Community Unites with CAIR Against Hate at Hillsborough County School Board

Anti-Muslim Extremists Defeated at School Board

Diverse interfaith coalition stands united in solidarity with Muslim community

Dozens of diverse community members of many faiths attended yesterday's school board meeting to request the school board not to give in to censorship by banning advocacy groups at the request of anti-Muslim extremists. 

The board agreed that there is no place for censorship in America and that the current policies which permit teachers to invite qualified speakers to schools do not need to be changed. Those pushing for censorship claim that their problem was only with CAIR, not Islam, however, their statements caught on video shows that they really wished to attack Islam and Muslims as a whole. Their attack on CAIR was simply because CAIR is the largest Muslim civil rights organization.

Nonetheless, dozens of community members came out to oppose the hate and show solidarity with the Muslim community. Watch this touching video of supporters from previous meetings and read the news articles of the community's victory below:

WMNF: Anti-CAIR advocates disappointed:

Despite weeks of lobbying by anti-Muslim groups, the Hillsborough County School Board has chosen not to change the county's school policy on public speakers. Supporters of the Islamic advocacy group CAIR are declaring it a win for civil rights.

After being accused of discrimination, one of [the anti-Muslim protesters] Kathy Brown, said discrimination isn't always a bad thing. Her reason drew laughs from the 25 or so CAIR supporters.... 

  

Tampa Tribune: Fight fails to change school board policy: 

  

The decision, which came without a vote, was a blow to those who have rallied against the Council on American-Islamic Relations for weeks at multiple school board meetings.

"I consider it a victory for the community," said Hassan Shibly, executive director of the local CAIR group, whose presentation to a Steinbrenner High School world history class last year later drew objections.

"I think the issue is over," Shibly added. "If they want to keep hating, that's fine."...

Board member April Griffin talked about how many different groups come to the United States for the freedoms the country offers.

"People come to this nation because we offer something to them that many other countries don't offer. We have something that no other nation in the world was founded on," Griffin said. "I will stand up to anybody who tries to change it."

Larry Golbom, one of the speakers who addressed the board, urged the members to do nothing.

"The solidarity and intolerance I saw at the last meeting truly astonished me," Golbom said. "I was frightened by what I saw. I witnessed a mob mentality in my community. Don't succumb to fear. Our leaders can't be afraid of what is right."

  

Fox News: Speakers to stay in classroom: 

Dozens of people spoke to school board members in favor and against the policy, which has been questioned by a group concerned that one Muslim organization speaking in classrooms was linked to terrorism.

But the executive director of the group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations,has refuted that claim, calling it outrageous, and the school board seems to agree.

"The more people that our students hear from, the more real it makes the world to them," board member April Griffin said. "They need to have those conversations. I want more speakers in the classroom.

The Tampa Tribune:Teachers can still invite speakers:  

CAIR director Hassan Shibly surrounded with supporters in red at the school board meeting

...Others said they feared Islamic leaders were trying to subvert the Constitution and impose sharia law.

But the crowd Tuesday consisted primarily of Shibly's supporters. They dressed in red - the color usually worn by anti-CAIR speakers to board meetings.

"Eliminating religious speakers will limit children's life experiences," said Chaikirah Johnson, who has a daughter at Blake High School. "Would you censor her, or tell her not to come to class or come to your public school, because she's Muslim?"...

  

Bay News 9

 CAIR thanks the interfaith and civil rights community for standing in solidarity against the forces of hate!

Diverse Tampa Community Stands United with CAIR & Hassan Shibly Against Hate at Hillsborough County School Board

Tea Party Members Threatens Genocide of Muslims

Caton & Kemple Supporter Says He Will Kill All Muslims

Tea Party Member & Militia/Weapons  Enthusiast wants to "evaporate" Muslims

After David Caton's Florida Family Association offered a $2,000 "bounty" for information on speaking events involving Muslim leaders, America's largest Muslim civil rights organization received a threat of genocide against Muslims from a supporter of David Caton & Terry Kemple. Caton & Kemple have been leading anti-Muslim witch-hunts at the Hillsborough County School Board with the acquiescence of board member Dr. Stacy White. CAIR's investigation of the threat has revealed that the sender of the threat is an active Tea Party leader & militia enthusiast. Members of the Tea Party have actively been supporting the ant-Muslim, pro-censorship protests at the Hillsborough County School Board. The threat said in part:

"AMERICA learned all it needed to ever know about Islam... We will evaporate you, every single one of the vermin like you. WE all look forward to it with great anticipation..." 

