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Islamophobia Report-September 2014

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Islamophobia Report-September 2014 ! Cultural & social affairs Department OIC islamophobia Observatory Monthly Bulletin – September 2014 I. MANIFESTATIONS OF ISLAMOPHOBIA: I.I. In the United States and Canada: 1. US: Christian activist calls for holy war: ‘Islam has no place in civilized society’ – Gary Cass, head of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, argued in a post on his organization’s website that the Islamic militant group ISIS had revealed the intentions of all Muslims. He wrote: “ISSI (sic) has done us all a favor…The true face of Islam is on full display even as Mohammed is burning in hell. We will have to face the harsh truth that Islam has no place in civilized society. Muslims cannot live in a society based on Christian ideals of equality and liberty. They will always seek to harm us.” Cass, a former Republican Party official in San Diego who had previously suggested “you can’t be a Christian if you don’t own a gun,” dismissed deportation or the forced conversion of Muslims as “possible solutions, but really there’s only one” – violence. Cass argued: “The only thing that is biblical and that 1,400 years of history has shown to work is overwhelming Christian just war and overwhelming self defense…Christian Generals Charles Martel in 732 and Jon Sobieski in 1672 defeated Islamic Turks in their attempts to take the West. Who will God raise up to save us this time? Will God even intervene or turn us over to the Muslims for turning against Him?” He warned Christians to prepare for more terrorist attacks at home and abroad, but he said violence was a necessary sacrifice. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/christian-activist-calls-for-holy-war-islam-has-no-place-in-civilized-society/#more-36303, retrieved on 06.09.2014 2. US: Hatred for Muslims growing in America, says report – A new report released by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) stated that South Asians, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Middle Eastern, and Arab communities faced an increasingly hostile climate in the United States. Suman Raghunathan, Executive Director of SAALT, releasing the report here, said in a press release: “Thirteen years after the tragic events of 9/11, we saw consistently high numbers of hate violence incidents and a surge in xenophobic political rhetoric aimed at our communities, portraying them as un-American, unwelcome, and disloyal. Community members are being sent a message that we are unwelcome even in our most sacred spaces-a message that stands contrary to our nation’s core values.” 1 The report, titled, ‘Under Suspicion, Under Attack’ documents over 150 incidents of hate violence and xenophobic rhetoric by political figures and government officials that occurred nationwide from January 2011 through April 2014. Some findings: ▪ Disturbingly, over 80% of documented hate violence incidents were motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment. Similarly, an overwhelming majority—-over 90%—-of xenophobic political comments were characterized by anti-Muslim bias. ▪ There was a 40% annual average increase in xenophobic political comments since SAALT’s last analysis, released in 2010. ▪ Hate violence ‘hot spots’ included the New York City/New Jersey metropolitan area; Chicago and its outlying suburbs; and Southern and Northern California. In: http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2014/09/10/hatred-muslims-growing-america-says-report/, retrieved on 11.09.2014 3. US: GOP congressman: Spy on U.S. mosques to stop ISIS recruitment – Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King was calling for the U.S. government to begin spying on American mosques to stop ISIS’ recruitment efforts, charging the militant organization was actively operating in mosques across the country. Although there was no evidence that ISIS was running a nationwide recruitment effort or using mosques as centers to target would be jihadis, King insisted the Obama administration must target mosques for domestic surveillance activities. King said speaking to the Deace Show on 11 September: “Here’s a thought that occurred to me…I didn’t look at the population of Germany at the beginning of the Third Reich but it’s probably in the area of 70-80 million is my guess. And out of that Hitler in a few years build something that cost the lives of roughly 60 million people. The radical islamists have 1.3 or more billion Muslims to work with. Now they aren’t all supporters. Daniel (inaudible) says 10-15% of them, but that is a huge population to draw from.” King said ISIS recruiters were “certainly in the United States,” citing mosques in Virginia and Minneapolis to say mosques were the “communications centers” for ISIS. