Archive for the ‘Islam’ Category
by Sher Zieve
As of 2005, Michigan held the largest and still growing Muslim population in the United States and the second largest Arab population outside of the Middle East. Outside of Muslim-run countries, Paris—which still experiences nightly vehicle torchings and mayhem in its Islamic neighborhoods—has the largest. It is estimated that eight million Muslims now live in the US and their numbers are continuing to grow. Islam is now the second-largest religious body in the United States and is said to be its fastest growing religious movement.
Although hundreds of long-time residents of Hamtramck, MI protested the city allowing the five-times-per-day Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast over Hamtramck’s loudspeakers, the city council voted unanimously in April 2004 to allow it. Prior to the city council making its decision, public input from any citizens (except Muslims) had not been allowed. This continues today. Hamtramck resident Bob Golen was outraged by the city council’s actions and said: "So they had made up their mind before any public meeting and it’s been five-nothing ever since. This is only the beginning. They're going to use Hamtramck as a precedent. This is coming to your town, to the town down the road, and to the [next] town down the road." Golen added that, after the city council voted to allow the calls to prayer, one of the city councilmen said that he was "proud to set a precedent in this country."
by Jim Kouri, CPP
Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, proclaimed himself neutral — "I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah; I don't take sides for or against Israel," he said — there appears to be problems of Hezbollah activities within his and fellow traveler Rep. John Conyer's own backyard.
A Dearborn Heights MI, man pleaded guilty on recently to charges of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and using illegally obtained funds to help finance the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Youssef Aoun Bakri, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court as he stood before US District Judge Gerald E. Rosen. The original indictment charged Bakri and other defendants with operating a criminal enterprise to traffic in contraband cigarettes and counterfeit goods, producing counterfeit cigarette tax stamps, and laundering money.
Most troubling was the fact that part of the profits made from the illegal enterprise were given to Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organization (DFTO), according to the indictment.
by Jim Kouri, CPP
Chalk up another victory for the terrorists' Fifth Column — the Council on American-Islamic Relations. After much prodding and capitalizing on phony incidents of racial profiling, CAIR has achieved something few Americans have achieved — they got airport security officials to back off.
The Transportation Security Administration announced a new training program — some may call it an indoctrination program — that will be mandated for more than 45,000 security officers and supervisors. No, it's not training that'll be used to identify terrorists or protect airline passengers. This training program is being billed as "Muslim Sensitivity Training."
In a press release sent to US media organizations, CAIR said it welcomed the "special training about Islamic traditions" including the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, which entails thousands of Muslims traveling to Saudi Arabia.
The TSA cultural sensitivity training includes details about the timing of Hajj travel, about items pilgrims may be carrying and about Islamic prayers that may be observed by security personnel.
Earlier this month, CAIR advised those going on Hajj to be aware of their civil and legal rights as airline passengers.
CAIR's "Your Rights and Responsibilities as an American Muslim" pocket guide states:
"As an airline passenger, you are entitled to courteous, respectful and non-stigmatizing treatment by airline and security personnel. You have the right to complain about treatment that you believe is discriminatory."
"We welcome the fact that airport security officers nationwide will now be better informed about Islamic traditions relating to Hajj," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
"This proactive effort on the part of the Transportation Security Administration demonstrates that there is no contradiction between the need to maintain airline safety and security and the duty to protect the religious and civil rights of airline passengers."
Hooper said representatives of CAIR chapters nationwide have met with TSA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on issues related to cultural sensitivity and national security.
CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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.
Perhaps American Christians and Jews should start complaining about their treatment at airports, as well. The current strategy of strip-searching elderly women and invalids appears to be a bit insensitive to this writer. Forcing women to drink their own breast milk appears to be insensitive.
by Jim Kouri, CPP
The Islamic terrorists Fifth Column in the US — no, not the news media, the other Fifth Column — the Council on American-Islamic Relations is once again at the forefront of mischief-making in their goal of undermining US efforts in combating terrorism.
CAIR is encouraging Muslims to file civil rights complaints and lawsuits if the "feel" they are being discriminated against by US airlines. Citing what it called the "airport profiling" of six imams removed from a recent US Airways flight, CAIR said Muslims traveling this month to the holy site in Saudi Arabia need to be aware of their rights.
"Given the increase in the number of complaints CAIR has received alleging airport profiling of American Muslims, we believe it is important that all those taking part in this year's hajj be aware of their legal and civil rights," said Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR spokesman.
by Sher Zieve
Pushing the envelope in order to continue to check Americans’ political correctness and acceptance of terrorists’ "rights" has now become the order of the day for Islamists—that is for Muslims intent upon using American "tolerance" against us. Muslim cab drivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport have decided they will no longer accept passengers who are ‘transporting alcohol’. Over 50% of the taxi drivers at MSP airport are now Muslims.