The threat also made reference to  President Obama and the importance of guns. The FBI and the Secret Service have both been notified of the threat. 

CAIR Florida issued the following statement:

        "Such threats are not surprising, given that Caton & Kemple are working hard to demonize and dehumanize American Muslims.  It is also not surprising that it is coming from a member of the Tea Party which has regularly invited speakers that have justified the abhorrent terrorist attacks in Norway. Our fear is that the disgusting Islamophobia rhetoric from the likes of Caton & Kemple  could incite a homegrown Anders Breivik like terrorist attack. 
         We call on law enforcement to investigate these threats against Muslims just as they thoroughly investigate threats made by a person who happens to be Muslim. We wonder whether the author of the threat will become the subject of an FBI sting investigation, as some misguided Muslims have. We call on Caton, Kemple, and Tea Party members to condemn such threats, as they expect Muslims to condemn every crime committed by a person who shares their faith. 

         We call on the Tampa community to say no to such hateful rhetoric that results in fear, division, and potentially violence."

Please immediately notify CAIR if you are aware of any threats against the community so that CAIR can work with law enforcement to keep our community safe!

Terry Kemple is a Liar

Terry Kemple, who is leading the Muslim bashing effort during Hillsborough County School Board meetings, claims to the media that "we don't have a problem with Islam being expressed in a classroom by a speaker..."as he told Fox 13.


He claims, he does not have a problem with Islam, just America's largest representative of American Muslims--comparing groups that represent Islam to groups that represent pedophilia or the KKK.


However, his own words and the words of the Muslim bashers he brings with him to school board meetings, clearly show that Kemple is a liar, and indeed he has a problem with Islam and Muslims, not just America's largest Muslim civil rights group-In the video below, despite Kemple claiming "our concern is not with Islam," Kemple goes on a rant accusing Islam of being a threat to America:

Hate Comes to Hillsborough

Student Rejects Claims of Anti-Muslim Protesters, Praises CAIR Presentation.

For the past few months, anti-Muslim demagogue Terry Kemple with the help of Islamophobe David Caton have hijacked the Hillsborough County School Board meetings to force School Board members to listen to hours of hateful attacks against Islam and American Muslims. Below is a brief video showing how Tampa school board meetings are being used as a platform by Islamophobes to promote their xenophobic anti-Muslim agenda:

Anti-Muslim Hate Comes to Hillsborough County School Board Meetings

As the Tampa Bay Times writes, "now we've come to this: People [at school board meetings] comparing Muslims to pedophiles and felons and expecting elected officials to agree."

The Islamophobes demanded that the school board host a workshop to consider banning America's largest Muslim civil rights organization from speaking to students-claiming that allowing a representative of Islam to speak is like allowing a representative of pedophilia to speak.

CAIR-Tampa executive director, Hassan Shibly said in response to the abuse of school board meetings by those wishing to promote fear and hatred of Islam:

 It feels like we're taking a step back in time to days when people used school board meetings to promote racism against African Americans. It's very inappropriate and sad to see that the school board meetings have been used as a platform by anti-Muslim extremists to promote bigotry and hatred of Islam and hardworking American Muslims 

The Tampa Bay Times reports today that:

...member April Griffin said the discourse of recent months - in which some speakers have disparaged the entire religion of Islam - is "absolutely disgusting," and the board should not give in to pressure from conservative activists such as David Caton and Terry Kemple.

"I resent having this conversation in the first place," Griffin said. "I do not think we need a policy. My goal right now is to keep things the way they are." Others said they trust the judgment of teachers and principals. 

So yesterday, the school board held a workshop and heard testimony from a student who attended a talk on Islam given by CAIR at a local high school last year: The student, along with many teachers said that having a guest speaker, like one from CAIR, enriches the learning experience. 

The student told ABC Action News in the video below that speakers from CAIR should "absolutely" be welcome in the classroom: 

Student Welcomes CAIR Presentation

Students who actually attended the presentation have continuously  debunked the attacks lead by Terry Kemple and David Caton.

