Thursday, February 2, 2012

VERSE OF THE DAY: GOD LISTENS TO EVERY PRAYER - TOP

"When My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, tell them I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me. Therefore, they should respond to Me and put their trust in Me, so that they may be rightly guided."

The Noble Quran, 2:186

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MUSLIMS IN AMERICA 2012 - WHO WILL THEY VOTE FOR? - TOP
Azeem Ibrahim, Huffington Post, 2/1/12

In December last year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced their 2012 "Muslims Vote" campaign. A 2012 presidential voter guide is available, they have an online registration tool and a video, as well as a presence on Twitter. The hope is to encourage participation in the election among young Muslim voters as CAIR recognizes that with a large Muslim population in key swing states such as Ohio, Florida and Michigan, the Muslim vote potentially has great influence.

The overall Muslim population in the US is an estimate and somewhat controversial depending on which communities are included. But it is generally accepted that there are between 3 and 5 million Muslims in the country, and that this number is growing.

CAIR's GOTV campaign will hopefully make an impression on Muslim voters as the 2012 election approaches. Certainly, their Voter Guide questions have helped reveal the prejudices of some of the presidential candidates. With four of the more outspoken candidates out of the race, CAIR's Voter Guide profiles on the rest tend to feature their attitude towards Islam and toward civil rights. On Santorum, for example, it notes that he "supports indefinite detentions of suspected terrorists without charges at the Guantanamo Bay prison" (and) "Endorses racial and religious profiling, specifically of American Muslims and young men, in order to enhance security at airports."

But CAIR in a news release saves its most pointed criticism for Newt Gingrich, calling him "one of the worst promoters of anti-Muslim bigotry." CAIR spokesman Corey Saylor said that this was in response to Gingrich's comment that he would only hire Muslims in his administration if they renounced Sharia as a tool for American government. (More)

SEE ALSO:

SINGLING OUT ISLAM: NEWT GINGRICH'S PANDERING ATTACKS - TOP
By Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 2/1/12

It's interesting to observe what qualifies as beyond the pale in American politics. For bigoted newsletters written two decades ago, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, is deemed by many to be disqualified from the presidency. I don't fault anyone for criticizing those newsletters. I've done so myself. They're terrible. So is the way he has handled the controversy. But isn't it interesting that Paul has been more discredited by years-old, ghostwritten remarks than has Newt Gingrich for bigotry that he's uttered himself, on camera, during the current campaign? It has gone largely ignored both in the mainstream press and the movement-conservative organs that were most vocal condemning Paul.

That's because Muslims are the target. And despite the fact that George W. Bush was admirably careful to avoid demonizing a whole religious faith for the actions of a small minority of its adherents--despite the fact that President Obama too has been beyond reproach in this respect--anti-Muslim bigotry in the United States is treated differently than every other kind, often by the very same people who allege without irony that there is a war in this country against Christians.

In the clip at the top of this post, Gingrich says, "Now, I think we need to have a government that respects our religions. I'm a little bit tired about respecting every religion on the planet. I'd like them to respect our religion." Of course, the U.S. government is compelled by the Constitution to afford protection to religion generally, and "our" religion includes Islam, a faith many Americans practice.

That's just the beginning of what Gingrich has said about this minority group. In this clip, he likens Muslim Americans seeking to build a mosque in Lower Manhattan to Nazis building next to the Holocaust Museum. He once suggested that the right of Muslims to build mosques should be infringed upon by the U.S. government until Christians are permitted to build churches in Saudi Arabia, a straightforward suggestion that we violate the Constitution in order to mimic authoritarians. He favors a federal law that would preempt sharia--although not the religious law of any other faith--from being used in American courts, which would be the solution to a total nonproblem. (More)

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US MUSLIMS SEEK CLEMENCY FOR CONDEMNED US-IRANIAN - TOP
David N. Goodman, Associated Press, 2/1/12

A letter Tuesday from the Council on American-Islamic Relations asks Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to spare the life of Amir Hekmati. (More)

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VIDEO: VANDALS CAUSE $60K IN DAMAGE TO VIRGINIA MOSQUE - TOP

Watch the video here.

CHANTILLY, Va. - Fairfax County Police say a mosque under construction in Chantilly, Va. was vandalized late Sunday night, causing tens of thousands in damage and putting its opening on hold.

Officers responded to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Mosque at 4555 Ahmadiyya Drive at around 8:40 a.m. Monday after construction workers discovered extensive damage to every window, including more than a dozen empty beer containers.

Police say the mosque was not entered and there is no indication anything was stolen.

One mosque official told FOX 5 the windows were specially designed and the damage could be as high as $60,000.

The mosque was scheduled to open at the end of February, but the general contractor says it will likely be April before the work will be complete.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations notified the FBI Tuesday of the incident and encouraged law enforcement to look at the possibility the vandalism was bias motivated.

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ADVOCACY GROUPS WELCOME PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AGAINST ANTI-SHARIA BILL - TOP

(PHILADELPHIA, PA., 2/1/12) -- The Philadelphia office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) and the Philadelphia Arab-American Community Development Corporation (PAACDC) today welcomed the introduction of Philadelphia City Council Resolution 120031, which urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reject House Bill 2029. Currently in the PA House Judiciary Committee, the resolution is expected to pass unanimously tomorrow during the Philadelphia City Council session.

