Zazi case: How far should FBI go in tracking Muslims? | csmonitor.com

Zazi case: How far should FBI go in tracking Muslims? csmonitor.com

Muslim groups say the surveillance techniques authorized by the Patriot Act and credited with helping nab alleged New York bomb plotter Najibullah Zazi are alienating potential allies against terrorism.
By Michael B. Farrell Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
September 29, 2009

...The extent of surveillance operations within the American Muslim communities is difficult to determine, since much of it involves ongoing investigations. In an attempt to force the FBI into revealing its surveillance guidelines, the group Muslim Advocates recently filed suit in federal court...

In this atmosphere of mystery and growing mistrust, a coalition of Islamic organizations said federal agents were infiltrating mosques in Southern California and using "agent provocateurs to trap unsuspecting Muslim youth."

"The job of the government is not to provoke someone to say something wrong and then arrest them," says Agha Saeed, chairman of the American Muslim Taskforce. "That's almost manufacturing a crime."

"At the end of the day, that does not create more integration, it creates all the opposite the results that government wants," he adds...

"The expiration of the three Patriot Act provisions is an opportunity to reexamine surveillance law and reject sections that waste law enforcement resources by targeting law abiding Americans without any suspicion of criminal activity," said Faiza Ali, community affairs director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in an e-mail. "We perceive that trust between the American Muslim community and the FBI remains an issue, especially given concerns of confidential informants and agent provocateurs in places of worship."

Email Urges Boycott of USPS Muslim Eid Stamp

The "Eid Stamp" Islamophobic e-mail seems to be back in circulation. I guess the bigotry business must be slow these days.

The e-mail applies typical bigotry language by listing terrorism incidents (that are clearly condemned by Islam and Muslims) in order to generalize about and demonize the whole religion of Islam and its 1.3 billion followers.

The same exact type of list of incidents could be prepared about any ethnic or religious group. Just think of any group and their negative stereotype.

The e-mail implies that we as Americans should not allow a stamp recognizng Eid because that would be "a slap in the face." Shall we also reject the Christmas stamps due to Hitler's crimes or the abortion clinics bombers? What an absurd logic.

The only true conclusion from this e-mail is that it is bigoted.

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Read the Urban Legend website that shows and responds to this hateful email. It has valuable information.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-muslim-stamp.htm

Rep. Ellison Addresses So Cal Muslims on Eid

On Sunday, September 20, the first Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) addressed thousands of Muslim worshippers after Eid prayer services at the Riverside Convention Center. The prayer service, held to celebrate the monthlong fast of Ramadan, was sponsored by the Islamic Center of Riverside.

Rep. Ellison was joined by CAIR-Greater Los Angeles Area Executive Director Hussam Ayloush, who delivered the sermon following Eid prayers.

The congressman spoke on the importance of civic engagement. Acknowledging President Obama's efforts to reach out to Muslims at home and abroad, he said it was time for American Muslims to get involved and help our nation realize its dream of pluralism and equality.

Congressman Ellison additionally reminded the congregants that, overwhelmingly, Americans are caring and respectful toward all religions. He encouraged Muslims to continue to reach out to their fellow Americans to work together in promoting better understanding and friendships. He said Muslims should not let hateful agendas of some drive them away from the good work.

In his sermon, Ayloush emphasized the importance of building on Ramadan's "intensive training" on faith, perseverance and compassion to reach out to others and the less fortunate in our communities, give charity and make contributions to America.

He quoted the Prophet Muhammad who said: "All people are the dependents of God. And, the most beloved to God are those most beneficial and helpful to His dependents."

Will Ferrell & friends: Protect Executives of Insurance Companies; they are the real victims here

The "Video: Something Terrible is Happening! Will Ferrell & friends" campaign is brought to you by MoveOn.org Political Action™.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Rep. Keith Ellison and Hussam Ayloush address Eid prayer in Riverside

First Muslim elected to Congress visits Inland area with message about his faith

Friday, September 18, 2009

By DAVID OLSON
The Press-Enterprise

The nation's first Muslim congressman will speak in Riverside on Sunday during prayers for Eid ul-Fitr, which celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., will attend Eid prayer services at the Riverside Convention Center and make brief remarks. The annual event last year attracted several thousand people...

Ellison said his Eid speech will focus on Ramadan's message of compassion and humility and the duty of Muslims to make life better for people of all faiths. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 in an overwhelmingly non-Muslim district and re-elected in 2008 with 71 percent of the vote. A second Muslim congressman was elected in Indianapolis last year.

