Hassan Shibly: CAIR's Position on Terry Jones (the Qu'ran burning pastor who's moving to Tampa)

"Be tolerant and forgiving, command what is right and pay no attention to foolish people." ~Translation of the Holy Quran 7:199

"The servants of the Lord of Mercy are those who walk humbly on the earth, and who, when the foolish address them, reply, ‘Peace’" ~ Translation of the Holy Quran 25:63

God commands Muslims to turn away from those that insist on ignorance; He commands us to reply to words of hate and foolishness with words of peace.

Where else can such beautiful advice apply, than to the likes and actions of people like Terry Jones, who soon plans to move to Tampa and is seeking headlines by threatening to burn thousands of copies of the Holy Quran. 

The reality is that the best response to people like Jones is simply to ignore him.  However, some in the media have insisted on giving him attention. Therefore, the purpose of this post is to clarify once and for all our position on people like Jones and share general advice on how to respond to such ignorance and hatred.

People like him are not worth our time, and are simply ignorant seekers of attention. 

They do not reflect the beautiful teachings of Jesus (Peace be Upon Him) who taught loving thy neighbor. Nor do they reflect American values which teach freedom of religion and respecting diversity.

They often view the world through a hypocritical double standard. They show simple mindedness by conveniently blaming an entire faith for the criminal acts of a few when the faith is alien to them. To them, if a Muslim does something bad, they blame Islam. Yet ironically, they do not blame their own faith for the inquisition, the witch-hunts, the enslavement of Africa, the killing of millions of Native Americans, the bombing of abortion clinics,the shootings of Sikhs, the burning down of mosques, the mass shootings by white supremacists, and so on. 

They demonize an entire faith and people because of the acts of a few, but ignore the fact that many more people have been killed by members of their own faith; that most terrorists have no association with any religion; that even then such terrorists are motivated by political grievances, not religion; and that the threat of terrorism from any particular community is extremely over-hyped.

I mention these points to make it clear, it is simple mindedness, ignorant, and hypocritical to blame an entire group of people for the acts of a few. There are good and bad people among us all and all faiths have been hijacked to advance political agendas and commit heinous crimes. 

The likes of Jones are no different than so-called Muslim extremists, who claim that Islam and America are incompatible. 

Their actions show nothing but insecurity about their own beliefs and are reminiscent of the book burning of the dark ages when thousands of books science, religion, and philosophy were burnt by a church that felt insecure by the thoughts and ideas contained in the books.

While they can burn books, they cannot extinguish the light that such books produce in the heart of humanity. In fact, the fires they burn only increases the light, as the more attention they bring to Islam, the more people study it on their own and see the beauty of the faith for themselves. So the more awareness and attention they bring Islam, the better.

The hatred and intolerance the likes of Jones promote only serves to bring together the moderates in the community, and the American people as a whole have rejected his hateful message. 

If anything, his actions are unproductive and just causes more pollution in our beautiful Florida environment. Can you imagine the carbon footprint the burning of 3,000 books will unnecessarily cause?

There is concern that their hateful speech actually sometimes incites violence against minorities. In the past year many Sikh and people perceived to be Muslim have been shot or killed by people who follow Jones' type of intolerance, several mosques have been burnt down, and in 2011 Anders Breivik, a Christian white supremacist killed dozens of children citing Islamophobes to justify his violence. 

Thus the best reaction to ignorant individuals preaching hatred to seek attention is simply to ignore them, and make them irrelevant. 

Video: Canadian TV Interviews CAIR-FL Rep on Growing Islamophobia in America

A portrayal of the anger in America on the cusp of the 2012 Presidential elections: where does it come from, what shapes it, who is leading it, and where will it take us all?

 Episode 1: The Fire Within 

On CBC-TV, October, 18th 9pm 

On CBC News Network Saturday October, 20th 11pm ET 

SEE: http://angerinamerica.cbc.ca/documentary.php

The swing vote of American Muslims is up for grabs in the 2012 elections

By Aref Assaf | The Examiner | October 8, 2012 | [Original Article]


Most polls indicate that this presidential race will be one that goes down to the wire. In certain swing states, block votes of minority groups will prove decisive. American Muslims, polls also reveal, will be critical for the victory of either Obama or Romney in at least three states; namely, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. But in already-decided states, like the blue state of New Jersey, the community has flexed its political muscle in not only local races but also in congressional battles. It was not a long time ago when fatwas (religious decrees) were calling for a total boycott of voting or political participation. Now, American mosques are a haven for political participation and civic engagement. A recent survey of Americans mosques reveals that, in fact, the more mosque-connected American Muslims are, the more civic-minded and politically proactive they become. Princeton Professor Amaney Jamal strongly supports the thesis that American mosques are central to the rise of the community as a viable player in all things politics. "{T}he mosque, similar to other religious institutions in the United States, takes on the multifaceted role of mobilization vehicle and school of civic participation."

