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    Muslim American News Briefs, September 13, 2007

Opinion Editorials

News

News Photos

* Hadith: Fasting is More than Avoiding Food, Drink
            - CAIR-OH: Muslims to Feed the Needy During Ramadan
            - CAIR-PA Holds Sharing Ramadan Events
* Save the Date for CAIR's 13th Annual Banquet Nov. 17
* MN Muslims Spit on Outside Mosque
* NY: Muslim Journalist's Photos Deleted After Questioning
* CAIR: 9/11 Brings Return of Vandalism for MD Family (WP)
            - MD Vandalism Video: WJLA, WUSA, FOX5
* VA: Muslim Woman Protests Rough Treatment at Airport
* CAIR-MI Troubled by Proposed Racial Profiling Act
* CAIR: Concurrent Holy Days Unite Jews, Muslims
            - CAIR-CA, CAIR-MI, CAIR-NJ
* CAIR-FL: Friday Prayers, Hearing Conflict (SP Times)
* CAIR-IL: The Islamophobe Who Cried Islamist
* IL: Officer Lives Muslim Values on Job (Sun-Times)
            - MI: Feminism Not Exclusive to Non-Muslims
* MA: Statement to Mend Mosque Rift (WBUR)
* NY: Controversy Over Palestinian Prof's Tenure (AP)
* FL: Federal Court Struggles with Al-Arian Case (NY Sun)

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HADITH OF THE DAY: FASTING IS MORE THAN AVOIDING FOOD AND DRINK - TOP

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Fasting is not (just abstaining) from eating and drinking, but also from vain speech and foul language."

"Perhaps a fasting person will gain nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will gain nothing from his standing except sleeplessness."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 132A

The Prophet also said: "Actions are judged (by God) according to the intention behind them, and everyone is (rewarded for) what he intended."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 113C

SEE ALSO:

CAIR-OH: CINCINNATI MUSLIMS TO FEED THE NEEDY DURING RAMADAN - TOP

(CINCINNATI, OH, 9/12/2007) - On Thursday September 13, the Muslim community in Cincinnati and around the U.S. will begin the observance of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Cincinnati chapter and other local Muslim organizations will mark the fast in part by feeding the needy in the local community.

Mosques in Clifton and Over-the-Rhine will feed people daily at sundown during Ramadan. CAIR-Cincinnati and the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati will hold a special event on September 23 near the Al As-hab Mosque on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine to distribute 450 hot meals to residents of the neighborhood.

"As more than one billion Muslims worldwide observe the fast of Ramadan, it is important for the American Muslim community to reach out to its neighbors as an example of true Islamic ideals," said CAIR-Ohio's Cincinnati Director Karen Dabdoub. "We are pleased to be able to share some of what we have with our neighbors during this special month."

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group, has 33 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.

CONTACT: Karen Dabdoub, 513-281-8200, E-Mail: kdabdoub@cair.com; Zeinab Schwen, zschwen@cair.com

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CAIR-PA HOLDS SHARING RAMADAN EVENTS THROUGHOUT DELAWARE VALLEY - TOP

(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 9/12/07) - The Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) is pleased to announce that Muslim communities in the Delaware Valley will host 'Sharing Ramadan' events throughout the month of Ramadan, which starts on Thursday September 13, 2007.

"These events allow American Muslims to share and celebrate the importance of the month of Ramadan with people of all faiths," said Aliya Khabir, CAIR-PA Philadelphia executive committee member.

"Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar when fasting, charity, prayer and peace is prescribed for all Muslims. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and break their fasts with a meal after sunset prayers; they invite friends and family to their homes and mosques to share meals together at this special time of the year."

