Browsing All Posts filed under »Balance vs Extremism«

Winning the War of Ideas–A U.S. Perspective

July 27, 2008

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Featuring James Glassman, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs July 8, 2008: Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James Glassman addressed The Washington Institute’s Special Policy Forum on July 8, 2008. The following is the prepared text of his remarks. During my confirmation hearings in January, I said that […]

Islamophobia 101–Episode 28: Linking Muslim Subway Ads to Terrorism

July 21, 2008

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According to the New York Post, MUSLIM SUBWAY ADS HAVE TERROR TIE-IN By JEREMY OLSHAN Last updated: 6:37 am July 21, 2008 Posted: 4:42 am July 21, 2008 Allah board! An Islamic group plans to blitz 1,000 subway cars with advertisements this September in a campaign being promoted by a Brooklyn imam whom federal officials […]

Islamophobe Misrepresents Islamic Shari’ah in Run for Congress

July 14, 2008

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This is excerpt from an interview of Vijay Kumar published in the Islamophobic online magazine, Frontpage. FP: Vijay Kumar, welcome to Frontpage Interview. […] Kumar: Right now, our country is dealing with issues – issues like illegal immigration, healthcare reform, the War on Terror – that will shape our politics for the rest of this […]

Please Sign the ACLU’s Petition Against the New FISA Legislation

July 10, 2008

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Dear Friend, Cowed by the Bush administration’s pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed privacy-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights. It’s outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That’s why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this law the moment George Bush signs it — and you can rest assured, they’ll be meeting our lawyers in court. […]

ABC Primetime: How Muslims are Treated in the USA

July 4, 2008

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Alledged U.S. Department of Justice Guidelines May Lead to Profiling of Muslim/Arab Americans

July 4, 2008

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Washington, DC 7/3/08 The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the Arab American Institute (AAI), and other organizations are concerned by an Associated Press report quoting “senior FBI, Justice Department, and U.S. intelligence officials” concerning new Department of Justice guidelines which are slated for implementation later this summer. The guidelines would allegedly […]

France’s Anti-Terror Laws Violate Basic Human Rights

July 2, 2008

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Human Rights Watch Paris, July 2, 2008 In its effort to fight terrorism, France routinely arrests and prosecutes people for being associated with possible terror suspects, undermining international fair trial standards, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Please click here to download a copy of the 2008 Human Rights Watch report entitled […]

Does course on Islam give law enforcers wrong idea?

May 23, 2008

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By Janet I. Tu Seattle Times religion reporter Some local Muslim community members are upset about a training course for local law enforcement, saying it could promote stereotypes and ethnic and religious profiling. The program, called “The Threat of Islamic Jihadists to the World” and conducted by a Miami-based company, began Thursday and continues today […]

Demonization of Islam in France: Violation of Human Rights

May 7, 2008

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Islamophobia in France: The Law against Hijab Islamophobia in France: Double Standards for Muslims and Jews De Villiers: Submitting Islam to French Law In France, Islamophobia is viewed differently from Antisemitism Hijab ban in French schools PARIS — A French law banning hijab in state schools has deepened the Muslim isolation from the broader community, experts […]

United States Seeks to Avoid Linking Islam with Terrorism

May 7, 2008

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U.S. aims to unlink Islamic, terrorism May 7, 2008 UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL – U.S. officials are being advised in internal government documents to avoid referring publicly to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups as Islamic or Muslim, and not to use terms like jihad or mujahedeen, which “unintentionally legitimize” terrorism. “There’s a growing consensus [in […]

Battle over an Islamic School in New York City: Information and Misinformation about the Khalil Gibran School

April 28, 2008

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The New York Times Please click here to watch a video about the struggles of the Khalil Gibran School. Critics Cost Muslim Educator Her Dream School Debbie Almontaser dreamed of starting a public school like no other in New York City. Children of Arab descent would join students of other ethnicities, learning Arabic together. By […]

Interview of Imran Khan + Gallup Poll on Pakistan’s New Government

April 28, 2008

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Please click here to watch this interview. Warning: the interviewer is not dressed Islamically. Gallup Pakistan: Perceptions about the Newly Formed Government Email: isb@gallup.com.pk; Web: www.gallup.com.pk Released: April 14, 2008 PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE NEW PRIME MINISTER Islamabad – Two thirds of the respondents (66%) in a national survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan gave very […]

Poll Finds Iranians Favor Direct Talks with US on Shared Issues

April 11, 2008

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  Poll Finds Diminished Perception of US Threat, General Thawing of Hostility    For Release: 12:01 EDT April 7, 2008 Contact: Steven Kull, director, WorldPublicOpinion.org (202) 232-7500   College Park, MD—A new poll finds that although Iranians continue to view the United States negatively, they strongly support steps to improve US-Iran relations including direct talks […]

Intimidation and censorship are no answer to the inflammatory film “Fitna”

April 11, 2008

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A Dutch politician’s alarmist anti-Islam polemic needs to be taken apart and calmly answered Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian, Thursday April 10 2008 At the time of this writing, the dissemination on the worldwide web of the deliberately provocative anti-Islam film Fitna, made by the Dutch populist MP Geert Wilders, has not provoked violent protest […]

Christians, Jews and Muslims Working Together in Uganda

April 7, 2008

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I found this video clip on Mohammad Latiff’s blog, and liked it so much that I am reposting it here. It is a positive and heart-warming video, and speaks to the inherent good in each one of us. Thank you Br. Mohammad.

