Minneapolis Hate Crime Hotline- Perspective From The Left and Right

Last year Minneapolis, Minnesota- home to many Somali Muslims one of which is newly elected Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar- created a hate-crime/harassment hotline.

"Since the general election, many of us have experienced, witnessed firsthand or heard of actions of: racism, xenophobia, sexism and bigotry directed at people here and in cities across the United States," Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights Director Velma Korbel wrote in a statement posted on the city's website. "In no uncertain terms, hate-motivated speech and actions have no place in Minneapolis nor will they be tolerated."

Not surprisingly, the left and the right have diametrically opposing opinions on what amounts to a snitch hotline for the overly sensitive, accessible through the city's 311 hot line  service. We all know that the only people who become super offended by any criticism of their religion are the Muslims, and it was no doubt created with them in mind, probably spurred on by Council On American Islamic Relations (CAIR).  But the only people who appear to be concerned are those of us who realize that this kind of action will eventually lead to the further erosion of free speech. We are already being censored and censured on social media outlets for even mentioning the word "Shariah". I'm not talking about speech that incites physical violence against anyone, that is an abomination, but criticism is not a hate crime, though it seems to be headed that way if the lefties have their way.

So, if you google, you will find a slew of the usual conservative voices opining about the "Shariah hot line", and then you have the alternative weekly left-leaning rag Minneapolis City Pages calling Shariah Law a "myth", and excoriating those of us who think it's not a myth and potentially the beginning of something dangerous.

Pete Kotz of City Pages wrote in response to Jihad Watch claiming that“This is a helpline for Muslims to report incidents of Islamophobia, including, no doubt, rude remarks that are not criminal, and accurate analysis of the motivating ideology behind jihad terror activity.”:

The hotline, of course, does nothing of the sort. People can still speak freely from the depths of their anal cavity, peddling all the theological nuttery they can slobber. It just can’t rise to the level of a crime. Hence the name “hate crime hotline.” The myth has already been debunked by Snopes and Politifact. But the righteous are not easily deterred by accuracy or cognitive limitations.

It might not now, but no matter how much he mocks those who believe, we don't know for sure what will happen when we lose the ability to freely criticize.

I remember

Who Is Behind The Campaign To Silence The Debate on Islam- by Muslim Journalist Asra Q Nomani

A former Wall Street Journal reporter and American Muslim, Asra Q. Nomani, has written an interesting article on the "organized campaign" to silence criticism of Islam. She, herself, has been a target for her progressive views, including the bullying attempts to silence her, the ad hominem attacks: "Zionist media whore" and "House Muslim,"  and, of course, the obligatory death threats.

She writes about when and where it all began:

The campaign began, at least in its modern form, 10 years ago in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, when the Organization of Islamic Cooperation — a mini-United Nations comprising the world’s 56 countries with large Muslim populations, plus the Palestinian Authority — tasked then-Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu with combating Islamophobia and projecting the “true values of Islam.” During the past decade, a loose honor brigade has sprung up, in part funded and supported by the OIC through annual conferences, reports and communiques. It’s made up of politicians, diplomats, writers, academics, bloggers and activists.

In 2007, as part of this playbook, the OIC launched the Islamophobia Observatory, a watchdog group based in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, with the goal of documenting slights against the faith. Its first report, released the following year, complained that the artists and publishers of controversial Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad were defiling “sacred symbols of Islam . . . in an insulting, offensive and contemptuous manner.” The honor brigade began calling out academics, writers and others, including former New York police commissioner Ray Kelly and administrators at a Catholic school in Britain that turned away a mother who wouldn’t remove her face veil.

“The OIC invented the anti-‘Islamophobia’ movement,” says Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and a frequent target of the honor brigade. “These countries . . . think they own the Muslim community and all interpretations of Islam.”

Alongside the honor brigade’s official channel, a community of self-styled blasphemy police — from anonymous blogs such as LoonWatch.com and Ikhras.com to a large and disparate cast of social-media activists — arose and began trying to control the debate on Islam. This wider corps throws the label of “Islamophobe” on pundits, journalists and others who dare to talk about extremist ideology in the religion. Their targets are as large as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and as small as me.