Sharing Ramadan Event Coordinator: Justin Peyton, 215.592.0509 (Office), 215.601.4374 (Cell)

Upcoming Sharing Ramadan Events:

RSVP by calling 215.592.0509 or cairphilly@gmail.com

September 23, 2007 at 6:45 p.m.
Foundation for Islamic Education, 1860 Montgomery Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085

September 25, 2007 at 6:45 p.m.
Islamic Society of Greater Valley Forge, 958 Valley Forge Road, Devon PA 19333

September 30, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.
Foundation for Islamic Education, 1860 Montgomery Avenue, Villanova PA 19085

October 5, 2007 at 6:20 p.m.
Islamic Society of Chester County, 1001 Pottstown Pike, West Chester PA 19380

October 6, 2007 at 6:20 p.m.
North Penn Mosque, 600 Lawn Avenue, Lansdale, PA 19466

October 7, 2007 at 6:20 p.m.
Yardley Mosque

October 7, 2007 at 6:20 p.m.
Foundation for Islamic Education, 1860 Montgomery Avenue, Villanova PA 19085

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SAVE THE DATE FOR CAIR'S 13TH ANNUAL BANQUET ON NOV. 17 - TOP

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/12/07) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) invites you to its 13th annual banquet, with the theme "Let the Conversation Begin," on Saturday, November 17, 2007, at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Va.

Speakers will include:

* David Cole, Author and Professor, Georgetown University Law Center
* Michael Hamilton Morgan, Award-winning former diplomat and author
* Sheikh Kifah Mustapha, Imam & Associate Director, The Mosque Foundation, Bridgeview, IL

TICKETS

$65 per person
Family/non-profit organization tables - $1000
Business tables - $2000

RESERVATIONS: Seating is limited, reserve your seat(s) early. Call or e-mail for more information or to reserve a seat. Tel: 202-488-8787, E-Mail: events@cair.com

Volunteers needed. If you're interested, please contact events@cair.com

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MN: SPITTING IMAGE OF HATRED - TOP
Jenna Gordon, KTTC TV, 9/11/07
http://www.kttc.com/News/index.php?ID=18341

Two disgusting hate crimes at the Islamic Center in just as many days, but as NewsCenter's Jenna Gordon explains those at Rochester mosque just want to forgive and forget.

A disgusting act and it's not the first time it's happened; teens spitting on Muslims who attend the Islamic Center.

"All we can do is tell people in the Mosque to be a little more cautious and anything happens you let authorities know and let them deal with it," says Rashed Ferdous with the Islamic Center.

Police received two reported hate crimes during the weekend.

On Sunday a Mosque employee was standing outside the Islamic Center when a group of 10 teens, all boys and one girl, rode their bikes to the front entrance.

Police say one of the young men spit on the employee and stole his keys.

A day earlier, we're told another young man spit on a member and called him a derogatory name.

He also was with a group of seven teens again all boys and one girl.

"We just want to forgive people and we understand the ignorance on their part and if there's alcohol involved it goes a little out of control," says Ferdous.

Ferdous says members want to forgive the teens, but these incidents are not the first two that members of the Islamic Center have had to deal with in the last year.

"I was there one day when one group just stormed inside."

"Hearing something like this is disheartening because it's neither welcoming nor inclusive," says Lawson.

Courtney Lawson with the Diversity Council says she was disappointed to hear about the recent crimes and says it's a call to action for local government and community groups. (MORE)

SEE ALSO:

MN: POLICE INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS AT ISLAMIC CENTER - TOP
Rochester Post-Bulletin, 9/11/07
http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=307310

Rochester police plan to file a bias crime report with state officials after a pair of incidents at the Rochester Islamic Center.

The two crimes, part of a string of incidents at the Islamic Center during the past year, happened Sept. 8 and 9.

On Sept. 8, six or seven teenagers on bicycles approached a man who was putting on his shoes outside the mosque around 5 p.m. He told police one of the youths spit on him, and a boy, perhaps 17 years old, wearing khaki shorts and a red hat, called him the "n" word. The 37-year-old victim said he chased the teens on his bicycle but could not catch them.

On Sept. 9, a man who works at the Islamic Center said that eight to 10 white teenagers were riding their bicycles past the Islamic Center at around 4:15 p.m. One of the youths tapped the man on the shoulder from behind and another spit in his face. The teens also stole keys from the man.

The two incidents follow a string of incidents either at the mosque or the neighboring African mall during the past year.

