DOCSLIB.ORG

Sixth Oic Observatory Report on Islamophobia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sixth Oic Observatory Report on Islamophobia Original: English SIXTH OIC OBSERVATORY REPORT ON ISLAMOPHOBIA October 2012 – September 2013 PRESENTED TO THE 40 TH COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS Conakry, Republic of Guinea 9–11 December 2013 i OIC-CS-6th OBS-REP-Final-October-2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD by the OIC Secretary General 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 INTRODUCTION 7 1: ISLAMOPHOBIA, INTOLERANCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIMS 10 2: MANIFESTATIONS OF ISLAMOPHOBIA 12 2.1. Islamophobia in USA 12 a) Islamophobia during the US Presidential Campaign 13 b) Islamophobic Ads by Pamela Geller 15 c) Islamophobia in the aftermath of the Boston Bombings 17 2.2. Islamophobia in Europe 19 a) Highlight of Islamophobic trends in Europe 20 b) Islamophobia in the Post- Woolwich murder attack 23 2.3. Islamophobia in the Media 25 3: SOME POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS 27 4: OIC Initiatives and Activities to Counter Islamophobia 29 4.1. Brainstorming Session at the 39 th CFM 29 4.2. Panel of Eminent Persons for combating discrimination against Muslims 30 4.3. Istanbul Process Follow-up 31 4.4. Istanbul International Conference on Islamophobia 31 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 33 ANNEXES . 36 A: SOME ISLAMOPHOBIC INCIDENTS 36 I. Incidents Related to Mosques 36 II. Desecration of Muslim Graves 53 III. Political and Social Campaigns against Islam and Muslims 54 IV. Intolerance against Islam and its Sacred Symbols 63 ii OIC-CS-6th OBS-REP-Final-October-2013 V. Discrimination against Muslim Individuals in Educational Institutions, Workplaces, Airports, etc 71 VI. Incidents Related to Hijab (Veil) 79 B: CFM RES. NO 41/39-P ON AN OIC APPROACH FOR COMBATING DISCRIMINATION AND INTOLERANCE AGAINST MUSLIMS 84 C: STATEMENT BY H.E. THE OIC SECRETARY GENERAL, PROF. EKMELEDDIN IHSANOGLU, AT THE 3 RD ISTANBUL PROCESS MEETING ON THE FOLLOW-UP OF IMPLEMENTATION OF UN HRC RESOLUTION 16/18 87 1 OIC-CS-6th OBS-REP-Final-October-2013 FOREWORD by the OIC Secretary General It is a matter of personal gratification that the OIC Observatory is presenting its Sixth Annual Report. Since the day I commissioned the Observatory at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah in 2007, it has remained focused and diligent in monitoring incidents of slandering and demeaning Muslims and their sacred symbols including attacks on mosques, verbal abuses and physical attacks against adherents of Islam, mainly due to their cultural traits. The preceding five Annual Reports of the Observatory have been objective and credible in covering Islamophobic incidents all of which are available in the public domain. The present Sixth Annual Report, which has maintained this approach, reconfirms the OIC’s legitimate concern regarding the rise of Islamophobia. The progress achieved in raising awareness against Islamophobia and coming out forcefully in condemnation of hatred and racial discrimination against Muslims, has to a large extent been influenced by the vigilance of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory. The first year of my tenure as Secretary General of the OIC in 2005 coincided with the worldwide provocation caused by the publication of the nefarious caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by a Danish cartoonist in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper on September 30, 2005. This irresponsible act of abusing freedom of expression by a single individual that was among the first of many that were to follow in humiliating and negatively stereotyping Muslims, effectively contributed towards developing a culture of intolerance of Islam and Muslims in the West. The perpetrators of Islamophobia, who seek to propagate irrational fear and intolerance of Islam, have time and again aroused unwarranted tension, suspicion and unrest in societies by slandering the Islamic faith through gross distortions and misrepresentations and by encroaching on and denigrating the religious sentiments of Muslims. The aftermath of this mischief, as the world has witnessed, has been tragic and alarming causing loss of numerous innocent lives, damage to property and creating an uneasy state of mistrust between Muslims and non-Muslims in the Western societies. The infamous production of the anti -Muslim Film “Fitna”, which compared the Holy Qur'an to Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”, together with the constitutional amendments imposing a ban on construction of minarets of Mosques in Switzerland, encouraged the bigoted radical extremists to keep the momentum of rising Islamophobia going. The most recent in the string of events such as the film, “Innocence of Muslims”, the publication and reprints of provocative materials by several European newspapers including the most recent one entitled “Tyranny of Silence, the infamous “Burn A Quran Day” move by a Florida Pastor, the Congressional hearings by the Chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security on the “radicalization of American Muslims” in Washington DC on March 11, 2011, together