Muslim Activists in US Universities (1 Viewer)

[oldreliable67]

Another thread notes the efforts by NBC to document the reaction of a NASCAR crowd in Virginia to "Muslim-appearing" men - there was none. But there is an obverse side to this: growing militancy of Muslims on US university campuses. Consider, for example, the events at UNC Chapel Hill when an Iranian Muslim student drove into, for Allah's sake, innocent students gathering on university grounds. Furthermore, the e-mail soliciting "Muslim-looking males" originated with a Muslim with university student connections.

Now, from Memphis, well-known ME expert and lecturer Brigitte Gabriel writes about her recent speaking engagement at the Univ of Memphis. Excerpts from her column on that experience are disturbing:

I was invited to give a lecture sponsored by Professor David Patterson of the Judaic Studies Program. When news about my appearance spread, the Muslim community both on and off campus launched a full-scale campaign to stop my lecture. They demanded that Dr. Patterson cancel my speech. E-mails flooded the University of Memphis administration and Dr. Patterson from Muslim students on campus and Muslims in the community and mosques. Here are some of their comments:

People like Brigitte are plenty in the world, they are the true enemies of Islam. And despite their rubbish talks, the truth about Islam is spreading like a wildfire across Americas and across the globe (All Praise to Allah).

Dr. Patterson, hosting of this lady is orders of magnitude worse than hosting of the Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Do you honestly think the scheduled lecture will serve any useful purpose other than inflaming the Muslims, insulting them and spilling poison in the community?

It is interesting to see the reaction of the Muslim community to someone with Muslim-fired shrapnel in her body who speaks against butchering innocent people in the name of Allah. If they would put the same energy into condemning the radical element within Islam and join us in saying that slaughtering people in the name of Allah is murder not Jihad, maybe we wouldn’t be tempred to question their loyalty as American citizens. Dr. Patterson refused to bow to their intimidation and insisted on going on with the scheduled speech.

By the time I showed up at the amphitheater style lecture hall on campus, police officers were already standing at each entrance. Nearly half of the hall was filled with Muslims with their leaders dressed Osama Bin Laden style sitting in the front two rows at eye level making “their point,” that I wasn’t going to get away with speaking freely.

Just as the program was about to begin, a Muslim student walked to the front and asked the crowd to raise their hands if they believed that this lecture was “undemocratic.” They complained that I would be taking questions on cards instead of allowing them to ask them publicly. Experienced in these settings, I knew they would make speeches, spew anti American and Israeli sentiments and create chaos in the room during the Q&A. I decided that they were not going to do that. The provocative Muslim student behavior before I even began my lecture proved my foresight. Dr. Patterson explained that taking questions from cards distributed to the audience was normal protocol at university speaking events like mine.
[...]
Unknown to me, a Muslim student attending the University of Memphis was arrested weeks prior to my lecture for, among other things, possession of DVD’s on pilot training and charts on the layout of the Memphis airport. They found links on his computer to sites associated with a radical Sunni Muslim organization in Iraq, and searches for information on how guns and bombs can be smuggled past airport security.
[...]
At the end of the lecture the Muslims immediately in front swarmed over me questioning and intimidating. Police officers quickly moved in and pulled me out straight to the police cars as the enraged Muslims started shouting.

Read the whole column here.

Is it time for Americans to wake up as to what is occurring right in our midst? Is it time to be enraged at incidents like this, and time to stand up and fight to take back our universities? To defend our civilization and everything for which it stands?

 

[Calm2Chaos]

There working in the realative safe haven of liberal based higher education campuses. This is an example of how they are turning this into an ME country. Free speech is not an option. There is intimidation, and there is force. So I guess as long as yo9ur not going to talk about them then they may allow you to speak. Worse comes to worse they probably have an ACLU lawyer waiting to defend there right to intimidate speakers like this down. Would seem they are quickly becoming the KKK of the new era. There tak9ig this country from the inside, and there getting all the help they need from certain factions from witin

 

[Simon W. Moon]

This is an example of how they are turning this into an ME country.

Don't you think this is a bit of a hyperbole?

 

[Deegan]

Don't you think this is a bit of a hyperbole?

I don't know, if it can happen in France, the U.K, and spread as it has through all of Europe, I would be hard pressed to dismiss it as "hyperbole"

It's actually nothing new though, a great many number of our universities have become intolerant to free speech. If you are not in line with their way of thinking, they will shout you down, throw things at you, or just rally to have your speech canceled. This happens quite a lot with conservative speakers, being a conservative Simon, you should be just as outraged as I am.

 

[Simon W. Moon]

... being a conservative Simon, you should be just as outraged as I am.

I suspect that I may not have the spare time necessary to devote to keeping up w/ you on the being outraged thing.

