Category Archives: USA

Muslim passengers sue US airline for discrimination

Posted on by Bob Pitt

AirTran logoNine Muslim American passengers from the Washington area sued AirTran Airways in federal court Wednesday, alleging that the airline discriminated against them by removing them from a Jan. 1, 2009, flight out of Reagan National Airport and refusing to rebook them.

“We want to send a clear message that discrimination will not be tolerated and ensure that others will not have to endure this unfair and embarrassing treatment,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, a lawyer with Public Citizen and co-counsel for the plaintiffs, brothers Kashif Irfan of Alexandria and Atif Irfan of Rockville; their families; and a friend, Abdul Razak Aziz of the District.

“As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we hope that airlines will be more sensitive when Muslim Americans travel to spend time with family and friends,” said Kashif Irfan.

The lawsuit alleges that two teenaged girls seated nearby mistook an innocuous comment by the group about safety at the rear of the airplane as a threat. The suit claims that AirTran refused to rebook the group even after FBI investigators cleared them to travel.

Washington Post, 17 November 2010

Murfreesboro Islamic Center: judge rejects Islamophobes’ complaint

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Murfreesboro mosque protestA judge refused Wednesday to stop construction of a proposed mosque in Tennessee that was opposed by some local residents who tried to argue that there was a conspiracy by Muslims to impose extremist law on the United States.

Opponents filed a lawsuit claiming that Rutherford County planning officials violated Tennessee’s open meetings law when they approved the site plan for an Islamic Center in Murfreesboro, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville.

Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew ruled after closing arguments that he could not find that the “county acted illegally, arbitrarily or capriciously” in approving the plan.

But much of the questioning from plaintiffs’ attorney Joe Brandon Jr. during seven days of testimony since late September was about whether Islam qualified as a religion. He pushed his theory that American Muslims want to replace the Constitution with extremist Islamic law.

Corlew said there was some concern about the public notice requirements and suggested county or state officials look at those requirements. But he said the court did not find that members of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro adhered to extremist religious ideas.

Washington Post, 17 November 2010

Arizona: Islamophobes mistake church for mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Arizona_church_bannerIn an era saturated with absurd moments of anti-Muslim fear- mongering, mosques have become a touchstone for Islamophobia. Even unbuilt mosques have set off a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in Tennessee, Texas, California, and most notably, New York.

Not to be outdone, the people of Pheonix, AZ were quick to call foul over the appearance of a dome-like structure along an interstate. But in the clamor over the impending Muslim takeover, these Arizonans missed one small detail – the building is not a mosque, it’s a church:

A new dome-like structure near 19th Avenue along Interstate 10 in Phoenix is the Light of the World church, a nondenominational Christian church hoping to modernize traditional worship services, a church spokesman said

Since the distinctive dome shape went up, church leaders said they have received phone calls from concerned neighbors who’ve mistaken the building for an Islamic mosque.

On Wednesday, church officials hung a sign reminding people they’re a Christian congregation. “We’re trying to let people know that we’re Christian and our churches are modern,” said Uzieo Martinez.

“It is unfortunate that people are so intolerant to differences that they aren’t willing to see that the place of worship is not a mosque,” said Tayyibah Amatullah of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Arizona chapter. But with so many high-profile figures selling unfounded, anti-Muslim fear to the public, is it any wonder that all many Americans can see in Islam is a phantom menace?

Tanya Somanader at Think Progress, 15 November 2010

How Islamophobia swayed vote in Oklahoma elections

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Cory Williams, a Democratic state representative from Stillwater, expected his opponent in the recent election to label him a free-spending liberal allied with President Obama. He did not foresee that he would be accused of trying to subject Oklahomans to Islamic law.

Mr. Williams was one of 10 Democrats who voted against putting a state constitutional amendment on the ballot that would forbid state judges from considering international or Islamic law in deciding cases. He considered the idea unnecessary, since the First Amendment already bans state-imposed religion.

His Republican challenger sent out mailers showing him next to a shadowy figure in an Arab headdress. On the other side, the flier said Mr. Williams wanted to allow “Islamic ‘Shariah’ law to be used by Oklahoma courts” and suggested that he was part of “an international movement, supported by militant Muslims and liberals,” to establish Islamic law throughout the world. “At the end of the day, it was just fearmongering,” Mr. Williams said.

He won by 280 votes, but many of his fellow Democrats failed to hold their seats. The amendment passed with 70 percent of the vote and helped drive record turnout in Republican strongholds. For the first time in the state, Republicans will now control the governor’s office and have veto-proof majorities in both houses of the Legislature.

New York Times, 14 November 2010

See also “Poll shows majority of Oklahomans have unfavorable view of Islam”, Tulsa World, 14 November 2010

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

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

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