Despite being very diverse and far from monolithic, the American Muslim constituency is growing faster than any other religious community and has become increasingly visible and sophisticated in its political calculus. The numerical growth is facilitated by both the cumulative effect of successive immigration waves from war-torn Muslim countries (such as Iraq and Lebanon). Additionally, growth is the direct result of the higher-than-average birth rate amongst Muslims.

Unprecedented numbers of Muslim Americans are serving in elected office, from Congress, mayors, judges, to boards of education in municipalities across the US. While party affiliation is strong, migration, mainly from the Republican Party has increased the number of American Muslims who are Independent. A 2009 CAIR poll showed that the percentage of Independent Muslims has increased from 31% in 2004 to 36% in 2009.

According to "Engaging American Muslims", a 2012 report by the ISPU, voter registration and turnout has increased over the past decade and today, 1.2 million Muslims are registered to vote. In addition, local Muslim leaders are promoting voter registration drives and encouraging Muslim communities to become more civically involved. The numbers quoted here are based on Pew Research figures, but most Muslim organizations such as CAIR argue that "Estimates of a total Muslim population of 6-7 million in America seem reasonable in light of the figure of 2 million Muslims who associate with a mosque."

At lease since 911, Arab Muslim Americans have slowly but steadily found their voices and grievances best represented by Muslim organizations such as CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations. CAIR has not shied away from taking on government agencies accused or engaged in anti-Muslim rhetoric or practices. More dramatic is the precipitous decline financially and politically of established Arab American organizations such as the venerable American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and the American Arab Institute. Arab Muslims especially religious ones who view their political potential through the collective energies of Muslims from many parts of the Muslim world have fueled the unparalleled prominence of Muslim organizations. New Jersey is ripe with examples where Arab Muslims are in the driver seat on all matters relating to civic and political engagement.

[Read More...]

CAIR Asks FBI to Probe Firebomb Attack on Fla. Muslim Family

Muslim group: Republican ‘Islamophobia machine’ encouraging violent attacks

By Stephen C. Webster | TheRawStory | August 14, 2012 | [Original Article]

"Following an acid bomb being hurled at a Muslim school in the Chicago suburb of Lombard, a spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told Raw Story that the number of attacks on American Muslims has escalated recently due in part to the Republican Party’s “Islamophobia machine” encouraging a tiny minority of extremists toward increasingly violent behaviors.

About 50 people were inside the Lombard school building for Ramadan prayers when the acid bomb exploded, according to area media. The unknown attacker reportedly filled a 7-Up bottle with acid and other materials, then threw it at a window. Nobody was injured, but worshipers said they heard a loud explosion when the bomb went off. CAIR asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday morning to immediately begin searching for the individual responsible.

For Illinois Muslims, Monday night’s acid bombing marks the second attack on a Muslim-affiliated installation in less than a week. Police arrested 51-year-old David Conrad last weekend after he allegedly opened fire on a mosque in Morton Grove, Illinois, narrowly missing a security guard as worshipers prayed inside. The FBI said it would leave the investigation of the mosque shooting to local law enforcement..." [Read More]

Complaint against Cape Coral counter-terrorism instructor to be heard by directors

By Cristela Guerra | News-Press.com | July 26, 2012 | [Original Article]

A recent complaint about counter-terrorism instructor Sam Kharoba of Cape Coral by the Council on American-Islamic Relations is going to be brought up at a meeting of the Florida Criminal Justice Training Center Directors Association on Oct. 31 in Sarasota....

...Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey made the request for the issue to be placed on the agenda in a letter reply to CAIR on Wednesday...

...They [CAIR] requested that he be removed from teaching. Kharoba is not certified to teach through FDLE though he received an exception. His academic experience is in computer software engineering and he lived in Jordan when he was younger... [Read More]

A pointless pledge on guest speakers

Times Editorial | TampaBayTimes | August 1, 2012 | [Original Article]

"The made-up controversy over guest speakers in the public schools shows how far some Hillsborough County tea party activists will go to throw the entire school system in reverse. This campaign is aimed not solely at censoring the voices of Muslims in this community. It stands as a warning shot to the board that a vocal minority not entirely sold on public education in the first place wants to micromanage the eighth-largest school district in the country.