The official and unofficial channels work in tandem, harassing, threatening and battling introspective Muslims and non-Muslims everywhere. They bank on an important truth: Islam, as practiced from Malaysia to Morocco, is a shame-based, patriarchal culture that values honor and face-saving from the family to the public square. Which is why the bullying often works to silence critics of Islamic extremism.

It works for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The rest here.  Well worth the read.  We need more voices like Asra's. There are some, but they are very few.

Erdogan Tells Europe - Handle Your Islamophobia Before You Criticize Turkey

Europe criticised Turkey (rightfully so) for its tanking freedom of the press, so the delusional President Recep Tayyip Erdogan countered by claiming Turkey has the world's "freest" press (not!)   and that Europe should tackle the rise in Islamophobia before it starts criticizing his country.

The European Union, which Turkey has been seeking to join for decades, said the media raids ran counter to European values, a criticism already dismissed by Erdogan. On Friday, the President repeated his discontent, with a visibly harsher tone.

"We are not Europe's scapegoat," Erdogan told a symposium of civil servants. "We are definitely not a country that Europe can point its finger at and scold. Instead of criticising us, Europe should find a solution to increasing racism and Islamophobia."

He made reference to an incident in the German city of Dormagen, where ultra nationalists drew Nazi signs on the walls of a mosque construction, according to reports in Turkish local media earlier this week.

First of all, any anti-Muslim rancor that exists today has been birthed by Islamic supremacy and Muslim entitlement. There were no problems with Muslims in the West until the conservative ones started with their demands, and then the violence. Prior to 9/11 hijabs were some exotic garb worn by some Middle Eastern women. Even back in the 1960s many Afghan women wore western clothing, same thing in Egypt, and Iran.  All that has changed. As they immigrated to the West and became more religious, the demands started and the refusal to integrate and assimilate.

So, you only have yourselves to blame Mr. Erdogan.

More here.

French Journalist Castigated For Claiming Muslims Don't Assimilate

No stranger to controversy, Eric Zemmour, a French journalist, has been blasted for simply stating a truth: that the "Muslims kept to themselves in the suburbs" and as a result the "French were forced to move out." This has been happening everywhere in Europe where Muslim immigrants congregate. They make it virtually impossible for non-Muslims to live there. This is not racism, this is not Islamophobia, this their choice, it's something they've brought upon themselves by choosing not to integrate and assimilate.

As a result of his comments during an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he has become persona non grata.

The iTELE channel said late Friday that Zemmour would not be invited back to a chat show he has been appearing in since 2003 following an outcry over his latest remarks.
Zemmour, who recently published a best-seller titled “The French Suicide,” is no stranger to polemics and has been convicted of inciting racial hatred.

[snip]

Zemmour is a well-known media commentator and columnist for Le Figaro newspaper who prides himself on his outspoken defiance of what he deems politically correct, woolly liberals.

Zemmour’s parents are Jewish Berbers who emigrated from Algeria in the 1950s.

France is home to five million Muslims, the largest population in Europe. It also has the largest Jewish diaspora on the continent.

The SNJ journalists union hailed the “strong decision” taken by the television channel, a position taken by SOS Racisme, an anti-racism watchdog.

Source: Al Arabiya

Muslim Woman's Open Letter Responding To Ben Affleck Calling Criticism Of Islam "Gross and Racist"

As we all know liberal actor Ben Affleck called criticism of Islam "gross and racist" during an episode of the Bill Maher show, with Maher- a liberal who gets the radical Islam problem.  Well, it appears there are Muslims who believe Ben's argument, though well intentioned, was actually harmful.

Eiynah, a Canadian/Pakistani blogger, has written an open letter to Affleck discussing just how harmful it was.  The op-ed was published on Pakistan Today.

