Tulsa woman testifies in Abercrombie hijab case

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Tulsa woman testified Tuesday that she hopes her role in a lawsuit against Abercrombie & Fitch will set a positive example for other young Muslims. “If they’re able to shop there, they should be able to get a job there, too,” Samantha Elauf, 20, told a Tulsa federal jury.

Elauf was not hired to work at an Abercrombie Kids store at Woodland Hills Mall in June 2008 after she wore a hijab – or religiously mandated headscarf – to her job interview. She testified Tuesday that she felt insulted and disrespected after she discovered that she was not hired because of the headscarf. “It was shocking to me,” Elauf said. “I thought I was like everybody else.”

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Southern California mosque vandalised

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The vandalism of a La Mirada Muslim place of worship is being investigated as a hate crime, mosque officials said Tuesday.

According to Dr. Rezaur Rahman, Muslim Community Services Inc. president, between the hours of 2 to 6 p.m. Monday a rock was thrown through the mosque’s newly installed rear doors.

The congregation finished prayer at 2 p.m. Monday and Rahman did not return until later in the evening prior to the evening’s prayer session.

“Everything was fine before I left the mosque yesterday afternoon and when I returned later that evening, I noticed shattered glass on the floor near our newly installed doors,” Rahman said. “I found a rock lying among the shattered glass and was very surprised that it could have broken through our very strong, double-layered doors,” he said.

The mosque opened on Feb. 16 after an eight-month renovation that began in July 2010.

“This is something that motivates me to create a peace rally,” Rahman said. Rahman said he contacted Rabbi Mark Goldfarb of Temple Beth Ohr and the Rev. Bill Miller of United Methodist Church, relaying the news regarding the incident and his interest in organizing a community peace rally.

A similar incident took place on March 19, one month after the mosque opened.

“Luckily no one was here when the incident took place because someone could have been hurt,” Rahman said. Police are investigating the incident.

Whittier Daily News, 19 July 2011

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights blasts burqa bans as ‘sad capitulation to the prejudices of xenophobes’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Thomas Hammarberg comment

The Council of Europe, the oldest European institution which specialises in human rights, today (20 July) strongly criticised recent French and Belgian legislation targeting the burqa, a veil that covers entirely women’s faces.

Penalising women who wear the burqa does not liberate them, Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, said today in a written statement.

Hammarberg explained that a law in Belgium will enter into force on 23 July, introducing fines and up to seven days of imprisonment for women wearing such dress. Meanwhile in France, since April anyone who wears the niqab or burqa in public is subject to fines of 150 euros and/or “citizenship training”.

He adds that “loud voices” in countries such as Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland are demanding similar measures, while in northern Italy an old anti-terrorist law against concealing the face for security reasons has been used by some local authorities to punish women who wear full-cover veils.

The human rights commissioner rejects the view that such bans ‘liberate’ women, stressing that there is “very little” to show that this is the case.

Instead, Hammarberg insists that the way the dress of a small number of women has been portrayed as a major problem requiring urgent discussion and legislation is “a sad capitulation to the prejudices of xenophobes”.

“Much deeper problems of intercultural tensions and gaps have been side-tracked by the burqa and niqab discussions. Instead of encouraging this unfortunate discourse, political leaders and governments should take more resolute action against hate crimes and discrimination against minorities,” Hammarberg argues.

EurActiv, 20 July 2011

Group plans on spreading fear about Islam to high school students

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Defend Christians is an organization headed by Gary Cass, a minister who says that Christians are being attacked and losing their religious freedom in America. During the week of September 11, Cass’ organization, together with Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment and The Way TV, plan on handing out flyers condemning Islam.

According to Cass’ press release, “Christians across the US will be outside strategic high schools located near mosques with known links to terrorism. They will be handing out literature that tells students the truth about Islam and Mohammad and their violent, and oppressive policies towards non-Muslims, especially women and blacks.” His release does not reveal the basis for “known links to terrorism.”

In January, the Citizens for the First Amendment held a similar demonstration at a high school in Fallbrook, California. [And again in May at Murrieta Valley High School.]

“Like all patriotic Americans we cherish our liberties and our God-given rights and are committed to defending these principles,” said Steve Klein of Concerned Citizens for the First Amendment. “Fourteen hundred violent years of history prove that Islam is incompatible with America. Muslims believe they are superior and arrogantly reject our Christian principles of equality, minority rights and equal justice. We are going to the schools to protect students, and especially our young women, from the oppression Islam threatens to impose.”

“We are fed up with political correctness that refuses warn the next generation of Americans about the clear and present danger of Islam in America. It’s cultural suicide to stay silent,” said Dr. Gary Cass of Defend Christians.Org. “Muslims are trying to convert and radicalize our young people. By telling them the truth about the dangerous doctrines of Islam and the and wicked practices of Mohammad we are protecting our children.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center notes in its Summer 2011 Intelligence Report:

Rarely has the United States seen a more reckless and bare-knuckled campaign to vilify a distinct class of people and compromise their fundamental civil and human rights than the recent rhetoric against Muslims.

It would also be hard to imagine a more successful campaign. In the span of the two years since the start of Barack Obama’s presidency in early 2009, an astonishing number of people have turned into a kind of political wolf pack, convinced that 0.6% of the U.S. population is on the verge of trampling the Constitution and imposing an Islamic, Shariah-guided caliphate in its place. Like the communists that an earlier generation believed to be hiding behind every rock, infiltrated “Islamist” operatives today are said to be diabolically preparing for a forcible takeover.

