Muslims cancel festival over fears of Islomophobic backlash

[pinboy3niner]

Muslims fear backlash as festival falls near Sept. 11
Citing a growing atmosphere of distrust, especially since the issue of the Islamic center near Ground Zero erupted, some plan to tone down celebrations of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.

By Mitchell Landsberg, Los Angeles Times
August 21, 2010

For nearly a decade, the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno has held a carnival on the Saturday following the end of Ramadan, during a festival that has been called the Muslim equivalent of Christmas. With pony rides, carnival attractions, games and Middle Eastern food, it's a popular event for the community's children.
<snip>

This week, after listening to escalating rhetoric over plans for an Islamic community center within blocks of the destroyed World Trade Center site in New York, the Fresno center canceled the carnival.

"We thought it might be misunderstood and create a wave of attacks on our faith and community," said Imam Seyed Ali Ghazvini, the center's religious leader. "It's really just a community celebration that happened to occur on 9/11. …The way some local media outlets are attacking our faith and community created a serious fear among members of this community."
<snip>

"There's … the Islamophobia machine around the country, which would take hold of it and make it look like Muslims are celebrating on that date, when it's purely a coincidence," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based civil rights group.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ramadan-fears-20100821,0,70100.story

[marmar]

1. Sad days these are........

nt

[babylonsister]

2. This really ticks me off.

:nuke::nuke::nuke: rethugs. :grr:

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Me too

[lunatica]

3. Unfortunately it is the smart thing to do

It makes me sick nonetheless.

[TheKentuckian]

4. Its never "smart" to roll over for bullies they'll just take your lunch money again tomorrow

[babylonsister]

5. Agree with you, but not being a Muslim, I might be fearful, too. nt

[Rage for Order]

6. They've been thinking about this for months

It's not some new concern that suddenly popped up because of the controversy surrounding the community center & mosque in NYC, as the lead in to the article would like us to believe.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-08-14-eid13_ST_N.htm?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29

Most mosques usually intensify security around Ramadan because of the attention the month brings. This year, leaders have grown especially concerned about safety. In recent months, mosques around the country have faced protests and vandalism. The debate over a proposed mosque and Islamic center near ground zero has become a national issue.

Yet well before these recent tensions, American Muslim leaders saw trouble ahead when they checked the calendar. Haroon Moghul, a New York Muslim leader who speaks regularly at mosques, said mosque leaders have been discussing Eid al-Fitr for months.

[mike r]

7. "It's a popular event for the community's children"

Disgusting.

[KittyWampus]

8. this means the "Christian" Terrorists won.

[Rage for Order]

9. Did they?

what specific threat(s) from the "Christian Terrorists" led to the cancellation of this festival?

[KittyWampus]

10. If you read the article there has been vandalism.

Then there's the hateful rhetoric ratcheting up tensions and anti-Muslim sentiment.

There doesn't need to be a "specific" threat.

A minority group feels threatened, rightfully, and changed their normal behavior and that is the prime intention of terrorism.

To instill fear and make people change their lives.

[Rage for Order]

13. I didn't see a reference to vandalism in the article

Did I overlook it?

Did the "Muslim Terrorists" win on 9/11? After all, look what has become of air travel in the US.

The people in Fresno are worried about the rhetoric in NYC? That's what led them to cancel their festival?

[KittyWampus]

15. In a way, yes they did win after Sept 11th. Look at the pit Bush dug the world into.

Anyway, have a good weekend.

[dsc]

34. I know it isn't the same thing

but when Matthew Shepard died in WY, I didn't go out for a few nights in OH. I can easily see a Muslim organization not doing a public celebration in this climate.

[pinboy3niner]

36. You see what many others don't see--the intimidation

And you're wrong--it IS the same thing. Whether it's gays, Hispanics or Muslims, it's all the same--demonization, discrimination and abuse of a minority.

It's just one more battle for civil rights (as if we didn't have enough battles already!).

Thankyou for your testimony. You may not realize it, but it's important, and it helps. :thumbsup:

[dkf]

12. It's very interesting how Islam is embraced and Christianity reviled.

You would think that religious freedom is good for both or not for any.

Personally I don't like any religion telling me how to think.