The other alleged incidents include:

* On Sept. 28, 2006, a group of 20 to 30 teens hung around the mosque being disruptive.
* On Oct. 14, 2006, 10 teenagers loitered inside the mosque, were disorderly and refused to leave.
* On June 2, there were reports of youths riding by the mosque and spitting on people. (MORE)

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NY: SU STUDENT QUESTIONS VA SECURITY ACTIONS - TOP
She says medical center officers ordered her to delete photographs she took.
Michele Reaves, Post-Standard, 9/7/07
http://www.syracuse.com/articles/city/index.ssf?/base/news-3/

1189155965185391.xml&coll=1

A Syracuse University graduate student taking photographs outside the VA Medical Center says she was questioned and ordered to delete several images by hospital security officers Thursday afternoon.

Mariam Jukaku, 24, of Michigan, said the officers also photocopied her university ID and driver's license and asked if she was a U.S. citizen. She wonders if her appearance played a part in how the incident was handled.

Jukaku, a U.S. citizen of Indian descent, said she is Muslim and wears a head scarf.

"I got actually kind of annoyed. I felt that the question had no relevance," she said of being asked about her citizenship. "That's when I started wondering, 'Maybe someone who didn't look like me might be treated differently.' "

Gordon Sclar, a medical center spokesman, said security officers were following hospital policy that restricts photographs on hospital property. He said Jukaku was between the sidewalk and the parking lot. She said she stayed on the sidewalk.

Her appearance was not an issue, Sclar said.

"There is a policy that requires if video or photographic equipment is being used on our property and we don't know about it, (the operators) will be questioned," Sclar said.

"It's a government building and we're living in challenging times," he added.

But Sclar said photocopying her ID was not necessary and there is "zero tolerance" for discrimination.

"Removing the images that she shot was inappropriate, so we apologize," Sclar said.

Jukaku is a graduate student in SU's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She writes for The Post-Standard as part of the Newhouse fellowship program. (MORE)

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CAIR: 9/11 BRINGS A RETURN OF VANDALISM FOR FAMILY - TOP
Katherine Shaver, Washington Post, 9/12/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/11/AR2007091101995.html

For Samira Hussein and her family, the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks began at 6:45 a.m. yesterday when they noticed that six tires on their Astrovan and Lincoln Continental had been slashed outside their Gaithersburg home.

Like many Americans, Hussein said, they knew the anniversary would bring sad memories. As Muslims of Palestinian descent, she said, they were frightened but not surprised that they would be targeted on such a day.

"For most people, when you say Sept. 11, they don't think of Muslim Americans" as victims, said Hussein, 52.

Gaithersburg police are investigating the incident as a hate crime based on the Husseins' beliefs that they were targeted because of their religion, Sgt. Rudy Wagner said. Police had no suspects, and no similar incidents were reported in the city yesterday, he said.

It was also the only suspected hate crime or discriminatory act reported yesterday to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, spokeswoman Amina Rubin said. She said that the Washington-based organization usually hears of a spike in such incidents after terrorist attacks overseas but not on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (MORE)

SEE ALSO:

MD: VANDALS DAMAGE LOCAL MUSLIM ACTIVIST'S CAR - TOP
Greta Kreuz, WJLA, 9/11/07

VIDEO: http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0907/454539_video.html?ref=newsstory

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MD: MUSLIM ACTIVIST'S CARS VANDALIZED - TOP
Brittany Morehouse, WUSA 9News, 9/11/07
http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=62740

VIDEO: http://www.wusa9.com/video/player.aspx?aid=49394&bw=

Ten years to the day after Samira Hussein's family cars were slashed on the inside and outside, she woke up to a near identical incident.

The mother of three spends each morning driving her daughter and her daughter's friends to school. However, on September 11, one of those young friends delivered some bad news.

"She told my daughter 'Your mom's car has two flat tires,'" said Hussein. "As soon as I heard that I knew it wasn't just a flat tire."

When Hussein sent her son outside to check on it, he saw that his car's tires had also been slashed.

According to Hussein, the incident mirrors her family's experience up until the late '90's. They were victims to dozens of crimes.

"When the first American troops went to Saudi Arabia after Saddam Hussein raided Kuwait, that's when we started experiencing the problem," she said. "It continued for at least eighteen years."

The Hussein family has documented the cases. Six times their vehicles were vandalized. Several times they've woken up to find hate notes taped on their front door or dead chickens on their door mats.