with the anti-Muslim rhetoric by some right-wing conservative politicians and new emerging Islamophobes, have contributed enormously to snowball Islamophobia and manipulate the mindset of ordinary Western people to develop a “phobia” of Islam and Muslims. Today, the perpetuation of Islamophobia, both in terms of the phenomenon’s momentum and outreach, is disquieting. It is particularly alarming that what had initially started as mere exploitation and abuse of freedom of expression by some extremist elements, gradually found resonance in political spheres, ultimately leading to the institutionalization of Islamophobia, such as banning of minarets in Switzerland and other laws, in some European countries, that prohibit wearing Muslim 2 OIC-CS-6th OBS-REP-Final-October-2013 attires in public spaces. It is crucial to address the issue on these three distinctive levels, which are the exploitation, politicization and institutionalization of Islamophobia at various levels. In the present globalized world, peaceful and harmonious coexistence among diverse religions and cultures is not an option but the only means to enduring human cohabitation. The objective of the protagonists of Islamophobia is none other than to create division between the West and the Muslim World. In doing so, they are pushing the world towards the dangerous precipices of conflagration and destabilization. Islamophobia has emerged as a new form of racism characterized by xenophobia, negative profiling and stereotyping of Muslims bearing strong similarities to apartheid. It has always been my firm belief that like apartheid, the challenge for the international community is to dismantle Islamophobia completely and prevent its spread before it gets out of hand and jeopardizes global peace and security. One of the most daunting and challenging tasks reposed on me by our leaders at the 3 rd Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Makkah in 2005 was to combat and counter the absurd and abhorrent campaign of Islamophobia. I took this responsibility to heart and used every option available to bring the international community to a common position so that its perpetrators find no abettors in society to perpetuate their agenda of hate and intolerance. Over these past nine years, I have never failed to raise the concern of Islamophobia in all my interactions with the leaders of Western countries, as well as with academics and civil society representatives. I have underscored, time and again, the extreme gravity of Islamophobia as a major impediment to the objectives of the UN Charter, including the overarching goal that people should practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another. I have been consistent in my insistence that addressing this malaise can be successful through a collective stance and effort of the international community. I believe that the OIC’s outcry against Islamophobia as an affront to human rights and human dignity has had a positive impact on stakeholders in the West. The leaders of Western Governments and regional organizations such as the EU, the Council of Europe, renowned scholars and media personalities and the Vatican have publicly condemned Islamophobia. The historic consensual adoption of the OIC sponsored UN Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 entitled “Combating Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping and Stigmatization of, and Discrimination, Incitement to violence, and Violence against persons based on Religion or Belief” on March 21, 2011 as well in the subsequent sessions of the Council and the UN General Assembly, has effectively broken the myth of the global community’s inability to take a unified and determined stand to combat intolerance and hatred based on religion and belief. It is my earnest hope that the 40 th Council of Foreign Ministers will take due note of the contents and recommendations of the Sixth Annual Report and that the Member States will fulfill their pledge to strengthen the Observatory. I would also like to reiterate my appeal to the Member States to strongly convey our grave concerns on growing Islamophobia to our western counterparts within the ambit of their bilateral consultations and to impress upon them that the sanctity of freedom of expression and freedom of religion cannot be allowed to be endangered by those few radical extremists who are determined to create unrest and divisions in our present day world of diversity by giving them a free hand in fomenting Islamophobia. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu 3 OIC-CS-6th OBS-REP-Final-October-2013 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Sixth Annual report of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory covers the period from October 2012 to September 2013. The report contains five main chapters in addition to some annexes. The first chapter on “ Islamophobia, Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims” describes the general trend of intolerance and discrimination against Muslims. It reveals that the rise of Islamophobia continues unabated in some Western countries thereby exacerbating tensions at all levels and constituting additional obstacles to the diversity and multicultural fabrics of the societies. A number of independent reports by credible institutions in the West vindicated the Observatory’s position that anti-Muslim rhetoric has become increasingly widespread, which, in turn, has caused an increase in the actual number of hate crimes committed against Muslims.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Anthoney Udel 0060D