Kudos to Network Solutions for Suspending Geert Wilders’s Website.

April 5, 2008

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Glenn Beck laments with Brad Thor Network Solutions’ courageous decision Network Solutions has decided not to host Keert Wilders’ Islamophobic website. Brad Thor showed his utter ignorance of Islam in the video below when he states that there “are over 100 violent chapters in the Qur’an that enjoin Muslims to wage horrific warfare on Non-Muslims.” […]

Islamophobia and Racism on the Rise: Geert Wilders Polarizing Dutch Society Against Islam, Muslims and Arabs

April 4, 2008

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Geert Wilders Insults Dutch Prime Minister Geert Wilders insults the Dutch Prime Minister publicly, and blames the Dutch Parliament for defending Muslims in the Netherlands. Stephen Sackur of BBC World “Hard Talk” talks to Dutch Member of Parliament, Geert Wilders about his controversial views on Islam, Muslims, Arabs and immigration. Part 1 In the first video, Wilders would like […]

A Jew Writes in Support of Hijab at Harvard’s Gymn

March 28, 2008

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By Ruth Marcus Wednesday, March 26, 2008; A19 It’s a measure of America’s multicultural journey over the past half-century that we’ve gone from “God and Man at Yale” to Allah and Woman at Harvard. In a contretemps scarcely imaginable in William F. Buckley’s day, Harvard has closed one of its gyms to men for six […]

Formation of the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement

March 26, 2008

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A historical milestone toward Muslim-Jewish relationship was reached with the formation of the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement, a collaborative between USC Center for Religion & Civic Culture (CRCC) with Hebrew Union College (HUC) and the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Foundation (Omar). This project represents an unprecedented institutional initiative promoted by three proven and successful educational structures. […]

Bin Laden, Leave the Pope, Catholics and Muslims Alone!!!

March 20, 2008

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CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Osama bin Laden accused Pope Benedict XVI of helping in a ”new Crusade” against Islam and warned of a ”severe” reaction to European publications of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that insulted many Muslims. Bin Laden’s new audiotape message raised concerns al-Qaida was plotting new attacks in Europe. Some experts said […]

Thwarting Democracy over Headscarves: The Move to Ban Turkey’s Ruling Party

March 17, 2008

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 Al-Jazeera A state prosecutor has asked Turkey’s highest court to shutdown the ruling AK Party for allegedly undermining secularism. Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, the court of appeals chief prosecutor, as quoted by Turkish television as saying he wanted senior party members, including the president and prime minister, banned from politics for five years. Yalcinkaya said a government […]

Why Shari’ah?

March 16, 2008

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March 16, 2008 By NOAH FELDMAN, Law Professor, Harvard University Last month, Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, gave a nuanced, scholarly lecture in London about whether the British legal system should allow non-Christian courts to decide certain matters of family law. Britain has no constitutional separation of church and state. The archbishop noted that […]

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim – An African Perspective

March 14, 2008

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Mahmood Mamdani, Herbert Lehman Professor of Government and Anthropology, Columbia University Ever since September 11, there has been a growing media interest in Islam. What is the link, many seem to ask, between Islam and terrorism? The Spectator, a British weekly, carried a lead article a few weeks ago that argued that the link was […]

CHSSA Must Accommodate Jewish Basketball Players

March 2, 2008

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By Electa Draper and John Ingold The Denver Post Article Last Updated: 02/28/2008 02:49:02 AM MST The Colorado High School Activities Association board reaffirmed Wednesday that it will not jump through hoops to reschedule regional and state basketball finals for a Jewish team that won’t play on Saturdays — their Sabbath. Several state lawmakers pressed […]

ABC News Primetime: “She wasn’t dressed right.”–Prejudice Against Muslims in the USA

February 27, 2008

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By ANN SORKOWITZ and JULIE N. HAYS Feb. 26, 2008 The Sept. 11 attacks, the Iraq war and suicide bombings worldwide have changed not only the way we live but the way we look at those around us, especially Muslims. “Islamophobia” has entered the American vernacular, and the anti-Muslim attitudes and prejudice it describes remain […]

Clinton vs Obama: What is the big deal over wearing Muslim or Jewish attire?