But for the Palestinian-American whose children were born here, the worst are the school cases.

"Our children were taunted at school. They were hit and beaten up," she said. "My children grew up being fearful."

So, Hussein took the negative experiences and decided she'd turn them into something positive. She began volunteering at various school systems and even made national headlines with her attempts to teach young people about her culture.

"I will not give up because we are part of this society and this is how to be constructive, to reach out to educate," she said. "It woke us up. A lot of good things came from this." (MORE)

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MD: GAITHERSBURG MUSLIM FAMILY TARGETED BY VANDALS - TOP
Stacey Cohan, Fox5, 9/11/07
http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4325931

&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

A Muslim family in Gaithersburg says claims someone is terrorizing them on this 9/11 anniversary. They woke up Tuesday morning to find their cars vandalized and they say this isn't the first time it's happened. Fox 5's Sarah Simmons has their story.

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VA: MUSLIM WOMAN PROTESTS ROUGH TREATMENT AT RIC - TOP
Diane Walker, NBC12 News, 9/12/07
http://www.nbc12.com/news/state/9721587.html

Travel security measures six years after 9/11 have Muslims facing extra searches at airports everywhere. A Richmond woman says she was pulled for additional screening because of the religious head scarf she wears.

Zainab Nasser, originally from West Africa, works as a librarian and has lived here 10 years. While she believes she was racially profiled, unfairly scrutinized, the Transportation Security Administration calls it a necessary layer to ensure safe air travel.

"I was just so shocked, and everybody there - I could feel everyone's eyes were on me," she said.

The hijab is a prominent and controversial symbol of her identity as a Muslim. Zainab Nasser removed her head scarf for TSA officials, away from public view in a private room at Richmond International Airport.

"She goes like this banging on my head on my bun," Zainab said of the TSA agent. "She said, 'I'm just going to give you a hard bump to make sure you are not hiding anything in there.'"

She cleared the inspection. Zainab's key objection is that she never set off the security scan. No alarms sounded when she walked through the scanner, so why was she selected for the extra check? (MORE)

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CAIR-MI TROUBLED BY PROPOSED RACIAL PROFILING ACT - TOP
Michigan lawmaker's measure encourages racial profiling

(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 9/12/07) - The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) is troubled by a measure that would encourage profiling of anyone in Michigan who looks like an immigrant by local government employees, including local law enforcement officers.

Representative Kim Meltzer's (R-Clinton Township) "Sanctuary Policy Prohibition Act" would prohibit a recent anti-profiling ordinance that the Detroit City Council passed and any future ordinances in other municipalities.

In May of this year, Detroit was the first municipality in Michigan to pass an ordinance prohibiting city employees from inquiring into a person's citizenship status based upon their race or ethnic/religious attire.

"It is unfortunate that instead of cultivating better racial and religious relations, some elected officials seek to cast suspicion on anyone who has darker colored skin or does not wear 'traditional' Western attire," said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. "Such measures invite civil rights violations and harassment of tax-paying American citizens."

CAIR has 33 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.

CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, or dwalid@cair.com

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CAIR-CA: ROSH HASHANAH, RAMADAN TO BEGIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT - TOP
CBS2, 9/12/07
http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_255124316.html

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown Wednesday night, coinciding for the third year in a row with Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

The relatively unusual calendar occurrence is being used by religious leaders to urge two communities often at odds as a result of six decades of Arab-Israeli strife to come together.

"With Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah falling around the same time this year, Muslims, Jews and other Americans will have an opportunity once again to involve in spiritual reflection and renewal, and learn about each other's faith and traditions," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director for the Greater Los Angeles Area of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Rabbi Jim Kaufman of Temple Beth Hillel in Valley Village echoed that sentiment, telling the Daily News: "This is an opportunity for moderate-thinking Jews and moderate-thinking Muslims to celebrate their respective faiths and respect the paths of God that others have chosen."

Along with prayers at temples and synagogues, large Islamic centers and mosques, Jews and Muslims are called on to devote the next several days to introspection, generosity, forgiveness and personal renewal. (MORE)

SEE ALSO:

CAIR-MI: CONCURRENT HOLY DAYS UNITE JEWS, MUSLIMS - TOP
The dual observances of Rosh Hashana and Ramadan, which begin today, is 'rare occurrence.'
Mark Hicks, Detroit News, 9/12/07
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070912/LIFES

TYLE04/709120397/1003/METRO

After sundown today, Tammam Alwan will be spiritually attuned.

