Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

The right-wing fantasist who became Debbie Schlussel’s ‘new hero’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A fraudulent email making the rounds of the right-wing blogosphere this past week, from Glenn Beck’s 9/12 site to Fox News, relayed the amazing first-hand tale of an heroic patriotic Texan who practically single-handily thwarted a “terrorist dry run” on a flight from Atlanta to Houston. The fake Jack Bauer wannabe in question, Theodore Petruna, posted the tale of his Texas tough-guy commando action against 11 Muslims on a plane in “full attire,” on his Facebook and sent it to a few friends.

The tale of 11 “robotic” terrorists on a plane in full Muslim dress, who would have been allowed to fly on the plane with real Americans, were it not for the brave actions of Tedd Petruna, was forwarded by a friend who vouched for his credibility. And from that point the ridiculous story was used as proof by right-wing blogs, that America was “under siege.” Right-wing blogger Debbie Schlussel “confirmed” the story in the email as legitimate and wished that we had “real men like Tedd Petruna running things”.

The fake story found its way to AirTran Airways and the airline debunked Petruna’s made-up story point by point. What was the first clue that his story was a lie? He wasn’t even on the plane in question, because he missed his connecting flight. And there were no Muslims on the plane dressed like Arab Sheiks. The incident in question involved two Spanish-speaking passengers who were asked to put away their cell phones and other electronic devices. Because they didn’t speak English, they didn’t respond and the flight was delayed, until the two passengers were questioned and allowed to re-board.

ChattahBox.com, 5 December 2009

Boycott Switzerland, says Ken

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“The Swiss vote to ban minarets on mosques isn’t a surprise. There’s always been something unpleasant lurking beneath the respectable veneer of Swiss society. It was only in 1971 that they allowed women to vote, and in some backward areas they weren’t allowed right up until 1990. The Swiss refused to give up the wealth German Jews deposited in Swiss banks before they were exterminated in their millions by Hitler. After the war Swiss banks pulled every trick in the book to hide these bank accounts from relatives who survived the Holocaust.

“People should be free to practise their religion as long as they allow others to do the same. The Swiss vote is what we expect from the BNP, not a modern democracy. The world should boycott their cuckoo clocks and Swiss chocolate and refuse to go skiing on the Swiss Alps until this disgusting result is reversed. The International Olympic Committee’s HQ is in Switzerland. How can they represent the world’s sporting nations after this insult to the quarter of the world’s population who are Muslim? The national Olympic committee should vote to move the HQ to a country where all religions are respected.”

Ken Livingstone in the Sun, 4 December 2009

Swiss youth erect Geneva’s first new minaret

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Cardboard minaretThe Network of Genevan Youth Associations (GLAJ) immediately registered its shock at the result of the Swiss referendum on the banning of minarets by erecting a minaret made of cardboard, wood, paper and tissue in Geneva’s New Square.

The site of the symbolic minaret was deliberate; it was placed at the feet of the statue of General Dufour on a horse. Dufour is a Swiss national hero who presided over the first Geneva Convention which established the International Red Cross.

The young people, all of whom were too young to vote in the referendum, wanted to express their dismay at the ‘vote of shame’ through this symbolic action. As all shops were closed, they had worked through the night collecting whatever materials they could find on the streets of Geneva to build the minaret. GLAJ says more actions will follow and will be posted on Facebook.

Now other young people are joining the protest, bringing with them their own minature minarets upon which they have written messages. Among the messages inscribed on one was an extract from the Tunisian national anthem, written by the celebrated poet Abou El Kacem Chebbi, “When a people want their life, the force of destiny responds. The shadows dissolve and the chains break.”

IRR news report, 3 December 2009

Racists are a minority in Manchester, vigil told

Posted on by Bob Pitt

UAF vigil ManchesterMore than 100 people joined a vigil outside Southern Cemetery in south Manchester following the desecration of Muslim graves.

The group – which crossed religious, social and political divides – met to show a united front against the action after more than 20 graves were vandalised.

It is the third time in three months that vandals have targeted Muslim headstones at the cemetery on Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, and police are treating the attacks as a racist hate crime.

The 45-minute vigil was organised by Unite Against Fascism, and protesters waved placards as speeches were made by representatives of different uniting groups. Those taking part included leaders of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths, along with members of white and non-white communities, and political representatives from different parties.

Speaking at the rally, Chorlton councillor and deputy leader of the council, Val Stevens said: “This attack is not an act of mindless violence. Those who did it knew exactly what they were doing. And we all know that they are a tiny, tiny minority in this city.”

Manchester Evening News, 4 December 2009

Lincoln EDL ‘are not racist’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lincoln EDLFootball hooligans, or so-called “casuals”, from Lincoln are descending on Nottingham this Saturday, December 5th, for the English Defence League (EDL) demonstration, according to the EDL Lincoln Division Facebook page.

According to the group: “[The EDL] are not racist, but we want Islamic extremists off our streets!” However, one of the group’s administrators has written on the wall saying: “Let’s be out in force and do Lincoln and England proud, and show these Muslim scum we shall never surrender! For Queen and country.”

The same person has posted a link to a petition which advocates the banning of Islam.

Another member of the group made racist comments underneath a photo of some Asian men, saying: “Some nice people get let into the country… can’t believe the immigration system… all they do anyway is sell drugs and rape white women.”