None of the anti-Muslim  protesters  actually had family members who attended the presentation. 

According to Tampa Tribune today:

Austin Ransdell said it was no big deal.

The Steinbrenner High School sophomore was in the advanced placement world history classroom late last year when a guest speaker from the Council on American Islamic Relations visited to talk about the Muslim religion.

Ransdell said Hassan Shibly, executive director of the local CAIR group, didn't try to brainwash the students. Nor did he try to convert them.

He simply tried to give them a primer on what could be called Islam 101.

"I was never uncomfortable at any time," Ransdell told Hillsborough County school board members who met Friday afternoon for a workshop on guest speakers in the classroom. "I thought it was just another way to learn it."...

"I think [the attacks on the speaker are] unfounded," Ransdell said, speaking of the outcry....

After 2½ hours, board members seemed to come to a consensus that they have enough policies and procedures in place for guest speakers in the classroom. With the exception of Stacy White, all seemed to agree there already are rules that exist to legislate such things.

They also agreed on another topic - that they are sick and tired of the amount of time they have spent on the issue.

"I want to get back to the business of this district," said April Griffin. "What we have been doing works. What I heard from the student today assured me of that. I heard nothing that raised any concerns...."

A handful of school administrators told the board there is a significant value in having guest speakers in the classroom. Banning them or strictly curtailing them, they said, would not be a good move.

"What the speakers add to the classroom is legitimacy," said Robert Padgett, the social studies chairman at Plant City High School. "When you bring someone in who has personal experience, it lends legitimacy to what has been said."

Pam Bowden, principal at Durant High School, said guest speakers are particularly important for career and technical education fields.

She said it would be hard for students to get hands-on experience from professionals such as chefs and welders if they were not allowed into the classroom.

"I think it's critical we have guests come into our schools," Bowden said. "It makes our students stronger and smarter and more prepared for the real world."

In the end, the board decided it does not need to pass any new rules and restrictions on guest speakers. But it will have to address the issue at a pair of regular board meetings in the future.

[Click here for video and original article]

 See:10 News (Video): Hillsborough School Board Discusses Speaker Policy

 See: Times: Summery of Friday's School Board Workshop & Testimony 

Hassan Shibly's Speach to the Hillsborough County School Board

Below is an extended version of the speech given by Hassan Shibly to the Hillsborough County School Board on February 28th 2012 in response to the hateful tactics of Terry Kemple, David Caton, and their followers
--
Respected board members and community leaders, I would like to begin by thanking you for this opportunity to come and share our thoughts as people of diverse faiths and beliefs standing united for a diverse, tolerant, & welcome community.

Since my credentials to speak on behalf of Islam and Muslims has been put to question despite having the overwhelming support of the Tampa Muslim Community, Imams, and Mosques, I am happy to share with the board my credentials.


I have studied Islam at prestigious Abu Nour University, in Damascus Syria, where I have also taught several courses on Islam and conducted academic research that has been presented at conferences of the leading international Islamic universities, including al Azhar. I also am the director and editor in chief for the publishing house of the largest traditional Islamic seminary in North America. I have also been am Imam for over 7 years and currently lead the Friday sermons of many of the major Tampa-area mosques. In addition to obtaining several certificates in Islamic studies, my teachers have granted me permission to teach Islam, and they have been granted permission from their teachers, in an unbroken chain tracing back to the Blessed Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Recently, the Tampa Muslim community has appointed me as executive director of Florida’s leading Muslim civil rights organization. Half the mission of CAIR is to clear misconceptions about Islam and thus my position requires a high degree of academic knowledge on Islam. In addition, I have a law degree and am a Florida licensed attorney.


What we have learned tonight, is that those who actually personally know myself or CAIR and have worked with us, have had nothing but good things to say about us. And yet those laying attacks against us and using legal terms without understanding their context or meaning and promoting guilty-by-association and guilt-by-false-accusation, have never once visited our office or open house or had any personal experience with us. Nor have they ever reached out to us.

Rather they have gotten their misinformation from known extremist anti-Muslim websites that target CAIR because we are the largest Muslim Civil Rights organization. And as you heard from about 50% of the comments, the protestor’s problem is first and foremost with Islam. This is not about myself or my organization.


