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Chronology of Islam in America (2014)
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
July 2014 Page Two
Twin Falls, Idaho, Bosnians gather to remember Srebrenica massacre
July 11: Twin Falls' Bosnian community gathered this evening to remember the over 8,000 of their countrymen massacred by the Serbs at Srebrenica in 1995. "It is the world's worst tragedy that man has seen since World War II," said Mirsad Kadric. Kadric was a member of the 28th Division of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was deployed in Srebrenica. He survived the massacre, and lives in Twin Falls now. He spoke to well over 100 of his fellow Twin Falls-area Muslims in the Bosnian language, telling them it was important to gather together to remember what happened. "This is the bare minimum that we can do for our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, and friends," he said. Bosnia, where the population is divided between the Muslim Bosniaks, Eastern Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats, was the scene of brutal, genocidal fighting after the breakup of Yugoslavia. The United Nations had declared Srebrenica a "safe area," under their protection. However, the Dutch peacekeepers who were on the ground did nothing to stop the town's capture by the Serbs and their killing of 8,372 people. The killings have been declared a genocide by an international criminal court. A little over 6,000 of the massacre victims have been identified and buried, including 175 more who were laid to rest today. The remains of Srebrenica victims are still being found in mass graves to this day and are being identified using DNA technology. [Magic Valley News]
Muslim leaders explain Barack Obama love
July 11: Muslim-American leaders said Friday that a new poll showing the community’s sky-high approval rating of President Barack Obama stems partly from its disdain for the Republican party. “I think [Muslim-Americans] see the president sympathetically, but they also see his opponents to be, for lack of a better term, just damn awful,” said James Zogby, the president of the Arab American Institute. “The way Republicans have handled the Muslim community…what they feel is outright bigotry. It makes them see the president in a sympathetic light.” According to a Gallup poll, 72 percent of Muslim-Americans said they approve of the president - the highest rating among any religious group in the U.S. Haris Tarin, the director of the DC office for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, also attributed the poll numbers to what he called “the trauma of a post-9/11 Bush presidency” and said most Muslim-Americans continue to feel left out of the Republican conversation. “There’s a backlash in terms of the rhetoric that comes out of the Republican party,” Tarin said. “The president and the Democratic party, in terms of their rhetoric, are more inclusive, the conversations are more inclusive of all Americans and you don’t see that as much within the Republican Party.” [Politico]
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings hosts Iftar dinner
July 12: Mayor Mike Rawlings of Dallas hosted an Iftar dinner at Dallas City Hall in honor of Muslim community leadership. This was the first from any Dallas Mayor. The event was attended by former Mayor of Paris Dr Arjumand Hashmi, City Councilman Dallas Lee M Kleinman Sandy Greyson Monica Alonzo ,Imam Shpendim Nadzaku ( Dallas Central Mosque) Imam Zia Shaikh ( Irving Masjid) RaJa Zahid Khanzada , Amina Rab ( CAIR) Dr. Shahid Shafi ,Mike Ghouse, Imam Khalid Shaheed Ghulam Jangda Amina ismail Khalil, Abdur-Rashid ( Plano Masjid), Hind Jara ( TMWF) Azhar Aziz ( ISNA) Dallas, Central Mosque Imam Shpendim Nadzaku Zia Sheikh, CAIR DFW President Amina Rab, Mike Ghouse, Ghulam Jangda, Imam Khalid Shaheed ,Abdul Rasheed, Hind Jarrah, ISNA Vice President Azhar Aziz and others,
Talking to the group Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling said that around 150,000 Muslim live in Dallas Metroplex from which around 40,000 live in Dallas County. He said that this is the first time an Iftar at City Hall is held to celebrate the social and religious event together. He wish that this dinner is hosted every year and until he is Mayor he will host this event each year. He said that Dallas is one of the largest city of the nation which is growing at a very fast pace. He said that the immigrant population has a large contribution in Dallas city progress and this is why we need to work together for the economic growth of the city. He thanked to the young Muslim leader Arman for giving him the the advice for hosting the dinner. [Geo TV]
Hate crime probe urged for attack on Muslim woman at Michigan Mall
July 14: The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today called on law enforcement authorities and public officials to investigate an alleged attack on a Muslim woman in a shopping mall parking lot in Okemos as a possible hate crime. On July 12, a witness reported that two men and a woman surrounded a Muslim woman at the Meridian Mall, in Southfield, Michigan, and attempted to pull her dress and face veil off, then knocked her to the ground. The alleged assailants also reportedly shouted expletives at the 26-year-old woman during the incident. The victim was hospitalized for 36 hours complaining of chest pain and numbness in her left arm due to the incident. [CAIR]
