A Temecula-based anti-Islam group handed out fliers to students at a Murrieta high school. About a dozen members of Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment perched themselves on the sidewalk outside Murrieta Valley High School Tuesday, handing out fliers to students walking by.

A person unaffiliated with the group stood across the street from the high school, holding yellow signs that read, “Islam = Hate,” and, “Say No 2 Islam.”

The letter handed out was the same one the group gave to students outside Chaparral High School in January.

Seventh grade students in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District learn about the history of Islam as part of Social Studies. The letter accuses teachers of lying about Islam.

“Did you know you were subjected to some really serious brainwashing when you were in the seventh grade, and that it is continuing even today?” the flier stated. “That means you have been fed a bunch of lies. Lies can mess up your life forever. Do you like being lied to?”

The group also informed school district officials the day before that they planned to hand out the fliers, said Karen Parris, spokeswoman for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District. The district sent a phone message home to parents, telling them about the outreach.

“Under the first amendment, the group has the right to express their views on Islam and the building of mosques in the United States. Our students have the right to refuse the fliers or to accept the fliers, to engage in conversation, or to continue walking,” the message stated. “School staff and Murrieta police will be on hand to ensure that this is a peaceable exercise, as promised by the Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment.”

School officials also advised the students and gave them the choice of taking an alternative route to leave the school, the message stated.

Many students crumpled up the fliers and threw them on the ground, according to a parent who was present.

Temecula Patch, 4 May 2011

Amid a heavy police presence, Pastor Terry Jones delivered a rambling speech today from the steps of Dearborn City Hall that lashed out at Islam and President Barack Obama, but many of his words were drowned out by the voices of a swarm of protesters.

Jones repeatedly provoked and insulted the counter protesters. At one point, he ignored police requests by ambling down to the front of the police barricades while taunting his opponents. Angered, some of those protesters stormed past police barricades and marched across Michigan Ave as they hurled bottles and shoes at Jones’ supporters in front of them. One woman spit in Jones’ direction.

The young crowd then pushed down a security fence that separated them from Jones’ supporters as they surged forward, their faces tight with anger. For a moment, it appeared a major clash was about to break out. But Arab-American leaders and police pushed back the angry group of youngsters as dozens of police in full riot gear and masks marched out in single file out to separate the two sides. At least two were arrested.

Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly said afterward that Jones was responsible for creating the disturbance by ignoring city requests not to approach the barricade. “He refused to comply,” O’Reilly said. “He was asked, please don’t come to the barricade. He just ignored us…. His goal was to start trouble… That shows his character.”

O’Reilly said Jones was a trouble maker promoting fear among Americans during a time of economic anxiety. His goal, the mayor said, was to make money for his Florida church, which has hardly any members left. “He’s got an online business of creating fear and hatred,” he said.

Jones started his talk by repeating his claim that parts of America, like Dearborn, are under sharia, or Islamic law. “We will not allow sharia to be instituted” in America, said Jones during his talk. His assistant, Pastor Wayne Sapp – who burned a Quran last month in Florida on Jones’ orders – said during his talk: “It’s time for Christians to take to the streets.”

The crowd grew as they spoke, with more Arab-Americans and Muslims appearing as the rally took place. Some waved shoes, an Arab symbol of disrespect. Others held up Qurans. American, Palestinians, and Lebanese flags were also waved. More than 600 anti-Jones protesters appeared to assemble, despite repeated pleas by Arab-American and Muslim leaders to not show up.

During his talk, demonstrators opposing Jones repeatedly chanted “Go home Terry Jones” and “U-S-A! U-S-A!” They waved a USA flag during Jones speech.

In his talk, Jones repeated what he has been saying for weeks. But it was more pointed, and more insulting, say local Muslims. At one point, Jones said that Islamic doctrine promotes lying. As Jones spoke, Sapp held up a sign that read “Ban Sharia Law in USA”
About 100 supporters of Jones listened to his talk. Some said they were from New York City.

Jones also launched an attack on Obama, questioning the President’s speech in Cairo where said Islam was part of the American story. “Islam has never been part of the American story,” Jones said.

Detroit Free Press, 30 April 2011

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on state and national GOP leaders to repudiate a lengthy rhetorical attack on Islam and the Quran by a co-sponsor of a Tennessee bill that, in its original form, would have effectively outlawed basic Islamic principles (Sharia).

During a hearing today of the Tennessee House Judiciary Committee, State Rep. Rick Womick (R) claimed the proposed Material Support to Designated Entities Act is “not about religion,” then launched into a lengthy attack on Islam and its revealed text, ultimately comparing the faith to Nazism and white supremacy. Womick stated:

“[A Tennessee Muslim leader] says that the Quran does not support violence and that he denounces all violence. I believe him. But he is an exception, because those who truly hold the Quran for every word that it speaks cannot believe that…

“With Islam there is no freedom of religion allowed within or outside of Islam. There is no freedom of speech or thought, no freedom of artistic expression, no freedom of the press, no equality of peoples, because non-Muslims are never equal to Muslims. There is one set of laws for Muslim men and different laws for women and non-Muslims. Under Islam, women are to be beaten…

“It’s when you … demand that our Constitution take an exception to your beliefs, whether it be Sharia law or Nazism or white supremacy, it doesn’t make a difference.”

“Representative Womick’s hate rhetoric makes it clear that Islam and Muslims are the true targets of this bill,” said CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, who has helped challenge similar anti-Islam bills in other states. “His rant is evidence of the hateful paranoia that will inevitably lead to this bill being used against peaceful American Muslims.”

“Mr. Womick’s extremist views are obviously based on distortions, misinformation and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims that must be repudiated by fellow Republicans,” said Abbas.

He said the original form of the legislation was reportedly written with the assistance of David Yerushalmi, head of the anti-Islam hate group Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE).

On its now password-protected website, SANE 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 press release, 26 April 2011

See also ” Hundreds of Muslims Protest at State Capitol”, WSMV, 26 April 2011