Dear Ben,

I am writing to you today as a woman who was born and raised in Islam. I saw your discussion with Bill Maher and Sam Harris, and I must say you did me a great disservice that day. Your heart was in the right place, of course, and it was lovely of you to step up and defend ‘my people’.

What you really did though, perhaps inadvertently, was silence a conversation that never gets started. Two people attempted to begin a dialogue and you wouldn’t even listen. Why should any set of ideas be above criticism, Ben?

Why are Muslims being ‘preserved’ in some time capsule of centuries gone by? Why is it okay that we continue to live in a world where our women are compared to candy waiting to be consumed? Why is it okay for women of the rest of the world to fight for freedom and equality while we are told to cover our shameful bodies? Can’t you see that we are being held back from joining this elite club known as the 21st century?

Noble liberals like yourself always stand up for the misrepresented Muslims and stand against the Islamophobes, which is great but who stands in my corner and for the others who feel oppressed by the religion? Every time we raise our voices, one of us is killed or threatened. I am a blogger and illustrator, no threat to anyone, Ben, except for those afraid of words and drawings. I want the freedom to express myself without the very real fear that I might be killed for it. Is that too much to ask?

[snip]

What you did by screaming ‘racist!’ was shut down a conversation that many of us have been waiting to have. You helped those who wish to deny there are issues, deny them. You became an instant hero, a defender of Islam. It’s kind, it really is. I understand because I too am plagued and affected by the issues brought about by actual Islamophobia. I have a Muslim name and brown skin, my peaceful relatives have been pushed in the subway and called ‘terrorist’ for no reason.

[snip]

Can we talk about the blatant double standards and violation of human rights, for a second? Mosques are built throughout western countries, usually without much issue. But in the hub of Islam, the heart of Islam, Saudi Arabia, no one but Muslims are allowed to officially practice their faith. There are no churches, temples or synagogues because Saudi Arabia will not permit any non-Muslim place of worship to exist. Who will hold them accountable for such injustice if we hush everyone who speaks out against Islam?

The whole letter here.

Brave woman, since she's already received death threats for an anti-homophobia children's book she wrote titled: My Chacha (uncle) is Gay.  

Good luck Eiynah.

Hypocrisy Video Of the Day From CAIR- Slam AZ TV Host For Refusing Somali Cabbie

The Council on American-Islamic Relations' YouTube channel posted an audio recording of Arizona radio host Lisa Benson discussing "The Myth of Islamophobia" with some guests.

This is what CAIR titled the video: Islamophobia Watch: Arizona Radio Host Lisa Benson Requests Non-Somali Taxi Driver At Airport with the following blurb:

Right-wing radio host Lisa Benson interviewed Rabbi Jonathan Hausman and Jerry Gordon on April 20, 2014, about "The Myth of Islamophobia." During that interview, Benson admitted she requested a non-Somali taxi driver at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. Neither guest questioned whether such a bigoted request was appropriate.

Benson's "Board of Advisors" includes notorious Islamophobes such as Nonie Darwish, Steven Emerson and John Guandolo.

Bigoted? She had no problems with being driven by what she thought was a Southern Sudanese driver. It turns out he was actually Northern Sudanese (Muslim), and as soon as she was sequestered in the back of his cab wound up telling her that he was going to drive her to the police and sue her for discrimination.

Benson is a Jewish woman who wears a Star of David, yes, she was worried about driving with a Somali Muslim. And she had every right to choose not to hire a Somali cabbie. After all, Somali cab drivers at the Minneapolis/St Paul International have refused service to passengers carrying alcohol or seeing-eye dogs.

Typical Muslim hypocrisy.

UK Muslim Helpline Reaches Out To Jews and Gays In Bid For Mutual Tolerance

This is interesting.  The founder of a British anti-Islamophobia hotline has enlisted the help of a gay activist and a Jew to battle intolerance.

The Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) helpline, whose aim is to help victims and measure the level of anti-Muslim attacks in Britain, has invited the famous gay activist Peter Tatchell to become its patron, the Sunday Express reported.