Activists are bullying School Board candidates to sign a pledge obligating them to block the appearance of speakers from the local Council on American-Islamic Relations. Candidates would do "everything" in their power to enable parents to make the final decision on whether a child attended a presentation by CAIR or another "controversial" organization... [Read More]

...The pledge fans the myth that parents are somehow unable to take part in their child's education, when nothing could be further from the truth."

EEOC Determination Against Anti-Muslim Training: Muslim Asserted "Stereotyping" and "Personal Bias"

CAIR Florida | July 16, 2012

In a decision available online, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) ruled in favor of a Muslim who filed a complaint about a 2005 course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). In Washington Monthly's "How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam," available online since early 2012, authors Joshua Craze and Meg Stalcup describe the Muslim's complaint about Kharoba this way:

SEE: How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2011/1103.stalcup-craze.html

"As things turned out, though, the students of FLETC wound up being more skeptical than the school's course evaluators. The same month that Kharoba was being invited to incorporate his material into the FLETC curriculum, FLETC received a complaint from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official named Muhammad Rana. Rana had been angered by course materials that included a handout describing "fundamentalist Muslims" as people with "long beards and head coverings" who, while "we call them radicals ... are practicing true Islam." Eleven out of fifteen members of the class submitted a letter in support of Rana's complaint, and Rana took his case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which ruled in his favor."

In his March 2012 response to the Washington Monthly article, Kharoba did not make any effort to rebut Craze and Stalcup's reporting on Rana's complaint.

SEE: CTOCs Statement on the Washington Monthly Article
http://www.ctocus.com/CTOC_Statement_Washington_Monthly_Article.pdf
The EEOC, referring to Kharoba as I1, also found the following in its decision:

SEE: EEOC Decision
http://www.eeoc.gov/decisions/0720060056.txt

"The [EEOC Administrative Judge] noted that complainant was not the only student who felt I1's comments were inappropriate and had the purpose of degrading and demonizing followers of Islam. The evidence showed that the agency had received complaints regarding this course from prior students. Indeed, complainant's classmates complained as well. On February 23, 2005, eleven out of the fifteen members of the class submitted a letter to the Director of the training program (D1), requesting that he eliminate I1's class altogether, calling it 'repulsive.' The letter from the class to D1 stated:

"'Our reasons for making this request is that we found the content, most of it, to be filled with stereotyping, unsubstantiated allegations, unrelated information and personal bias. [I1] continuously emphasized that all people of the Muslim faith would exhibit this particular behavior and share the one common goal of either converting everyone to their religion or eliminating them, in essence, they all had terrorist characteristics.'"


SEE:

Muslim Organizations Say Police Training Teaches Bigotry
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-07-11/features/fl-muslims-anti-terrorism-training-20120711_1_cair-s-south-florida-nezar-hamze-islam-and-terrorism

Muslims Seek Law Enforcement Instructor's Ouster
http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/jul/12/2/muslims-seek-law-enforcement-instructors-ouster-ar-429525/

Expert Gives Florida Police Anti-Muslim Training, Claims Civil Rights Group

By Claire Gordon | AOL | July 13, 2012 | [Original Article]

"Counterterrorism in the U.S. is traditionally the job of the FBI. But since 9/11, increasing numbers of state and local police have undergone training in spotting and catching terrorists, often funded by federal grants. Muslim groups are now concerned that some of the counterterrorism experts instructing our nation's police are unqualified and bigoted, spreading stereotypes about Muslims that ultimately make our country less safe.

One of those experts is Sam Kharoba, president of the Florida-based Counter Terrorism Operations Center. Through an open information request, the Council on American-Islam Relations, a Muslim civil rights organization, found that Kharoba had conducted at least 21 separate trainings in Florida between 2005 and 2011, many of them sponsored and advertised by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

A letter sent Wednesday, co-signed by 18 other Muslim organizations and a half-dozen Florida mosques, as well as non-Muslim advocacy groups, asked FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey to sever the department's ties with Kharoba; to hire "someone with appropriate credentials and accurate subject matter content" to re-educate the officers who received his training; and to adopt a vetting procedure for counterterrorism experts who train police...

...Kharoba is a Christian, but was born in majority Muslim Jordan. "That's like saying any American who lives in America is qualified to teach about Christianity," says Hassan Shibly, the executive director of CAIR's Florida chapter.

Shibly believes that Kharoba's teachings result in more police profiling of Muslims. "We've had so many complaints from local Muslims who've been praying, and stopped and questioned," he says. "and asked what hand he wears his watch on. This guy teaches that if you wear a watch on your right hand you're a jihadist."...

