ISLAMOPHOBIA: Anti Muslim Racism
Entries from May 1, 2008 - June 1, 2008
Muslim speakers at Texas school outrage parents
FRIENDSWOOD — A presentation to Friendswood junior high students about Islam has ignited a furor among some parents. Parents of Friendswood Junior High School students started a letter campaign to school officials in protest of a presentation meant to combat hate and bullying.
On May 22, two Muslim women gave a 30-minute presentation about Islamic culture as part of a yearlong study at the school of respect, tolerance and culture, according to a statement from district officials.
Principal Robin Lowe had "best intentions", said Karolyn Gephart, district spokeswoman. The guest speakers discussed Muslim culture, including topics such as food, religion, dress, beliefs and famous Muslims, Gephart said. "If you pulled a book about Islam from the library, you would find the same stuff in the book," Gephart said. "There was no proselytizing."
Parents, however, were not told about the presentation. By district policy, parents are supposed to be informed about the purpose and content of presentations so that they can keep their children out of the presentation if they think the material might be offensive or inappropriate. Not informing parents beforehand was a mistake that would not happen again, Gephart said.
Kim Leago, whose son is in the eighth grade at the junior high, said she's still upset that her child was exposed to the "inappropriate" presentation. Choosing to teach about Islamic culture was the "worst choice" of any religion, Leago said. "I'm not a prejudiced person ... but Muslims, from what I know of the faith, don't want to be incorporated with Americans," she said. "Look at what's going on in the world right now, with the war and with 9/11."
Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, a member of the board of directors for the Galveston Islamic Center, said there's a common misperception that Muslims are somehow un-American. The few Muslims that have tainted the faith as terrorists have helped spread the myth that Islam is violent and extremist. "Muslims in the U.S. are Americans, not intruders," he said. "They are not invaders; they are not outsiders. We are all Americans, and we are all working toward a better America."
Galveston Daily News, 31 May 2008
World Net Daily for its part, in an article entitled "Islam-promoting principal defied order to protect kids", reports that the two speakers were associated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, one of the most mainstream of US Muslim organisations. WND quotes a statement by an organisation called the Houston Area Pastor Council:
"The failure of the principal of Friendswood Junior High to respect simple procedures requiring parental notification for such a potentially controversial subject, to not only approve but participate personally in a religious indoctrination session led by representatives of a group with well-known links to terrorist organizations and her cavalier response when confronted, raises serious questions about her fitness to serve in that role."
A win for racists in Camden
Organised racism scored a win on May 27, when Camden Council voted unanimously to reject a proposal to build the 1200 student Al Amanah Islamic College in the south-western Sydney suburb.
A reply to the Church of England Newspaper
The following letter was published in the Church of England Newspaper, 30 May 2008:
Sir, In a time of fear and polarisation, Christians must avoid both the political right's shrill paranoia and the liberal left's naive secular arrogance.
Sadly, your leader ("Religious trends and our religious future", May 23) falls into the former trap, with predictions of the UK as "an Islamic nation" and talk of concessions to Muslim "demands".
Ironically, the supporting anecdotes, seemingly culled from the front pages of the Mail and Express, undermine the overall claim of a Muslim "advance". The hospital bed story you cite, for example, was slammed as "entirely inaccurate" by the hospital in question.
We would not accept the same deluge of sensationalistic smears, generalisations and hate speech about any other race or religion. There is a humble yet honest conversation to be had between Christians and Muslims in Britain, but comments like these do not help.
Ben White
Computer image shows Washington DC devastated by al-Qa'eda nuclear attack
"Stills from a video entitled Nuclear Jihad: The Ultimate Terror, were posted on al-Ekhlass and al-Hesbah, two password-protected websites believed to be affiliated with al-Qa'eda.
"The images were created to facilitate discussions of the feasibility of nuclear strikes on the US or Britain, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which released the images."
Except that the images were in fact lifted from a computer game called Fallout 3.
Stop the War Coalition public meetings
DEFENDING THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY
Stop the War has organised a series of rallies to defend the Muslim community, starting next week. If one of these rallies is being held in your area, please attend and publicise as widely as you can.
PUBLIC MEETINGS: RACISM, THE WAR ON TERROR AND THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY
* LONDON Tuesday June 3, 7PM. Speakers: Moazam Begg, George Galloway, Anas Al-Tikriti, Chris Nineham, Louise Christian, David Edgar. Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2M. Nearest tube, Liverpool Street.
