Category Archives: USA

Florida: anti-Sharia propaganda circulated in Senate

Posted on by Bob Pitt

ACLJ Shari'ah Law bookletAnti-Sharia flyers and booklets are circulating the Senate hallways as lawmakers prepare for a possible vote on a measure that would ban foreign law in Florida courts.

The materials present Islam as a threat to the United States, and invoke lawmakers to pass legislation to “save us from an internal attack” and “protect our freedom.”

One booklet, distributed by Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, sponsor of SB 1360, is called “Shari’ah Law: Radical Islam’s threat to the U.S. Constitution.” He said his intent is to educate people on Islam and Sharia Law, a Koran-based code followed in some Islamic countries.

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Zuhdi Jasser and Pete King support NYPD spying operation, call for it to be extended to other US cities

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Zuhdi Jasser & Pete King defend NYPD spying

Muslim groups gathered in support of the New York Police Department in Manhattan this morning following revelations the NYPD set up surveillance of Muslim communities in two New Jersey cities and on 16 college campuses.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, the president of the American Islamic Foundation, on Monday thanked the NYPD for monitoring extremists as about three dozen supporters cheered and clapped. Jasser, who narrated the documentary “The Third Jihad,” which warns against the dangers of radical Islam, said the NYPD is doing work that Muslims should be doing.

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New York Times condemns NYPD spying on Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A series of articles by The Associated Press has exposed constitutionally suspect surveillance of Muslims in New York, New Jersey, Long Island and beyond. Unearthed police records noticeably lack any apparent link to suspected criminal activity, or any obvious payoff for public safety.

In particular, the A.P. reports revealed widespread police spying and the creation of police records containing information on Muslim people, mosques and campus groups, as well as luncheonettes, dollar stores and other legitimate businesses owned and frequented by Muslims, with no apparent reason to think anything wrong was going on….

It is a distressing fact of life that mistreatment of Muslims does not draw nearly the protest that it should. But not just Muslims are threatened by this seemingly excessive warrantless surveillance and record-keeping. Today Muslims are the target. In the past it was protesters against the Vietnam War, civil rights activists, socialists. Tomorrow it will be another vulnerable group whose lawful behavior is blended into criminal activity.

Mr. Bloomberg has reacted in the worst possible way – with disdain – to those raising legitimate questions about the surveillance program. Asking about its legality, and about whether alienating innocent Muslims is a smart or decent strategy, does not translate into being soft on terrorism, or failing to appreciate that it is a dangerous world….

We welcome last week’s statement by Attorney General Eric Holder that the Justice Department is beginning to review complaints about the N.Y.P.D.’s surveillance of Muslim and Arab communities to determine whether a full civil rights investigation is warranted. The review’s prompt completion should be a priority.

Meantime, we are wondering what happened to the Michael Bloomberg who stood up for fairness and religious freedom by backing a proposed Muslim community center near ground zero. We hope that mayor re-emerges soon to restore trust.

Editorial in New York Times, 4 February 2012

See also Michael Calderone, “New York Times weighs in on Muslim surveillance program by NYPD, calls out Mayor Bloomberg”, Huffington Post, 4 March 2012

Bigots resume offensive against Murfreesboro Islamic Center

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Not WelcomeMURFREESBORO — With an April 25 court hearing drawing near in the fight over mosque construction here, foes of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro’s plans are taking the battle regional.

But while the court issue next month will focus on whether Rutherford County provided ample public notice for the 2010 meeting in which county planners approved the mosque site plan, opponents remain focused on a religious conflict, sounding a warning about the perceived spread of Islam and the damage they believe it will do to American society.

“This is not a Muslim-bashing deal. I don’t have any problem with Muslims. It’s Islam that’s causing it,” Kingdom Ministries pastor Darrel Whaley told a crowd of about 70 people last Tuesday at the Cannon County Senior Citizen Center.

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Florida: ‘anti-Sharia’ bill passes House over protests

Posted on by Bob Pitt

TALLAHASSEE — A proposal critics say targets Islam passed the House Thursday despite heated opposition from two Jewish Democratic lawmakers who called the bill unnecessary and discriminatory.

The measure bans courts or other legal authorities from using religious or foreign law as a part of a legal decision or contract. For example, Florida law would trump foreign law in marriage, divorce and custody cases. The House passed the bill 92-24, but the measure will stall in the Senate unless leaders steer it to the floor.

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Sharia law campaign begins as Muslim group fights bans

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Defending Religous Freedom

After heated debates in two dozen states over banning Sharia law, the legal code of Islam, a national Islamic group is beginning a multi-million dollar effort to explain how Sharia applies to the lives of American Muslims.

The Islamic Circle of North America, a New York-based group, is spending $3 million on its Defending Religious Freedom campaign, which kicks off Monday and explains Sharia law and common misunderstandings to everyday Americans.

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US atheist group targets Muslims and Jews

Posted on by Bob Pitt

American Atheists logoCNN reports that the American Atheists organisation are targeting Muslim and Jewish communities with billboards in Arabic and Hebrew describing God as a “myth”.

“We are not trying to inflame anything,” American Atheists president Dave Silverman is quoted as saying. “We are trying to advertise our existence to atheists in those communities. The objective is not to inflame but rather to advertise the atheist movement in the Muslim and Jewish community.”

Yeah, right.

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The state of anti-sharia bills in the US

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sharia placardOver at his Washington Post Figuring Faith blog, Robert P. Jones analyses the obstacles faced by the sponsors of anti-sharia laws in the US.

First, in order to avoid being ruled unconstitutional, the anti-sharia bills now have to be framed so broadly that they impact not just on Muslims but also on Jews, Catholics and business interests, which has the effect of broadening opposition to the proposed legislation.

Second, opinion polls indicate that sharia hysteria is in decline among the general public. Currently 14 percent agree that American Muslims want to establish sharia as the law of the land, while 68 percent disagree and 17 percent say they do not know.

Fury as judge dismisses charges against Muslim who ‘attacked’ man wearing ‘Zombie Muhammad’ Halloween costume

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Under this headline the Daily Mail takes up the case of Ernest Perce, Pennsylvania director of American Atheists, who claimed to have been assaulted by an angry Muslim while dressed as a “Zombie Muhammad” on a Halloween parade last year. At a court hearing Judge Mark Martin dismissed the charges against the alleged assailant, one Talaag Elbayomy.

The Mail reports: “The American Atheists organisation criticised the decision as ‘completely and unequivocally unacceptable’. It posted on its blog: ‘That a Muslim immigrant can assault a United States citizen in defence of his religious beliefs and walk away a free man, while the victim is chastised and insulted by a Muslim judge who then blamed the victim for the crime committed against him is a horrible abrogation….'”

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