Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Viriginia: Muslim customer denied service because she wore a headscarf

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization is calling on a Virginia-based convenience store chain to offer an apology to a Muslim woman who was allegedly denied service at one of the chain’s stores in that state because she wore an Islamic head scarf, or hijab.

The Muslim customer told the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) that she entered the Valero Fas Mart in Fredericksburg, Va., on November 9 to make a purchase. When she approached the cashier to pay, she was allegedly told to remove her hijab if she wanted to be served. The cashier reportedly said the reason for that demand was that the store security cameras would not be able get a clear image of the Muslim customer’s face, despite the fact that her full face was visible.

To comply with the cashier’s demands, and despite her sincere religious beliefs that she must cover her hair at all times, the Muslim customer says she pulled her scarf back slightly to expose her hairline. In spite of this attempt to avoid confrontation with the cashier, the Muslim customer was allegedly told to leave the store without being served.

Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion in places of public accommodation and service.

In a letter to Valero Fas Mart, CAIR National Legal CounselNadhira Al-Khalili asked the company to investigate the incident, reprimand the cashier, provide the Muslim customer with a written apology, and institute sensitivity and diversity training for staff.

CAIR is urging American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact Valero Fas Mart and urge the company to address the Muslim customer’s concerns.

CAIR press release, 11 November 2010

Jews against EDL launch unity voice

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jews Against the EDLThe first joint initiative to combat Jewish support for the English Defence League within the community has been launched.

The “Not in our name – Jews against the EDL” campaign is backed by more than a dozen organisations, including the Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust, the Israeli Embassy, and Jews for Justice for Palestinians. More than 500 people have already pledged their support.

The initiative of the Union of Jewish Students, the campaign is a response to the creation of a “Jewish division” by the extreme right-wing anti-Islamic-fundamentalist group earlier this year, and the EDL’s pro-Israel protest outside the Israeli Embassy last month, which was supported by American rabbi Nachum Shifren.

The “Not in our name” group’s founding pledge states: “The Jewish community has always been at the forefront of anti-fascism. From Cable Street to defeating the BNP at the ballot box, we have been unafraid to speak out against those who seek to spread fear and hatred in our communities.

“Now our community faces a new threat. The EDL claims to be our allies in the fight against extremism. In reality, they are violent racists with BNP members and Nazi sympathisers among their ranks. It is time for the Jewish community to come together as one to expose the EDL as the racist thugs they are.”

UJS campaigns director Carly McKenzie said: “We felt this was a prime opportunity to bring the whole community together with one loud voice.”

Edie Friedman, director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, which is backing the initiative, said: “It’s terribly important for different sections of the community, as well as individuals, to stand up and say categorically, ‘not in our name’. It’s unbelievable that such an organisation can appropriate Jewish support.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “At the HET we educate about the dangers of racism and discrimination and it is vital that we stand up against groups such as the EDL who preach hatred and division in our communities.”

Jewish Chronicle, 11 November 2010

Wilders is a fascist, says Dutch philosopher

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party is a fascist movement. That’s according to Dutch philosopher Rob Riemen in an essay sent to all members of parliament. He says he cannot understand why people are afraid to call a spade a spade.

Up to the 1990s, the fascism and Nazism of WWII marked the moral limit in Dutch politics. However, since the debate about immigration and the rise of Geert Wilders, it has become taboo to mention this. Any comparison of Wilders’ anti-Islamic party with fascism has been regarded as muddying the waters.

Nonsense, says Rob Riemen, Wilders is simply a fascist. “I don’t mean that as a term of abuse, it’s an objective historical judgment. There are numerous parallels between fascism then and now. History is there to learn from and, if we don’t, we will make the same mistakes.”

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Republican right exploits Islamophobia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Looking at the smoldering post-election landscape and the long presidential campaign trail ahead, it’s clear that Islamophobia as a political tool is here to stay – wielded by Republicans who use it to excite and galvanize the right wing, embarrass their opponents and sow the seeds of fear and paranoia in everyone else. And it’s so damn effective!”

