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Executive Editor: Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Chronology of Islam in America (2017)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
July 2017
CAIR receives hate email with subject line ‘Muslim sewer rats’
July 7: On the day the Department of Justice released its latest hate crime numbers, the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), today, received a threatening, obscenity-laden email with the subject line “Muslim sewer rats,” executive director Hussam Ayloush said. He said the email came into the Anaheim-based group’s general inbox and that CAIR’s Minnesota chapter received a similar email. The email reads: “Hey there Muslim PIG SWINE. We MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of PATRIOTS, armed to the teeth with HUNDREDS of millions of weapons, with literally over 50 BILLION rounds of horrific, violent camel jockey piercing rounds of ammo. We have a LEADER in the White House, now standing for JUDEO-Christian values. . .You have mistaken European White Males patience for weakness. Get ready to have a war. . .” CAIR has reported the email to the FBI, Ayloush said. “While we’ve seen people in other states charged and sentenced for hate crimes involving physical attacks, online or email threats are much harder to track,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’ve become accustomed to receiving such ugly messages through our email and our Facebook page as well.” The amount of hate mail tripled between January and June of this year and has “stabilized now” to around what it was last year, Ayloush said. “We’re still warning everyone at local mosques and Islamic centers to be vigilant,” he said. “In most cases, you hope these threats are made by someone who is venting their hate, bigotry and ignorance. But you can never take a chance because in some cases, these people are angry or unstable enough to take action.” The Department of Justice’s latest tally of hate crimes showed that about one-third of the 11 percent increase in California’s hate crimes from 2015 to 2016 came from the city of Los Angeles. According to FBI statistics, in 2015, there were 5,818 hate crimes in the US, up by about 340 incidents from 2014. The FBI reported 257 hate crimes against Muslims in 2015, an increase from 154 crimes in 2014. [Orange County Register]
Canada apologizes and pays $8.1 million to citizen held at Guantánamo Bay
July 7: The government of Canada today formally apologized to Omar Khadr, the only Canadian imprisoned at the United States military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. It also said that it had paid compensation to Mr. Khadr, a former child soldier, for violating his rights under Canadian law. “On behalf of the government of Canada, we wish to apologize to Mr. Khadr for any role Canadian officials played in relation to his ordeal abroad and any resulting harm,” the government said in its apology. “We hope that this expression, and the negotiated settlement, will assist him in his efforts to begin a new and hopeful chapter in his life.” [Canada's government awarded him $8.1 million as compensation.] When he was captured by American troops in Afghanistan in 2002, Khadr, 15 years old at the time, was severely wounded. Later, at a military commission, he pleaded guilty to using a hand grenade to kill a member of the United States military during a battle. But Khadr and his lawyers subsequently said that he had made his plea to avoid being detained indefinitely. A Liberal Party government was in office at the time of Khadr’s capture, but the subsequent Conservative government led by Stephen Harper, who was then prime minister, repeatedly characterized Khadr as a terrorist and made little effort to secure his release. In 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada sternly rebuked the government. It found that the interrogation of Khadr by Canadian intelligence officials at Guantánamo “offends the most basic Canadian standards about the treatment of detained youth suspects.” Separately, another court, the Federal Court of Canada, also found that the Conservative government had violated Khadr’s rights by not actively seeking his return. Khadr was taken from Canada to Afghanistan by his father, Ahmed Said Khadr. [New York Times]
Muslim Americans mourn the death of Dr. Jack Shaheen
July 9: The seven-million-strong American Muslim Community todaymourned the death of Dr. Jack G. Shaheen, a prolific author and professor whose career centered on dismantling stereotypes of Muslims and Arabs in the US media. He was perhaps most famous for his book "Reel Bad Arabs," where he chronicled over 900 movies where Arabs were represented negatively. In addition to Reel Bad Arabs, Dr. Shaheen authored four other books, Guilty: Hollywood’s Verdict on Arabs After 9/11, Arab and Muslim Stereotyping in American Popular Culture; Nuclear War Films, and The TV Arab. His methodical study of the media and depictions of Arabs has been critical in helping to re-shape the narratives on Arabs and Muslims. Shaheen was born in September 1935 in Clairton, Pennsylvania to Lebanese immigrants. In 1964, he received a Master's degree from Pennsylvania State University and in 1969, he received a PhD from the University of Missouri. Dr. Shaheen was an internationally-respected author, academic and media analyst who was the nation's leading authority on depictions of Arabs, Arab-Americans and Muslims in the media and in American popular culture. His work was instrumental in promoting accurate portrayals of Arabs, Islam and Muslims. His work focused on racism and Orientalism, particularly in popular culture such as Hollywood films. He has given over 1,000 lectures on the issue across the United States and on three continents. Dr. Shaheen was also a former CBS News consultant on Middle East affairs, and professor emeritus of Mass Communications at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He died on July 9, 2017 at the age of 81. [AMP Report]
Wisconsin GOP lawmakers propose bill authored by known white supremacist
