Salaam....

Someone sent me this comment on my blog, but I couldn't find it, in order to respond, so I am responding to Mr. "Anonymous" here:

His comment:
u look beautiful in that clothes which covers ur face...e-mail ransom_on_life to contact me pretty..u r de most beautiful lady i ve seen...kisses


#1-I wasn't born yesterday and I am CERTAIN that my sister or one of my friends put you up to this as a joke...very funny *grim sarcasm*

#2-If it is not a joke, than it really should be because that is VERY forward to be writing to someone that you don't even know. Esp. since you have never seen my face, for goodness sake!! I could have some disfiguring desease (Allah Forbid!!) or something!!!

#3-I do NOT wear "clothes" over my FACE!

#4-Thanks for the compliment, mashallah...I am flattered (even though you've never seen me, hahhahahahah)

#5-I am married, and am certain that my husband would feel a little upset if I contacted you via email, so I apologise but I cannot take you up on your offer.

#6-I don't mean to show my OCD colors (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) but you have a couple of grammatical errors which need to be worked on...

Other than that, thanks for the comment and best wishes!! Jazak Allah Kher for calling me beautiful, regardless of whatever your intentions were....it has been duly noted~Habibee

This is where the country is headed...*sigh* Canada, anyone??

Tom Tancredo Eyes White House Run

By STEVEN K. PAULSON
The Associated Press
Friday, July 22, 2005; 5:24 PM

DENVER -- Tom Tancredo has been called a one-trick pony of a politician, a man out of step with his party, a bigot. The Republican congressman vehemently opposes illegal immigration, and he created an uproar last week when he talked about nuking Muslim holy sites.

No matter, Tancredo is pressing on and even hinting at a long-shot presidential bid in 2008.

Tancredo has already visited New Hampshire and Iowa this year, and says he found a welcome audience among voters who are fed up with the nation's immigration policies, including proposals by President Bush.

"Unless I misread the political tea leaves, there is a great deal of support for what I say," Tancredo said.

Tancredo raised eyebrows last week by telling a radio talk show host that "you could take out" Islamic holy sites should terrorists ever launch a nuclear attack against the United States.

"You're talking about bombing Mecca," asked the host.

"Yeah," Tancredo responded, saying he was "just throwing out some ideas." He later said his comments were taken out of context and refused to apologize.

Few consider Tancredo a serious challenger for the GOP presidential nomination, but his stance resonates with some in a post-Sept. 11 era when volunteer groups like the Minutemen have been patrolling the border for illegal immigrants.

Such critics contend illegal immigrants are a security threat, take jobs from Americans, overburden the health care system and raise the crime rate.

Tancredo would like the United States to patrol its borders with the military. He said the U.S. also needs a guest worker program that requires employers to prove a need for short-term labor, without amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Esteban Flores, executive director of the Latino Research and Policy Center in Denver, calls Tancredo a bigot who is trying to use racial division to further his career. He compared Tancredo to George Wallace, the outspoken opponent of desegregation.

"He's preying on peoples' fears, which is the worst way to build public trust," Flores said.

Tancredo doesn't see it that way.

The 59-year-old grandson of an Italian immigrant is a former public school teacher. He said he began his campaign after becoming disgusted with bilingual education requirements that he says turned out students illiterate in two languages.

Tancredo said he received a warm reception when he traveled to New Hampshire to give an award to a police chief who arrests undocumented immigrants on charges of trespassing. It warmed him up for Iowa, the key caucus state he visited this month.

Unlike 2002, when the GOP tried to distance itself from Tancredo amid concern he could cost them Hispanic votes, the national party is backing the four-term congressman's re-election bid in the heavily Republican suburbs of southern Denver. So far, there is no Democratic challenger for the 2006 race.

The GOP is eager to point out it has a plank on immigration reform, though Bush and Tancredo disagree on the details.

Bush promoted a guest-worker program that would allow migrants to work in the United States for a limited time as long as they have a job lined up.