Ellison said his election illustrates that most Americans try to treat Muslims with respect...

"And you just have to argue to people that that's not really the case, that America is a country of immigrants and has been all of its existence and yet our standard of living has only been increasing, and that we've been doing better, not worse, because of new people in our community," Ellison said.

You can show it to people through the evidence but it's not always easy, because you have a lot of people on radio and TV banking on people's fears and making them feel like they ought to kick somebody off the island or push somebody off the bus."

Ellison's election has been used by American officials to show foreign Muslims that the country is not hostile to Islam. President Barack Obama referred to Ellison's use of the Quran to take the oath of office in a June speech in Cairo that was designed to strengthen U.S. relations with the world's Muslims.

Corona's Hussam Ayloush, who will deliver Sunday's Eid sermon, said Ellison is a source of inspiration and hope for Muslims, especially those who believe they are treated as second-class citizens.

"He's living proof that once people get to know Muslims, they can have friendship, respect and partnership with them on all matters that bring benefit to people in our country," said Ayloush, executive director of the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "It reassures American Muslims they are ... equal citizens in their own country."

Muslims, Jews share a day, share ties

By Steven G. Vegh
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 19, 2009

Given 60-plus years of Middle East tensions, it might seem ironic that Jews and Muslims both observe religious holidays today: the first day of Rosh Hashana in Judaism and the last day of Ramadan in Islam.

The overlap is a calendar quirk, but it inadvertently underscores the fact that the two faiths might have more in common than either tradition has with Christianity.

Judaism and Islam both trace their roots to Abraham, with Jews descended from his son Isaac, and Muslims as descendants of Ishmael, his other son. (Christians also claim an Abrahamic background.)

read more

Va. Synagogue Doubles As Mosque During Ramadan

CAIR and Muslims Honor the Legacy of Judge Robert M. Takasugi

(LOS ANGELES, CA, 9/15/09) - The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today issued a statement on the passing of Judge Robert M. Takasugi, who was appointed in 1976 to the Central District of California and was the first Japanese American to become a federal judge.

Prior to becoming a District Court judge, he served as a judge in the municipal and superior courts in Los Angeles. He passed away on August 4, 2009.

Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area (CAIR-LA) said:

"Judge Takasugi was a great force in challenging the undemocratic policies of our time, and was a courageous hero and leader of the civil rights movement. His death is a great loss to our country, especially to those who struggle for equal civil rights for all Americans."

Judge Takasugi made difficult decisions from the bench that ensured protection of civil liberties and constitutional freedoms. He drew on his own experiences of being a Japanese American and being rounded up and detained in an internment camp during WWII.

Judge Takasugi was one of the first judges to issue an opinion overhauling a portion of the Patriot Act in 2002. He said the law classifying terrorist groups deprived the defendants of due process rights because they were not given a chance to rebut the terrorist allegations before their group was placed on the list.

His most enduring legacy has been the mentorship and support of countless law students and young lawyers, including through pro-bono bar preparation and through the creation of the Robert Takasugi Public Interest Fellowship.

The fellowship has worked to carry on Judge Takasugi's influence, independence, courage, and vision of equal justice.

You can donate to and apply for the fellowship here: http://takasugifellowship.org/?page_id=2

CONTACT: Affad Shaikh, CAIR-LA Civil Rights Manager, 714-776-1847, info@losangeles.cair.com

Scientific statistics to prove that bread is dangerous

Almost every day, I receive paranoiac urban legend emails making a case, through pseudo statistics and selective anecdotes, that Islam and Muslims are evil.

The ability to exaggerate and create fear is certainly a skillful task. Below is such an example which I received from someone as a joke.

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SCIENCE: BREAD IS DANGEROUS

1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.
   
   
2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households
   score below average on standardized tests.
   
   
3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations.
   
   
4. More than 90 percent of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.
   
   
5. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat, begged for bread after as little as two days.
   
   
6. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cream cheese.
   
   
7. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey, bread-pudding person.
   
   
8. Newborn babies can choke on bread.
   
   
9. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 450 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than two minutes.
   
   
10. Most American bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.

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Of course, there is nothing dangerous about bread. Well, may be French bread is dangerous. You know those French are dangerous. I can show you the stats for that. :)

Reeling, Savage Apologizes for Removal of YouTube Clip

Reeling, Savage Apologizes for Removal of YouTube Clip