    INCLUSION WITHOUT MODERATION: POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION BY RELIGIOUS GROUPS by Cheryl Mariani Anthoney A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and International Relations Spring 2018 © 2018 Cheryl Anthoney All Rights Reserved INCLUSION WITHOUT MODERATION: POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION BY RELIGIOUS GROUPS by Cheryl Mariani Anthoney Approved: __________________________________________________________ David P. Redlawsk, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations Approved: __________________________________________________________ George H. Watson, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Approved: __________________________________________________________ Ann L. Ardis, Ph.D. Senior Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: __________________________________________________________ Muqtedar Khan, Ph.D. Professor in charge of dissertation I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: __________________________________________________________ Stuart Kaufman,
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 4 the Right-Wing Media Enablers of Anti-Islam Propaganda
    Chapter 4 The right-wing media enablers of anti-Islam propaganda Spreading anti-Muslim hate in America depends on a well-developed right-wing media echo chamber to amplify a few marginal voices. The think tank misinforma- tion experts and grassroots and religious-right organizations profiled in this report boast a symbiotic relationship with a loosely aligned, ideologically-akin group of right-wing blogs, magazines, radio stations, newspapers, and television news shows to spread their anti-Islam messages and myths. The media outlets, in turn, give members of this network the exposure needed to amplify their message, reach larger audiences, drive fundraising numbers, and grow their membership base. Some well-established conservative media outlets are a key part of this echo cham- ber, mixing coverage of alarmist threats posed by the mere existence of Muslims in America with other news stories. Chief among the media partners are the Fox News empire,1 the influential conservative magazine National Review and its website,2 a host of right-wing radio hosts, The Washington Times newspaper and website,3 and the Christian Broadcasting Network and website.4 They tout Frank Gaffney, David Yerushalmi, Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Steven Emerson, and others as experts, and invite supposedly moderate Muslim and Arabs to endorse bigoted views. In so doing, these media organizations amplify harm- ful, anti-Muslim views to wide audiences. (See box on page 86) In this chapter we profile some of the right-wing media enablers, beginning with the websites, then hate radio, then the television outlets. The websites A network of right-wing websites and blogs are frequently the primary movers of anti-Muslim messages and myths.
    [Show full text]
  • Volunteer Initiatives
    COVID-19 RESPONSE: VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Seek out the vulnerable among you. Verily, you are only given provision and support due to your support of the weak.” (Tirmidhi). With many more people self-isolating, including elderly, single parents, disabled or others who are social/economically vulnerable, there are more and more volunteer initiatives being started by Muslim activists and institutions all across the UK. Check them out below. This document is constantly being updated. Your initiative not here? Email us on [email protected] to get it added! COVID-19 volunteer response initiatives by region: 1. Scotland 2. North East England 3. North West England 4. Yorkshire and the Humber 5. East Midlands 6. West Midlands 7. East England 8. Wales 9. London 10. Greater London 11. South East England 12. Wider Volunteer Initiatives SCOTLAND GLASGOW CENTRAL MOSQUE Assistance for the elderly and those living alone Contact: 01414 293132 | [email protected] VIRAL KINDNESS SCOTLAND Assistance for those in need, fostering connection across Scotland and building an army of volunteers. If you need help, if you know someone who needs help or if you as an individual, group or business wants to offer help, contact: 0800 054 2284 |www.viralkindness.scot Twitter: @ViralKindScot | Facebook: /ViralKindnessScot NORTH EAST ENGLAND NEWCASTLE CENTRAL MOSQUE Assistance in delivering essential food supplies and medicine for the elderly and vulnerable in isolation. Contact: 07426 313662 NORTH WEST ENGLAND BLACKBURN – LAMMACK PRAYER ROOM (MUSALLA) Assistance in shopping/medication collection & delivery, practical support around home and health visits Contact Sabir: 07930 242425 BLACKBURN – MASJID-E-RAZA Assistance with shopping collection and delivery, medication collection and health care visit, friendly phone call to overcome loneliness, friendly children support and practical support at home.