The West Bloomfield Township native and interdisciplinary humanities major at Michigan State University will mark the start of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting and contemplation, by praying at the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing.

Between adjusting his fasting schedule and studying the Koran, Alwan, 19, also plans a spiritual expansion. Acknowledging Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which begins today and launches 10 holy days, he said he hopes to accompany a Jewish friend to a synagogue.

Examining relations during venerated times for both faiths "helps build bridges," Alwan said. "Relationships build unity. We can come closer to peace."

Tonight, some 200,000 Jews and Muslims throughout Metro Detroit will simultaneously begin their holiest periods -- Ramadan, the month memorializing the archangel Gabriel revealing the Koran to Muhammad, and Rosh Hashana, which begins the Days of Awe when followers reflect and ask for forgiveness for sins.

"It's almost once in a lifetime," Victor Begg, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan, said of the simultaneous holy days. "It's a wonderful opportunity."

To celebrate the dual holy periods, the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Michigan is partnering with the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, a group of about 70 Jewish families, to coordinate an interfaith program by month's end.

While the convergence is a "rare occurrence," said CAIR-MI executive director Dawud Walid, joint observances can serve as a "reminder of our shared humanity and spiritual principles." (MORE)

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CAIR-NJ: JEWS, MUSLIMS ENTER TIME OF REFLECTION, JOY - TOP
John Chadwick, Bergen Record, 9/12/07
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZU

VFeXkxNjcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxOTQwNjEmeXJpc

nk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3

Jews and Muslims will begin celebrating their most introspective holidays tonight - the Islamic month of Ramadan and the Jewish High Holy Days.

Members of both faiths said Tuesday they're busy preparing for a time of increased prayer, family gatherings and rigorous examination of their behavior.

"Combined with the joy, there's a sense of introspection and reflection of how I can improve upon the last year," said Rabbi Ephraim Simon, of the Marcus Chabad House in Teaneck. "I look back and do an accounting on the personal level, but also on the rabbinic and organizational levels -- how can we reach out to more people?"

A Muslim woman, meanwhile, said Ramadan is a time for raising standards of personal behavior to new levels.

"Every day, there's a personal struggle to be a good human being, and at Ramadan you try to perfect that," said Afsheen Shamsi, community relations director for the New Jersey office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "You try to do as much good in the world as possible."

The two holy periods don't typically coincide. Muslims use a lunar calendar in which the time of Ramadan changes every year. Jews also use a lunar calendar, but modified so the holidays always fall within the same seasons.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunup to sundown -- a practice that they say increases their inner discipline, makes them sensitive to the poor and raises their awareness of God's presence.

The holiday, which commemorates God's revelation of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, to the prophet Muhammad, also is a time when Muslims join together and give to charity.

Some North Jersey Muslims, for example, are planning to go to Newark on the third weekend of Ramadan, Sept. 29 and 30, to distribute clothes, school supplies and hygiene kits to homeless and needy families.

"Ramadan is the month of giving," said Yousef Abdallah of Lyndhurst, northeastern operations manager for Islamic Relief, the group organizing the Newark drive.

The 10-day Jewish holy day period, with its themes of repentance and reconciliation, begins tonight with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, and culminates with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jews fast and seek atonement for sins. (MORE)

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CAIR-FL: RAMADAN, HEARING CONFLICT - TOP
The worry: Some witnesses for Youssef Megahed can't make it.
Abbie Vansickle, St. Petersburg Times, 9/12/07
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/12/Hillsborough/Ramadan__hearing_conf.shtml

As the bail hearing approaches for two University of South Florida students facing federal explosives charges, one man's family sees a conflict between court and faith.

The family of engineering student Youssef Megahed worries that friends and supporters will not be able to attend the hearing because of the date and time: Friday at 2 p.m. That's right in the middle of a mandatory Muslim prayer service at the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

"Many people wanted to be witnesses for Youssef," said his brother, Yahia Megahed. "They know his good fellowship, but because of the timing I think it will not be possible."