...Critics of the training fear that it will discourage American Muslims from coming to police officers and agents with valuable leads, and cooperating with investigations.

FBI Director Robert Mueller has said on record that the cooperation of Muslim communities is "tremendously important" and that revelations, such as the one about offensive training materials, "set us back.""

CAIR Condemns Anti-Terrorism Police Training as ‘Biased’

By Alexa Robinson | Toonaripost.com | July 12, 2012 | [Original Article]

"The Florida branches of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) held a press conference on July 11 to condemn anti-terrorism training conducted and the anti-terrorism training manual, A Law Enforcement Guide to Understanding Islamist Terrorism, by Sam Khabora, as “factually erroneous and biased.”

The Tampa CAIR’s press conference – presented by Director Hassan Shibly- not only announced its rejection of Khabora’s statements and training but also stated that it has sent its concerns in aletter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)...

...CAIR’s first concern was that Kharoba is not qualified to speak on the topic of Islam. Kharoba ‘s certifcation in the area of Islamic culture comes from an “Advanced Level General Certificate of Education in Arabic Culture” in the United Kingdom, which CAIR claims is the equivalent of an AP course in high school.

Additionally, CAIR pointed out at their press conference that much of the Islamic community in the United States is not of Arab descent. In fact, according to the US Department of State statistics in 2010 the majority of Arab Americans (two thirds) are Christian and the majority (up to one third) of Muslims in the United States are African-Americans.

Kharoba’s other claim to authority is that he lived in the Middle East for seventeen years. Shibly stated that letting Kharoba teach police based on this argument is like claiming that “any person who lives in America is qualified to talk about American history and Christianity in America.” In the letter to the FDLE, CAIR states, “Kharoba has neither the academic nor the operational background to qualify as a subject matter expert on either Islam or countering violent extremism.”

CAIR also cites other organizations, news agencies, and government officials who have rejected Kharoba’s training as biased and incorrect. The Washington Monthly March/April 2011 edition reported on Kharoba’s training in an article entitled “How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam... [Read More]

...Also speaking at the press conference was Bishop of the Apostolic Church and President of the Florida Council of Churches Chuck Leigh. Bishop Leigh castigated the training as “spending money on bigotry” that Kharoba’s alleged misrepresentations of Islam “offends the very heart of Christianity.” The Bishop went on to state, “I think God is offended by it.”..."

CAIR: Fla. Law Enforcement Asked to Drop Anti-Muslim Trainer

CAIR Florida | July 11, 2012

(TAMPA, FL, 7/11/2012) -- The Florida Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) today held news conferences in Tampa and Pembroke Pines to ask the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to stop using a notorious anti-Muslim bigot as a counterterrorism trainer.

At the news conferences, CAIR-FL released a letter sent to the FDLE by a 30-member coalition of Muslim organizations and individuals requesting that the department no longer use Sam Kharoba of the Counter Terrorism Operations Center (CTOC) as a trainer on issues related to Islam and Muslims.

The coalition's letter to FDLE Commissioner Gerald M. Bailey asserts that Kharoba's training materials on Islam are riddled with inaccuracies, sweeping generalizations and stereotypes, that he is unqualified as a subject matter expert on either Islam or countering violent extremism and that his training has elicited disturbingly prejudiced responses from trainees.

It states in part:

"Sam Kharoba's training undermines the Building Communities of Trust (BCOT) initiative released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security and International Association of Chiefs of Police. It also directly contradicts the Line Training provided by the DOJ for our Law Enforcement Officers regarding SARS."

SEE: Muslim Coalition's Letter to FDLE

That letter also asks that officers who received Kharoba's biased training be given accurate and unbiased retraining by credible experts and that the FDLE adopt a policy ensuring that those offering counterterrorism training be vetted for their academic credentials, operational experience and accuracy of course content.

For more Background on Sam Kharoba, see:

Critics say Broward College teaches police to profile, discriminate against Muslims
FDLE and Broward College disagree on who is responsible for controversial police training

Documents obtained by CAIR-FL reveal at least 21 separate trainings conducted by Kharoba in Florida from 2005-2012. In many cases, these trainings were sanctioned by the FDLE.

The documents were obtained through a nationwide effort in which CAIR chapters filed 87 separate public records requests about possible Islamophobic training of local, state and national law enforcement personnel.

SEE: CAIR Files Multi-State Records Requests on Anti-Muslim Law Enforcement Trainings

Kharoba's main training manual, "A Law Enforcement Guide to Understanding Islamist Terrorism," combines vile accusations against Islam, sweeping generalizations targeting all Muslims and factual inaccuracies.