February 25, 2008

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(CNN) — Barack Obama’s campaign accused Hillary Clinton’s team Monday of circulating a photo of the Illinois senator donning traditional attire – clothing worn by area Muslims – as a goodwill gesture during an overseas trip. In a statement, the Clinton campaign called the charge “an obvious and transparent attempt to distract” voters from serious […]

Petition to get pictures of the Prophet (s) removed from Wikipedia

February 13, 2008

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ASSALAAMU ‘ALAIKUM.    WIKIPEDIA site has published “pictures” of our prophet Muhammad (s). Please click on the link below to sign the worldwide petition to have these images removed. We need 10,000 signatures to get pictures of Prophet (s) removed from WIKIPEDIA.  Please act now! JAZAKALLAHU   KHAIRAN.  Also please forward the link to all your Muslim contacts.        ———-     To access the […]

What role for Sharia in the West?

February 10, 2008

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Feb 9th 2008 From Economist.com STEEPED in a culture of emollience, gentility and the avoidance of hard arguments, England¹s established Church has little knowledge of how to handle public opinion when it suddenly finds itself in the eye of a gigantic storm. And, for better or worse, the country¹s politically-active Muslims are capable of showing […]

Turkish parliament lifts university headscarf ban

February 9, 2008

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By Hidir Goktas and Gareth Jones Sat Feb 9, 8:49 AM ET Turkey’s parliament voted on Saturday to lift a ban on female students wearing the Muslim headscarf at university, a landmark decision that some Turks say will undermine the foundations of the secular state. Parliament, where the ruling centre-right AK Party has a big […]

Breaking Through in the Netherlands

February 5, 2008

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Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008 By CARLA POWER, TIME  When Famile Arslan showed up for her first day of work, the receptionist pointed her toward the broom closet. “‘The cleaning supplies are over there,'” Arslan recalls being told. “I had to say, ‘No, I’m not the cleaner. I’m the lawyer.'” In fairness to the receptionist, Arslan […]

About time! Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women drivers

January 21, 2008

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By Damien McElroy in Riyadh, Daily Telegraph, UK Saudi Arabia is to lift its ban on women drivers in an attempt to stem a rising suffragette-style movement in the deeply conservative state. Government officials have confirmed the landmark decision and plan to issue a decree by the end of the year. The move is designed […]

WikiIslam = A nest of Islamophobic and distorted material

January 11, 2008

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Please visit the wikiIslam site which purports to have videos on Islam in a number of areas.   I glanced through the videos listed in the categories on the right side.  Those who are in the videos include notorious Islamophobes like Robert Spencer or apostates like Walid Shoebat. Wikipedia is supposed to allow to anyone to edit […]

Rising Racism in Israel: Implications for Israeli Arabs

January 8, 2008

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According to an Israeli civil rights group, The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, racism is on a sharp rise in Israel.  According to ACRI, Arab citizens of Israel face entrenched discrimination in all fields of life. In recent years, the prevalent attitude of hostility and mistrust toward Arab citizens has become more pronounced, with large sections […]

Survey: Pakistanis want larger role for both Islam and democracy, but reject ‘talibanization’

January 7, 2008

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Contact: Steven Kull office: (202) 232-7500, cell (301) 254-7500 C. Christine Fair cell (202) 460-9295 Washington, DC, Jan 6—An in-depth survey of Pakistani public opinion reveals majority support for a moderate and democratic Islamic state, though a small but significant minority shows sympathy for Islamist militant groups. Most Pakistanis want Islam to play a larger […]

Radical missionaries in Iraq: “A religious war”

January 6, 2008

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Read how these radical missionaries wear disguises, pretend to be engaged in humanitarian efforts, are building churches covertly, distributing tons of “colorful” biblical literature, etc. These efforts from organizations such as the Southern Baptist Convention are leading to a lot of potential friction in Iraq. Watch what some of these missionaries and their leaders have to say […]

Muslims Against Anti-Semitism: Ways to Promote Common Values

December 30, 2007

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by Tariq Ramadan Mosque. Photo/Horst Rutsch The situation in our societies is becoming more and more difficult insofar as the increasing public expression of anti-Semitism and racism. We all know—Governments, official institutions, as well as citizens—that if we remain passive, the situation will worsen and drive us towards a new troubled era of racist and […]

Merry Christmas to All Our Christian Neighbors

December 25, 2007

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Muslim scholars send Christmas greetings, accept dialogue invitation By John Thavis Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An international group of Muslim scholars has accepted an invitation from Pope Benedict XVI for a major dialogue session at the Vatican.Meanwhile, the group has issued a message of Christmas greeting to “our Christian neighbors all over […]