Megahed, 21, and Ahmed Mohamed, 26, have been in custody since Aug. 4, when they were arrested in Goose Creek, S.C., accused of having pipe bombs in their car.

Yahia Megahed said his father called the federal clerk's office to ask about getting the time changed but was told it was too difficult. No formal request has been made to change the hearing, according to court records.

The family's Charleston, S.C., attorney, Andy Savage, said he had not asked for a change because he expects a Tampa lawyer to take over the case. He said more time might be needed regardless of the prayer service conflict so the new attorney can become familiar with the case. . .

Ahmed Bedier, executive director for Tampa's chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, has been a visible presence from the start. However, he will choose prayer over court.

"My decision is I have to go to my prayer service," Bedier said. "It's conflicting with an important day."

That type of commitment is common on such a day, similar to the Jewish Shabbat or to a Christian Sunday service, according to Bedier and the Islamic Society of the Tampa Bay Area. (MORE)

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CAIR-IL: THE ISLAMOPHOBE WHO CRIED ISLAMIST - TOP
Ahmed Rehab, 9/10/07
http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/45946

"Pipes is wedded to his personal political agenda to such a point that it dominates his worldview invalidating his ability to act as a neutral scholar on Muslim-related topics. Concerned with the interests of Israel above all else, he consistently defines Muslim-Americans exclusively as a function of their position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

It is a token of the farcical times in which we live when an agenda-driven "scholar" with a track-record of attacking his "subject matter" should feel entitled to be taken seriously.

Daniel Pipes is as much a scholar on Islam and Muslims as David Duke is a scholar on Judaism and Jews. He does not seem to know where scholarship ends and where political advocacy begins. He does not initiate his research by asking questions for which he seeks answers, but by providing answers for which he cherry-picks evidence.

Pipes is wedded to his personal political agenda to such a point that it dominates his worldview invalidating his ability to act as a neutral scholar on Muslim-related topics. Concerned with the interests of Israel above all else, he consistently defines Muslim-Americans exclusively as a function of their position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

For Pipes, a "bad" Muslim is a Muslim who challenges his views on Israel and a "good" Muslim is one who agrees with them; in his "scholarly" lingo, the code terms are "Islamist" and "moderate" respectively.

The fact that Pipes is taken seriously by anyone is an indication of how low the bar of discourse on Islam is today (see M.T. Akbar: "We are not done with racism - yet"). With fear and suspicion clouding reason and critical thinking, it is not difficult for a Harvard graduate with a grim face and a set of intriguing theories to wrestle some media attention.

The type of racism espoused by the likes of Pipes is not the usual banter. There is raw racism and then there is sophisticated racism, and Pipes is a sophisticated man. (MORE)

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IL: OFFICER LIVES MUSLIM VALUES ON JOB - TOP
Name-calling aside, Gurnee man enjoys doing 'something different'
Rummana Hussain, Chicago Sun-Times, 9/12/07
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/553031,CST-EDT-Muslim12.article

He barely winces when obscenities are hurled his way, shrugging at occasional threats.

"What do you expect? You're not working with angels," says Rame Abdeljaber, a Lake County Sheriff correctional officer, referring to some unruly inmates.

Other name-calling stings, though.

"Before, everybody was holding in their negative feelings against Muslims," says Abdeljaber, a practicing Muslim who uses a garbage bag and part of a cardboard box as a makeshift prayer rug for some of his five daily prayers at work. "After 9/11, everything became more public. I hear it all the time."

Sleeper cell. Bin Laden sympathizer. Name-callers are never at a loss for words.

Even when he donned U.S. Army fatigues required for a military science class at Western Illinois University days after 9/11, a passing student yelled, "Whose side are you fighting on?" Another said, "Why are you wearing a uniform?"

"It doesn't matter what you tell them, they don't believe you," says Abdeljaber, 28.

Abdeljaber's maternal grandfather, a Palestinian hat manufacturer and restaurateur, emigrated to Chicago in the early 1900s but moved back to his native West Bank. Then his parents settled in Waukegan in the early 1970s, opening a convenience store.