About the manual, the coalition letter states: "Objective readers of this material will walk away with a clear impression that Al-Qaeda and its ideological allies are representative of mainstream Islam and that all Muslims lie as a matter of routine."

The first chapter of Kharoba's training manual attacks the entire religion of Islam and attempts to prove, through selective evidence, that it is inherently violent. He writes: "Most of us have heard statements similar to 'Islam is a religion of peace' and that 'Muslim radicals hijacked, twisted and altered Islam to justify their Jihad against non-Muslims.' This book will provide definitive proof contradicting these statements and allegations."

In its 2011 investigative report, "How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam," Washington Monthly quoted Kharoba: "'When I look at the life of Muhammad, I get a very nasty image,' said Kharoba. . .'And that is just to start off with. Anyone who says that Islam is a religion of peace,' he continued, 'is either ignorant or flat out lying.'"

SEE: How We Train Our Cops to Fear Islam

CAIR also recently called on the Department of Defense to dismiss an instructor at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., who taught fellow officers that only a "total war" on Islam would protect America, that they should use "Hiroshima" tactics, target civilian populations, and abandon the Geneva Conventions. The instructor of that course was later relieved of his teaching duties.

SEE: U.S. Military Instructor Suspended Over Islam Course

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization has also called on the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security and Congress to provide oversight for apparently widespread anti-Muslim bias in the training of law enforcement, security and military personnel nationwide.

SEE: CAIR Asks Sec. Napolitano to Probe Use of Islamophobic Trainers
Obama Orders Clean Up of Islamophobic Terror Training

An 80-page report by Political Research Associates (PRA), titled "Manufacturing the Muslim Menace: Private Firms, Public Servants, & the Threat to Rights and Security," details a systemic failure to regulate content in counterterrorism training.

SEE: Manufacturing the Muslim Menace

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Muslim advocates say police workshops malign their faith, call for end to training by group

By Matt Sedensky | TheRepublic.com | July 11, 2012 | [Original Article]

"WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Muslim advocates say workshops held for police around the state are denigrating their faith.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and a number of smaller groups say training led by Sam Kharoba of the Cape Coral-based Counter Terrorism Operations Center maligns the Prophet Muhammad, spreads mistruths about Islam and makes sweeping generalizations about the religion.

They're calling on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to end trainings led by Kharoba. FDLE says it will review the Muslim groups' concerns.

Kharoba says the claims are "manufactured distractions" and that his training "is based on historical facts found in the most respected and authentic Islamic religious texts."

He says he's trained about 20,000 law enforcement officers around the country in the last decade and that the vast majority gave positive feedback."
(Story distributed by The Associated Press)

UPS supervisor spied on Muslim employee in the bathroom... and then demonstrated 'how we urinate in this country'

By Emily Epstein | Dailymail | July 11, 2012 | [Original Article]

"A Muslim UPS worker claims his colleagues and managers routinely humiliated and harassed him - including spying on him while he went to the toilet.

Palestinian-American Ashraf Sarandah, 35, has filed an official complaint against UPS with the Equal Employment Opportunity commission for routinely discriminating against him, including one instance in which his boss followed him to the bathroom to watch him urinate.

Mr Sarandah, who has a bladder and kidney condition, was then questioned for the manner in which he used the toilet, prompting a demonstration by his supervisor in the 'American' manner of peeing: standing up at a urinal...

...His attorney Michael Hanna called UPS's conduct 'horrendous.' The most heinous instance of harassment was this year, when a manager followed him to the bathroom to watch him use the toilet... [Read More] 

... Some Muslims believe that getting urine on one's body or clothing is a sin, so men will often refrain from using a urinal, opting for a toilet instead...

...Mr Sarandah hopes that his complaint can lift the lid on what he says is UPS' blind eye to discrimination. 'Today I file these charges against UPS to help make sure that no employee has to face racial slurs, harassment, and fear that their management is secretly watching them use the restroom,' he said to the MailOnline..."

UPS employee alleges anti-Muslim workplace environment

By Anika Palm | The Orlando Sentinel | July 10, 2012 | [Original Article]

"ORLANDO, Fla. - An engineer for UPS in Orlando filed a federal complaint Tuesday, alleging that the company allowed workers to spy on him in a restroom and otherwise harass him because of his Arab background and Muslim faith.

Ashraf Sarandah, a Palestinian-American, claimed he was called derogatory names and denied promotions at UPS because of his faith and ethnicity, though he was not specific. He filed discrimination charges against the parcel delivery company with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission..." [Read More]

"...Sarandah said he complained to the human-resources department at UPS, but Hanna declined to explain the company’s response. If the EEOC certifies the complaint after investigating, Sarandah will be able to file a federal lawsuit against the company in about 180 days, Hanna said.

