising Islamophobia in America
Dec 20: After the atrocities in Paris, Muslims have replaced the much-maligned Mexicans as the main object of nativist ire. Alas, the rhetorical potential of hypothetical Syrians was quickly exhausted; some candidates soon progressed from the Muslims they want to keep out to those already in America. Mr Trump pledges to deport the few Syrian refugees who have come (along with 11m undocumented migrants). He revived the discredited canard that thousands of Arabs in New Jersey celebrated the destruction of the World Trade Centre in 2001. Worst of all, perhaps, he entertained the idea of a register of American Muslims, a prospect at which even Mr Cruz balked. He later sought to finesse that, perhaps in characteristic confusion about his own policies, maybe in the confidence that his intended audience had already heard him. Of course, on Muslims, both he and Dr Carson have pre-Paris form: Dr Carson seemed to suggest that no Muslim should become president; Mr Trump failed to object when a questioner suggested America “get rid” of all of them. In the days since Donald Trump proposed banning Muslims from the US in a December 7 speech, there has been a wave of anti-Muslim attacks across the US, with some being prosecuted under hate crime laws. Because all of these incidents took place just in the past week, none of the alleged perpetrators mentioned here have been convicted. And while not all of the victims mentioned are Muslims, they were undoubtedly targeted due to the perpetrator’s false perception that the victim was Muslim. 2015 has been the deadliest year on record for American Muslims, with 63 recorded attacks on mosques. The previous high was 2010, with 53 attacks targeting Islamic worship centers. 17 of those attacks took place in November. That’s also three times as many Mosque attacks when compared to last year. In 2014, Muslims were the target of 154 hate crimes. The number for 2015 hasn’t yet been tallied, although this year’s hate crime number is expected to surpass the 2014 total. [By Denise Oliver Velez - Daily Kos]
American Muslim leaders announce campaigns to address rising Islamophobia
Dec 21: The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), a coalition of leading national and local Muslim organizations, announced major educational, outreach and civic empowerment initiatives to address growing Islamophobia in America and to enhance national security through the promotion of freedom and justice. Proposed USCMO initiatives include a drive to register one million voters prior to the 2016 presidential election, a "One America" campaign to enhance understanding of American Muslims and Islam and a "National Open Mosque Day" designed to help increase interactions between American Muslims and citizens of other faiths and backgrounds. The USCMO are: 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]
Trump superfan arrested for plotting to bomb Muslims
Dec 22: William Celli of Richmond, CA was arrested Sunday (12/20/15) after police allegedly discovered bombs and bomb-making materials in his home. The self-employed 55-year-old plumber, who reportedly intended to attack Muslims, has a string of social media posts that feature anti-immigrant and Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as praise for Republican candidate Donald Trump. The billionaire mogul has spent months fueling and channeling similar paranoia. After receiving a tip from a caller on December 17, police evacuated Celli's Richmond neighborhood, and according to KCBS San Francisco , found a device that had to be detonated by a bomb squad. According to police, Celli allegedly said he wanted to harm local Muslim community members. “Donald trumps on again I’m happy leaders okay but this guys a great point man I’ll follow this MAN to the end of the world,” he posted on October 21. Trump has recently upped his Islamophobic rhetoric and said that, if elected president, he would surveil mosques and ban Muslims from immigrating to the U.S. Other social media posts discovered by Raw Story's Travis Getty show a man consumed with bigotry. Celli wrote: "[A]nd I'm very unhappy to report we are getting invaded by tens of thousands of illegals. I have lost 30% of my business to to Hispanics coming to my country under false pretenses an and freeload in construction or in the blue collar sector they need to go back home lets not talk about the welfare they suck dry." In August, two Trump supporters in Boston beat up someone they believed to be an undocumented homeless man, and last month, a black protester was assaulted by Trump supporters in Alabama. [AlterNet]
Japanese-Americans team with Muslim groups to end hateful rhetoric
Dec 22: Japanese-Americans are teaming up with Muslim groups to call for an end to anti-Muslim rhetoric in the wake of the recent terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. On a dreary day in San Francisco's Japantown, just across from Peace Plaza, there was a call for peace. May peace be upon all of you," said Samina Sundas, Executive Director of American Muslim Voice. Sundas was among the Muslim and Arab-Americans who joined forces in a news conference with Japanese-Americans to call for an end to the fiery rhetoric that they say is creating a dangerous environment for people of Middle Eastern descent. "There are far too many people who are spouting messages of hate and violence," said Sameena Usman from the Council on American-Islamic relations. Karen Korematsu, Executive Director at the Fred Korematsu Institute added, "We should all work together so that we can change the hearts and minds and stop this racial profiling and racial discrimination." [KTVU]