[KittyWampus]

16. I make a point of standing up for Christianity on this forum. But not the people

on the right who abuse the words and name of a man who came to unite humanity and not divide us.

They have the Constitutional right to call themselves Christians but their actions are 180 degrees from the teachings they claim to follow.

[pinboy3niner]

17. Color me not shocked and awed that you'd spin it that way

"Islam is embraced."? Absolutely baseless.

Defending minority rights is not not the same thing as embracing their religious beliefs, as you already know. That's not even a nice try. :thumbsdown:

[dkf]

20. Well you rarely hear bad things about the Muslim religion while you hear

Quite a bit about the Christians when I would think they are equally against gay rights and abortion.

[pinboy3niner]

24. That might almost make sense--on some other planet

You cannot be serious.

"(Y)ou rarely hear bad things about the Muslim religion...." You've been involved intensely in these discussions, and you are PERFECTLY aware of the demonization of Islam and of members of that faith that has been occurring. 'Disingenuous' doesn't even begin to describe your response.

And your attempt to introduce "gay rights and abortion" is totally irrelevant here. Did you mean to post that in some other thread? Because here, it's just a non sequitur.

[dkf]

27. Not by posters here. I'm talking about the DU universe.

[pinboy3niner]

30. Then I suggest you post on the 'DU universe' board

Your posts here, as usual, are only disruptive to the discussion. If you're unhappy here, perhaps you could find a FRiendlier board... :)

[Violet_Crumble]

35. Why would you claim you never hear bad things about Islam at DU?

Do you not read the threads you post in? It's just that I've seen you actively participating in threads where not only are there bad things said about Islam, but there are nasty things said about Muslims...

[Chulanowa]

37. Absolutely it's good for both

The problem is that it's Christians trying to remove that freedom from muslims. If you can't understand hten why people are standing up for the Muslims and tellign the Christians involved to fuck off, then perhaps you are in the wrong corner of the internet.

[madrchsod]

11. giving in to your enemy does not win the war

[ck4829]

14. Hard to believe that this is happening in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

K&R.

[mmonk]

18. That's what they wanted.

[ellie]

19. That's terrible!

For people who revere the constitution so much the right wing assholes in this country sure have trouble with the "freedom of religion" part.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. Who fears Islom?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[unblock]

26. no one likes a grammar nozi.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

28. That's SPELLING Nozi for you!

[unblock]

31. diction nozi!

[pinboy3niner]

32. Sorry, I can't find that in my dictionozi :)

[philly_bob]

22. Bad news! (nt)

[Douglas Carpenter]

25. a most disturbing story

actually I knew a Syrian doctor, a very experienced Yale graduate, Pediatric Oncologist who was living and practicing in Fresno - such a quiet man and so intensely patriotic to America he was practically a walking Fourth of July speech - and still a religious Muslim - I think of him now and wonder about the pain all of this causes - because he was just to typical of many Middle Eastern people who came to America and found a better life for themselves and their family and felt so deeply grateful to America

[pinboy3niner]

33. It's very disturbing that friends like yours will suffer...

...discrimination, hostility, intimidation, and worse.

The Right continues on a course that is harmful and destructive to minorities--gays, (Hispanic) immigrants and Muslims are their current targets (though gays and immigrants have been favorite targets forever).

For people like your friend, of any minority group, the injustice is all the more disturbing.

Also disturbing is the way families of 9/11 victims are being used and exploited so cynically to advance a very ugly political agenda. Hard to believe that it intrudes even here.

I have to salute you, Doug, for all you are doing to inject some rationality and counter the bigotry.

:salute:

[red red red]

29. Infuriating! Guess this is just the start! n/t

[GrantDem]

38. I really don't like the direction our country seems to be heading...

With all this hatred and vilification of Latinos, Muslims, etc. It is frightening...

[deacon]

39. Ole Bush really did a good job on that eh? He's a realllllllly bad hangover.

Discrimination sucks. Thanks bush. Thanks GOP for your wonderful contribution to society. America is not all made up of male rich fat peverted white guys yanno.

Mr big fat GOP, whether you are hiding behind Rush, Palin, Boehner, or Hannity or Beck - you're all a bunch of transparent garbage.