July 11: The hateful nature of today’s Republican party is on full display right now, with a number of Republican lawmakers working to pass a bill written by a known white supremacist. Rep. Thomas Weatherston, of Caledonia, is leading an effort to pass Assembly Bill 401, an “American Laws for American Courts” bill. The bill was co-written by the American Public Policy Alliance, a ‘think tank’ that peddles lies about American Muslims, with help from David Yerushalmi, who is featured as an anti-Muslim extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Yerushalmi also runs the American Freedom Law Center, a known hate group, and serves as counsel to the Center for Security Policy, another ‘think tank’ which promotes conspiracies about Muslims in America. This “American Laws for American Courts” bill is a thinly veiled PR move designed to demonize American Muslims, and has drawn criticism from the American Bar Association, and religious leaders of many faith groups. Annysa Johnson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports: State Rep. Thomas Weatherston (R-Caledonia) is spearheading an effort to pass a so-called “American Laws for American Courts” bill, which would bar Wisconsin judges from applying foreign laws — including those based on Islamic law — if doing so would violate fundamental human rights protected by the U.S. and Wisconsin constitutions. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
CAIR Report shows 2017 on track to becoming one of worst years ever for anti-Muslim hate crimes
July 17: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released an update on anti-Muslim incidents in the second quarter (April-June) of 2017. CAIR's quarterly report indicates that the number of hate crimes in the first half of 2017 spiked 91 percent compared to the same period in 2016, which was the worst year for such anti-Muslim incidents since the civil rights organization began its current documenting system in 2013. The number of bias incidents in 2017 also increased by 24 percent compared to the first half of 2016. "The presidential election campaign and the Trump administration have tapped into a seam of bigotry and hate that has resulted in the targeting of American Muslims and other minority groups," said Zainab Arain, coordinator in CAIR's Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia. "If acts of bias impacting the American Muslim community continue as they have been, 2017 could be one of the worst years ever for such incidents." The most frequent type of incidents documented by CAIR in the second quarter of 2017 were harassment, defined as a non-violent or non-threatening incident. The second most common type of bias incidents were hate crimes, and have involved physical violence or property damage. Episodes in which the complainant was questioned by the FBI or otherwise appears to have inappropriately targeted by the agency are the third most common. The most prevalent trigger of anti-Muslim bias incidents in 2017 remains the victim's ethnicity or national origin, accounting for 32 percent of the total. Twenty percent of incidents occurred because of an individual being perceived as Muslim. A Muslim woman's headscarf was a trigger in 15 percent of incidents. The report dataset is drawn primarily from the intakes CAIR conducts each year. With each case, civil rights and legal staff seek to ensure the highest possible level of accuracy. [CAIR]
Light sentence for man who threatened to kill worshipers at Eugene Mosque
July 21: The Oregon committee of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Oregon) today expressed disappointment with a plea agreement reached between the Eugene District Attorney's office and a man who threatened to kill worshipers at a mosque in that state. In May, CAIR welcomed the arrest of Chad Everett Russell, 44, on misdemeanor charges of intimidation (religion), menacing, disorderly conduct, intimidation (sexual orientation and race), harassment, and carrying a concealed weapon. He allegedly threatened to kill members of the Islamic Center in Eugene, Ore. That same month, Russell was arrested after police responded to a dispute in which two parents were threatened with physical harm based on race and sexual orientation. Russell was reportedly in possession of a concealed weapon and charged with two counts of intimidation and harassment for both cases. The district attorney's office indicated to the Muslim community that Russell would be prosecuted "to the full extent of the law" in order to send a message that "these types of crimes are unacceptable." Under the plea agreement, Russell will serve only 60 days with three years probation. In a statement, CAIR-Oregon said: "The victims in this case were only informed of the plea agreement at the last minute, and as a result of the late notice, several victims were unable to participate in the sentencing hearing. We are disappointed that the perpetrator of multiple hate crimes will spend only two months in prison. We believe this sends a troubling message to potential perpetrators of hate crimes and also serves to deter future reporting by victims of such crimes. CAIR-Oregon calls on the mayor of Eugene and the Lane County District Attorney's office to develop a clear policy on responding to hate crimes and on positive communications with victims. Eugene officials should also work with Lane County community groups to develop these policies so that all communities will have a stake in the development of an improved criminal justice system." [CAIR]
Muslim family in Long Island told 'the KKK is coming for you'
July 25: A Muslim family in Long Island says it received threatening messages saying: “The KKK is coming for you,” part of a series of incidents that authorities are investigating as hate crimes. The family said it discovered the messages in its mailbox on two different occasions, with an image of a swastika posted to them as well as letters saying “KKK Hate Muslims, We will kill you, Jesus loves you” the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported. “This is evidence of the ongoing and increasing number of hate incidents targeting the Muslim community in New York and nationwide,” Afaf Nasher, the executive director for CAIR-NY, said in a statement. “It is an obligation of our government to ensure that everyone in our community is free to practice their faith without intimidation. We are glad to see that authorities are pursuing this incident as a hate crime and hope that the perpetrator is caught and brought to justice." CAIR says the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes has spiked in the first half of 2017 compared with the same period in 2016. In one incident last week, someone sent a Quran wrapped in pork lard to a Sacramento, California chapter of the CAIR. Two mosques in the area also reported receiving a charred Quran filled with bacon. In recent months, other mosques in the U.S. have been targeted with abusive messages or they've been vandalized. [Newsweek]
