Courtesy of LM
2010 is not the year for Michigan Muslims and Muslims around the world to go to the Disneys and vacation hot spots. There is too much threatening our civil liberties and existence to relax and enjoy those treats. This is a time for civil engagement, civil action and even civil disobedience if necessary.
It is said that every group of people who come to America must pay their dues. But, the Muslims in America already come from people who have paid their dues. The majority of Muslims in America are indigenous people of African-American heritage and Caucasian heritage. With each passing day, it becomes increasingly the fact that the majority of Muslims in America are indigenous. Despite the best efforts of hate-mongers, Islamaphobes and anti-Muslim rhetoric, more people are becoming Muslim every day in America. Yet, still the presumption is that Muslims are a foreign people in America. If it is the intention of either the government or others to attack Muslims in America, then we cannot sit on the sidelines of history and do nothing. We must as a community fight this injustice by the means and tools we have been taught by our forefathers in the civil rights era. Remember our great American Muslim brother, Mohammed Ali, and how he was not afraid to stand up for his beliefs. We have a moral imperative and moral responsibility to stand up and face these injustices that are abound and all around us.
We must as a community stand up to this injustice that we are facing, and invite others to join us in our effort who also stand for social justice and civil rights and liberties. In the last few weeks too many violations to the human and civil rights of Muslims have occurred in America. In Michigan alone, there have been many reports of Muslim women having their rights violated in the airports. There is suspicion of a man being killed in the Macomb County jail And, this coming week serves as an example of what seems to be coming down the pipeline for the future of Muslims in America.
Monday, February 1, 2010, we will receive definitively from the Dearborn Police Chief and Wayne County Medical Examiner's offices accounts of their investigations into the death of Imam Luqman. In the Qu'ran it is revealed that to kill one person is like killing an entire community. There is no measure to the pain the Muslim community is feeling given this latest receipt of information. The withholding of this type of information for so long and its results leads one to believe there is even more information that has not released and raises even more suspicion around the events surrounding the death Imam Luqman and prosecution of the young men with him on the day of his demise.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010, for all Muslim women who hold hijab as an expression of their freedom of religion, and all concerned citizens: CAIR-MI is challenging a rule recently passed by the Michigan Supreme Court that gives judges discretion to require Muslim women wearing hijab to remove it before testifying as a witness. The government filed a motion to dismiss, and the hearing is THIS WEDNESDAY. The government argued is allowing this is as a one-time challenge. They believe there is no support from Muslims or civil rights community against the government's actions. A show of support is critical to show the judge that this argument is not true! A stance of silence is the same and a stance of speech. They both have an effect. Please show your support by attending the hearing at 2:30 pm, at the Federal Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI, Rm 277.
Historically in America, once a people are perceived to be a "problem" people, bad things start to happen and get overlooked. We need to step up our efforts and stake our claim in our own Country to be treated equally with equal rights and liberties.
We must as a community face these challenges head-on. There are many ways in which one can contribute to the betterment of the Muslim circumstances in America.
- First, support civil liberties organizations like CAIR and the ACLU, and interfaith organizations i.e., ICPJ. To defend and protect citizens requires many resources. These resources disappear as cases and incidents increase. Please consider donating regularly. Do not wait for fundraising dinners. Donate now. Help is needed now.
- Second, make your voice heard. Write your Congress people and tell them of the injustices occurring and how they need to be changed and confronted. Let them know that you are a voter and that your concerns are meaningful. In southeastern Michigan, this would include Senator Carl Levin, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representative John Conyers and Representative John Dingell. Write Governor Granholm and your local Mayors. Let people know you care about what is happening and you want them to represent your concerns as they were elected to do.
- Third, demonstrate that you care by attending events like the ones this week concerning Imam Luqman and Hijab.
- Organize to demonstrate our interests as a collective.
- Be prepared to stand-up for what you believe through civil disobedience.
This is not just a test for Muslims, but for America herself. As President Obama referenced in his State of the Union address, 'people think that the values in America are changing.' If America does not protect all its citizens even the minority citizens, then it has changed.
Comments
I have nothing good what so ever to say about your so called religion;and muslims are not indigenous and never will be not one north American indian tribe I know of has turned the muslim religion! you people are the biggest hate mongers on the planet period
For the record, your brother Mohammed Ali may have been a great fighter, but he was also a draft dodger and a traitor. He defiled his citizenship to serve America. So I have no respect for him. And I have no respect for your disobedience rhetoric. Islam's greatest gains only came when it lived and practiced peace. So, if you don't want that, then leave.
Dave Yates:
Islam had come to America before Columbus.
Also, many slaves were Muslim.
themodernreligion.com/ht/before-columbus.html
Read the Qur'an for yourself, instead of relying on websites or, God forbid, the media.
Knowledge is Freedom. When you know something, you can see Truth from Falsehood without having to rely on anyone else. It's the most beautiful concept we have as human beings. Buy a Qur'an, and read it. I hope you will develop a respect for Islam, which will be the largest religion in the world within 20-30 years.
