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The Philadelphia Inquirer – November 5, 2007
Confronting 'Islamophobia'
By Virginia A. Smith
Ibrahim Souadda is only 12, but already he's had a taste of what it means to be "the other."
Sometimes children tease him for being Muslim. "They say it like a joke," he said yesterday, as he waited for the start of a panel discussion on "Islamophobia," or the fear of Islam and its effect on American Muslims.
In the same breath, Ibrahim talked excitedly about his social-studies class at Valley Forge Middle School. There, he's learning how the divisions of "otherness" can be bridged through knowledge.
"Right now we're learning the difference between Muslim and Amish people. It's really interesting," Ibrahim said.
The need for such knowledge and understanding has never been more pressing, yesterday's panelists agreed, citing the escalating political rhetoric around "Islamo-fascism."
The gathering, at Houston Hall on the University of Pennsylvania campus, was sponsored by the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington. About 50 people attended.
Ignorance fuels the fear of Muslims in this country from the grassroots to the highest levels of government, said panelist Parvez Ahmed, the council's national board chairman.
Part of the problem is the insular nature of the American Muslim community, he said, "but American Muslims reject extremism in all its forms."
In a study released earlier this year, the Pew Research Center concluded that American Muslims are a "highly diverse population" that is "decidedly American in outlook, values and attitudes."
And yet Americans persist in confusing religion and politics.
Panelist Linda Hanna, a business consultant, outlined some of the stereotypes that result: Muslim equals Arab equals "unscrupulous pathological fanatic or terrorist with primitive motives." Especially post-9/11.
Lost on many is the idea that there is nothing inherent in the religion of Islam that promotes terrorism. Rather, Hanna said, "There is a minority using religion for political ends."
There are about 1.2 billion Muslims in the world, most of them in Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Muslims constitute only six million of the 300 million people in the U.S.
Stereotypes are nothing new, of course; just ask the Irish, African Americans, Jews or women. But, said Iftekhar Hussain, chair of the council's local chapter, resistance to those prejudices has coalesced on a wide scale.
Today, Hussain said, stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims continue to be fueled by Hollywood images, media cliches, and just plain ignorance. They include the three B's: bomber, belly dancer, billionaire.
"Education is the key," he said...
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20071105_Confronting_Islamophobia.html
CAIR Bulletin – November 2, 2007
Minnesota radio spots dropped
over Savage’s Anti-Muslim rant
ST. PAUL, MN, Nov. 11, 2007 - The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today thanked three companies in that state that have agreed to drop their advertisements from Michael Savage's nationally-syndicated radio program because of the host's recent anti-Muslim tirade.
Yesterday, CAIR reported that Savage, whose "The Savage Nation" airs on more than 300 radio stations nationwide, screamed attacks on Muslims, Islam and the Quran, Islam's revealed text, during his October 29, 2007, program.
The Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group called on radio listeners of all faiths to contact companies that advertise on Savage's program to express their concerns about the host's recent anti-Muslim bigotry.
Savage's shouted anti-Muslim attacks included: "I don't wanna hear anymore about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you."
"What kind of religion is this? What kind of world are you living in when you let them in here with that throwback document in their hand, which is a book of hate. Don't tell me I need reeducation. They need deportation. I don't need reeducation. Deportation, not reeducation."
“Make no mistake about it, the Quran is not a document of freedom. The Quran is a document of slavery and chattel. It teaches you that you are a slave."
“We thank the Minnesota companies that refused to support Michael Savage’s bigotry and intolerance with their advertising dollars,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Omar Merhi. “We call on all the other companies running ads on his program nationwide to follow Minnesota’s example.”
See also: National Radio Host Goes on Anti-Muslim Tirade
Palm Beach Post - November 03, 2007
Employee apologized for spitting
on Muslim student, FAU says
By MICHAEL LaFORGIA
BOCA RATON — Responding to a Muslim civil rights group upset that a Florida Atlantic University employee spat on a young Muslim woman protesting a controversial speaker Tuesday, university officials released a statement Friday noting that the employee had apologized.
"Upon review, there were differing accounts regarding the reported intensity of the exchange," university spokeswoman Kristine McGrath said in the statement. "The employee was not acting in an official capacity, and there were no charges filed. As reported, the employee apologized for her admitted behavior at the lecture."
The internal review, conducted by the Division of Student Affairs, was ordered after the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote a letter to FAU President Frank Brogan expressing concern over the incident.
On Tuesday night, Sana Akhtar, 23, was protesting a speech by Daniel Pipes, a Middle East historian whose views have been called racist and xenophobic, when a woman clad in a yellow FAU polo shirt leaned in and spat at her. Akhtar declined to press charges provided the woman apologized.
"The fact that an FAU employee could spit on and verbally abuse a student of the university is completely unacceptable," wrote the state civil rights groups' executive director, Altaf Ali, in a letter Wednesday. "No one should be subjected to such repulsive and nauseating behavior."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/11/03/s2c_FAUSPIT_1103.html
South Florida Sun-Sentinel - November 9, 2007
Daniel Pipes' supporters crossed
the line of First Amendment
By Omer Subhani
Freedom of speech and expression is a right treasured by Americans and although Daniel Pipes has the right to defame and speak ill of a faith with over 1.5 billion followers, his supporters have no right to spit on someone who peacefully opposed his presence. Pipes' supporters have crossed the line by spitting on a student who attends the same institution she works for.
Speaking ill of a faith and demonizing its followers leads others to believe it is acceptable to ridicule and express hate. Freedom of speech should not be exploited in order to offend a faith for it paves the way for hate and intolerance. The spitting incident is an example of this. The victim of this incident opted not to press charges, hoping that remorse will prevail. However, who is to say that the next time such a confrontation occurs it would not result in a more severe incident?
University campuses should be places of tolerance and understanding. Hate speech must be rejected no matter who it comes from, even if they carry a degree from a prestigious university. This will send a message, not only to the invited speaker, but all those who feel that bigotry and intolerance is protected by the First Amendment.
Omer Subhani, Communications Director Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida Pembroke Pines
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-brmail929nbnov09,0,1474215.story
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