Me and the Mosque–Women in Islam and Change

December 23, 2007

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April 13, 2007 Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. In North America, most converts to Islam are women, many of whom are drawn to the religion through their experiences of social injustice and political involvement. Ironically many mosques force women to pray behind barriers away from the men, and some mosques do not […]

In the U.S., Jews and Muslims Set Up Big Interfaith Effort

December 16, 2007

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By Michelle Boorstein Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, December 16, 2007; A09 Two major Jewish and Muslim organizations unveiled an interfaith dialogue curriculum yesterday and are urging their hundreds of thousands of members to use it. Both sides say it is the broadest Jewish-Muslim interfaith effort in the continent’s history. Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie, president […]

Hassan Askari, Muslim Hero, attends Hanukkah Celebration

December 15, 2007

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Hassan Askari, the Muslim who defended Walter Adler, a Jewish man who was being attacked by a gang of ten on the New York City subway, was invited to and attended a Hanukkah celebration with Walter. Congratulations to both Hassan and Walter. God Willing, may all of us be like Hassan and Walter. Peace on […]

A Muslim-Christian handshake

December 7, 2007

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 Christian Science Monitor An unprecedented outreach from top Islamic leaders to Christians is meeting a positive response. This budding dialogue has the potential to correct misunderstandings and foster trust among each faith’s followers – which the world sorely needs. The overture began in October with a letter from 138 Muslim clerics and scholars addressed to […]

Fatwa from Fiqh Council of North America Against Terrorism

December 2, 2007

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Fiqh Council of North America and ISNA In the spirit of this Season of Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday, the Fiqh Council of North America states its unequivocal and unqualified condemnation of the destruction and violence committed against innocent men and women. This condemnation of violence is deeply rooted in true Islamic values based on […]

Partnership of Christian, Jewish and Muslim Americans who oppose terrorism

December 2, 2007

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11/30/2007 1:00:00 PM NPC Luncheon with Fmr. Washington Archbishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Fmr. Archbishop of Washington is the main speaker on the topic “Partnership of Christian, Jewish and Muslim Americans who oppose terrorism.” Other speakers include: Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society; Right Reverend Samuel Lloyd, Dean of the Washington, DC […]

UK Muslim Law Makers Seek Teddy Teacher Release in Sudan

December 1, 2007

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IslamOnline.net & Newspapers   Lord Ahmed is in Sudan on a personal initiative along with Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. KHARTOUM — Two Muslim members of Britain’s House of Lords were in Khartoum on Saturday, December 1, on a personal mission to seek the release of a British woman teacher jailed for what Sudanese officials say insulting […]

Infidelity At Work: New Book Supports Quasi-Islamic Relationships

December 1, 2007

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Review of Shirley Glass’s Book, Not “Just Friends”, by Islamonline   “I’m sorry, but I don’t shake hands with members of the opposite sex.” This line can be heard coming from Muslims working in office settings everywhere.   Islamic standards of modesty warn against even casual physical contact between unmarried men and women. This, of […]

Leadership Lessons from The Qur’an: The Story of Dhul-Qarnayn

November 24, 2007

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by Dr. Iqbal Unus, IIIT and Dr. Rafik Beekun The Qur’an is a continuing source of Guidance, and the Guidance it offers is in the context of what the reader is seeking.  Learning from the Qur’an is a dynamic process and that is why we keep reading it in all sorts of circumstances and need. The […]

Why L.A. police cancelled a plan to map Muslims

November 21, 2007

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By Daniel B. Wood – staff writer and Alison Tully Contributor A high-profile police plan to map Los Angeles’s Muslim population to pinpoint possible terror risks – a plan abruptly withdrawn last week – is an object lesson for US law enforcement in the era after 9/11, say policing experts. Los Angeles, a bastion of […]

Isamophobia 101–Episode 24: Police ‘Mapping’ the Muslims of Los Angeles

November 14, 2007

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CAIR LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush on CNN offers reaction to the LAPD MAPS program targeting Southern California Muslims LAPD’s Muslim project decried Police say effort is to reach community; foes say proposal amounts to profiling. By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer, Press-Telegram Article Launched: 11/13/2007 Amid growing nationwide controversy, Islamic leaders called on the Los […]

Destroying economic life on the West Bank

November 7, 2007

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BBC News  Construction is continuing in dozens of Jewish settlements in the West Bank despite Israel’s pledge to freeze their expansion, an campaign group has said. Peace Now says Jewish population growth is three times higher in the area occupied in 1967 than in Israel itself. It says settlers are bypassing a ban on using […]

Strangling Human Rights in Syria

October 31, 2007

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Source: Human Rights Watch If you say you are a human rights activist to a security official, it is as if you are admitting you are a criminal. –Syrian human rights activist, November 20061 The government of Syria severely constrains the freedom of human rights activists to express their views and to associate as a […]