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Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2015)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
June 2015
U.S. Supreme Court backs Muslim woman denied job over head scarf
June 1: The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled in favor of a Muslim woman who sued for discrimination after being denied a sales job at age 17 at an Abercrombie & Fitch Co clothing store in Oklahoma because she wore a head scarf for religious reasons. In an 8-1 decision in the important religious rights case, the court backed Samantha Elauf, who had been rejected under Abercrombie's sales staff "look policy" after coming to her job interview wearing the head scarf, or hijab, used by many Muslim women. The decision marked a victory for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency that sued the company on Elauf's behalf after she was turned down in 2008 at an Abercrombie Kids store in Tulsa. "Observance of my faith should not have prevented me from getting a job. I am glad that I stood up for my rights, and happy that the EEOC was there for me and took my complaint to the courts," Elauf said in a statement issued by the EEOC. Elauf, now 24, initially won a $20,000 judgment against Abercrombie before a federal district court. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver then threw that out, ruling in favor of Abercrombie, before the high court backed Elauf. "We welcome this historic ruling in defense of religious freedom at a time when the American Muslim community is facing increased levels of Islamophobia," said Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.The ruling was the second decision by the high court during its current term in favour of a Muslim alleging discrimination. In January, the justices found that an Arkansas policy prohibiting inmates from having beards violated the religious rights of a prisoner who had wanted to grow one in accordance with his Muslim beliefs. The court has taken an expansive view of religious rights. Last year, it sided with a Christian-owned company that objected on religious grounds to providing health insurance coverage for birth control for women. Abercrombie said in a statement the case will continue, noting the justices had not ruled that discrimination took place. "We will determine our next steps in the litigation," Abercrombie said. [Reuters]
Judge rules against KKK member who plotted to kill NY Muslims
June 2: A federal judge today ruled against a reputed Klansman from Saratoga County who hoped to have his domestic terrorism case tossed. As a result, Glendon Scott Crawford, 50, still faces allegations he planned to create a mobile, remotely operated X-ray device described as "Hiroshima on a light switch" to eradicate Muslims from a distance using lethal doses of ionizing radiation. Prosecutors say Crawford looked at a mosque in Albany and an Islamic center in Schenectady as "viable target" locations for his weapon. They say Crawford recruited sidekick Eric Feight to help design and construct the weapon. Feight, a General Electric vendor, met Crawford through their association at GE. Feight pleaded guilty in January 2014 to providing material support to terrorists. Crawford faces the same charge, which carries up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors working for U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian say Crawford, a member of the Northern & Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, approached unlikely people in the hope that they would aid his alleged plot: The Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York and Congregation Gates of Heaven i n Schenectady. [Times Union]
Calgary restaurant hit by hate graffiti
June 2: A Calgary restaurant owner says he feels disgusted and hurt, after finding hate filled graffiti on his business. Someone spray painted the words “F*** Islam” on the wall of KOOB The Kabob Factory on 72nd Avenue southeast. Owner Sat Khezri tells 660News, he got to work Monday morning, not noticing anything was wrong, until he was alerted by neighbouring businesses and went out to take a look. Khezri says, he and his business partner are Muslim, and believes they were targeted because of the kind of food they serve. Although he’s upset, he’s encouraged by all the support he and his staff are getting. “It’s been a huge outpouring and that makes you feel good.” [660News]
Swastikas found etched into sign at Midland Park Mosque in New Jersey