"The president sees immigration reform as a necessary component to protect our borders from traffickers and smugglers, and we have to deal with it in a humane way," said Aaron McLear, spokesman for the Republican National Committee.

Experts say Tancredo has no chance at the White House, but like Ross Perot's campaign on a balanced budget in 1992, he has found an issue that could force other Republicans to treat immigration as a major issue.

"If he gets lots of attention, if he moves in the polls, some candidate has to pick it up," said Floyd Ciruli, an independent Denver pollster.

QUOTING THE QURAN - TOP
HUSSAM AYLOUSH, Press-Enterprise, 7/22/05
http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/editorials/stories/PE_OpEd_Opinion_D_op_22_quran.8a0801c.html

Editor's note: When a reader recently wrote to us with a provocative question about the nature of Islam, we sought a response from a Muslim leader from the Inland region. The query and answer are published here.

Peaceful precepts?

Parvez Ahmed's commentary ("Blame Islam game misguided pastime," July 15) states that the bombings in London were committed by "Islamic extremists" and were universally condemned by major Muslim groups throughout the world as being totally against the precepts of Islam.

I have a simple, straightforward question and I'd like a simple, straightforward answer. The Quran, sura 47:4, states, "When you meet the unbelievers, strike off their heads; then when you have made wide slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives."

How do Parvez Ahmed and the others reconcile their statements with the command of Allah as recorded in the inerrant word of Allah by Muhammad, His prophet?

WALTER MARTIN CLARK, Riverside

Imagine a letter to the editor asking Christians or Jews to reconcile Christianity or Judaism in light of an out-of-context verse from the Bible, such as: "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:3)

Or this verse: "The people of Samaria must bear their guilt because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." (Hosea 13:16)

This is certainly not a fair or scientific way to understand the Bible nor the peaceful message of Christianity or Judaism. The Quran, like all other scriptures, cannot be understood except within its context. Taking a verse out of its theological or historical context can lead to misinterpretations, often the hallmark of extremists. Just as the Bible has been abused by fanatics to justify slavery and holocaust, so have Muslim fanatics abused the Quran to further their murderous agenda.

The verse that the writer referred to, verse 4 from chapter 47, specifically refers to Muslim armies involved in a battle encounter. Here is a more authentic -- and less sensational -- translation:

"So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterward either set them free as a favor or let them ransom (themselves) until the war terminates."

Islam forbids wars of aggression and, like Christianity, sets strict conditions for just warfare. Those conditions are limited to self-defense or removing injustice against other people, as stated in the following verses in the Quran.

"Fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! God loves not aggressors." (2:190) (MORE)

Hussam Ayloush is the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Southern California (for more information, see www.cair.com). He is a resident of Corona.

---

Muslims Call Comments by WMAL Host 'Hate-Filled'

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 26, 2005; Page C01

A local radio talk show host touched off complaints from an Islamic civil rights organization yesterday after repeatedly describing Islam on the air as "a terrorist organization" that is "at war with America."

The organization, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), asked the station to take disciplinary action against Michael Graham, who hosts WMAL-AM's late-morning call-in program.

A station executive, Randall Bloomquist, said yesterday that Graham's comments were "amped up" but justified within the context of the program. He said the station, which is owned by the Walt Disney Co., had no plans to reprimand Graham.

The show host touched off the flap during a discussion of the Muslim community's response to recent acts of terrorism. Graham suggested the fault lies with Muslims generally because religious leaders and followers haven't done enough to condemn and root out extreme elements. "The problem is not extremism," Graham said, according to both CAIR and the station. "The problem is Islam." He also said, "We are at war with a terrorist organization named Islam."

CAIR denounced the comments yesterday as "hate-filled" and "Islamophobic" and asked its members to contact the station's advertisers to express their dismay.

"It's amazing," said Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR's communications director. "I talked with Mr. Bloomquist and asked him if he would reprimand someone who used the n-word on the air. He said yes. I asked him if he would reprimand someone who read [approvingly] from the [anti-Semitic] 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion.' He said yes. So I asked him if he would do the same if someone had called Islam a terroristic organization. Well, he said, it's all about context, but he never quite explained it to me."

