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!

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:

Florida Tea Party Admits Supporting Anti-Islam Speaker

Amazing how Dahl denies that CAIR was invited and then uninvited from speaking at the event, when I have their invitation and uninvitation saved in email. The president of the Tea Party chapter wrote me in an email

I want you to understand that I will defend your right to speak no matter what your message is. You can say what ever you want whether it's at a hotel, a city park or a restaurant. The 1st Amendment permits this.

We will offer you the same protections at our Tea Party State Convention on Sunday and future events.

You will be given the same Constitutional protections and due respect as the other speakers at our event. We look forward to hearing your message. We will not permit your group to be intimidated and or harassed during your time at this function. All appropriate measures will be taken to ensure your safety and protection....

We will offer you the same protections at our Tea Party State Convention on Sunday and future events. We will not place pressure on organizations that support your cause and we expect you to offer the same protection in return to those people you disagree with.

Quite shocked at both the clear lies and double standards of the Florida Emerald Coast Tea Party!

Politicians Shun Tea Party Convention

The Tea Party opens a long-planned convention tonight in Daytona Beach, expecting 1,200 delegates, dozens of speakers - but almost no big-name politicians.

None of the leading Republican presidential candidates and only two of the five U.S. Senate candidates agreed to speak at the three-day Florida Tea Party Convention at the Volusia County Ocean Center....

Liberals say the depiction of tea partyers as "extremists" - especially on issues such as immigration - is prompting candidates to keep their distance.

"A lot of politicians are worried about being painted by that association, especially as we get into the real meat of the election cycle," said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal, Tallahassee-based Progress Florida....

A whirlwind of controversy in the past two weeks could have played a role, after the convention invited anti-Islam activist Pamela Geller to speak and an American Muslim civil-rights group, the Council of American-Islamic Relations, protested.

"They [CAIR] put pressure, I think, on some of the state officials, and I think some of the state officials, in their judgments, they declined to go," VanLandingham said. "Their [the officials'] reasons were 'prior commitments.' "

Geller writes an anti-Islam blog called Atlas Shrugs and leads an organization called "Stop Islamization of America." Last year, she received wide attention - and stoked bitter anger from American Muslim groups - with her harshly worded opposition to a proposed Muslim community center a few blocks from ground zero in New York City.

Last month, CAIR sent letters to Florida politicians urging them not to attend the convention if Geller was on the schedule. And when Rubio and Scott indicated they would not come, CAIR issued a news release thanking them.

Geller said CAIR tries to get her appearances canceled or boycotted wherever she goes. But she said she is certain her appearance in Daytona had nothing to do with all the declined invitations.

"The politicians decided not to participate before this controversy began," she said in an email.

But CAIR is not so sure.

"In other states, elected officials have pulled out and do not want to be on the same stage as her," said CAIR media-relations director Ahmed Rehab. [Read Full Article] 

Scott Powers | Orlando Sentinel 

[Read Full Article] 

Florida Tea Party Convention - Hate Group Extremist (Yes), Major Politicians (No)

Mark Christopher | Sunshine Slate

[Read Full Article] 

[Daytona Beach, FL] The brochure and web site proudly displays the fact that three of Florida’s most powerful politicians - Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representative Allen West - were confirmed guest speakers at the event. The downloadable flyer also adds Attorney General Pam Bondi as being “invited” into the mix....[Read Full Article] 

But a closer inspection of some of the other confirmed names scheduled to appear at The Florida Tea Party Convention2011 - being held Nov. 4-6 in Daytona Beach at the Volusia County Ocean Center - reveals the participation of one of the most politically extreme individuals to ever have access to a soapbox or a computer keyboard.

A person so controversial that other host sites have pulled out of events featuring this caustic mouthpiece.

The bottom line is that some of them simply have no business rubbing elbows with the likes of Scott,  Bondi, Rubio or West. Or so one would think, anyway.

Good thing then that all four have bailed on the event (sort of).

When contacted for a comment on the booking, Gov. Scott’s deputy press secretary Jackie Schutz told Sunshine Slate that, “the governor was invited to attend, but it was not put on his schedule and he will not be attending...”[Read Full Article] 

When asked about Pamela Geller and her campaign of misinformation and conspiracy theories about Muslims, Islam, President Obama and liberals, Dahl’s response was, “What things aren’t true?”

Dahl then launched into a series of anti-Muslim talking points straight out of Geller’s script. No doubt, Dahl is a fan of Geller. No wonder she was booked.