 

[Deegan]

I suspect that I may not have the spare time necessary to devote to keeping up w/ you on the being outraged thing.

You are not unlike many Americans, they don't have the time, it's a common excuse for not giving a damn, or just shucking responsibility. Don't worry, I'm on it, as a true conservative, I feel it's my duty to confront this growing problem, you just kick back, I got this one.

 

[PeteEU]

Well in Europe "muslims" dont go around preaching on universities, as its rather rare that they even attend such places. Plus European youth would not listen to a muslim preaching.. they would probally call the cops as its illegal in most countries to preach religion in campus. So you cant blame universities for spreading of semi radical islam in Europe or our problems with a large muslim minority. Look elsewhere.

Free speach starts and stops on university campuses in a democratic society. If the freedom of expression and thought is curbed during youth, during the years of learning, then chances are that said freedoms mean nothing to people when they get older.

Are muslims trying to preach on US campuses and convert the young. Sure they are, but so are radical christians, why is there no problems with them all of a sudden? There is no difference between a radical muslim shouting about Jihad or a evangelical christian preaching rapture.. same thing, death if you dont join us.

Best thing to do is to ban all forms of religion on campus. Take it to the church or mosque stay out of schools and public areas.

 

[Deegan]

You can read more about this woman here, and why she feels the need to speak to this growing problem. You will find she is hardly the threat these people are trying to make her out to be. She has been witness to the Muslim hatred first hand, she speaks about it here with Frontpage......

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19016

 

[Simon W. Moon]

Don't worry, I'm on it, as a true conservative, I feel it's my duty to confront this growing problem, you just kick back, I got this one.

Oh good. That's mighty neighborly of ya. Could you also pick up my dry cleaning on your way?

 

[Deegan]

Oh good. That's mighty neighborly of ya. Could you also pick up my dry cleaning on your way?

Sure, just give me your address, and I'll be right over.

You can send it to me in a P.M, I promise I won't share it.

 

[Alias]

The problem is not that the muslims are preaching religion on campuses. The problem is that they are preaching hatred. As usual, the liberals will focus on the opposition party instead of the real problem so voters will give them power. It does no useful purpose for them to focus on the real issue because their constituency doesn't vote.

 

[PeteEU]

And radical christian groups who bully and intimidate those that dont agree with them, preach crusade and what not during lectures and rallies, are not preaching hatred?

 

[oldreliable67]

And radical christian groups who bully and intimidate those that dont agree with them, preach crusade and what not during lectures and rallies, are not preaching hatred?

Anyone witnessed, or even know of, read about, etc., and instance of what PeteUE is talking about? I don't frequent meetings of fundamentalist/radical Christian groups, so anyone feedback from anyone who knows of such, would you chime in here? The only groups that I have any knowledge of, or have even heard about, that have resorted to such tactics are Ivy League liberals (like those that tried to blast Ann Coulter from the stage), and the Muslims mentioned in the article cited in the first post on this thread.

 

[Alias]

And radical christian groups who bully and intimidate those that dont agree with them, preach crusade and what not during lectures and rallies, are not preaching hatred?

Such as???? You better produce some examples.

 

[Red_Dave]

Another thread notes the efforts by NBC to document the reaction of a NASCAR crowd in Virginia to "Muslim-appearing" men - there was none. But there is an obverse side to this: growing militancy of Muslims on US university campuses. Consider, for example, the events at UNC Chapel Hill when an Iranian Muslim student drove into, for Allah's sake, innocent students gathering on university grounds. Furthermore, the e-mail soliciting "Muslim-looking males" originated with a Muslim with university student connections.

Now, from Memphis, well-known ME expert and lecturer Brigitte Gabriel writes about her recent speaking engagement at the Univ of Memphis. Excerpts from her column on that experience are disturbing:



Read the whole column here.

Is it time for Americans to wake up as to what is occurring right in our midst? Is it time to be enraged at incidents like this, and time to stand up and fight to take back our universities? To defend our civilization and everything for which it stands?

So are muslims not entitled to the same democratic rights as other americans? If concervative christians where demonstateing against Noam Chomsky i doubt u would be complaining so why should muslims be treated in a different way?

 

[PeteEU]

Well there was that story about the Air Force Academy.. granted not a normal university, but still a school of higher learning. It was cleared by an internal investigation.. yea let the rats investigate themselvs.. good one. Other than that, I dont know of any situations off hand as I dont follow US university life that close, but thats not the point of what I have been trying to say. Replace radical christian groups with Scientology or some other cult religion. Heck replace it with communism or conservative if you want.