Both of Abdeljaber's brothers work in the family business. His two sisters also married convenience store owners. But Abdeljaber, the youngest and most devout, wanted to do "something different." He had hopes of joining the National Guard, but when his father died months after 9/11, Abdeljaber quit school, earning his degree in criminal justice later. (MORE)

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MI: FEMINISM DOES NOT BELONG EXCLUSIVELY TO NON-MUSLIMS - TOP
Rebecca Mahfouz, Michigan Journal, 9/11/07
http://media.www.themichiganjournal.com/media/storage/paper255/

news/2007/09/11/Perspectives/Feminism.Does.Not.Belong.Exclusi

vely.To.NonMuslims-2961393.shtml

The resurrection of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) isn't stirring up the controversy it did in the 70s. Americans now have more pressing issues to deal with than whether women deserve the "equality of rights under the law," set forth in the amendment. Aside from the Iraq quagmire and the quagmire-to-be in Iran, we still don't know who will be "America's Next Top Model."

With these historic events unfolding, it's no wonder ERA isn't getting much attention. In feminist circles, however, the amendment is generating debate and the usual hostility toward women who don't buy the received definition of "feminism."

A few days ago, I stood outside CASL as some of the women's studies crowd discussed ERA. Being acquainted with two of the young feminists, I offered my view of Phyllis Schlafly and her anti-woman minions. My considered analysis of opposition to the amendment was met with silence and incredulous looks.

One brave young lady finally spoke, "So do you really consider yourself a feminist?" That was it, what it always comes down to with this set; that I cover my hair. This automatically excludes me from any conversation on women's rights. To them, I am a victim of oppression, someone to be "saved."

Attending a mid-Michigan college a few years ago, one of my professors said he was impressed by my thoughtful remarks and surprised because, "Muslim women don't usually hold those kinds of progressive opinions." It's hardly likely that a middle-aged Caucasian Christian man living in Midland, MI, and teaching at a college where about one percent of the students were Muslim knows more Muslim women than I do. But he certainly felt, like most people, that he had a good handle on what we are and are not. So what he was saying, essentially, was, "I'm glad you've absorbed 'our' ideas, God [in the Christian sense of God] knows, 'you people' don't have any ideas of your own."

No matter how many times I encounter this attitude, it's always a surprise that there are still people who believe that a woman's brain shuts down when she puts on a scarf. However enlightened someone seems, seeing a woman in hijab kills the part of their brain used for rational thought, substituting a Fox News-type banner, featuring lines like "Muslim women oppressed, American feminists pledge to save them." (MORE)

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MA: STATEMENT TO MEND MOSQUE RIFT - TOP
Martha Bebinger, WBUR, 9/12/07
http://www.wbur.org/news/2007/70333_20070912.asp

On the eve of Ramadan and the Jewish high holidays, some Muslim and Jewish leaders have signed a joint statement aimed at mending a rift over construction of a mosque in Roxbury.

41 Muslim and Jewish leaders and one board of rabbis say they hope their statement of shared beliefs will replace fear and distrust with respect for religious differences.

Alan Solomont, a past chair of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, says it is time to end disputes over the mosque, "And also to ease some raw feelings that exist and try to look forward, not backward at what we have in common as faith communities."

Jewish groups who claimed the mosque was financed, in part, by anti-semitic or terrorist leaders did not sign the statement, and some signatories acknowledge it could become its own lightening rod for controversy.

For WBUR, I'm Martha Bebinger.

THE JOINT STATEMENT IS BELOW.

Building A Community of Trust

We, members of the Jewish and Muslim communities, seek to build trust and mutual understanding and strive to forge positive relationships between our respective communities. We are determined to work together in order to replace fear, distrust, and misunderstanding of each for the other, where it exists, with hope, and respectful communication.

As shared beliefs:

* We affirm the common humanity of all racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and our common needs for safety, security and dignity.