Lexington City (Nebraksa) Council Rejects Expansion of Islamic Center
Dec 23: A lawyer said the city of Lexington could face a federal investigation for breaking discrimination law after the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night (12/22/2015) to reject an expansion of an Islamic mosque in the city. City leaders said they feel like their hands are tied when it comes to the expansion, pointing to zoning rules. Meanwhile, some who attend the mosque said it's about discrimination. The lawyer on behalf of the Islamic Center said the city is just hiding behind parking as an excuse, and even said he promises a lawsuit from the United States Department of Justice. The zoning was modified in February of 2014, which means the mosque expansion would require 139 parking spots. "I think one of the things you were trying to do when you amended that zoning law was to keep churches out of commercial area and our position is that you did not do that in a legal fashion," said Claude Berreckman, Berreckman & Davis, P.C. He cited that the city administrators violate the Religion Land Use and Institutional Persons Act (RLUIPA). Those at the meeting wishing for the expansion said most who attend the mosque don't drive and parking has never been an issue in the eight years they've already been in the building. Many who attend the mosque said the Islamic community in Lexington is growing. After an hour and a half, council members voted to deny the request, saying they feel the planned expansion wouldn't handle much more growth. [Nebraska TV]
20 British Muslim families 'stopped' from entering US amid fears 'Trump ban is already in place'
Dec 23: A growing number of British Muslims are being stopped from going to America as the country’s presidential race is being dominated by Donald Trump’s controversial call to prevent Muslims entering the country, an imam has claimed. Ajmal Masroor said he had been prevented from boarding a New York-bound flight last week at the last minute and had heard of 20 other similar cases. He said the issue had been occurring for some time, but checks appeared to have become more strict in recent weeks as the US presidential race has been overshadowed by the Mr Trump’s controversial proposal to prevent extremist attacks. David Cameron was urged to intervene in the case of a British Muslim family who were last week prevented from flying to the United States for a visit to Disneyland. Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to press American authorities on what she says is a growing problem of British Muslims being barred from the US without explanation. She said there is "growing fear" among British Muslims that aspects of Trump's plans are becoming reality, even though they have been widely condemned. She warned that some Muslims believe the public condemnation of Trump's position "contrasts with what is going on in practice." Mr Masroor, from North London, said: “I’m aware of at least 20 other cases where families are afraid to even speak out.” He said the bans had been handed down for some time, but they appeared to have got more common in recent weeks. He said he believed Mr Trump’s proposal was affecting America’s approach to Muslims travelling to the country.In his own case he was told he could not travel despite having a valid business visa that he had used before earlier this year. He was not given a reason why he could not board the Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow, but claimed other passengers who were wearing Islamic clothing were also questioned by security officials. [Telegraph]
NJ school board opts not to add Muslim holidays
Dec 24: The Paramus Board of Education (NJ) moved ahead last week with accepting a report by the Calendar Advisory Committee, which did not recommend adding new holidays to the school calendar despite a push from local residents. The Calendar Advisory Committee was charged with determining whether or not to close Paramus Public Schools for two Muslim holidays, Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, and Diwali, a Hindu holiday, in response to requests from the community. Superintendent Dr. Michelle Robinson said governmental entities must articulate valid secular reasons when determining to close for religious holidays. The criteria used to determine the holidays for which the school district closes is based on what the anticipated student and staff attendance is for that particular day. In summarizing the findings of the report, board member Anthony Balestrieri, the chairman of the Calendar Advisory Committee, said it was determined the number of student or staff absences during those holidays does not warrant closing the school in the 2016-2017 school year. Eid-Al Adha begins on Sept. 11, 2016 and Diwali begins on Oct. 30, 2016. Eid Al-Fitr occurs during the summer on July 6, 2016. The report strongly encourages faculty to avoid administering exams or teaching critical lesson plans on days with student requests for religious absences and recommends the further refinement and development of more reliable information regarding student absences during religious holidays. The district also will not schedule district or school-wide events on state-approved religious holidays with a history of student requests for absences and complies with the state law allowing students to be excused from school because of a religious holiday without penalty. [NorthJersey.com]
