Quebec teachers’ union calls for freedom to wear hijabs, kippas

Posted on by Bob Pitt

FAETeachers in Quebec say the Parti Quebecois proposal to prevent people from wearing religious icons and symbols is extremist – and not truly secular.

The Autonomous Teachers Federation (FAE) approves, in principle, of secular values and the separation of religion from the business of the state, but says that is not what the PQ is actually proposing.

“The right of our members to work is at stake,” said FAE president Sylvain Mallette, pointing out that many teachers wear religious icons, being they crosses, kippas, hijabs, or something else which reflects their faith.

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California: Presbyterian church invites pastor to separate Islamic fact and fiction

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ben Daniel and Maha ElGenaidiThrough research, traveling and writing, a local Christian pastor is hoping to debunk stereotypes about Islam.

Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church invited Pastor Ben Daniel of San Jose’s Foothill Presbyterian Church to speak to the community last month after the release of his book earlier this year. His book, The Search for Truth about Islam: A Christian Pastor Separates Fact from Fiction, discusses Islamophobia in American society.

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CAIR-NY asks Walmart to discipline manager over anti-Muslim Facebook post

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Walmart manager's Facebook postThe New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today called on Walmart to discipline an assistant manager at a store in Hamburg, N.Y., who reportedly posted a photo of Muslim customers on Facebook accompanied with derogatory comments.

In his posting, the assistant manager wrote: “Halloween came early this year … do they really have to f**kin dress like that … your [sic] in my country … get that f**kin s*** off!!!!!!”

In a letter to Walmart, CAIR-NY asked that “appropriate disciplinary action” be taken against the manager.

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Unite Against Fascism calls for mass turnout against EDL in Tower Hamlets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Mass demonstration against EDL this Saturday!

Thousands of people are expected to turn out in Tower Hamlets this Saturday to oppose the racist English Defence League (EDL). The EDL intends to march upon the East London Mosque. Muslim organisations and trade unions have especially increased publicity in the borough this week, calling upon residents to rally against all forms of racism, but especially Islamophobia.

The calls follow an apparent arson attack upon Harlow Islamic Centre in Essex, last Monday, 26 August. There have also been other attacks, in June, a Muswell Hill mosque and community centre was burnt to the ground and ‘EDL’ was found painted on the walls. In July, three mosques in the West Midlands were subjected to bomb attacks shortly before the fascists mobilised several hundred on a Birmingham demo.

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New York: GOP mayoral candidate says campaign commercial star’s anti-Muslim rants ‘wrong’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

John KassimatisCBS News reports that John Catsimatidis, the Republican candidate in the New York City mayoral election, has now dissociated himself from the views of a retired police officer, John Kassimatis, who featured in one of his TV commercials.

Earlier this week the New York Post revealed that Kassimatis had posted a series of anti-Muslim rants on his Facebook page. One claimed that “All terrorists are Muslims.”  Kassimatis added: “There’s gratitude for you. You bring them here from their 3rd world shithole give them refuse [sic] and education and then they kill us. Wake Up America.” When some of his Facebook friends disagreed, he retorted: “So stop telling me about peaceful ones and kumbaya these animals must be put down.”

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EDL marcher ‘punched man repeatedly in face in front of Hull shoppers’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL assault Hull

A man repeatedly punched an anti-fascist protester in front of children during an EDL march in Hull, a court has heard.

John Claydon, 46, was pictured by the Mail being dragged away by police officers seconds after the attack. He was one of four men who appeared before city magistrates yesterday in connection with trouble at the August 17 march. Claydon, of Dronfield, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

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Dagestan permits headscarves in schools

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The government of Russia’s predominantly Muslim North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan has permitted wearing headscarves in schools, a spokesman for Dagestan’s education ministry said on Monday.

“On an instruction from Dagestan’s acting leader Ramazan Abdulatipov, designers of Dagestan have drafted school uniform outfits,” the spokesman said. “They are in line with the national school uniform requirements. The only element of [Dagestan] folk clothes is a thin headscarf.”

The spokesman said these school uniform designs were optional, and it was up to schools to decide on whether to follow the recommendations.

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Met plans to exclude the EDL’s Tower Hamlets march from Tower Hamlets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Aldgate 2011
English Defence League demonstrators halted by police at Aldgate in September 2011

BBC News reports on the Metropolitan Police’s plan for the proposed English Defence League demonstration in Tower Hamlets this Saturday:

“The Met said it will allow the march to go ahead but only between 12:00-15:00 BST, and it must only take place on this route: Queen Elizabeth Street, Tower Bridge Road, Tower Bridge Approach, The Minories and then into Aldgate High Street. It must not to go beyond the junction with Mansell Street. The route prevents the EDL from entering the heart of Tower Hamlets, residential areas and religious premises.”

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McCain blasts Fox’s Islamophobia: Would you have a problem with an American saying ‘Thank God?’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) blasted Fox News host Brian Kilmeade for linking a commonly-used Arabic phrase to terrorism, during an appearance to bolster his case for a strong military response to Syria President Bashar Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons. The Arizona senator has long called on the Obama administration to arm the rebels fighting the Assad regime and is pressing Congress to adopt an broad-based use of force resolution.

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