    [Show full text]
  • Discourses of Ethno-Nationalism and Religious Fundamentalism
    DISCOURSES OF ETHNO-NATIONALISM AND RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM SRI LANKAN DISCOURSES OF ETHNO-NATIONALISM AND RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM By MYRA SIVALOGANATHAN, B.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts McMaster University © Copyright by Myra Sivaloganathan, June 2017 M.A. Thesis – Myra Sivaloganathan; McMaster University – Religious Studies. McMaster University MASTER OF ARTS (2017) Hamilton, Ontario (Religious Studies) TITLE: Sri Lankan Discourses of Ethno-Nationalism and Religious Fundamentalism AUTHOR: Myra Sivaloganathan, B.A. (McGill University) SUPERVISOR: Dr. Mark Rowe NUMBER OF PAGES: v, 91 ii M.A. Thesis – Myra Sivaloganathan; McMaster University – Religious Studies. Abstract In this thesis, I argue that discourses of victimhood, victory, and xenophobia underpin both Sinhalese and Tamil nationalist and religious fundamentalist movements. Ethnic discourse has allowed citizens to affirm collective ideals in the face of disparate experiences, reclaim power and autonomy in contexts of fundamental instability, but has also deepened ethnic divides in the post-war era. In the first chapter, I argue that mutually exclusive narratives of victimhood lie at the root of ethnic solitudes, and provide barriers to mechanisms of transitional justice and memorialization. The second chapter includes an analysis of the politicization of mythic figures and events from the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahāvaṃsa in nationalist discourses of victory, supremacy, and legacy. Finally, in the third chapter, I explore the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) rhetoric and symbolism, and contend that a xenophobic discourse of terrorism has been imposed and transferred from Tamil to Muslim minorities. Ultimately, these discourses prevent Sri Lankans from embracing a multi-ethnic and multi- religious nationality, and hinder efforts at transitional justice.
    [Show full text]
  • Contracting Into Religious Law: Anti-Sharia Enactments and the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses
    2013] 937 CONTRACTING INTO RELIGIOUS LAW: ANTI-SHARIA ENACTMENTS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT AND FREE EXERCISE CLAUSES Muhammad Elsayed INTRODUCTION Muneer Awad, an American Muslim resident of Oklahoma, wrote his last will and testament.1 However, unlike the wills of most Americans, his might not be probated by the courts of Oklahoma because it is based on his Muslim faith.2 Under Oklahoma’s “Save Our State Amendment,”3 state courts are prohibited from considering the legal precepts of foreign nations or religions.4 This amendment, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2010,5 is part of a recent wave of anti-Sharia enactments6 targeting foreign and religious laws, many of which particularly target Islamic law (Sharia).7 While these enactments have yet to receive much judicial scrutiny be- cause of their novelty,8 they have created a firestorm of public controversy George Mason University School of Law, J.D. Candidate, May 2013; George Mason Universi- ty, B.S., Administration of Justice, May 2010. I would like to thank Professor Neomi Rao and Professor Laura Walker for helping me to write this Comment. 1 Abdus Sattar Ghazali, Federal Court Deals Blow to “Anti-Muslim” Bigots, AM. MUSLIM PERSP. (JAN. 11, 2012), http://www.amperspective.com/?page_id=2256. 2 Awad v. Ziriax, 754 F. Supp. 2d 1298, 1304,1308 (W.D. Okla. 2010) (granting preliminary injunction on the certification of Oklahoma’s referendum results that would bar courts from considering Sharia law), aff’d, 670 F.3d 1111 (10th Cir. 2012). 3 H.R.J. Res. 1056, 52d Leg., 2d Reg.