"This conduct is un-American," said Hassan Shibly, executive director of the Tampa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Shibly said other former UPS employees with Arab heritage have come forward with similar complaints, though he did not provide specifics.

In a separate incident last year, a Muslim subcontractor alleged that UPS in Sweden discriminated against him because supervisors told him to shave his beard, which he said he had for religious reasons."

Thoughts of an American Muslim on Independence Day

Op-Ed by Nihad Awad, Executive Director of CAIR National in Washington, DC.

As we mark one of history's most triumphant acts of liberty, I want to share with you some of the many things America's Muslims are doing to preserve this fundamental principle of the American identity.

The revolution we honor each year on July 4th was in part sparked by unreasonable government intrusions into individual liberty. In 1761, Boston lawyer James Otis spoke against overly-broad warrants issued by the British government. These Writs of Assistance allowed the crown's agents to search any house or ship they wished, without any specific reason. John Adams -- signer of the Declaration of Independence and our nation''s second president -- said of Otis' speech, "Then and there, the child Independence was born."

In times of threat, public opinion often shifts away from liberty. Ten years after the 9/11 terror attacks, the Pew Research Center found that a troubling number of Americans supported government monitoring of credit card transactions (42%) and phone calls (29%). Similarly, the Associated Press found disconcerting percentages of Americans embracing the ideas of warrantless monitoring of domestic phone calls (23%) and email (30%).

A lawsuit filed on behalf of a California Muslim serves as one example of turning to the Constitution to preserve American liberty from over-broad or warrantless government intrusions into individual liberty. The lawsuit asserts that the FBI violated Yasir Afifi's First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights when the bureau failed to obtain a warrant to place a GPS tracking device on his car to monitor his daily activities.

American liberty is about going before a judge, providing reasonable suspicion and getting a warrant, not about unchecked government power to intrude into a person's life.

Liberty in the form of free exercise of religion is also crucial to our nation. Everyone who went to elementary school in this country knows the pilgrims came to the New World to escape religious persecution in Europe.

In 2011, 54 bills or amendments aimed at interfering with Muslims' religious practices -- so-called "anti-sharia" bills -- were considered in 25 states and the U.S. Congress. This trend continues today. It is often carried out under the banner of a conspiracy theory that asserts Muslims are working to undermine the Constitution and replace it with Islamic law.

Yet we know that no religious code can replace American law. Article VI, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution clearly states, "This Constitution ... shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby."

Laws intended to target Muslims have been passed in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, and South Dakota. This is a serious threat to the First Amendment, which prohibits government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion."

Muslims, along with interfaith and business partners, have been active in opposing such bills. The 2010 amendment to Oklahoma's state constitution, which violates the First Amendment by explicitly subjecting Islam to government censure, immediately faced a legal challenge from a Muslim living in that state. A federal judge put the law on hold after determining that the challenge had merit and will likely result in the law being ruled unconstitutional.

There are countless examples of Muslims defending American liberty. Muslims have worked to undo the sections of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allow for indefinite detention of Americans without charge or trial. The NDAA is unconstitutional because it disregards the Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process for "all persons" and the Sixth Amendment right to a fair and speedy trial.

When presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich asserted that they would impose loyalty oaths on Muslims who may have wanted to serve in their administrations, Muslims again asserted American principles, pointing out that Article VI of the Constitution prohibits "religious tests" for public office. America is about who merits the position, not what their faith might be.

I am grateful for the opportunity to live the American dream and help fulfill that dream for all our nation's citizens. On July 4th, I will join my fellow Americans of all beliefs and backgrounds to mark the courage the Founding Fathers showed in asserting liberty from a tyrannical British king. The next day, I will go back to defending American ideals, because that is what my faith compels me to do.

Defeating hatred in America

By Hassan Shibly | TBO.com | June 1, 2012 | [Original Article]

Today is my one-year anniversary in Tampa as executive director and legal counsel of CAIR Florida. It has been a year of tremendous responsibility, challenges and accomplishments. Since moving to Tampa I have joined the Florida Bar Association, been blessed with a beautiful daughter, enjoyed excellent fishing in the Gulf and made many wonderful friends.

The events of the past year have greatly increased my appreciation for the great freedoms we are guaranteed as Americans. This year has also taught me that some people will question my loyalty and integrity as an American, label me as "the other" and never accept me as a fellow countryman, simply because of my religion.