Franciszek:
I guess they won't leave then, because they never said they don't want peace.
When a Muslim has an angry face and is holding a sign at a rally, suddenly he is not protected by the Constitution? Just because your unsettled with the image of such a group doing so, doesn't mean they have to be disrespected.
What about the Christian protesters who hold rallies at U.S. soldier's funerals. Where should they go? Or, are they just dissenting Americans who are protected by the Constitution.
We have to be FAIR.
This article is an excellent example why Americans have a low opinion of Muslims, in general. First, they partner with CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation Hamas terror funding trial and an outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas infrastructure in America. CAIR was identified In U.S. vs. Sabri Benkahla, on page 58 as arms or founded by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamic supremacist organization. Second, Muslims claim way too often they are poor little victims. Third, too many Muslims have complained against increased national security measures after the failed "underwear bomber" that are in place to keep all Americans from a terror attack - which defies common sense. Fourth, it is also common sense to have someone's face and head visible in a courtroom. Fifth, there are no verses in the Quran that requires a woman to cover her head with a hijab. Sixth, calling for civil disobedience is not only ludicrous but dang
Oh, oh the last sentence got cut off: Sixth, calling for civil disobedience is not only ludicrous but dangerous.
First, to "Dave Yates" there are people who are Muslim with Native American blood running through them. I am one of them. If that is your litmus test for who is indigenous to this Country, unless you are saying that you are also Native American then you should go home.
Second, to "Franciszek" Mohammed Ali was a conscientious objector. He stood up for those who could not get a voice. Our men and women who are so honorable to serve and protect this Country should never be called upon to do less than that. They should never have to risk their lives for big business, to pillage natural resources, participate in the genocide of indigenous peoples or line the pockets of the wealthy. When they are forced to do so, they are hurt and that is not what they signed up to do. Why should someone ever have to go kill innocent poor people just to help some corporation get some natural resources?
To "Brandi" You need to get your facts straight. There is nothing Constitutional about running around with a list of unindicted co-conspirators that list every prominent Muslim organization and Muslim on it in America. Either indict them or leave them alone. This is a Bush era fear tactic to create a "problem people" to justify invading other lands and minimalizing the value of human life. Do you not see Tony Blair being subject to an inquiry right now?
Further,the security measures you speak of do not produce security, but rather humiliation. If they did provide security, I am sure every Muslim would be in support for them. But, they don't.
You don't know the Qu'ran. There is a cannon called Fiqh alloogat, which is the understanding of language and the Qu'ran does speak of hijab. In your limited English language translation and surface read of it, makes you sound as ignorant as those who have previously tried to say this, just ignorant and out to lunch.
Further "Brandi" we are not talking about covering the face which is called niqab, btw, rather we are talking about hijab.
Not for civil disobedience- so I guess you do not like heroes like MLK, Jr and Ghandi, Nelson Mandela. I see who you are now. Thanks for the clarification.
It is really shocking to me how Avatar is the highest grossing movie right now when it seems clear to have retold the complete 19th Century history of how people like you would like to see exactly what happened in that movie. Did you not see the direct correlations to the bows and arrows and the Marines bombs to the Palestinians rocks and the Israelis bullets. Did you not see the correlations to the Marines and corporations mining natural resources and the Iraq oil and Afghani oil harvesting.
"It is also common sense to have someone's face and head visible in a courtroom"
A woman's face IS visible when she is wearing hijab. As for the hair, I do not understand why people claim this to be important. Many American women (sometimes drastically) change their hair color and style every few months! Hair is not a good way to identify someone - you want to verify someone's identity, take their fingerprints!
And to those who might say that it is disrespectful to cover one's head in the court, I say that it is not so for Muslim women. We wear hijab outside all the time - we wear hijab when we stand in front of God to pray!
I want someone to give me ONE good reason as to why a woman should be required to show her hair in court, because I simply cannot think of one myself.
My sentiments exactly. The Muslim community needs to be more proactive, and has been sleeping far too long. Civil rights violations and hate crimes against Muslims are on the rise. Thank you for posting this article.
Keep it peaceful and I will have no issue with the protesting. The problem here, to often, to many times, Muslims tend to riot/burn/kill over sill crap. Like the Danish Cartoons. Europe is a wreck. So help me god if America looks one iota like Europe. The Muslims I know came over here to get away from that crap.
Ask a Muslim Convert to Christianity in Egypt how they feel about Islam. Ask the Christians over there.
I realize this is not your avergae happening in America. However, when you read world news, the Moderate Muslim looks like a 14th Century quack.
God Bless the good Muslims. TO hell with the rest.
"Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power."
Yea, give it a shot, I dare ya.
Question - what, exactly, do we know now about Imam Luqman's death that we did not know before? We were aware that he was shot by FBI only after he fired at them.
Has this been disproved in any way?
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