Houston Mosque fire was intentionally set, Fire Department says
Dec 26: Investigators in Houston have determined that a fire at a mosque that broke out Friday was intentionally set, the fire department said today. The fire at the Savoy Mosque was reported at around 2:45 p.m. local time (3:45 p.m. ET) on Christmas and swelled to two alarms, causing "significant" damage, the Houston Fire Department said. No one was hurt, but there were about 200 people inside the mosque in southwest Houston about an hour before the fire began, NBC affiliate KPRC in Houston reported. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had earlier said the fire appeared suspicious because it had multiple points of origin. The fire department's classification of the fire as "incendiary" means that accidental or natural causes have been ruled out. The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on authorities to investigate a possible bias motive in the case, citing what it called a "recent spike in hate incidents targeting mosques nationwide. A mosque in Coachella, California, was damaged in an intentionally set fire on Dec. 11. A 23-year-old man was arrested and has been charged with a hate crime in that fire. Vandalized mosques have also been reported in Arizona and Georgia. [NBC News]
CAIR-Cleveland 'disappointed' at grand jury decision to not indict officer who fatally Shot 12-year-Old Tamir Rice
Dec 29: The Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ohio (CAIR-OH) today expressed disappointment at the decision of a grand jury to not indict a white Cleveland police officer in the fatal shooting of Tamir Rice, a 12 year old African-American child. The case began when a caller to 911 said a male who was “probably a juvenile" was pointing a gun that was "probably fake" at people in a Cleveland park. A Cleveland police officer opened fire, unprovoked, at Rice within seconds of arriving at the park. Rice died a day later from the gun wound. Rice had a toy gun tucked under his shirt that was not visible when shot by officers. "Along with other Ohioans, we are dismayed by the fact that the investigation took over 13 months. We are also alarmed by the conduct of the prosecutor which may have tainted the outcome of the grand jury," said CAIR-Cleveland Director Julia Shearson. "This and other similar cases nationwide, point to the urgent need for reforms in police procedures, training, and the grand jury process." Shearson also called on the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and Northern District of Ohio US Attorney's office to conduct a thorough civil rights investigation on the death of Tamir Rice and the conduct of the prosecutor in this case. This case follows the recent Department of Justice’s investigation into the Cleveland Division of Police which found a pattern and practice of excessive use of force by the department. Earlier this year, the Cleveland 8, a group of clergy and community activists, of which Shearson is a member, had also released a video and open letter criticizing the abuse of the grand jury process in the Tamir Rice police shooting case. CAIR also renews its call for a "national action" to address issues of racism, which it had issued in the aftermath of a Missouri grand jury's decision to not indict the officer who shot Michael Brown. [CAIR]
Muslim workers fired at Colorado packing plant in prayer dispute
Dec 31: Nearly 200 workers, mostly Somali immigrants, have been fired from a meat-packing plant in Colorado after staging a walkout to protest what they said were insufficient prayer accommodations, the company and Islamic advocacy groups said today. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the workers were treated in a “discriminatory manner” by managers at the Cargill Meat Solutions [CARGIL.UL] facility in Fort Morgan, about 75 miles northeast of Denver. Jaylani Hussein, a spokesman for CAIR, said in a YouTube video posted by the group that the workers objected to new restrictions on their ability to worship on the job, "which they had been granted for a long period of time." “All of these employees are good employees (and) don’t have any other issues,” Hussein said, adding that the dispute stemmed from a "misunderstanding on policy changes" by Cargill regarding workplace prayer. Mike Martin, a spokesman for Minneapolis-based Cargill, disputed assertions the company had changed its policy, noting that since 2009 the Fort Morgan plant has set aside an on-site “reflection area" for people of all faiths. Martin said about 200 workers walked off the job last week and were warned that failing to show up for work on three consecutive days without calling in could jeopardize their employment. Plant managers met with the workers, members of the Somali community and Teamsters union leaders who represent nearly 2,000 hourly workers at the plant but were unable to resolve the issue, he said. After 190 workers failed to show up without notice for three days straight, “termination procedures were initiated" and those workers were dismissed, Martin said. [Reuters]
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