Ironically, the Constitution seems more threatened by certain Americans who, prodded into paranoia by clever activists, opportunistic politicians and guileful media players, seem downright eager to deny Muslims the guarantees of religious freedom and the presumption of innocence.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has tracked a spike in hate crimes against Muslim Americans.

God Discussion, 19 July 2011

Regional authority in Czech Republic provides financial support to anti-mosque movement

Posted on by Bob Pitt

AntiMesitaThe Hradec Králové Regional Authority is financially supporting the AntiMešita (Anti-Mosque) movement, which holds discussions on the danger of Islam for citizens of Hradec Králové, establishes petitions against the existence of mosques in various towns and fights the spread of Islamic culture on Czech territory.

Despite the controversial nature of their activities, the association has received financial support from the Regional Authority in the amount of CZK 15 000. Imrich Dioszegi, press spokesperson for the Regional Authority, told local daily Hradecký deník that:

“…just as the region contributes to the activities of various cultural or sports clubs and associations on its territory, the Regional Council decided to support the activities of the civic associations AntiMešita and AntiMešita-envi with CZK 15 000. The money corresponds to an application intended for the activity of both associations, the creation of a web page and legal services.”

As a result of the governing coalition agreement in that region, the Christian Democrats have the greatest influence over allocating financial gifts.

AntiMešita founder Kusák perceives the financial gift as a way for Regional Governor Lubomír Franc (ČSSD), the Regional Council, and the Regional Authority’s leadership to express their moral support for his cause. He is using the financial support to design and implement anti-Islamic discussions in Hradec Králové and to make the AntiMešita movement visible.

Romano Vod’i, 19 July 2011

EDL discusses Tower Hamlets demonstration

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Expose draws our attention to a post on the EDL’s Facebook page yesterday under the title “EDL MASSIVE GOING TOWER HAMLETS”.

The comments feature the usual vile anti-Muslim abuse:

EDL comments on Tower Hamlets

At one point in the “discussion” a Muslim provoked the EDL supporters by posting a comment (which was immediately deleted). Note how the EDL admin intervenes to defend the threat of violence:

EDL comments on Tower Hamlets2

Thilo Sarrazin told he’s not welcome in Kreuzberg

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sarrazin rassist“Get lost!” and “Nazis out!” were among the epithets lobbed at controversial author Thilo Sarrazin during a recent trip to Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, according to newspaper reports on Monday.

The city’s former finance senator had taken a trip to the area with broadcaster ZDF to film a TV special ahead of the one-year anniversary of the publication of his controversial book, “Deutschland schafft sich ab” (“Germany Does Itself In”).

The memory of the book’s content, which sparked massive controversy in Germany for what many called its anti-immigrant sentiments, was apparently still fresh in the minds of some residents of the district, known for its high concentration of Muslim immigrants.

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Goodbye EDL – and don’t come back

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Anti-EDL demo PortsmouthCity leaders have condemned English Defence League protesters who marched through Portsmouth – telling them: “Don’t come back”. The clear message came after hundreds of EDL members snaked through the city centre on Saturday as part of a planned protest.

Organisers had promised a peaceful event and deny their campaign has racist undertones. But there were ugly scenes at times as the event threatened to spill over into violence. At the very start of the march police had to stand firm to stop EDL members surging forward before the official start time.

Some of the group of around 500 marchers were heard spouting vile racist abuse and making insulting references to Allah. At one point some of the marchers paused to jeer at an Asian family who had stepped onto their balcony to see the parade pass by.

Some EDL members made a beeline for a scaffolding van in a bid to grab poles, but were thwarted by police. And at the end of the event police averted a potential clash as marchers tried to get into Guildhall Square where anti-fascist protesters had gathered for their own rally in defence of multiculturalism.

Saturday saw seven arrests of EDL supporters on suspicion of crimes ranging from public order offences to assaulting a police officer. Two “counter protesters” who were among 150 people taking part in the demonstration in Guildhall Square were also arrested but released without charge at the scene, Hampshire Constabulary said.

EDL marchers travelled from all over the country to take part in the march, the first of its kind in Hampshire. Supporters came from divisions including those in West Yorkshire, Berkshire, London, Plymouth, Essex, Brighton and Colchester. Hampshire police mounted a huge operation involving around 400 officers after similar events elsewhere in the country had sparked trouble.

After the march, MP Mike Hancock said he did not ever want to see the group in Portsmouth again.

“I don’t want to see them here at all,” said the Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South. “I would much prefer if they came nowhere near us. But sadly they have persisted in doing it. I think they are pointless.

“I hope they will now leave Portsmouth and not come back. What I don’t get is how people want to come all the way from Plymouth to demonstrate on the streets of Portsmouth. It must have been five or six to one people from outside the city.”

His views were echoed by city council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson, who was in the city centre on Saturday as he watched the protest unfold.

He said: “We don’t want it here. I wish they would leave Portsmouth alone. On the whole people get on well between communities. They all mix up pretty well. In lots of other cities there are areas where different communities live. We have a well-integrated city and that’s how we should remain.”

Portsmouth News, 18 July 2011

See also “Portsmouth antiracists take over square in protest against EDL”, UAF news report, 17 July 2011