On 6 June 2006 the Islamic drivers issued a formal "Fatwa" to the Metropolitan Airports Commission, advising it that allowing passengers who carry alcoholic products is now prohibited; as it would involve "cooperating in sin according to Islam". Thus far, I have neither read nor heard of any response to the Muslim demands. Instead, MSP airport is considering the installation of a "Muslim prayer room"—at the request of Muslims—largely in response to the "flying imams" who recently overtly tested US Airways security and the flying public’s reactions to the imams’ terroristic-type behaviors. With respect to Muslim prayer rooms, airport in Nashville, TN, Columbus, OH and Fort Lauderdale, FL already advertise them! Of course, airports have not offered to install Christian prayer rooms—that would be "discrimination".
By Alan Caruba
The political pundits all tell us that Americans have grown weary of the bloodshed in Iraq and the loss of our troops sent to topple Saddam Hussein and help the Iraqis establish a working, secular democracy. They say the Democrat Party will win and, true to their promise, will begin to “redeploy” our troops from there and Afghanistan.
The Republicans and the Bush Administration urge us to stay the course in its efforts to transform the Middle East and defuse the Islamic threat to the United States and the West.
One thing Americans know for sure is that we are no longer safe from attack in our homeland. We learned that on 9-11, but that awful day recedes now in our collective memory. The experts tell us America will be attacked again.
So, on Election Day we must vote as if our lives depended on it, because they do.
The reason is almost too obvious, but it is human nature to deny it. The deliberate murder of millions of people in the name of Islam is not just hard to grasp, but too horrible to contemplate. Let it be said, however, Islam is in love with death. At the core of this warrior cult is the suicide bomber who takes his own life in order to kill others.
Just briefly consider Islam in the latter part of the last century and what it promises as this new one begins.
There probably will never be a full accounting for the millions of Iraqis murdered under the regime of Saddam Hussein, but in the course of the Iraq war against Iran it is estimated that more than a million died and the war against Kuwait cost thousands more. This year, by the end of May, the bodies of 6,000 people had filled Baghdad’s main mortuary as sectarian violence raged out of control. It continues unabated.
by Jim Kouri, CPP
From 1998 until 2006, W.G. Van Dorian worked as an attorney in Criminal Law and Immigration Law in The Netherlands and Aruba. As such, Van Dorian came into close contact with terrorism and religious extremism. After the recent murders of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh and Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn (supposedly the next president), Van Dorian decided The Netherlands was no longer a safe haven to write anything that is critical towards extremism.
He emigrated from The Netherlands to South America to publish his novel without having to fear repercussions from extremists.
Part One of a series titled The New World Order, the fictional thriller, The Invisible Invasion, describes a possible escalation in the world of (nuclear) conflict in the future with very realistic roots of religious extremism in present day Europe.
Recently, contributor Jim Kouri spoke with Van Dorian via e-mail. He remains in hiding in South America.
Jim Kouri: The Invisible Invasion is a fiction novel. Nevertheless, events that occur in the book don't seem to be far from reality. How much is fiction and how much is already occurring?
W. G. Van Dorian: As a defense attorney I was close to the fire. I had to defend suspected terrorists. Not just as my clients but also in daily life one noticed the aggressive behavior with which many Islamic immigrants refused to adapt to European culture and lifestyle (backed by overanxious leftist interest groups) and eventually turned against that society by renouncing anything that is different to Islamic culture, such as: fair treatment of women, tolerance, freedom of speech, human rights (except when they can appeal for discrimination, etc). The European societies backed by leftist politics let them for years and now someone who dares to criticize or even discuss Islam is a dead man. It's like this was their plan all along, thus I chose the title "the invisible invasion". Even though it's just a fiction thriller, I see these events as the beginning of the end of democracy and freedom of speech.
Kouri: You call the 'Bad guys' "Radicals" yet all directions in the book go toward Radical Islam. Why not call them such?
By Rev. T. Myles Weiss MA MFT
Where’s the Muslim Martin?
Where is the voice of reform that will transform this religion of one billion people?
We need a voice similar to Martin Luther, who challenged the forces of corrupt Christianity. In his day, he dared to call for the end of selling indulgences, that vile practice which enslaved poor families by exchanging their hopes of eternity for their meager finances. The church of his era sold empty promises. Luther demanded change. He spoke out for a more spiritual future for those who followed Christ. He called on leaders to admit their failures and change their ways.
We need a voice like Martin Luther King Jr. who challenged the forces of segregation and spoke up for the civil rights of Black people in America. He used non-violent protest to draw attention to this shameful fact of America’s past. His voice changed our country.