* BIRMINGHAM: Wednesday June 4, 7PM. Speakers: Terry Eagleton, Anas Al-Tikriti, Salma Yaqoob, Andrew Murray. Bordesely Centre, Stratford Road, Camp Hill Roundabout.
* MANCHESTER: Thursday June 5. Speakers: Moazzam Begg, David Edgar, Nahella Asraf. Friends Meeting House.
* BLACKBURN: Wednesday June 11, 7PM. Speakers: Alice Mahon, Anas Al-Tikriti, Chris Nineham. Blackburn Central Library, Hornby Lecture Theatre.
* LEEDS: Thursday June 12, 7PM. Speakers: Alice Mahon, Anas Al-Tikriti, Chris Nineham. Leeds Islamic Centre, Spencer Place, Chapeltown, LS7.
* GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH: Details not yet available. See http://www.stopwar.org.uk for updates.
More anti-Muslim scaremongering from the Express
Moves to allow Muslim clerics into classrooms to address pupils were condemned yesterday. The latest scheme put forward by Schools Secretary Ed Balls was greeted with derision. Critics branded the proposals by the under-fire minister unworkable and unnecessary.
The package of measures, to be published next week, will set out a proposal to invite British-born imams into schools to speak about growing violent extremism among young people. Under the plans, the imams would teach citizenship so that pupils learn about the Koran and Islam in the context of a multicultural society. But last night the scheme was described as yet another worthless Government gimmick. Opponents said the plans would simply provide another opportunity to deliver “faith-based citizenship lessons” on Islam.
The National Union of Teachers caused an outcry in March by suggesting that Muslim clerics and other religious leaders should be sent into every school as an alternative to having specific faith schools. Head teachers and other critics warned that this could allow extremists to target pupils. Now the proposals by Mr Balls appear to take the move a step further.
Act now to stop deportation of Hicham Yezza
STOP THE ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS
ACT NOW TO STOP DEPORTATION OF HICHAM YEZZA
As the "war on terror" unravels, attacks on the Muslim community are increasing alarmingly. Almost every day the tabloid press carries scurrilous stories about Muslims. College authorities are suppressing Muslim groups and curtailing academic freedoms. Prominent intellectuals regularly denounce Islam. The government is trying to extend powers of detention without trial for 'terrorist suspects'. All this threatens to create a divisive and dangerous atmosphere in Britain.
What happened to Hicham Yezza and Rizwaan Sabir is a frightening example of where this official hysteria can lead. Yessir works at Nottingham University, where his friend Sabir is a student. When, as part of his research into political Islam, Sabir downloaded from the internet an Al Quaeda training manual, he emailed it to Hicham and – unable to afford the cost of printing – asked him to print it. The university authorities informed the police, who immediately arrested the two friends under the Terrorism Act.
They were held without charge for six days, their homes searched, their computers seized and friends and family interrogated. Upon release, Hicham was re-arrested under unrelated immigration charges. Although he was initially given a hearing date for 16 July, he was served with a deportation notice last Friday, which informed him he was to be removed on Sunday 1 June on flight BA894 from Heathrow to Algiers. Campaigners have been mobilising to prevent his deportation and last Wednesday held a demonstration at the University of Nottingham, attended by up to 500 people.
Stop the War is urging its supporters to support the campaign to prevent this deportation by:
1) Most urgently, using the model letter (http://tinyurl.com/4a6va7) or write one yourself and e-mail and/or fax it the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith before 5pm today. Quote Home Office reference number Y76064.
Jacqui Smith has the power to stop Hicham's deportation
* Telephone: 020 7035 0198
* Fax: 020 7035 0900
* Email: indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
2) Before 5pm today, use the template provided by the campaign to fax the deportation centre where Hicham is being held: http://tinyurl.com/3w8sm7
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO CONTACT THE DEFENCE CAMPAIGN:
WEBSITE: http://freehichamyezza.wordpress.com
EMAIL: staffandstudents@googlemail.com
PHONE: 07948590262
UPDATE: At 12.30 hours today, an application to the High Court in London was issued seeking a judicial review of the decisions of the Home Office in this matter. The removal directions set for Sunday 1st June have now been cancelled by the Home Office, and an application will be made to them this afternoon for Mr Yezza to be released while his case is reconsidered. David Smith, of Cartwright King solicitors in Nottingham, says "We hope and trust that the Home Office will now release Mr Yezza and reconsider his case properly and in accordance with the law; we will proceed vigorously with the High Court action unless they agree to do so."