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/gop-congressman-spy-on-u-s-mosques-to-stop-isis-recruitment/#more-36515, retrieved on 15.09.2014 4. US: Fox News Military Analyst Compares Islam to Nazism, Fascism and Communism – A retired three-star general railed against the Obama administration, political correctness, the media and rules of engagement during a speech in the night of 15 September at Sandhills Community College. Thomas G. McInerney, who retired from the Air Force in 1994 as a lieutenant general, currently serves as a Fox News military analyst and was invited to speak by the Moore County Republican Party. The general was originally slated to talk about how military downsizing may affect preparedness, but changed his topic to instead address current threats facing the nation. McInerney presented views that he called “more harsh” than 2 his Fox News commentary. McInerney said the economy, shrinking military and more than a decade’s worth of U.S. policies in the Middle East had only increased the dangers facing the nation, as “These are very dangerous times for America…We are leading from behind, and that’s why these things are happening. You cannot lead from behind. Someone has to lead.” The biggest threat, McInerney said, was radical Islam, and the general said the onus for “cleaning house” had to be on the Muslim community. McInerney said American leaders were afraid of offending Muslims, and said radicals had hidden behind their religion. Earning applause from the audience, he compared Islam to Nazis, Fascism and Communism, asserting: “Political correctness is killing us. It is a global war against radical Islam. Let’s call it what it is … Islam is not a religion of peace.” McInerney said his strong feelings had been developed since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/fox-news-military-analyst-compares-islam-to-nazism-fascism-and-communism/ #more-36645, retrieved on 17.09.2014 5. Canada: Anti-Muslim Vandals Strike Fort Saskatchewan [Alberta] Prayer Room – Members of Fort Saskatchewan’s Muslim community were once again cleaning up after a home that they use for prayer was vandalized with anti-Islam insults twice in the beginning of September 2014. Waseem Akhtar, living in the home, awoke to the sounds of something striking the side of the building early morning of 15 September. When he went outside to look, he found his home had been pelted with eggs; many of the bits of eggshells spread across his lawn had anti-Muslim insults written on them in marker. Less than a week earlier, on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks in New York, vandals spray-painted a red cross on the side of Akhtar’s home. 3 Muslim organizations in Canada say they’d noticed a spike in reports of anti-Islam sentiment in recent weeks before the aforementioned incidents. A week earlier, a Calgary imam claimed he was struck by a vehicle while walking to Friday prayer. He said the woman who was driving the vehicle shouted ethnic slurs and called him a terrorist. Amy Awad, human rights coordinator for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said the recent spike in incidents was likely due to increased attention on ISIS militants in Iraq, asserting: “The more people see negative stories about people who appear to be Muslim, the more suspicious they might become…And that can feels of hatred…and hate incidents like these ones.” In: http://www.islamophobiawatch.co.uk/anti-muslim-vandals-strike-fort-saskatchewan-prayer-room/#more-36649, retrieved on 17.09.2014 6. US: Oklahoma: Republican Politician Says Islam Is ‘A Cancer in Our Nation that Needs to be Cut Out’ – State Rep. John Bennett, R-Sallisaw, meeting in the night of 15 September with about 85 constituents at a Republican gathering at Western Sizzlin’, did not back down from statements he made earlier this month that were critical of Islam. Bennett has been at the center of a political maelstrom that has gained national attention since he published comments on social media warning people to be wary of Muslim Americans and then refused to apologize in the face of mounting criticism. Asked before the meeting whether he planned to apologize for his comments, Bennett said, “No. Because I’m right, and they know I’m right. CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) used political pressure to make me back down, but I didn’t and I’m not going to,” he said to a standing ovation. Bennett, who served in the U.S. Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he had heard from people all over the world supporting his position. In a lengthy presentation that included videos made within U.S. mosques, Bennett outlined a history of the Islamic faith and his views that Islam was a sociopolitical movement intent upon destruction of Western civilization and world domination, adding: “Their goal is the destruction of Western civilization from within. This is a cancer in our nation that needs to be cut out. The media is playing right into their hands. We need to share his (Jesus’) story, love others and stand for freedom,” he said to loud applause.
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