Kelley B. Vlahos at antiwar.com, 9 November 2010

Leo McKinstry warns against ‘the rapid Islamification of our public culture’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The fabric of our civilisation is now at risk from militant Islam which aims to destroy our way of life. Yet instead of showing resolve in the face of this challenge, the political establishment vacillates between collusion and denial.

We are told that the Muslim zealots are a only tiny minority while we are also given constant assurances that there is no cause for concern in the rapid Islamification of our public culture….

But this is the hallmark of Britain’s relationship with Islam, where fear is dressed up as tolerance. Our political leaders constantly prattle about equality, yet they allow Sharia courts to flourish in our midst, with all its nasty oppression of women.

They pretend that the burqa is a welcome form of Muslim self-expression, though they would not dream of allowing British youths to go around public spaces permanently wearing black balaclavas. They do nothing to combat Muslim extremism on university campuses or in so-called faith schools and allow laws on human rights to be cynically exploited by those who only have contempt for humanity.

In this climate of denial, a number of myths are sedulously promoted to quell justified public anxieties about Islam. One is the emphasis on the majority of Muslim moderates who have nothing to do with extremism. But in recent years, this majority has been distinguished only by its silence….

We are dealing with a dangerous, aggressive ideology, not some minor fringe problem. “Islam will dominate the world” read one of the placards at last week’s [demonstration]. Unless we wake up, this will become a terrifying reality.

Daily Express, 8 November 2010

Update:  See also ENGAGE, 8 November 2010

Judge blocks Oklahoma anti-Islam constitutional amendment

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A federal judge in Oklahoma today temporarily blocked an anti-Islam state ballot measure (officially known as SQ 755) that would have amended that state’s constitution to forbid judges from considering Islamic principles (Shariah) or international law when making a ruling.

U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange of the United States District Court – Western District of Oklahoma granted a temporary restraining order blocking certification of the November 2nd passed ballot measure by the Oklahoma State Board of Elections.

The court ruling came one day before the certification of the election results. If the voting result is certified on November 9, the measure would amend the Oklahoma state constitution to forbid judges from considering Islamic principles (Shariah) or international law to guide their decisions.

Judge Miles-LaGrange also scheduled a hearing on November 22 for arguments as to whether she should grant a preliminary injunction that would extend the restraining order until a final determination is made in the case.

OpEd News, 8 November 2010

Exuberant demo says no to racism, fascism and Islamophobia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

November 2010 demo

Around 5,000 black, white and Asian people marched through central London today in a lively and spirited demonstration against racism, fascism and Islamophobia.

The march, called by UAF and Love Music Hate Racism, was supported by the TUC and the Muslim Council of Britain. But it was the presence of large number of young people, school and university students that gave the demo its exuberant character.

Marchers showed their opposition to the fascist British National Party and the racist thugs of the English Defence League – which particularly targets Muslims.

The demonstrators chanted: “Whose streets? Our streets” and “EDL, go to hell – take your Nazi mates as well” as the march wound out of the West End and down Whitehall to Westminster.

Along with the chanting, many danced along behind carnival floats, with music from artists supporting LMHR.

At Westminster, the protesters heard from a range of speakers, including George Galloway, Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary of the PCS civil service union and poet Zita Holbourne of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts.

UAF officer and LMHR national coordinator Martin Smith told the crowd that it was important for antiracists and antifascists to mobilise against the EDL, criticising those who argued that we should “stay away or hide behind doors”. He said:

If you give an inch to fascists they will come for more – we must not give an inch. We have to stand together, united.

He urged everyone to join a national mobilisation against the EDL in Luton in February.

There was more music, featuring artists including radical rapper Lowkey and up-and-coming young band Flow Dem, who caught the mood with their song Racial Ting: “It’s not a racial ting, it’s a white black mixed race Asian ting!”

Speaking after the demo, UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:

Thousands of people turned out on a very lively demo to show they reject racism, fascism and Islamophobia. Now we need to build on that success, building bigger local groups and setting up new ones around the country.

We will also be mobilising for a national counter-demonstration against the EDL in Luton on 5 February 2011.

UAF news report, 6 November 2010