A picture of a flag bearing the name of Lincoln’s gang of football hooligans, the “Lincoln Transit Elite”, has been uploaded to the page. Another picture of a flag uploaded includes a tribute to fascist organisations such as the BNP, National Front, and Combat 18. More pictures depicting football hooliganism, alongside pro-Loyalist images, have also been uploaded.

The Linc, 4 December 2009

France: chief rabbi urges more tolerance for Muslims in Europe

Posted on by Bob Pitt

GILLES BERNHEIM, GRAND RABBIN DE FRANCE, AU TALK ORANGE-LE FIGAROFrance’s chief rabbi said Europe must change its attitude about Islam.

Rabbi Gilles Bernheim said a Swiss vote Nov. 29 forbidding the construction of minarets alongside mosques was a clear sign that Western European leaders had “failed” at building tolerance toward Muslims, and he called on “all religions” as well as political leaders to increase interfaith dialogue.

“Today we need to act so that Europeans, and not just the Swiss,  change their opinion about Islam,” he wrote in an editorial published Wednesday in the French daily Le Figaro.

He compared the law aimed at minarets to past sanctions against European Jews. “The problem” with the Swiss vote “is the discrimination that it introduces by authorizing the construction of church steeples and tall buildings by all other religions except Islam”. Bernheim noted that in the past, Jews were forbidden to construct synagogues taller than churches.

JTA, 3 December 2009

See also The Local, which reports:

An official from the German Jewish Council warned on Wednesday that Switzerland’s vote to ban mosques with minarets was an expression of Europe’s deep-seated aversion to Islam that was aggravating the integration of Muslims.

While Muslims are regularly accused of an unwillingness to integrate or engage in dialogue, the majority of European society does “very little” to be hospitable or respectful, he said.

“A climate of trust can only happen if Muslims are naturally entitled to the right to their own religion, culture and language, and cultural diversity is considered to be a benefit and enrichment to our country and not a threat or burden,” Kramer said.

CAIR report shows rise in anti-Muslim bias incidents

Posted on by Bob Pitt

CAIR report 2009An annual report released today by a prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization shows an increase in the total number of bias-related incidents, but a decrease in anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2008.

The report by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), titled “Seeking Full Inclusion,” offers a summary of incidents and experiences of anti-Muslim violence, discrimination and harassment reported to the group during the 2008 calendar year. It also examines the use of Islamophobic rhetoric in the 2008 presidential election and highlights a number of issues of concern to the American Muslim community, including watch lists, surveillance of mosques and new FBI guidelines that allow religious and ethnic profiling.

To view the entire “Seeking Full Inclusion” report, go here.

CAIR press release, 3 December 2009

CST warns Jewish community against joining SIOE Harrow protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

SIOE logoThe Community Security Trust has urged the Jewish community not to lend their support to the group “Stop the Islamisation of Europe”.

SIOE have been canvassing support from British Jews to attend their forthcoming demonstration at Harrow mosque. Emails have been circulated by SIOE, including one sent to the Jewish Chronicle, asking for support. SIOE have urged Jews to bring Israeli flags to the demonstration on December 13, and have said their aim is to recruit 1,000 Jews to join the protest.

A statement on their website declares: “If you do not attend this demonstration then you are prepared to see Israel wiped off the map. Vile antisemitism is being preached in mosques across the world and almost certainly the one in your neighbourhood.”

The CST has drawn attention to the Islamaphobic comments on SIOE’s website, and compared the group to the English Defence League, and the BNP’s Nick Griffin, who have attempted to gain support from Jews through pro-Israel and anti-Muslim statements.

The blog singled out an central image on the SIOE’s website, which shows a skull with blood dripping from its mouth on the front of a mosque, where the minaret and crescent moon and star symbol is also covered in blood.

On its blog, the CST says: “This image tells us everything we need to know about SIOE and Islamophobia. If a Jew cannot understand why the image is racist, or hateful, or bigoted then they should try imagining it as a synagogue: with blood dripping from a Star of David; with blood dripping down the rabbi’s pulpit; and with blood dripping from the mouth of a skull that wears an Israeli army helmet.”

Jewish Chronicle, 30 November 2009

See “Don’t be fooled by Islamophobia” on the CST blog.

See also ENGAGE, who comment: “The CST’s commendable advice is strongly welcomed for its denying the SIOE an opportunity to drive a wedge between faith communities in Britain and engage in cheap politicking. As we’ve noted before, in the battle against far right racist groups, Muslims and Jews should be natural allies.”

Swiss cities march against minaret ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lausanne protest

Up to 8,000 people in the French-speaking part of Switzerland took to the streets on Tuesday evening to protest against the minaret ban. A march in Lausanne attracted up to 5,000 supporters, while a demonstration in Geneva was attended by more than 2,000 people, with smaller protests taking place in other towns.

In Lausanne the crowd marched from the cathedral to the mosque shouting “no to exclusion” and “no to discrimination”. In front of the mosque, representatives of the Muslim community thanked the four cantons – Basel City, Geneva, Vaud and Neuchâtel – which voted against the minaret ban. “You warmed our hearts,” they said.

The protests were organised by the Movement Against Racism with support from the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim communities.

Candlelit vigils of several hundred people were organised in the French-speaking towns of Fribourg, Bienne, Neuchâtel and Sion.

Swissinfo, 2 December 2009