The daily also revealed that Tell MAMA’s founder, Fiyaz Mughal, will make yet another controversial announcement next week when he officially recruits Richard Benson, a former president of the Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish organization that battles anti-Semitism, to be the group’s joint chairman.

Mughal, who started the group in 2012, said that by linking up with key figures from these two communities, a message of tolerance will be proliferated.

“We’re clear. If you are homophobic or anti-Semitic, you can’t campaign against anti-Muslim prejudice,” he told the Sunday Express.

He added: “The two things just do not go together. If you’re an intolerant figure against someone else, you can’t then cry wolf when something happens to you... We’ll stand against intolerance in all communities.”

Mughal seems sincere, and claims to be the voice of the silent majority.  He has already angered some in the Muslim community when he chastised Mohammad Naseem, head of the Birmingham Central Mosque, for saying gays were like gamblers, pedophiles or compulsive murderers, and when living in Muslim countries should “respect the law and control their desire.”  Naseem's comment inspired Mughal to reach out to Tatchell and Benson.

Already ostracized by some, he should probably watch his back from now on.

More here.

Muslim Woman Complains To CAIR About Being Kicked Out Of Meeting

More pissing and moaning to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) by some Minnesotan Muslim woman who complained about being "physically escorted" out of the Annual Hibbing Area Women's Retreat which was being hosted at the Chisholm Baptist Church.

Apparently, this woman showed up wearing her hijab to the meeting where Cynthia Khan- an Islamophobe according to CAIR- was scheduled to speak.  

" [she].. was initially welcomed to the event by organizers. She completed the registration, paid the entrance fee and was given a nametag. As she was entering the auditorium, Khan approached event volunteers and asked that they remove the Muslim woman.

When the Muslim woman explained that she was only there to listen and would not interrupt the speech or disrupt the event, Khan said she did not want a Muslim in the audience. Khan told her that videos and materials "offensive" to Muslims will be shown and distributed during her talk.

Despite her objections to the unfair treatment due to her religion, the Muslim woman was physically escorted outside by event volunteers.

Come on, the woman really expects us to believe that she was only there to listen? And why would you go to an event that you know will offend you if you aren't there to cause problems either during or after that event. Which was obviously her intent, since she went straight to CAIR. 

Video report on the situation.

As expected, CAIR is looking into legal action.

Actor Stephen Fry Addresses "Islamophobe" Accusations

Stephen Fry- British character actor, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, director and a slew of other things- addresses in a blog post being called an "Islamophobe" after he was slammed for saying that fellow atheist Richard Dawkins was justified in his criticism of Islam.

In on online exchange last week, Fry said Prof Dawkins was justified in singling out Islam for more criticism than other religions, tweeting: "Wonder why. Oh, have a look around the world and see them slaughtering each other, let alone others. So charming to women too …"

In his blog post "Am I an Islamophobe?" he writes:

The squeezed liberal finds himself in the position that he cannot criticise Islamofascism because it’s somehow “racist” (although Islam encompasses many many races) or because it encourages acts of violence against innocent law-abiding honourable Muslims, which I would never for a second endorse. It is a topsy-turvy smothering of debate and an Orwellian denial of free-speech to declare that speaking out against violence will cause violence. I’m all for insult, as it happens, as long as it’s funny. But I have no time for assault. Only a few letters’ difference, but the two are a world away.

The rest here.

Muslims Not Amused With Atheist Dawkin's Comment On Muslim Nobel Prize Winners

Richard Dawkins seems to have upset many (and not just Muslims) with a Twitter post regarding the dearth of Muslim Nobel Prize winners. The hardcore atheist said:

 “..all the world’s Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. They did great things in the Middle Ages, though.”

Apparently he was called everything from racist to Islamophobe (the usual name calling), and defended his comment with, basically, the truth: Muslims "aren't a race."

".. What they have in common is a religion. Rather than Trinity, would you prefer the comparison with Jews? Google it.”

Al Arabiya has responses from both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Terrorist Hijabi Doll Card Outrages US Muslims

Chicago Muslims have their knickers in a twist over a greeting card, and of course Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is right in the thick of it.