What I have been trying to say is that regardless of who is preaching, religion should not be preached on universities period. The muslim, or christian doing the preaching should be kicked off campus faster than a speeding bullet. Preach outside campus thats his right, but on campus its university rules and all universities should protect thier students from any form of radical or mainstream religious thought and preaching as its not part of normal university life (unless you are at a religious university of course). I guess its my European upbringing and the seperation of church and state ideal that shines through, but to me religion is a personal thing that is to be kept between me, my church, my home and God himself. Its no business of the guy next to me or anyone else, nore do I expect the guy next to me to preach his beliefs to me or others.

Basicly people should not be complaining over that a muslim is preaching hate or whatever on a university campus, they should be complaining over the fact that religion is being preached to the young, regardless if its Islam or Christianity or something else.

Also Islam does not have the copyright on preaching hate...far from it. Talk to Roberston and his wacko friends. Any religion that believes that salvation will come one day for the only true faithfull is a religion of hate.

 

[Deegan]

Well there was that story about the Air Force Academy.. granted not a normal university, but still a school of higher learning. It was cleared by an internal investigation.. yea let the rats investigate themselvs.. good one. Other than that, I dont know of any situations off hand as I dont follow US university life that close, but thats not the point of what I have been trying to say. Replace radical christian groups with Scientology or some other cult religion. Heck replace it with communism or conservative if you want.

What I have been trying to say is that regardless of who is preaching, religion should not be preached on universities period. The muslim, or christian doing the preaching should be kicked off campus faster than a speeding bullet. Preach outside campus thats his right, but on campus its university rules and all universities should protect thier students from any form of radical or mainstream religious thought and preaching as its not part of normal university life (unless you are at a religious university of course). I guess its my European upbringing and the seperation of church and state ideal that shines through, but to me religion is a personal thing that is to be kept between me, my church, my home and God himself. Its no business of the guy next to me or anyone else, nore do I expect the guy next to me to preach his beliefs to me or others.

Basicly people should not be complaining over that a muslim is preaching hate or whatever on a university campus, they should be complaining over the fact that religion is being preached to the young, regardless if its Islam or Christianity or something else.

Also Islam does not have the copyright on preaching hate...far from it. Talk to Roberston and his wacko friends. Any religion that believes that salvation will come one day for the only true faithfull is a religion of hate.

So I assume you didn't read at all the link I provided?

You will see that this was not about religion, it was about the killing of innocent people, in the name of religion. I can't think of a more appropriate discussion for our young students, as this is the problem of their time. Pointing to bad behavior, to justfy other bad behavior, this really irks me to no end. Comparing Pat Robertson, to the problems with Islam, well.......I don't know if apples and oranges even begins to express..........

 

[oldreliable67]

So are muslims not entitled to the same democratic rights as other americans? If concervative christians where demonstateing against Noam Chomsky i doubt u would be complaining so why should muslims be treated in a different way?

Muslims are most certainly entitled to the same democratic rights as any other American. And show me where am I complaining that "muslims be treated in a different way" - you can't because I didn't.

If I'm complaining about anything, its about this specific group of Muslims trying to shout down, shut up, or otherwise interfere with a speaker in a university forum. They weren't outside picketing, they weren't outside handing out leaflets, they weren't outside doing anything. They were inside the venue actively interfering with a university-invited speaker.

Conservative christians can demonstrate against Noam Chomsky (or Bugs Bunny or the devil himself) all they want - as long as they do it peacefully and don't interfere with the rights of those against whom they are demonstrating.

This is the same principle as what I refer to as the 'principle of the whole nose': your right to swing your arm in a large circle ends where my nose begins.

Is this speaker not deserving of the same rights as anyone else?

Furthermore, Red Dave, you're missing the bigger picture: the growing tendency to radical Muslim activism in the US. Or do you not believe that such is occurring?

 

[vergiss]

You can read more about this woman here, and why she feels the need to speak to this growing problem. You will find she is hardly the threat these people are trying to make her out to be. She has been witness to the Muslim hatred first hand, she speaks about it here with Frontpage......

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19016

Wait. So on the one hand she'll say stuff like:

"They complained that I would be taking questions on cards instead of allowing them to ask them publicly. Experienced in these settings, I knew they would make speeches, spew anti American and Israeli sentiments and create chaos in the room during the Q&A. I decided that they were not going to do that."

(talk about the mother of all gross generalisations!), not to mention claim she is "one who knows what's in the hearts and minds of Arabs", but on the other hand, she'll insist she's only being fair and balanced, and everyone's just being irrational? :lol:

What a pathetic joke. I'd join in on those protests!

 

[PeteEU]

So I assume you didn't read at all the link I provided?