June 2: Less than two weeks before the Elzahra Islamic Center planned to welcome the public to an open house at its newly established mosque, its leaders were forced to report the defacement of a sign at its entrance in what police are calling a bias incident. Imam Moutaz Charaf reported the vandalism to the police department on Memorial Day, May 25, and estimates the damage at about $500. In the meantime, the sign has been altered to eliminate the appearance of the offensive symbols. According to the police report, Patrolman Mark Berninger and Sgt. Gregory Kasbarian responded and found a swastika and "male genitalia" had been carved into the sign situated at the entrance of the mosque. Police Chief Michael Powderley said the bias incident is being investigated by Detective Sgt. John Gibbons. The mosque's decision to locate at the 2.8-acre former Han Maum Reformed Church was met by crowds who packed Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment and Borough Council meetings in 2014 to challenge the zoning certificate and express concerns about traffic and noise services might generate. A resident further appealed the zoning board's approval of the mosque's zoning certificate. Imam Charaf stated at the time that the calls to prayer were not used in Western countries and after review, the zoning board upheld its approval. The Elzahra Education Foundation submitted the winning bid in federal bankruptcy court in January to purchase the property for $2.475 million. [North Jersey.com]
Anti-Islam bills die in Texas legislature
June 3: Anti-Islam bills failed in the Texas legislature. The legislature adjourned without passing the House and Senate versions of the so-called "Anti-Foreign Law" bills. CAIR-Texas says the bills were similar to those introduced in state legislatures nationwide in a campaign to demonize Islam and marginalize American Muslims. In a statement, CAIR-Texas said: “We thank all the lawmakers who showed wisdom and courage in opposing this unnecessary and unconstitutional legislation and focused on the more pressing issues - like education, health care and the economy - that our state is facing at this time.” [CAIR]
'independent and thorough' probe urged into shooting death of Usaama Rahim
June 3: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called for an "independent and thorough" investigation into the fatal shooting of Usaama Rahim by Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) agents in Boston yesterday. Usaama Rahim, 26, was shot yesterday morning outside of a Boston CVS store. Conflicting reports have emerged as to why he was approached by the agents and how he was shot. Surveillance video of the encounter and additional details have not yet been released. In a statement, CAIR National Civil Rights Litigation Director Jenifer Wicks said: "It is our duty to question every police-involved shooting to determine if the use of deadly force was necessary, particularly given the recent high profile shootings of African-American men. We are asking for an independent and thorough investigation, public release of the video and transparency, not only about the killing of Usaama Rahim, but also about the basis of monitoring and surveillance, which had not resulted in probable cause for any arrest or search warrant. The alleged conspiracy to murder a police officer is deeply troubling and yet another reason why transparency in this incident is crucial." Wicks noted that this incident comes just days after CAIR's Los Angeles chapter raised questions about Long Beach, Calif., police killing of 20-year old Feras Mourad. It also comes in the wake of a recent report that more than 550 law-enforcement killings were not included in FBI statistics between 2007 and 2012. [CAIR]
Jon Stewart Rips America's Islamophobia Problem
June 4: We all know the radicals: the "anti-Islam" rallies, the Pam Gellers, the Fox Newses. But last night Jon Stewart reminded us that Islamophobia is often a routine feature of American society that even mainstream corporations - in this case Abercrombie and Fitch and United Airlines - partake in. First was the case of Samantha Elauf, who won a victory in the Supreme Court this week for the right to wear a hijab - which her employer at the time, Abercrombie and Fitch, said violated their dress code. The second - and far more bizarre - case was that of Tahera Ahmad, who was denied a soda can on a United Airlines flight because the flight attendant thought it could be used as a weapon. With Islamophobia on the rise in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shooting, these types of incidents often go unnoticed. It's only when they involve high-profile lawsuits or exceptionally outrageous behavior does the media take note. So, good for Stewart for taking some time out to draw attention to a problem that's rarely highlighted, let alone put in a broader context. [Alternet News]
Anti-Islam bill failed in Iowa legislature
June 8: An anti-Muslim bill failed in the Iowa state legislature. The Iowa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations(CAIR-Iowa) says the bill was one of many so-called "foreign law" bills introduced in state legislatures nationwide in a campaign to demonize Islam and to marginalize American Muslims. The Iowa legislature ended its session without passing the bill dubbed as HF135. [CAIR]
Community leaders use obscure law to request criminal charges in Tamir Rice shooting