Man accused of religious slur and throwing coins at Muslim woman is arrested
July 27: A 35-year-old man is accused of making a religious slur at a woman wearing a head scarf traditionally worn by Muslims at a Target and then throwing coins at her and another woman’s car after the pair had driven away, Irvine CA police said today. The women were able to get a partial license-plate number, helping police find him, and on Wednesday, July 26, Brandon Ricardo Pascual of Irvine turned himself in and was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail, said Kim Mohr, an Irvine Police Department spokeswoman. He was charged with two counts of assault-hate crime with the ability to cause injury, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. On Thursday, he was being held on $50,000 bail. If convicted, he faces three years in prison. [Orange County Register]
Muslim mayoral candidate's sign vandalized in Newburyport, PA
July 28: Police responded Friday to a report that a large political banner on mayoral candidate Dr. Hazem Mahmoud’s front lawn had been vandalized. Mahmoud is running against incumbent Mayor Donna Holaday and Ward 3 City Councilor Robert Cronin in the race for mayor. The three will be on the Sept. 19 preliminary election ballot, with the top two vote-getters moving onto the Nov. 7 municipal election. Mahmoud said his wife called him shortly after leaving for work at 6 a.m. on Friday, alerting him that the 8-foot-long banner on their front lawn had been damaged. Mahmoud called the police, who upon examining the sign, told him it had been cut with a sharp blade. Mahmoud said that while he has been targeted because of his Egyptian heritage and Muslim background by residents since he announced his run for mayor, he believes it could also be someone who disagrees with his statements that have been published. [Newburyport News]
Islam and America: Trump’s religious freedom ambassador should be ‘disqualified,’ says biggest Muslim group
July 28: President Donald Trump’s nomination for religious freedom ambassador has demonstrated anti-Islamic sentiments in the past and should be “disqualified” from holding the post, according to the biggest Muslim civil liberties group in the United States. The White House announced Thursday (July 27) that Trump had nominated Sam Brownback, the Republican governor of Kansas, as his ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Appointees are expected to promote freedom of religion and conscience as a U.S. foreign policy goal. The Trump administration has said that religious freedom is a priority of its administration. The president signed an executive order in May that aims to loosen restrictions on churches and faith groups expressing political opinions, while Vice-President Mike Pence spoke at a summit for persecuted Christians, pledging that Washington would advocate for members of all faiths who faced discrimination or violence. But Brownback has a history of “rushing to sign anti-Islam legislation designed to vilify Muslims” and should be barred from holding the post, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “Only under the Trump administration would someone so opposed to the constitutional rights of an American faith community be appointed to safeguarding international religious freedom,” said Robert McCaw, director of government affairs at CAIR, the biggest Muslim advocacy organization in the United States. Brownback came to office in Kansas in 2011. He signed a bill in 2012 to prevent state courts from using “foreign jurisdictions” when making decisions. Opponents dubbed the legislation the “Sharia bill” and said it unfairly targeted Muslims, preventing them from using the Islamic legal code on civil matters such as custody and property. Kansas became the first U.S. state to withdraw from the federal refugee resettlement program for security reasons in 2016. Brownback’s office said he had not received assurances about the level of vetting of refugees; the governor had said, “If I have to choose between the safety and security of Kansans and the relocation of refugees, I will take action to protect Kansans.” The CAIR said that the move was motivated by “fear of possibly resettling primarily Muslim refugees from Syria in that state.” [Newsweek]
American white nationalists fund European ship to catch Muslims in the Mediterranean
July 29: Europe’s white nationalists are taking border control into their own hands. Funded with money from American white supremacists and the “alt-right” movement, a group called Generation Identity has chartered a ship it plans to use to snatch Muslim migrants out of Mediterranean waters and deliver them back to the Middle East. The group says it will be looking for migrants in distress, leaning on maritime law that requires any boater to come to the aid of another, in order to collect and redirect non-white refugees. The group also plans to monitor the activity of non-governmental organizations, whose rescue operations in the Mediterranean are characterized by Generation Identity as human smuggling. Generation Identity calls its effort “Defend Europe.” “Defend Europe is the only way to secure the European borders and to stop the drowning in the sea,” said Martin Sellner, an Austrian member of Generation Identity who is leading Defend Europe, in a promotional video about the project. Generation Identity — begun in France and now in Austria, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands — raised funds for the ship on an American alt-right crowd-sourcing platform, winning the attention of some of America’s most famous white supremacists. David Duke, infamous anti-Semite and former Ku Klux Klan leader, tweeted out a link to Defend Europe’s fundraising page. The Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi and white supremacist American information site, has published several articles supporting the idea, calling for it to be replicated “on a massive scale.” Defend Europe sought $80,000 for its ship. It raised more than $158,000. It’s this transatlantic collaboration that has hate group trackers worried. “Everybody’s on the same page that essentially a white genocide is ongoing and that all white people across the Western world need to protect their interests and fight against this,” said Heidi Beirich, who tracks white supremacy and extremist groups at the Southern Poverty Law Center. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
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