Added Hooper, "The First Amendment allows people to be idiots and bigots. All you can do is embarrass people and have them defend their reputation. If WMAL doesn't feel embarrassed and doesn't want to defend its reputation in the face of anti-Muslim bigotry, then there's not much we can do about it."

Graham, who broadcasts locally, is one of several conservative hosts heard on WMAL (630). The station's daily lineup includes the syndicated Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity programs.

After rising slightly during the months preceding the presidential election last year, WMAL's audience ratings have fallen precipitously. Exact ratings for Graham's 9-11:45 a.m. time slot are unavailable, but WMAL's morning programming, which includes part of Graham's program, are off 25 percent since last year. The station overall has lost 41 percent of its core 25-to-54-year-old audience in the past 12 months, dropping from 158,200 individual listeners per week to 116,600.

Graham declined to comment when contacted yesterday, saying, "I'm saving all my comments for my show. You'll just have to listen." But in his weekly column, which will appear on WMAL's Web site today, he repeats the statement that "Islam is a terror organization" and makes the following analogy:

"If the Boy Scouts of America had 1,000 Scout troops, and 10 of them practiced suicide bombings, then the BSA would be considered a terrorist organization. If the BSA refused to kick out those 10 troops, that would make the case even stronger. If people defending terror repeatedly turned to the Boy Scout handbook and found language that justified and defended murder --and the scoutmasters responded by saying 'Could be' -- the Boy Scouts would have been driven out of America long ago.

"Today, Islam has whole sects and huge mosques that preach terror. Its theology is openly used to give the murderers their motives. Millions of its members give these killers comfort. The question isn't how dare I call Islam a terrorist organization, but rather why more people do not."

Bloomquist said his station had received more than 100 e-mails protesting Graham's comments, many of them, he said, apparently generated by CAIR's e-mails to its members. He went on to defend Graham, saying, "Remember that this is talk radio. We don't do the dainty minuet of the newspaper editorial page. It's not 'Washington Week in Review.' It depends on pungent statements to drive it. Michael is rattling the cage. It's designed to start and further a conversation, and it has certainly done that."

Graham made waves earlier this year when he scuffled with Montgomery County police after he tried to attend an event for illegal immigrants while wearing a T-shirt that read "INS (I Need Border Security)." He also recently led a rally in front of The Washington Post's building in the District seeking the dismissal of Newsweek reporter Michael Isikoff, who wrote a story that inaccurately reported on alleged abuses of the Koran in the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba (Newsweek is owned by The Washington Post Co.).

Graham has also clashed with CAIR in the past. The group last year cited him in a campaign called "Hate Hurts America" for what CAIR described as implicitly advocating violence against Muslims.

Major wrestling show rubs terror wounds raw

Detroit character a villain to many
July 26, 2005


BY NIRAJ WARIKOO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

He is an Arab American born and raised in Detroit.

But after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Muhammad Hassan was treated like an outsider: profiled at airports, ethnically insulted and shunned by a cold America. And so he transformed into a raging fiend bent on revenge.


That story -- complete fiction -- is the basis of a controversial pro-wrestling character watched by millions across the country over the past several months. Scowling, he enters arenas with an Arab headdress to the thump of Middle Eastern music and cries of "Allah Akhbar," the Arabic phrase for "God is great." Despite the baying crowds, he usually wins.


But late Sunday night, Hassan was beaten bloody in a match that may be his last. After protests from viewers, TV stations and Arab-American groups, Hassan's character has been written out of the fantasy world of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).


The writers of the script say it was a sensitive portrayal of how bigotry can lead Muslims down a radical path. Ok, so basically, if you don't play nice with the Muslims, they will kick your Democracy-loving @$%. Yeah, there's a realistic portrayal *sarcasm*

But to many local Arab Americans, it was a story line that stoked hatred for profit.
Thank you Captain Obvious!