A Chicago Muslim activist has spotted a troubling greeting card featuring an adorable hijab-wearing doll with an exploding message that equates smiling, non-threatening Muslims with extremist terrorists.

“Nothing identifies this doll as a terrorist in the minds of the card designers other than that she wears a Hijab,” Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), wrote in an article published by the Chicago Monitor on Friday, May 3.

“Moreover, she is a smiling, non-threatening normal-looking female wearing a pink Hijab and a flower-patterned dress.

“The unmistakable message behind the “humor” is that even the most peaceful looking Muslims are synonymous and exchangeable with terrorists.”

Oops.

The card is a photograph of an actual talking doll called "Aamina, the Muslim Doll" which says things like "Assalamu Alaikum is the Muslim greeting, and it means peace be upon you", and "Let's play together insha'Allah, insha'Allah means if God wills it." Desi Doll company manufactures the doll and was designed by a mom who wanted to teach her three kids Arabic and Urdu.

According to Rehab,

“Islamophobic generalizations and negative stereotypes often hit those who are most visibly perceived as Muslim, and women wearing the Hijab are often the group hit the hardest."

Of the card company, NobleWorks Inc, Rehab said:

“There are those who will claim Muslims do not have a sense of humor."

“But one would like to think humor comes with (even a minimal degree of) intelligence.

“The notion that a doll, that looks like any other doll that any little girl in the world would play with, can be presented as a terrorist doll simply and only because it is a “Muslim” doll or because it has a “Muslim scarf” on its head is not what defines “funny” for a lot of people, but bigoted, ugly, idiotic, moronic, etc."

Read the whole story from an Islamic perspective.

You might remember Ahmed Rehab from the My Jihad bus campaign.

Geert Wilders' Ex-Colleague Turned Muslim, To Produce Mohammed Film

I truly do not understand the appeal of Islam to a Westerner, particularly a female. There are many ways of finding God and living a good spiritual life without having to go to such extremes. But somehow, it does appeal. To many. And sometimes to the most unlikely of converts. Take Arnoud Van Doorn, the Dutch politician who used to be a member of Geert Wilders far-right Freedom Party (PVV), until he converted to Islam. Apparently, he was even involved in producing the film FITNA, which caused an uproar for equating Islam with violence back in 2008.  But, Van Doorn, for some bizarre reason, was drawn to Islam and has just made a trip to Saudi Arabia for his first pilgrimage after converting this year.  Not the Hajj.  Yet. But a pilgrimage nonetheless.

Arnoud said of his Umrah:

“If any person told me that I will visit the land of the two holy shrines, I would have told him that he must be insane."

"But what happened now is realization of a dream and it is still unbelievable for me that I am now in the holy city that hosted the Prophet (pbuh). I couldn’t control my feelings when I stood in front of the grave of the Prophet (pbuh) as well as in Rawdah Sharif, near the pulpit used by the Prophet (pbuh). When I prayed at Rawdah Sharaif, my eyes were full of tears as I had the feeling that I am in a part of the Paradise.”

“Finding Islam is a dream came true,” a tearful Doorn added.

Doorn, a member of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) has embraced Islam earlier this year after an extensive study into the religion.

Apparently Doorn's interest was piqued after Muslims balked at the film.

Now, as penance for being such a bad Islamophobe, he is planning on producing a film about Islam and Mohammed, in association with the Canadian Dawah Association (CDA). The CDA was instrumental in getting him to convert to Islam, or revert as Muslims like to call it, since they believe all humans were born Muslim.

Since converts are often more zealous about their new found religion, Doorn hopes to dedicate his life to proselytizing.

“I will spare no efforts to protect the rights of Muslims in all European countries as well as to serve Islam and its followers throughout the world. I will try my best to repair the damage that I caused to Islam and its Prophet through the film ‘Fitna’."

As for repairing the damage that the film caused:

“I will use all my experience in producing an alternative film, which will speak about the true image of Islam and all aspects of the personality of the Prophet as well as his great qualities.”