Over the course of the past few weeks, our local community has been visited by a small, but vocal minority that has insisted on spreading untruths and misinformation about the Muslim Americans living here in Hillsborough, and the religion of Islam. We have heard nothing but lies, guilt by association, and innuendos.

It is utterly shocking that Terry Kemple and his group can waste so much taxpayer resources throwing out blatant lies and defamation, and the board has the patience to put up with it.
I only wonder how long the board would have patience, had the hateful rhetoric and conspiracy theories been against other minorities, like people of the Jewish faith.

I have been reluctant to come and say anything so as not to set a bad precedent for other minorities. Should every leader of every minority be forced to stand here and defend against common misconceptions against themselves? Do we expect African Americans, Japanese, Jews, the Catholics and other minorities to defend against the xenophobic conspiracy theories leveled against them? Nonetheless, we have come today to show you that those who promote fear and hatred of what they consider the “other” do not speak for the majority of your constituents.

Tonight you have heard from a number of commenters who have shared with you their thoughts and views about the involvement of Muslims in our community, the commitment we all share to upholding the law, defending the liberties established in our constitution, and condemnation for the unfortunate stereotyping and hurtful accusations hurled at Muslims like me living peaceably--and proudly as practitioners of Islam, but also as proud Americans, with the pledge in our hearts to one nation, under God, with a sworn commitment to liberty and justice for all of our citizens and residents.

You have also, so far heard demagoguery and hurtful comments today, and in past days, about all three: Muslims, Islam, and proud Americans. Because you see, in my eyes, and in the eyes of the vast majority of Muslims across our great land, to practice Islam, to be a Muslim, means to be a proud American. We see no difference, because by definition our religious values are the same as American values. My opponents disagree with this and thus have targeted me and even ascribed false quotes to slander me. Muslim extremists have called me an infidel for teaching respect of diversity, Anti-Muslim extremists have called me a terrorist. When extremists on both sides are not happy with you, that is a sign you are doing good work.

Again you heard today that “CAIR is a terrorist organization.”

Really?

If half of the accusations against myself and my organization CAIR were true, our country’s federal agents and the Justice Department would have put me and the 32 offices nationwide away a long time ago. The fact that CAIR was never indicted is enough to show CAIR has never committed any wrong doing.

Some who have appeared before you have said “What’s the point in teaching a religion that caused the twin towers to fall down.” or “ “Cair (and Muslims) want to bring Sharia Law to abolish the constitution in America”. Tonight you even heard accusations that Muslims call “death to infidels” after our call to prayer.

For ten years now, Muslims have heard and dealt with these accusations. For a decade since 9/11, we have stood tall, silently, and held in the tears in our eyes out of the love for our countrymen--by which I mean our fellow Americans. And that is because of the Islamic value of compassion, to not simply turn the other cheek, but to understand why we were slapped in the first place. And that’s why we’re here today, to bridge the gap forming in our society and bring about understanding. That’s not only the Muslim community’s mission here in Hillsborough, but as the leading Muslim organization, CAIR’s mission too.

It is sad that none of the anti-Islam protesters who have camped weekly here in Hillsborough, or even you Dr. White, despite leaving you several messages, took the time to give me a phone call, visit my office, get to know me, the Muslim community, or CAIR. Dr. White, you seemed worried that “we still do not know what was said in the presentation” and yet you never came to the open house we just head where I gave a very similar presentation.

Muslims understand, all too well, that because of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the spectre of a nuclear Iran, we need to show people that we’re proud to call America home, that CAIR, and the Muslim experience can be and are American experiences. That knowing each other, is the key to working together. That’s why a few weeks ago, CAIR sponsored an open house at a local area mosque, that was well-advertised, and well-attended by those in the community of other faiths, or no faith, but not a single protester present today attended.

I fell in love with Florida the first time I visited here with my parents as a young child. Disney World, the beaches, the warm weather--these are a part of who I am as a Floridian, and an American.