It seems that since the abhorrent events of 9/11 every Muslim has become guilty until proven innocent. This collective punishment and irrational fear of Muslims and Muslim organizations is nothing new. We have seen this against African-Americans, Japanese, Jews, the Irish, Catholics and many other minorities in our nation's history. The theme that Jews were taught by their religion to lie so they could take over has been used by Nazi propagandists before the Holocaust. And today, we find that same theme being promoted by local hate groups against American Muslims.

To this day, some people expect me and other Muslims to answer for the atrocious attacks of 9/11. But when the planes hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, I was in a 10th-grade public high school class in New York, watching in tears and horror. I was a victim of 9/11, as all Americans were.

It would be patently unreasonable to expect Christians or Christianity to answer for the slaughter in Norway by Anders Breivik in the name of Western Christianity. His terrorist attacks, which killed 77 in Oslo, were inspired by American anti-Muslim groups and bloggers. Yet these same hate groups and their supporters blame all Muslims for the acts of a deranged few; the double standard is clear.

The government has, on occasion, supported this idea of collective punishment for Muslims and, in doing so, has made our nation both less free and less secure. This includes the New York Police Department spying on Muslims simply for being Muslim; the "special" treatment most Muslims get at airports; the labeling of every major Muslim organization as "unindicted co-conspirator" to wrongly defame them; and opposition to mosques and attempts to outlaw Muslim tradition. These attacks against religious freedom and theories of guilt by association are abhorrent to our ideals as Americans.

I experienced this government discrimination for the first time when I was 18 and the government decided to detain all attendees of a mainstream Islamic conference. It was this first major incident of profiling I faced that prompted my desire to become a civil rights attorney. At that young age I felt the principals that make America a beacon of freedom — freedom of religion, speech and association — were being threatened by overhyped fear of Muslims, and that it was up to us to defend our Constitution and American freedoms, lest we lose them by taking them for granted.

In the seven years since, I have become an imam, a civil rights attorney and executive director of the largest Muslim civil rights organization in Florida. This past year we worked with diverse interfaith and civil rights coalitions to defeat legislation that threatened religious freedoms; we have won many cases on behalf of victims of discrimination and built strong coalitions to defend freedom and justice.

In the course of this work, I have been called a terrorist a few times and even received threats against my family. But this hatred has only reinforced my desire to keep working to unite our community through understanding and tolerance. The beauty of our nation is that the same laws that give freedom to those who promote hatred and intolerance also give us the freedom and ability to challenge such hatred. I find comfort in remembering the sacrifice, struggles and opposition faced by all those who stood against fear mongering, discrimination and hatred throughout our nation's history.

Our challenge as fellow Americans is not to defeat our enemies but to defeat the enmity we have for each other in our hearts. United we stand; divided we fall. Thank God for the U.S. Constitution, which I have had the privilege of defending for the past year, and hopefully for many years to come.

In debate over Islam, let the facts be damned

Staff | TBO.com | May 20, 2012 | [Original Article]

"...The actions of radical leaders don't mean all Muslims are terrorists. These radical leaders don't represent all Muslims anymore than the KKK - the goals of which include an intent to "re-establish Protestant Christian values in America by any means possible" - represents all Christians.

Many readers took issue with the pejorative term "knuckle draggers" that I used to describe those who protested against Hassan Shibly, who spoke about Islam at Steinbrenner High School. Never mind the protestors have slandered Shibly by calling him a terrorist - I'm sure he'd swap that term for knuckle dragger. I have spoken with Shibly several times, and I have researched the facts surrounding the government's labeling of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Shibly leads its local office) and the Islamic Society of North America, and do not believe that he or either of those groups support terrorism.

The knuckles of Shibly's critics may not literally drag to the ground, but they are certainly ignorant to the facts.

Several months ago I invited one of the local leaders opposed to Shibly to appear on a radio show. He agreed to be a guest but quickly changed his mind when I told him Shibly would also be on the show - though not at the same time. He told me he didn't know enough about the issue to talk about it in such a public format. I suggested to him that before he goes labeling someone a terrorist, next time he should understand the facts better. He then asked me to lie for him about why he couldn't be on the show, instead of telling the truth about his not having enough information to comfortably discuss the matter in a public format....[Read Full Article]

I also received a healthy number of comments from people who were in agreement with me. Gary, a Christian, Republican and investment banker said, "[Your column], in my opinion, was the best you've ever written. Fear is gripping our nation from so many fronts it is difficult for many to understand what is fact or fiction. Thanks for writing something that brings some common sense and perspective to the forefront."