We need a voice like Martin Short, whose self deprecating comedic styling may be instructional for the Muslim world, which seems to have a desperate need for a sense of humor. This ability to laugh at one’s self is seemingly absent from the mentality of mainstream Islam. If it is present, we need to hear it.
We are waiting for the “religion of peace” to demonstrate a self-correcting movement toward moderation. We are waiting for the masses of Islam to demand corrections to Jihadist theology. We are waiting for the civil rights enjoyed by Muslims in America and Israel to be granted to women, Jews, and Christians, Buddhists and Hindus in Muslim lands.
We are waiting for a humanity enhancing humor that reaches across differences and celebrates the universal human condition by “lightening up” and laughing a little.
We are waiting for Martin.
© Rev. T. Myles Weiss MA MFT 2006
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Myles Weiss is a Marriage and Family Therapist, Founder of Trust and Triumph, a successful substance abuse recovery group, and Pastor of Beth Shalom. He serves on the leadership teams and boards of several organizations including The Center for Changing Worldviews, Vertical Call and Beulah Prayer House. As co-host on Middle East Affairs for Changing Worldviews TALK Radio with Sharon Hughes, Myles expresses his passion to promote understanding of the pivotal nature of Middle East politics and the need for peace with security. Myles has conducted marriage and family seminars in Russia, organized outreaches in India and trained ministers in Africa, and received his Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. Contact: mwtherapy@sbcglobal.net .
We live in a changing world…
Sharon Hughes
President, The Center for Changing Worldviews
Host, Changing Worldviews TALK Radio
PO Box 750624
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By Alan Caruba
http://www.anxietycenter.com
Let me tell you the story of two women in Afghanistan.
Safia Ama Jan was the provincial director for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs when she was murdered in late September by the Taliban outside of her home in Kandahar. She was a woman of immense courage. Her killers, two men on a motorbike who gunned her down and then sped away, were the kind of scum we are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Associated Press reported that, “Ama Jan was known as an active proponent of women’s rights in the former Taliban stronghold.” The attack on her was one of “increasingly brazen attacks by militants on government officials and schools in Afghanistan.” I do wish the AP would more accurately use the word “terrorists.” Killing a woman in her 60’s, wearing a full burqa, is the work of murderers intent on spreading terror.
Even during the years the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, Ama Jan secretly conducted classes for young girls. She did so every day at the risk of death. She had been a teacher for thirty years when they killed her. When the United States rid Afghanistan of these murderous thugs, we laid the groundwork for a modern nation.
Last year Taliban, who see themselves as the exemplars of Islam, burned or attacked 146 schools and they have picked up the pace, attacking 158 schools so far this year according to an advisor to Afghanistan’s education minister. Perhaps this is due to the fact that these schools teach girls or perhaps there simply is no room for competition with the madrasses that limit “education” to the Koran and teach only boys.
The enemies of knowledge know how dangerous it can be to a so-called religion that believes it encompasses the only knowledge a Muslim need know or, for that matter, everyone else in the world. The enemies of knowledge are, by definition, the enemies of freedom in Afghanistan and everywhere else.
The other woman was Army Sgt. First Class Merideth Howard of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
by Thomas E. Brewton
An example of this bewilderment is liberal columnist Froma Harrop's current piece titled Islamic Terror's Endless 'Root Causes'. She writes:
"That Islamic terrorists hate the United States is an all-purpose explanation. Dig deeper into the reasons for that hatred, though, and the confident answers of "expert opinion" don't quite satisfy.
"Since that gruesome blue-sky day, Islamic radicals have staged more attacks and have been foiled in others. But try to find a connecting theme, other than psychosis. There's only a pile of shifting motives."
Why not believe what the terrorists themselves tell us is their reason for 9/11 and similar attacks around the world?
Osama Bin Ladin has proclaimed unequivocally, many times, that Al Queda envision themselves as reviving the campaign begun by Mohammed in 622 AD to establish a universal Islamic Caliphate and carried on ruthlessly for a thousand years thereafter.
In 622 AD the Mediterranean basin political states were almost all Christian. Mohammed's Islamic military forces began systematically conquering, looting, and subjugating those states to Islam. The men resisting Islam were slaughtered and the women and children sold into slavery.
In addition to acquisitive instincts for other people's property, Muslims were driven by Allah's command in the Koran to convert everyone, everywhere to Islam, a name that in English means submission.
Efraim Karsh, in his April, 2006, article in Commentary noted:
"As the 14th-century historian and philosopher Abdel Rahman ibn Khaldun wrote, "In the Muslim community, the jihad is a religious duty because of the universalism of the Islamic mission and the obligation [to convert] everybody to Islam either by persuasion or by force."