D.C. Council resolution against anti-Islam bus ads hailed
July 14: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, today applauded a resolution adopted by the Washington, D.C., city council "supporting religious tolerance toward people of all faiths in the District of Columbia" and rejecting anti-Muslim bigotry. The resolution, which was supported by CAIR and Jewish Voice for Peace - DC Metro Chapter, was introduced after extremist blogger Pamela Geller's hate group American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) placed an Islamophobic advertisement on buses in Washington, D.C., falsely claiming that the Quran, Islam's revealed text, encourages Muslims to hate Jews. The resolution, which was adopted today unanimously states in part: ". . .It is the sense of the Council of the District of Columbia that: (1) Out of respect for the diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural makeup of this nation and the District, advertisements that disparage religious, ethnic, and cultural groups should be eliminated within the District. (2) The government of the District of Columbia should continue to promote religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity and tolerance." The resolution takes effect immediately. [CAIR]
Anti-Immigrant Graffiti on MD Building After Shelter Controversy denounced
July 15: The Maryland Outreach Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned anti-immigrant graffiti that was spray-painted on the wall of a former Army Reserve facility in Westminster, Maryland. The building had recently been considered by the federal government as a location to temporarily house undocumented immigrant children. That consideration was dropped after the local county board of commissioners had an emergency meeting to express opposition to that use for the facility. The anti-immigrant message was found on the building on July 13 morning. Scrawled in large black letters, the message states: "No illeagles [sic] here. No undocumented Democrats." The Maryland State Police department is investigating the graffiti as a hate crime. [CAIR]
Muslim community pushes to close schools on two holy days
July 15: At nearly every Baltimore County school board meeting for the past decade, Dr. Bash Pharoan has testified for his allotted three minutes about a single issue: the calendar. The Muslim physician, whose children attended county schools, wants the school system to close for two Muslim holidays a year when they fall on school days. He says he is seeking parity with Christians and Jews, who get several holidays off from school. So far, his persistence has not paid off. No board member had commented on the issue for years in what Pharoan describes as a "code of silence." Then there was a glimmer of hope last month when Michael Collins, the board's contrarian member, suggested that perhaps the board should consider noting on its 2015-2016 calendar that Yom Kippur and the Islamic holy day Eid al-Adha both fall on Sept. 23. The change would be a purely symbolic gesture. Pharoan is not alone in his efforts to have schools recognize Islamic holy days. Montgomery County Muslims have also asked for the days off and a small number of communities around the country are closing schools on the holy days. New York City's mayor pledged to close school on Islamic holy days during his campaign, and a united Muslim community is now pushing for action on the issue. Several school systems across the United States, including Dearborn, Mich., and Cambridge, Mass., close for the Islamic holidays. Dearborn has closed its schools for about the past 15 years, said David Mustonen, director of communications for the Dearborn school system. About 50 percent to 60 percent of the 19,500 students in the schools are Muslim, he said, and the decision to close was an effort to be responsive to the community. [The Baltimore Sun]
Houston Mayor hosts Iftar Ramadan Dinner
July 16: The 4th Annual Houston Iftar Ramadan Dinner with Mayor Annise Parker showed, this year again, a beautiful portrait of Brotherhood where all races and religions shared and enjoyed peacefully under one roof. Iftar gathered together several communities with members of all faiths and denominations to break the daily fast during this prestigious dinner at the Bayou City Events Center. Almost 2000 people attended this meaningful event organized by the Baku, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Karachi and Houston Sister Cities Associations and hosted by collaborating organizations such as the Azerbaijan Center, Raindrop Turkish House, Pakistan Chamber of Commerce-USA, the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, Council on American Islamic Relations Texas Chapter, Hashoo Foundation and many others. The Mayor of Houston and other Congressional, County, City, business, civic leaders and Members of Consular Corps of Houston also attended the multi-cultural event to show their support and solidarity. After being introduced by Aftab Ghesani, President of His Highness the Aga Khan Council for Southwestern United States, Mayor Annise Parker highlighted the importance of solidarity and diversity as foundations of the City of Houston while addressing the full banquet hall. The Mayor also made emphasis on the wonderful work that all Sister Cities are able to accomplish together. [ Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency]