As a 501c3 organization, CAIR must open its books to the public for at least two weeks of the year-We are funded by the local Muslim community to represent them, clear misconceptions about Islam, and fight prejudice and bigotry. Let there be no confusion: our donors, our members and our staff come every walk of live imaginable in America. Many are not Muslim--most of our staff & interns are not and were not raised in a Muslim home. We have no intention to indoctrinate, only to educate--and therefore fulfill Islam’s first commandment, Iqra, to read and learn in the name of God, about our history, our traditions, and our mutual love for America--from sea to shining sea. To make this a better community for all our Children.

Fighting Islamophobia is the new civil rights battle of our century.

We cannot let those that make a living out of promoting hatred and are working to undermine the great principles found in the Bill of Rights.

The protestors ought to have more faith in our kids, in our teachers, in our schools, in our government and community leaders and recognize how outrageous and un-American the anti-Muslim demagoguery has been at the past few school board meetings .

The hatred we have seen come out at the past few school board meetings, only highlight the importance of giving our children a rich and diverse education, which simply cannot be attained through textbooks alone.

Teaching about world faiths and clearing misconceptions surrounding them, is very different than peaching.

We live in a world where there is so much conflict because people fear what they know.

It is sad that we see the same McCarthy era witch-hunts that many religious and race minorities faced in America’s past, now unleashed against wonderful leaders of the Muslim community.

Such individuals attack mainstream Islam and Muslims, under the guise of attacking Radical Islam.

When nearly 1 out of 2 Americans who do not know a Muslim think Muslims should wear special ID cards, like Jews had to do in Nazi Germany, then we know it is critical that we raise the next generation of Americans to know and respect their Muslim neighbors, as they ought to respect all neighbors.

The fact is it is difficult to fear and hate another human being once you get to know them.

We should be ashamed that our school board meetings are being used to attack an entire religion and community.

I pray that the time and energy being used to divide us, would instead be used to help the poor community, feed the homeless, tutor our children, clean our environment. Then we truly would have a better community. Let us start by getting to know each other. Do not let those promoting fear and hatred raise a flag of victory over our community.

Thank you for your time tonight, and may God bless America. Good night.

Terry Kemple: Wasting Hillsborough County Resources For Political Gain

So much time and tax payer money and  resources are being wasted because Terry Kemple and his supporters are filibustering the school board meetings with outrageously false statements that America’s largest Muslim Civil Rights organization is a “Terrorist Organization” “Funds Terrorism” “Flew Planes into the Buildings” and Islam “calls for death of infidels after the call to prayer” and wants to “over throw our constitution.”

Many other clearly false statements have been said at the school board meeting. A transcript is in the works to highlight such statements.

These statements are easily checked for their veracity and it is clear they are completely false. How long will we Kemple and his group to continue to waste tax payer resource. Hence I am requesting everyone to do some investigative reporting and question Kemple about all the false accusations he and his supporters have made against CAIR and Islam, and then in light of the evidence below show how they are clearly false and then bring up the point, why is he wasting so much taxpayer resources to use school board meetings to throw false accusations. Why are many media outlets silent and not calling Kemple and his supporters out for wasting time to spread clearly false allegations against America’s largest Muslim civil rights organizations. (Although quite a few have done an excellent job!)

The tactics taken by Kemple’s group are very clear. They consist of either outright lies and false statements, innuendo, or guilt by association (twice removed).

It doesn’t take a genius to realize if CAIR really was a terrorist organization, as was said verbatim at the school board meeting, we would be prosecuted. And yet Kemple is able to waste so much time and money spreading clearly erroneous lies.

CAIR is transparent and we have nothing to hide which is why I am asking for investigation into this.

No evidence is needed to prove we are not a terrorist organization. We would be shut down and prosecuted if we were. However, below are some points that address the misinformation spread.

 I hope the media can do an investigative story or fact check on this. It is just outrageous Terry Kemple and his group continue to waste so much time and take up the school board meetings to spew unchallenged hateful false information, without being called out for it.

Thanks

Hassan

Clearing Misconceptions:

Internet Disinformation #6: The labeling of the organization as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) trial in Dallas, TX implies that CAIR was somehow involved with criminal activity and is facing indictment.

This issue was settled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Department of Justice in CAIR’s favor.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the U.S. Department of Justice violated the Fifth Amendment rights of the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), and by implication the rights of more than 300 similarly-named Muslim organizations and individuals, such as CAIR, when it included them on the publicly-filed un-indicted co-conspirator list in 2007. The court also ruled that inclusion on the list was the result of "simply an untested allegation of the Government....”