June 9: The leaders, wary of a law enforcement system that in recent months declined to prosecute several officers involved in the death of unarmed people around the nation, will invoke a rarely-used Ohio law that allows people to request criminal charges against others. “We are asking for an arrest,” said attorney Walter Madison in front of the Justice Center in Cleveland today. Madison, along with six other community leaders comprised of activists, clergy members, other religious leaders, and criminal justice consultants, filed six affidavits for aggravated murder, murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, voluntary homicide, and neglect of duty. Julia Shearson, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Cleveland, said that 30 percent of the Muslim community in the city is black, which made a cross-section of activism that much more important. “We are here today because we waited more than six months, and still there is no accountability,” she said.The county prosecutor’s office has said it will present evidence to a grand jury in Rice’s case, which could take weeks, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. Rice was fatally shot in November while he was in a park. Someone called 911 and reported he was playing with a gun that was likely “fake.” Video of the incident showed police pull up near Rice, with Officer Timothy Loehman quickly shooting him in the torso. Rice was carrying a toy gun. [Buzzfeed]
4 Muslims who refused to become FBI informants finally removed from no-fly list
June 10: Four American Muslim men with no criminal records who were placed or kept on the No-Fly List by the FBI in retaliation for their refusal to become informants finally received letters from the U.S. government this week confirming their removal from the list. Coming only days before a federal court hearing in New York City in Tanvir v. Lynch, the lawsuit brought by the men to challenge their placement on the list, the letters concede what the men have always known: that they never posed a security threat of any kind and that the FBI only listed them to coerce them into spying on their faith community. The lawsuit was brought in 2014 on behalf of Muhammad Tanvir, Jameel Algibhah, Naveed Shinwari, and Awais Sajjad by the CLEAR project (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility) at CUNY School of Law, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and co-counsel at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Prior to this and other lawsuits, the government operated the No-Fly List in near-total secrecy and never told people why they were listed or gave them a meaningful chance to dispute their placement. The lack of transparency and accountability made the list ripe for abuse by FBI agents who often face pressure from their superiors to recruit human sources. As of 2012, the No-Fly List contained over 21,000 names. [The Center for Constitutional Rights]
SPLC’s Intelligence Report: American Muslims Under Siege
June 10: Almost 14 years after the 9/11 terror attacks sparked a violent backlash against American Muslims, anti-Muslim hatred is again on the rise as activists and politicians exploit atrocities committed by the Islamic State and other jihadists, according to the new issue of the SPLC’s Intelligence Report, released today. “Living While Muslim” examines how this renewed violence against American Muslims took off in February, following the jihadist massacre at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and the beheadings of hostages in North Africa by the Islamic State, or ISIS. Violent attacks apparently motivated by anti-Muslim hatred have taken place in Texas, New York, North Carolina and elsewhere since then, and the jihadist attack on a Muhammad cartoon contest staged in Texas last month has only added fuel to the fire. “It should be no surprise that Muslims in this country feel that they are under siege as politicians and ideologues exploit violence committed by radical Muslims to demonize the entire community,” said Mark Potok, senior fellow at the SPLC and editor of the Intelligence Report. “The threat of radical jihadists is unquestionably real, but the vast majority of American Muslims pose no threat to anyone – no matter what the propagandists say.” The Summer 2015 issue also looks at a dozen of the leading activists at the core of the anti-Muslim radical right. They include Pamela Geller, the provocateur behind the cartoon contest attacked by two Muslim extremists who were killed by police as they attempted to storm the event. Geller is also believed to have been the initial target of a man possibly radicalized by ISIS and killed by police in Boston last week after brandishing a knife. The 12 profiled activists do not merely criticize radical Islam, but routinely defame Muslims with utter falsehoods, attack President Obama as a Muslim agent, and fail to distinguish between radical Islamists and the vast majority of Muslims. They are bloggers, activists, radio show hosts, authors and TV personalities, and they are all women, which is representative of this uniquely female-dominated corner of the radical right.“Most of these far-right activists had previously focused on issues ranging from gay rights to communism, but have increasingly focused their attacks on Muslims,” Potok said. “That has been even truer in recent months, in the wake of a slew of Islamist atrocities.” [SPLC Intelligence Report, Summer 2015, Issue Number: 158]
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