Last month, CAIR-Philadelphia and local interfaith leaders held a news conference expressing opposition to House Bill 2029, which would ban courts from considering any "foreign legal code or system" that doesn't grant the same basic rights as the federal and state constitutions. Since then, people of all faiths and various organizations have condemned the bill as unnecessary fear mongering. Jewish groups have expressed concern regarding the bill's impact on halakha, or Jewish religious law.

The legislative intent of HB 2029 is evidenced by a memo from its sponsor, Rep. Rosemarie Swanger (R - Lebanon), who has asserted that the bill is designed to protect against the "infiltration" of foreign law into the American legal system, "especially Shariah law," the practices and beliefs that comprise Islam, "which is inherently hostile to our constitutional liberties." The legislation is part of anti-Sharia hysteria sweeping the nation in which Sharia, the religion of Islam, and by extension all Muslim citizens are depicted as threats to the constitution.

SEE: Calling the Bluff - House Bill 2029's anti-Muslim origins and threats to religious freedom
SEE: Sharia law as bogeyman (Inquirer)
SEE: Sharia: The not-so-scary truth (Inquirer)

The language from the city council resolution affirms that the "City of Philadelphia welcomes all religious beliefs, traditions and heritages, and has full confidence in the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the state of Pennsylvania and does not entertain any concern that any foreign or religious law offers a threat to the law of the land."

CAIR-Philadelphia and the PAACDC commended City Councilmembers Curtis Jones Jr. and Maria D. Quinones-Sanchez for introducing the resolution.

You can read the resolution here.

CAIR-Philadelphia Civil Rights Director and staff attorney Amara S. Chaudhry has prepared a memorandum in opposition to House Bill 2029. A hard copy of this memorandum will be sent to each member of the House Judiciary Committee early next week.

The memorandum specifies CAIR-Philadelphia's constitutional concerns with House Bill 2029 and provides a brief history of the anti-Sharia movement that inspired the bill. It notes that every court that has considered the constitutionality of such legislation has ruled in favor of CAIR against the proposed legislation.

You can read the memorandum here.

"Since the Pennsylvania city with the largest Muslim population has not been overrun by sharia law, we can be sure the rest of the state is perfectly safe from halal food carts and long clothing," said CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Moein Khawaja. "House Bill 2029 is a farce. It is by design impossible for any foreign system to supersede the constitution. By introducing this bill, the sponsors imply that the thousands of Muslims in PA are a threat. I am relieved to know the city of Philadelphia is one place in Pennsylvania where Muslims, and the diverse religious practices of all people, are welcome."

The language for House Bill 2029 was drafted by anti-Islam activist David Yerushalmi. Yerushalmi is head of the anti-Islam hate group Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), which on its now password-protected website offered a policy proposal that would make "adherence to Islam" punishable by 20 years in prison, called for the immediate deportation of all non-citizen Muslims and urged Congress to declare war on the "Muslim Nation," which SANE defined as "all Muslims."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Civil Rights Director Amara Chaudhry, 215-592-0509, Email: achaudhry@cair.com; CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Moein Khawaja, 215-592-0509, 267-544-9875, Email: mkhawaja@cair.com; Executive Director of the Philadelphia Arab-American Community Development Corporation Marwan Kreidie, 215-915-2306, E-Mail: marwankreidie@yahoo.com

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IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF TO ADDRESS CAIR-MN 5TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET -TOP

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 2/01/12) - On Saturday, February 11, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) will hold its 5th Anniversary Banquet featuring Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf as the keynote speaker.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, chairman of the Cordoba Initiative and one of the key visionaries behind what developed into New York's Park51 Islamic community center, will address assaults on civil liberties in the post-9/11 era and the troubling growth of Islamophobia in American society. Community members, leaders of mosques and Muslim organizations, business executives, and interfaith partners will attend the sold-out banquet.

The program includes a pre-event reception with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and CAIR-MN advisory board members, a silent auction, a networking opportunity, and an opportunity to learn about CAIR-MN's accomplishments in defense of civil rights over the past five years.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR-MN President Lori Saroya, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: lsaroya@cair.com; CAIR-MN Civil Rights Director Taneeza Islam, Esq., 651-587-4712, E-Mail: tislam@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

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WOMAN CLAIMS RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION AT GAS STATION - TOP
CBS Miami, 1/31/12

BOCA RATON (CBSMiami) - An October incident that has just come to light is casting a cloud over a Boca Raton Chevron station for what one woman claims is discrimination.

Wednesday, La-Fleur Mohammed talked about her experience at the Boca Raton station where she said she was refused service because she was wearing a traditional Muslim headdress that covered almost all of her face.

"She took my money and said 'you can't come in here dressed like that,'" said La-Fleur Mohammed. "I said, 'excuse me but this is my religious right.'"

Mohammed continued, "She said, 'well, I need to see you.' I said, 'no, you don't. Please just give me $20 on pump number one' and that's when she just threw my money back at me."

Mohammed said at that point she picked up her money, walked out, and called 911. A sheriff's deputy arrived and escorted Mohammed into the store again, but was still refused service. ...

Still, CAIR representatives said it's a clear-cut case of discrimination on religious grounds.

"In this particular case, when someone is escorted by law enforcement and asked to be served and where she hears is a refusal; there's no doubt that this is a violation of Title 2 of the Civil Rights Act," said Wilfred Ruiz, CAIR legal counsel.

CAIR reported the incident to the Florida Commission on Human Rights. Mohammed said she doesn't want money, but would like Chevron to apologize to her. (More)




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