There is a lot of fear, leading to a lot of hate, and a lot of unfair attacks on anyone who is Muslim. This is hardly the Christian thing to do, and it is in no way patriotic. But it appears I am wrong about one thing: The Islamaphobes aren't ignorant; they just choose to believe only what they want to believe and let the facts be damned." [Read Full Article]

The enemy isn't Islam

By Chris Ingram | Tampa Tribune | May 15, 2012 | [Original Article]

"...The plight of my ancestors is similar to those of countless immigrants who settled in what would become the United States of America.

Despite the fact that most Americans have stories of their ancestors coming here under less-than-desirable circumstances, a few among us seek to deny those who don't share the same religious beliefs the very rights and privileges that make America the place to be for those looking for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Last Saturday a group of self-described "patriots" assembled in Tampa at what they billed as a "Stop the Cultural Jihad" rally. In an email announcing the event, organizers said the purpose of the rally was to protest the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), which met in Tampa over the weekend...

Earlier this year the same bunch of knuckle-draggers were outraged when Hassan Shibly, a Muslim associated with a different group on the government's unindicted co-conspirator list, spoke to Steinbrenner High School students about Islam.

...While the immediate reaction of many Americans after the Sept. 11 attacks was to treat all Muslims with a suspicious eye, today, most of us accept the fact that not all Muslims are terrorists (or have an anti-American agenda), and that not all terrorists are Muslims. Remember Timothy McVeigh? He was a terrorist. He was also a Christian — and a Republican.

During the Crusades of the 11th century, Christians persecuted Muslims and Jews. For their part, Jews were called "Christ-killers" and given the choice of "accepting the cross or die." Needless to say, a lot of Jews chose the latter... [Read More] 

...For their part, the "patriots" aren't bad people; they are just ignorant. The enemy isn't Islam, and we shouldn't feel threatened by those wearing a turban, any more than Jews should fear Christians or anyone entering a federal court building should fear Christian Republicans.

It is neither Christian nor patriotic to promote all this hate, but when people live in fear, they need an identifiable enemy — whether real or perceived"

In Recognition Of The Council On American-Islamic Relations

By Rep. Dennis J. K. | CapitolWords.org | April 17, 2012 | [Original Article]

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich: 

"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Ohio Chapter.

CAIR is a nationwide, nonprofit organization whose mission is to ``enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.'' For the past ten years, CAIR Ohio has played an instrumental role in helping to bridge the divides between Greater Cleveland's diverse communities.

CAIR Ohio's Tenth Annual Banquet will provide a platform for vibrant discourse led by this year's distinguished speakers: Mr. Faisal Kutty, of Valparaiso University School of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University and KSM Law and Imam Abu Farah of the American Muslim Youth Leadership Council and CAIR-Tampa. I commend these speakers for their efforts to promote civil liberties and social justice.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in recognizing the Council on American-Islamic Relations Ohio Chapter for their tenth years of outstanding achievement. May their efforts to promote dialogue and create a more inclusive world continue to endure."

Hillsborough School Board speaks out against bigotry

By Hassan Shibly | TampaBayTimes | April 16, 2012 | [Original Article]

I was touched by the unity and resolve displayed by our Tampa community at last week's Hillsborough County School Board meeting, when many diverse community leaders spoke out against bigotry and censorship and in support of an inclusive guest speaker policy.

For the past few months, protesters representing only a small segment of public opinion used the School Board meetings to promote conspiracy theories and false allegations against Islam and Muslims.

Their fear of Muslims and serious misinformation about Islam led them to push for a policy censoring all advocacy groups from visiting our public schools to speak on relevant topics the students are studying. When asked on camera, protesters like Terry Kemple claimed that their problem was only with America's largest Muslim civil rights group, not with all Muslims.

However, at least half of the statements made by Kemple and his supporters were attacks on the entire Muslim faith and people, not any particular Muslim group. Even worse, I felt they were really attacking the American principles of pluralism and freedom of religion. These are the principles I have taken an oath to protect and are the reasons why my family chose to immigrate to America from Syria.

But on Tuesday we saw an outpouring of diverse supporters who asked the School Board not to give in to anti-Muslim prejudices. The supporters represented many faiths, organizations and ethnicities.

The Hillsborough County School Board refused to give in to fearmongering. Our success sends a strong message that we in Tampa will not allow ignorance, fear and misunderstanding to divide us.

My only wish now is that those who fear us would come and get to know us. We are one community, and we must stand united despite our differences to foster an environment where all people can live free without fear, prejudice and hatred.

Hassan Shibly, CAIR Florida, Tampa