As for his involvement in the film FITNA and his ultimate conversion:

 “It was unfortunate that I did not make any efforts to know what really Islam is and who is the Prophet before blindly believing in the misinformation campaign being unleashed by the anti-Islamic forces. When I came to realize that it was not Islam, I decided to study about the religion and that led to my conversion. Now, I am really enjoying the beauty of Islam and am extremely delighted in Allah’s great blessing to guide me onto His path. It is an explicable experience for me.”

As for  members of the PVV that are not happy with his conversion, he has this to say:

 “The party stands against Islam and its spreading in Europe. Some of them now consider me as a traitor.” [Snip]

 “Let me tell them that this is my personal decision and I see a new life in Islam that I don’t want any way to give it up. I happened to see on social networking sites several comments, expressing feelings of antagonism and hatred toward me.” 

According to Al Arabiya:

... he took a pledge in front of the grave of the Prophet (pbuh) that he would strive to spread his true message and his great qualities that are instrumental in promoting peace and harmonious relations among the people worldwide.

Promoting peace and harmonious relations among the people worldwide? Maybe they should start with each other. When they start getting along with fellow Muslims, when they stop killing each other (and us), when they stop foisting their religion down our throats, then maybe people will start to respect their religion.

It Is Not Racist To Criticize Islam

I love this: the many faces of Islam. Blacks, Whites, Asians and a slew of other ethnicities.

There are those who love to label 'criticism of Islam' as racist, but bottom line, since a religion is not a race or ethnicity it's ludicrous to call it that.  Claiming someone sucks because of the color of their skin is definitely racist, claiming their religion sucks is not.

Equally asinine is calling people Islamophobic. We do not have a phobia or fear of Islam, per se, although we might fear the extremist adherents of that religion whose favorite pastime is to maim and kill fellow human beings. But no, looking at a Quran or even at a niqab-clad woman does not send me into irrational and excessive fear of said object. It does not cause me anxiety and stress. It does not make me fear for my life, though I might wonder what that niqab woman is hiding under her robes. I might find some of the teachings and the clothing some women are either forced or choose to wear distasteful, but no fear.

So come up with something better, please.

Brussells University Debate Heckled By Muslim Fundamentalists

There is no civil discourse when it comes to Islamic fundamentalists. They allow no room for debate, no freedom of speech, and civility is a word that does not seem to exist in their lexicon. We often witness their uncivilized behaviour at University lectures and debates.  Back in 2010, on the UC Irvine Campus, Muslim students heckled a lecture on American/Israeli relations given by Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. Michael B Oren.  The video shows just how disrespectful the students were.

This time their boorish behaviour was captured on tape at a Brussels University (ULB) where French journalist Caroline Fourest (a secularist) was set to debate Hervé Hasquin on the subject: "Has the extreme right become socially acceptable or not?" Fourest, a feminist, anti-racist, anti-Islamic Totalitarianism  received death threats (along with 11 others) in 2006 for signing: Manifesto: Together Facing the New Totalitarianism, a response to the violence that erupted after the Danish Jyllands-Posten Mohammed Cartoons. 

The debate had yet to begin when some rabble-rousers (including some niqab-clad women) started heckling the participants accusing Fourest of Islamophobia.  At about 4:36 on the video below, they start getting rowdy and chanting "Burqa!!"  bla-bla.

At one point, after being goaded by the debate moderator Guy Haarscher into coming on stage to speak, the instigator of the protest, Souhail Chichah, an assistant and researcher in economics at the university, grabbed a veil and continued his harangue.  Apparently, Chichah (who is said to have extremist views) had for several days been calling for "Burqa Pride" on various social networks, and was devoted to the "stoning of Caroline Fourest".

Fourest finally left, escorted by security, saying she would never return.

University officials were so outraged by this clear violation of freedom of expression, that the rector has called for a disciplinary board to look into what actions should be taken against Chichah.

He should be fired.

 


H/T Islam In Europe