    [Show full text]
  • France 2016 International Religious Freedom Report
    FRANCE 2016 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary The constitution and the law protect the right of individuals to choose, change, and practice their religion. The government investigated and prosecuted numerous crimes and other actions against religious groups, including anti-Semitic and anti- Muslim violence, hate speech, and vandalism. The government continued to enforce laws prohibiting face coverings in public spaces and government buildings and the wearing of “conspicuous” religious symbols at public schools, which included a ban on headscarves and Sikh turbans. The highest administrative court rejected the city of Villeneuve-Loubet’s ban on “clothes demonstrating an obvious religious affiliation worn by swimmers on public beaches.” The ban was directed at full-body swimming suits worn by some Muslim women. ISIS claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack in Nice during the July 14 French independence day celebration that killed 84 people without regard for their religious belief. President Francois Hollande condemned the attack as an act of radical Islamic terrorism. Prime Minister (PM) Manuel Valls cautioned against scapegoating Muslims or Islam for the attack by a radical extremist group. The government extended a state of emergency until July 2017. The government condemned anti- Semitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Catholic acts and continued efforts to promote interfaith understanding through public awareness campaigns and by encouraging dialogues in schools, among local officials, police, and citizen groups. Jehovah’s Witnesses reported 19 instances in which authorities interfered with public proselytizing by their community. There were continued reports of attacks against Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The government, as well as Muslim and Jewish groups, reported the number of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim incidents decreased by 59 percent and 58 percent respectively from the previous year to 335 anti-Semitic acts and 189 anti-Muslim acts.
    [Show full text]
  • From Gastarbeiter to Muslim: Cosmopolitan
    FROM GASTARBEITER TO MUSLIM: COSMOPOLITAN LITERARY RESPONSES TO POST-9/11 ISLAMOPHOBIA A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2015 JOSEPH TWIST SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Contents List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... 4 List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Declaration................................................................................................................................ 6 Copyright Statement ................................................................................................................ 6 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 7 Introduction: Thinking ‘We’ in Contemporary German Literature Islamophobia and the German Literary Landscape ................................................................... 8 ‘Being-with’: Contemporary Cosmopolitan Theory and the Philosophy of Jean-Luc Nancy. 26 Beyond Monotheism: A Cosmopolitan Understanding of the Divine ..................................... 46 Sufism and Singularity: The Deconstruction of Islam ............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Al-Jeran, Abdul Rahman (1998) Muslims in Britain : Between Reality and Ambition
    Al-Jeran, Abdul Rahman (1998) Muslims in Britain : between reality and ambition. PhD thesis http://theses.gla.ac.uk/7236/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Index (I) MUSLIMS IN BRITAIN BETWEEN REALITY AND AMBITION By Abdul Rahman Al-Jeran Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Arabic & Islamic Department in the University of Glasgow Great Britain 1998 Index (II) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Author takes this opportunity to express his appreciation to those who have rendered their assistance and have given their encouragement throughout the course of this study. He is especially indebted to Prof. J. N. Mattock for his supervision. Index (III) SYSTEM OF TRANSLITERATION C. f IJ b ý q i t `+ k ü th I J J ý m P V h ý n Kh ý h A d J W 3 3 dh LS Y r ý a ý z I s k.ý U I sh l)`ý ä L s ý q- d Lý ü r= ý o, t ay lf ý Z aw ý=- ý h D gh L Index (IV) INDEX TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...............................................................................(II) SYSTEM OF TRANSLITERATION (III) ABSTRACT .................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise of Buddhist-Muslim Conflict in Asia and Possibilities for Transformation by Iselin Frydenlund
    Policy Brief December 2015 The rise of Buddhist-Muslim conflict in Asia and possibilities for transformation By Iselin Frydenlund Executive summary Violence against Muslim minorities in Buddhist societies has increased in recent years. The Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar are disenfranchised, and many of their candidates were rejected by the official Union Election Commission prior to the 2015 elections. Furthermore laws about religious conversion, missionary activities, and interfaith marriage are being pro- moted to control relations between religions and prevent conflict. The danger, however, is that increased control will lead to more, not fewer, conflicts. Discrimination against religious minorities may lead to radicalisation. In addition minority-majority relations in a single state may have regional consequences because a minority in one state can be the majority in another, and there is an increasing trend for co-religionists in different countries to support each other. Thus protection of religious minorities is not only a question of freedom of religion and basic human rights; it also affects security and peacebuilding in the whole region. Anti- Muslim violence and political exclusion of Muslim minorities take place in the wake of in- creased Buddhist nationalism. This policy brief identifies local as well as global drivers for Buddhist-Muslim conflict and the rise of Buddhist nationalism. It then shows how Buddhist- Muslim conflict can be addressed, most importantly through the engagement of local religious leaders. Introduction Buddhist countries are generally at risk of persecution. But Attacks on Muslim minorities in Buddhist countries have weak state protection of Muslim communities leaves these escalated in recent years (OHCHR, 2014).