Graffiti on Massachusetts Synagogue condemned
July 16: Pro-Palestinian graffiti was discovered on a Lowell synagogue today as tensions overseas escalated between Israel and Palestine, officials said. James Mitchneck, building committee chairman at the Montefiore Orthodox Synagogue (Massachusetts), said the graffiti consisted of two messages about 10 to 15 feet in length that read “Free Palelestine” and “God bless Gaza” spray-painted in a blood-red color, with the word Palestine spelled incorrectly. The vandalism was on the wall of the synagogue facing Westford Street, he said. The Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning the vandalism. “Whatever views one holds on the current round of violence in the Middle East, attacks on houses of worship must be condemned and the perpetrators brought to justice,” the council said. [Boston Globe]
Baltimore native beaten by Israeli police returns to U.S.
July 17: Tariq Abu Khdeir, the 15-year-old Baltimore native who allegedly was beaten by Israeli police in East Jerusalem this month, has returned home. Abu Khdeir, who now lives in Florida, arrived at Tampa International Airport late last night to cheers from family and friends. He told reporters he felt good; the bruises on his face that led the State Department to express shock and Israeli authorities to launch an investigation had faded significantly. Abu Khdeir, who lived his first dozen years in Baltimore and still has many relatives in Maryland, called the incident "the scariest thing that has happened to me." He told reporters he believes his story attracted attention only because he is a U.S. citizen. Abu Khdeir was visiting family in East Jerusalem this month when a cousin was abducted and burned to death. Family members say Abu Khdeir was the last to see Mohammed Abu Khdeir alive. [The Baltimore Sun]
Obama humiliates Muslim guests at White House Ramadan event,
endorses Israel’s Gaza assault and NSA surveillance
July 17: At the annual White House Iftar dinner commemorating the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, President Barack Obama endorsed Israel’s ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip and defended government spying on Muslim-Americans. Alongside dozens of Muslim-American community activists and Muslim diplomats, the White House welcomed Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, an outspoken advocate of Israel’s settlement enterprise who has claimed Muslim and Arab culture is endemically violent.In the past, the annual Iftar dinner passed without much notice. Last year, President Barack Obama delivered a boilerplate speech to the assembled crowd of Muslim-American community activists and Middle Eastern ambassadors about his efforts to spur entrepreneurship. But this time, amidst a one-sided Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip that was about to claim its 200th death in just a week, and which the US had backed to the hilt, the heat was on.While Obama prepared his remarks, calls rang out with unprecedented intensity for invitees to boycott the July 14 ceremony. Among those who urged a boycott in protest of the Gaza assault and ongoing government spying on Muslim-Americans was the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), an established presence in Washington representing the country’s largest Arab-American advocacy group. Joining the boycott call was Mariam Abu-Ali, the sister of Ahmed Abu Ali, a US citizen renditioned to Saudi Arabia for torture before being sentenced to life in prison on dubious charges of threatening to kill George W. Bush. “The White House Iftar is a slap in the face to those in the Muslim community who have been victims of U.S. civil-rights and human-rights abuses,” Abu Ali wrote. “It is an attempt by administration after administration to whitewash the crimes of the U.S. government against Muslims by painting a less-than-accurate picture of their relationship with the American Muslim community.” As established Muslim-American leaders like Laila Al-Marayati lined up to boycott (Al-Marayati rejected an invitation to the State Department’s Iftar), others defended their presence at the ceremony. Most vocal among them was Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), one of the two Muslim members of Congress. “I disagree with the tactic,” Ellison remarked in a statement released by his office. “It will not close Guantanamo Bay, guarantee a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine or undo the NSA’s targeting of Muslims.” [AlterNet]
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