* We decry all forms of terrorism, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice, or any other form of discrimination or stigmatization against any racial, religious or ethnic group. (MORE)

SEE ALSO:

MA: WITH HOLIDAYS, A VOW FOR BETTER JEWISH, MUSLIM RELATIONS - TOP
Pledge follows rift surrounding mosque
Michael Paulson, Boston Globe, 9/12/07
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/09/12/with_holidays

_a_vow_for_better_jewish_muslim_relations/

A group of local Jewish and Muslim leaders have signed a joint statement urging better relations between the two communities, which have suffered a serious rift over each other's response to controversial remarks by onetime leaders of a large mosque under construction in Roxbury.

The cautiously crafted statement, which is being released to coincide with tonight's start of both Rosh Hashana and Ramadan, commits the leaders to "strive to address disagreements and community concerns in ways that promote reconciliation rather than conflict."

That pledge appears to be a response to the mosque dispute, in which the breakdown in relations was so bad that it led to litigation, much of which was dropped in May. The statement also decries "all forms of terrorism, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice, or any other form of discrimination or stigmatization against any racial, religious, or ethnic group."

The statement includes the signatures of 20 individuals from each faith.

On the Muslim side, it includes the leaders of every prominent local Muslim institution, including five imams. On the Jewish side, where community institutions are under pressure from an Israeli advocacy group called the David Project to be skeptical of the motivations and backgrounds of Muslim leaders, the statement was signed by a number of prominent lay leaders but not by the staff who run mainstream organizations. (MORE)

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NY: CONTROVERSY OVER NEW YORK PROF'S TENURE - TOP
Deepti Hajela, Associated Press, 9/12/07
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5inioKhaLhjz3Hgl8Yc9X9wEA8g6g

A debate over an anthropologist's book on ancient Hebrew history isn't just academic - it's spilled over into an online dispute between critics trying to keep her from getting tenure and supporters who say the effort stifles scholarly freedom.

Nadia Abu El-Haj has been teaching at Columbia Univerity's Barnard College since 2002. Her book, "Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society," looks at the importance of archaeology in forming Israel's national identity.

The 2001 book discusses how archaeological discoveries have been used to defend the country's territorial claims and contributed to the idea of Israel as the ancient home of the Jewish people.

The professor, who is of Palestinian descent, argues that Israel has used archaeology to justify its existence in the region, sometimes at the expense of other nationalities like the Palestinians.

The book has garnered both praise and criticism, with opponents challenging her conclusions and her research. It was a co-winner of the Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Annual Book Award.

Criticism has spilled out of academia and onto the Internet, with a Barnard alumnus starting an online petition against the professor's tenure. Her supporters have an online petition, too.

The outside protest is "just preposterous," said Laurie Brand, director of the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California and the chairwoman of the committee on academic freedom for the Middle Eastern Studies Association.

She said tenure decisions should be based on the opinions of other experts in the field, and that opposition to Abu El-Haj was coming from critics trying to silence her. (MORE)

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FL: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT STRUGGLES WITH AL-ARIAN CASE - TOP
Josh Gerstein, New York Sun, 9/12/07
http://www.nysun.com/article/62436

A federal appeals court is struggling with the case of a former Florida college professor who admitted to aiding Palestinian Islamic Jihad but later insisted that his plea deal precluded the government from calling him before a grand jury investigating Islamic charities in Virginia.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments for 45 minutes here yesterday about the dispute's circuitous journey through four federal courts, resulting in the professor, Sami Al-Arian, spending nine months in jail, so far, for refusing to testify before the Alexandria, Va.-based grand jury.

"This is such a mess," one member of the three-judge appeals panel, Rosemary Barkett, declared.
"It is a mess," the prosecutor arguing for the government, Karin Hoppmann, replied. "It's a Gordian knot," she added in a later exchange.

A vexing legal problem in the case stems from the fact that the Virginia-based judge in charge of the grand jury, Gerald Lee, referred the dispute about the meaning of Al-Arian's plea deal to a Tampa-based jurist, James Moody Jr., who accepted Al-Arian's plea and oversaw an earlier trial at which the Palestinian Arab activist was acquitted on some charges. A federal prosecutor in Virginia backed the referral, but the government later took the position that referring such legal questions to another jurisdiction is illegal and unconstitutional.

Ms. Hoppmann, who is based in Tampa, said yesterday that the Virginia-based prosecutor, Gordon Kromberg, made "a mistake" when he agreed that the plea issue should be settled in Florida. (MORE)

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