A religious extremist by most measures, Geller has been dubbed as a member of the “anti-Muslim inner circle” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). In fact, there is a chorus of respected people and organizations who label Geller as “loony,” a “hate-monger” and a spreader of lies.

The progressive checks and balances website Media Matters for America - the arch-nemesis of the conservative mediasphere - summarized Geller as a “demagogue” and her viewpoints as “outrageous, inflammatory.” Chris McGreal ofThe Guardian, called her “extreme.” The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) considers Geller an “anti-Islam” extremist and “Islamophobe.”

For her part, Geller denies hating Islam, and has stated this repeatedly during interviews. She only hates “political Islam.”

“Interfaith dialogue and mutual respect and mutual understanding is a one-way street with Islamic supremacists, not Muslims,” Geller said in an interview published by The New York Times. “I believe that Muslims are more victimized by Islamic supremacists than even non-Muslims.”

But it is hard to take her at her word when she suggests that Hitler and the Nazis were inspired by Islam, that Muslims engage in bestiality and that Muslim groups control information processing at the CIA, the FBI, the Pentagon, and the various branches of the military.

Her blog, Atlas Shrugs, is filled with hate-driven nonsense and wild unsubstantiated claims. Sure, there are a few truthful nuggets on there, but for the most part, it is sensationalist ranting of the lowest common denominator.

Geller certainly has no business sharing the stage with the likes of a sitting senator, governor, attorney general or congressman....[Read Full Article] 

The United States Patent and Trademark Office even refused to grant SIOA a trademark because it, “refers to Muslims in a disparaging manner ... by definition it implies that conversion or conformity to Islam is something that needs to be stopped or caused to cease.”

How bad is Geller?

• Geller’s blog was cited repeatedly by the terrorist responsible for the mass killings in Norway earlier this year
• Geller posted a fake image on her blog of then Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan in a Nazi uniform
• Geller also said that Kagan is “an admirer of an architect of German national socialism, Nazism.”
• Geller posted a fake image on her blog of President Obama urinating on an American flag - similar to this.
• Geller wrote that “[I]t is well known that Obama allegedly was involved with a crack whore in his youth”
• Geller co-founded American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) with Robert Spencer and John Joseph Jay, whonamed Rabbi Meir Kahane as an inspiration (Kahane is founder of Kach and Kahane Chai, listed as Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. Department of State)
• John Joseph Jay called for the “Mass Murder of Congressmen, Muslims, Liberals and Journalists“
• John Joseph Jay also called for the killing of all Muslims, saying that “[T]here are no innocent Muslims”
• John Joseph Jay wrote: “buy guns. buy ammo. be jealous of your liberties. and, understand, you are going to have to kill folks, your uncles, your sons and daughters, to preserve those liberties.”
• Geller is a “birther” who has posted “proof” on her blog Atlas Shrugs that Obama’s birth certificate was forged
• Geller’s claims that “Hitler and the Nazis were inspired by Islam,” that Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf is a best-seller in Muslim countries
• Falsely claimed that the President has had Louis Farrakhan over to the White House
• “Obama is a third worlder and a coward. He will do nothing but beat up on our friends to appease his Islamic overlords”
• “President Obama is the “love child” of Malcolm X”
• Geller suggested that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagen supports Nazi ideology
• Geller has mingled with European racists and fascists, and has spoken favorably of South African racists
• Geller defended Serbian war criminal Slobodan Milosevic, even going so far as to deny the existence of Serbian concentration camps in the 1990s
• Geller is a self-avowed Zionist who is sharply critical of Jewish liberals
• Geller called President Obama an anti-semite
• Geller has repeatedly called President Obama a Muslim, which is not true

According to Loonwatch.com, “Geller now claims she never penned the Malcolm X article, and that she doesn’t support the theory that Malcolm X is the father of Barack Obama.” In fact, Geller has had to take down many of her blog posts because of gross inaccuracies.

Again, probably not the type of person you want to share the stage with if you are the governor.

Yes, Geller is free to say whatever she wants, of course. And the Florida Tea Party Convention has no problem with what she says, apparently, or they wouldn’t have scheduled her to speak. In fact, Geller is becoming quite the regular in conservative circles.....[Read Full Article] 

Shibly points out that allowing Geller to spew her anti-Muslim hatred is much like inviting a KKK speaker to talk about how awful African-Americans are, or an anti-Semite espousing the evils of Judaism.

Neither would be allowed to speak, of course. And if they were allowed to speak, everyone would be (rightfully) up in arms, First Amendment be damned. So why are they tolerating Geller’s misinformed hate speech?

“Apparently, free speech is only protected by the Tea Party if it means inciting hatred against Muslims,” added Shibly.