    [Show full text]
  • Title:​ Never Forget: Ground Zero, Park51, and Constitutive Rhetorics
    Title:​ Never Forget: Ground Zero, Park51, and Constitutive Rhetorics Author:​ Tamara Issak Issue:​ 3 Publication Date:​ November 2020 Stable URL: http://constell8cr.com/issue-3/never-forget-ground-zero-park51-and-constitutive-rh etorics/ constellations a cultural rhetorics publishing space Never Forget: Ground Zero, Park51, and Constitutive Rhetorics Tamara Issak, St. John’s University Introduction It was the summer of 2010 when the story of Park51 exploded in the news. Day after day, media coverage focused on the proposal to create a center for Muslim and interfaith worship and recreational activities in Lower Manhattan. The space envisioned for Park51 was a vacant department store which was damaged on September 11, 2001. Eventually, it was sold to Sharif El-Gamal, a Manhattan realtor and developer, in July of 2009. El-Gamal intended to use this space to build a community center open to the general public, which would feature a performing arts center, swimming pool, fitness center, basketball court, an auditorium, a childcare center, and many other amenities along with a Muslim prayer space/mosque. Despite the approval for construction by a Manhattan community board, the site became a battleground and the project was hotly debated. It has been over ten years since the uproar over Park51, and it is important to revisit the event as it has continued significance and impact today. The main argument against the construction of the community center and mosque was its proximity to Ground Zero. Opponents to Park51 argued that the construction of a mosque so close to Ground Zero was offensive and insensitive because the 9/11 attackers were associated with Islam (see fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2007-2008
    MARKING A DECADE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Annual Report 2007-2008 Contents Secretary General’s Address to the Annual General Meeting 4 Advocating Muslim Concerns 12 Committee Reports Business and Economics 13 Chaplaincy 14 Education 16 Europe and International Affairs 17 Food Standards 18 Health and Medical 19 Interfaith Relations 19 Legal Affairs 21 London Affairs 21 Media 22 Membership 23 Mosque and Community Affairs 24 Public Affairs 25 Research and Documentation 26 Social and Family Affairs 28 Youth and Sports 28 Project Reports Muslim Spiritual Care Provision in the NHS 28 Capacity Building of Mosques and Islamic Organisations (M100) 29 Books for Schools 30 Footsteps 31 Appendices (A) OBs, BoCs, Advisors, CWC and other Committees’ members 33 (B) Press Releases 37 (C) Consultations and Reports 38 (D) MCB affiliates 38 4 In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Secretary General’s Address to the Annual General Meeting of the General Assembly Respected Chair, distinguished guests, brothers and sisters - Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah We are meeting in very challenging times for the Muslim communities in Britain, as well as across the rest of the world. In the UK, the media’s persistent focus on finding anything and everything problematic with Islam or Muslims has, to some extent, entered the subconscious of many parts of British society. Sober thinking parts of the academia and intelligentsia are now getting quite perturbed about it. This makes the on-going work of the MCB even more critical and relevant in today's climate and in the latter part of this address I will say a few words about this.
    [Show full text]
  • White Male Heterosexist Norms in the Confirmation Process Theresa M
    University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Bowen Law Repository: Scholarship & Archives Faculty Scholarship 2011 White Male Heterosexist Norms in the Confirmation Process Theresa M. Beiner University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://lawrepository.ualr.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Judges Commons, Law and Gender Commons, and the Law and Race Commons Recommended Citation Theresa M. Beiner, White Male Heterosexist Norms in the Confirmation Process, 32 Women's Rts. L. Rep. 105 (2011). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Bowen Law Repository: Scholarship & Archives. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Bowen Law Repository: Scholarship & Archives. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WHITE MALE HETEROSEXIST NORMS IN THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS Theresa M Beiner* I. INTRODUCTION Justice Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearing took a controversial turn when commentators became aware of a reference in the New York Times to a portion of a speech she gave in 2001.1 In that speech, she candidly addressed how her background might influence her decision making opining, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." 2 Eight years later a minor . Nadine Baum Distinguished Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law.
    [Show full text]