In 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder indicated that Department of Justice officials determined after “looking at the facts and the law, a prosecution would not be appropriate.” This conclusion was reached after two reviews conducted under both the Bush and Obama administrations.

After Holder, the chief law enforcement officer in America, stated this fact, internet rumor held that a prosecution had been suppressed due to political interference.

This allegation has also been put to rest.

James Jacks, the U.S. Attorney who led the prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation issued a statement that was partially re-produced in the Dallas Morning News: “‘The decision to indict or not indict a case is based upon an analysis of the evidence and the law,’ [Jacks] wrote. ‘That’s what happened in this case.’”

The Dallas Morning News (U.S. attorney in Dallas says Obama’s White House didn’t meddle in case, April 29, 2011) went on to report the following:

“Nathan Garrett, a former FBI agent who was also a prosecutor in the Holy Land case until he left for private practice in 2007, said ‘politics played no role’ in determining who was prosecuted when he was there.

“‘Decisions were hashed out in often tough and pressure-filled situations and conditions, but always—in my experience—grounded in evidence and law,’ he said. ‘The process was what the American people would want and expect it to be.’”

Finally, there is no legal implication to being labeled an unindicted co-conspirator, since it does not require the Justice Department to prove anything in a court of law. Merely claiming someone is guilty without due process is both unconstitutional and offensive to the principles of our justice system

Internet Disinformation #1: CAIR is “the Wahhabi lobby,” a “front-group for Hamas,” a "fund-raising arm for Hezbollah," or “...part of a wider conspiracy overseen by the Muslim Brotherhood...”
CAIR was born out of a desire on the part of its founders to “concentrate on combating anti-Muslim discrimination nationwide.” The organization’s advocacy model—work closely with media and provide direct services to local Muslim communities—was developed when Nihad Awad and Ibrahim Hooper worked as community activists.

In a March 14, 2007 New York Times article, Michael Rolince, a retired F.B.I. official who directed counterterrorism in the Washington field office from 2002 to 2005, said, “Of all the groups, there is probably more suspicion about CAIR, but when you ask people for cold hard facts, you get blank stares.”

The article also reported, “Government officials in Washington said they were not aware of any criminal investigation of the group. More than one described the standards used by critics to link CAIR to terrorism as akin to McCarthyism, essentially guilt by association.”

CAIR is not is “the Wahhabi lobby,” a “front-group for Hamas,” a “fund-raising arm for Hezbollah,” “...part of a wider conspiracy overseen by the Muslim Brotherhood...” or any of the other false and misleading associations our detractors seek to smear us with. That we stand accused of being both a “fundraising arm of Hezbollah” and the “Wahhabi lobby” is a significant point in demonstrating that our detractors are hurling slander not fact. Hezbollah and the Salafi (Wahhabi) movement represent diametrically opposed ideologies.

CAIR’s origin story is simple. In the February-March 2000 edition of “The Link,” a newsletter published by Americans for Middle East Understanding, Nihad Awad wrote the following, “The core challenge [to American Muslims], that of stereotyping and defamation, was having a devastating effect on our children and paralyzing adults from taking their due roles in civic affairs.” Based on a desire to address this issue on a national level, Awad, “contacted my friend Ibrahim Hooper, a professional journalist and communications genius, and tried to persuade him to move to Washington and join the project.”

With this premise in mind, CAIR was founded in 1994.

http://www.cair.com/AboutUs/MisinformationandConspiracyTheoriesAboutCAIR.aspx

The Danger of Empowering Hate Group Leaders

The Boards actions yesterday prompted Pamela Geller & the Florida Family Association to declare victory over the school district.

The Anti-Defamation League and  the Southern Poverty Law Center have said that Geller attacks mainstream Islam in the name of attacking radicals. She is well known for her anti-Muslim position and justified the terrorist attack in Norway.

I would advise the board to be  cognizant of not empowering hate groups by bending in to their demands.

Our supporters are all mainstream and academic. Our opponents are fringe and are opposed by mainstream institutions. Do not give in to bigoted pressure.

Look at the long term consequences of our actions. The more we give in to hate, the more we empower them and encourage them.