Stop the Deportation of Hicham Yezza campaign press release, 30 May 2008
See also BBC News, 31 May 2008
Muslim TV crew stopped under terror law
A Muslim TV producer has accused the police of constantly targeting her crew and stopping them from filming in the streets of London. The crew from an international Muslim network, which included three hijab wearing members, were filming in Notting Hill, west London, in March when they said they were stopped and quizzed. Producer Anousheh Demartino, who was stopped on three previous occasions, told The Muslim News:
"They asked us for our ID and why we were filming. After we told them we were allowed to continue. 20 minutes later we were stopped again. This time we were asked for our residential address; they only asked me, the two other hijab wearing women and not [our] young cameraman. I protested at first and asked why they needed my home address when it was a professional not a personal matter, but he insisted and, not wanting to prolong the incident, I gave him the details." Anousheh says she was given no legal reasons as to why they were stopped filming; however, she did say the officer made a reference to terrorist activity.
Speaking of her "frustrating" experience as a Muslim journalist she said, "I was stopped before with another crew and given report slips once on High Street Kensington in February and once on Victoria Road. We have to carry those slips with us all the time. I don't know why we constantly get stopped, is it because we are not a large mainstream media [outlet], or is it because I wear the hijab?"
The incident came a month before a Muslim BBC journalist was held to the ground by police officers after his radio equipment was mistaken for an explosive device.
Bishop of Rochester 'doing the BNP's work'
The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, this week claimed the influence of Christianity had been practically wiped out in recent decades, destroying Britishness and leading to the breakdown in family life and an increase in drunkenness and violence.
The bishop, a leading conservative who believes the Church of England should be doing more to convert Muslims, then warned that radical Islam is starting to fill the "moral vacuum" left by the decline in Christianity, which could lead to different values taking hold.
But his words have been condemned by some groups who have accused him of spreading fear and intolerance, and of putting across a similar message to the far-right British National Party.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "Dr Nazir-Ali's remarks are ill-advised, dangerous and manipulative. He is playing a very dangerous game with these repeated scaremongering tactics against Muslims, and risks doing the BNP's work for them. He risks creating even more hostility towards the Muslim community in this country – and community relations are already very fragile in some places."
The NSS, which campaigns against what it calls the privileged position of religious groups in society, called on the Archbishop of Canterbury to discipline the bishop for his remarks and prevent him from making "further inflammatory statements".
We couldn't agree more. However, we can't avoid noting some double standards here. If the National Secular Society is genuinely concerned about irresponsible attacks on Islam giving assistance to the fascists they could start by dissociating themselves from NSS member Pat Condell, whose Islamophobic rants on YouTube have been applauded by Terry Sanderson. It would appear that the incitement of hostility towards the Muslim community is OK with Sanderson when it's done by fellow secularists.
See also Inayat Bunglawala at Comment is Free and the excellent leader in today's Guardian.
For the BNP's endorsement of Nazir-Ali, see here.
Martin Sullivan
in Right Wing, Secular, Resisting Islamophobia, Far Right Racists
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Islamophobia forces Danish Muslims to consider emigration
Pia Kjaersgaard's Danish People's Party has a genius for attracting attention. Over the past month its campaign to ban public employees from wearing Islamic headscarves has dominated the headlines and also triggered squabbles within most of the country's other political parties.
The campaign began with a poster of a burka-clad woman wielding a judge's gavel. The implicit message was that Danes risk having their courts invaded by Muslim hordes and sharia law. Birthe Ronn Hornbech, the immigration minister, denounced the DPP as “fanatically anti-Muslim” and said the judiciary was capable of policing its own impartiality and dress code. Stig Glent-Madsen, a high-court judge, confirmed that the judiciary had always managed this itself.
Yet the government, which relies on the DPP's support to stay in power, has decided that a new law is needed to ban the wearing of all religious symbols by judges – from Christian crosses to Jewish skullcaps and even Sikh turbans. The hapless Ms Ronn Hornbech will have to frame the law. And the DPP is now calling for even broader bans. Muslim headscarves, says Ms Kjaersgaard, are a “symbol of political Islam and the discrimination against women”. She wants them “out of schools, off the streets and outside the doors of parliament”.
Many Danes share Ms Kjaersgaard's sentiments. A poll by Megafon for TV2 found 48% in favour of a ban on public employees wearing “religious garb”, and only 39% against.
One response has come from Danish-born Muslims. A poll by Politiken, a daily, of 315 young Muslim students, found that two-thirds of them were considering emigrating after graduation. Most gave as their reason “the tone of the Danish debate about Muslims”.