You will see that this was not about religion, it was about the killing of innocent people, in the name of religion. I can't think of a more appropriate discussion for our young students, as this is the problem of their time. Pointing to bad behavior, to justfy other bad behavior, this really irks me to no end. Comparing Pat Robertson, to the problems with Islam, well.......I don't know if apples and oranges even begins to express..........

Yes its a topic that should be discussed and debated on university campuses but there is one hell of a difference between debate and preaching. Going after the muslim for disrupting a debate is one sided as I bet that a christian has done exactly the same in similar debates at other universities. But is that preaching? Or is it just going a bit overboard in a debate? Does the muslim not have a right to express his feelings within the confines of the uni laws when christian counterparts have those rights? Why not go after both and say shut the fek up and take your hatred outside the school grounds?

Also there is zero difference between a mullah calling for a fatwa against Salman Rushdie to Pat Roberston urging the assasination of a state leader. There is zero difference between christian preachers condeming the use of condoms in Africa and mullahs condeming a women to death for having a baby out of wedlock. Both will result in death of people.

The Christian church has murdered millions in its 2000 year history, and all in the name of God. Islam has killed millions in the name of God during its history. There is NO DIFFERENCE between the 2 religions as they are both being missused by thier followers to justify murder on a grandscale.

Pointing to bad behavior, to justfy other bad behavior, this really irks me to no end.

And having a double standard based on religious, sexual or political bias is even worse. You cant condem one party for something both parties do time and time again. You cant condem the mullahs for thier hate talk if you are not willing to condem the christian preachers for thiers. And at the moment the debate and condemnation is very very one sided.

 

[Jay R]

To my knowledge we don't have any behaviour like that at my institution, but we do have a significant number of Muslim students. I know there have been similar things at some UK universities, and there is a concern over it but the media don't report on it, they link radicalism with certain mosques, Finsbury Park for example, but not campuses, and to my knowledge there's been nothing like that hit 'n' run here. That said, Cardiff University student newspaper did print a Mohammed cartoon a while back. The editorial team were dismissed and the issue recalled. I guess we're not called Londonistan for nothing.

 

[oldreliable67]

(talk about the mother of all gross generalisations!), not to mention claim she is "one who knows what's in the hearts and minds of Arabs", but on the other hand, she'll insist she's only being fair and balanced, and everyone's just being irrational?

What a pathetic joke. I'd join in on those protests!

Protesting is one thing; denying those that wish to hear what the speaker has to say the opportunity to do so and to participate in a Q&A is quite another. It hardly seems a generalization when you consider that the speaker has considerable experience in dealing with similar situations. If you had ever been in attendance at an event where a group determined to shout down or somehow prevent the speaker from making the presentation for which they were invited or paid, you would know this.

 

[vergiss]

Protesting is one thing; denying those that wish to hear what the speaker has to say the opportunity to do so and to participate in a Q&A is quite another. It hardly seems a generalization when you consider that the speaker has considerable experience in dealing with similar situations. If you had ever been in attendance at an event where a group determined to shout down or somehow prevent the speaker from making the presentation for which they were invited or paid, you would know this.

I would know that such groups spew anti-American and -Israeli sentiment? :neutral:

Please, most of the people in this thread would enourage such protests and behaviour if it were, say, Michael Moore invited to speak.

 

[Red_Dave]

Muslims are most certainly entitled to the same democratic rights as any other American. And show me where am I complaining that "muslims be treated in a different way" - you can't because I didn't.

If I'm complaining about anything, its about this specific group of Muslims trying to shout down, shut up, or otherwise interfere with a speaker in a university forum. They weren't outside picketing, they weren't outside handing out leaflets, they weren't outside doing anything. They were inside the venue actively interfering with a university-invited speaker.

Conservative christians can demonstrate against Noam Chomsky (or Bugs Bunny or the devil himself) all they want - as long as they do it peacefully and don't interfere with the rights of those against whom they are demonstrating.

This is the same principle as what I refer to as the 'principle of the whole nose': your right to swing your arm in a large circle ends where my nose begins.

Is this speaker not deserving of the same rights as anyone else?

Furthermore, Red Dave, you're missing the bigger picture: the growing tendency to radical Muslim activism in the US. Or do you not believe that such is occurring?

My point is that loads of student organisations try to stop speakers. This particular group of students is merely being targetted because there are muslims involved.

 

[oldreliable67]

Please, most of the people in this thread would enourage such protests and behaviour if it were, say, Michael Moore invited to speak.

Thats pretty presumptuous on your part. But if they did, they would be wrong, IMO, and subject to the same criticisms that should be leveled at anyone participating in such. The freedom of the 'whole nose' is totally apolitical: your freedom to swing your arm in a big circle ends where my nose begins; your color or my color, your religion or my religion are totally irrelevant.