"You're creating negative views of Arab Americans," said Bilal Dabaja, a 20-year-old college student of Arab descent from Dearborn who loved pro wrestling when he was younger. "We know he's performing an act, but for a lot of young kids, these stories could be seen as true."


They are stories that highlight tensions about the status of Arab Americans and Muslims living in the West after the London bombings earlier this month. But the show's provocative suggestion -- that some Western-raised Muslims may pose a threat -- is one many locally find absurd.


The character is played by Mark Copani, a tanned Italian-American from New York. The role came under intense criticism July 7, the day of the London terrorist attacks, when UPN aired a match that night featuring Hassan. He loped into the arena with five men in black ski masks and camouflage as the crowed chanted "U-S-A!" OMG...only in "White Trash USA" would people find this sort of show entertaining...I rest my case.

After Hassan's manager, an Iranian Muslim, was beaten senseless by an opponent, the five men carried the manager out on their shoulders in what appeared to be a funeral for a suicide bomber. Wow...that crosses the line, even for this kind of T.V. show...

Viewer protests followed, prompting UPN to lean on the WWE to dump the character, UPN spokeswoman Joanna Massey said Monday.


WWE officials agreed and said Monday that Hassan probably will not be back after Sunday night's match, which again featured the suicide-bomber story line. But the WWE insists the depiction was a positive one that tried to probe the bias Arab Americans have faced over the past few years. Wait a minute...how's that again?? A POSITIVE DEPICTION???!!!!!!

"The writers did a fairly good job of giving background and context to the character," said Gary Davis, a spokesman for WWE. "They were trying to get across a very serious issue that Arab Americans face."


Local Arab Americans don't buy that.


Imad Hamad's three kids, ages 7 to 11, enjoy watching professional wrestling at their home in Dearborn. But they were confused, and troubled, when they started to see Hassan on the show "SmackDown," watched by 5 million viewers every week.


"My kids were saying: This is not us, this is not right," said Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which took a lead role in trying to remove the character. "There's nothing entertaining when it comes to hatred and bigotry."


Hassan made his debut in November, when he started to appear in TV promos. In the world of professional wrestling, backstories are part of the fun, giving viewers colorful tales that add to the drama.


Hassan's story was this:


Born in the United States, he wanted to fit in. But after Sept. 11, 2001, the 20-something became the victim of bias and ethnic harassment. In one clip on www.wwe.com, he and his Iranian manager, Daivari, are in a rage, glaring at the screen in what appears to be an airport. Oh great...always linked with an Airport...when will it stop?? Enough already!


"Because we are of Arab descent, we are singled out, we are humiliated and often we are strip-searched because my name is Muhammad," growls Hassan, played by Copani. "We are Arab Americans," he adds, putting a strong emphasis on "Americans." "And we demand the same rights that any American has. And if you don't give us the respect that we demand, then I will beat it out of anyone who gets in my way!" Man, I been shouting that for years, and noone even pays attention to me *sarcastic grin*


Hassan played his first match in January. Weighing 245 pounds, he usually entered the arena with Arabic music and Islamic calls to prayer blaring over a loudspeaker. He was always angry.


"He was a loyal Arab American, but was treated differently because he happened to be Arab," explained Davis. "His anger caused him to take the course of embracing his roots and being defiant to his fellow Americans because of their reaction to him."
EMBRACING HIS ROOTS!! I am so freaking offended right now. So now it's in our ROOTS to be violent and defiant. Wow. That takes the cake. Can you believe this guy is a SPOKESMAN for a Television show??

In one of his first matches, Hassan declared to a booing crowd:

"If you don't open your eyes and see what you're doing to my Arab brothers, to me, to me," he proclaims in a clip on www.wwe.com, "then my New Year's resolution will be to personally beat some sense into America." Greeeeeeaaat Approach....*nervous twing* Yup, that's just like ALL MUSLIMS...if we can't win your respect, we'll beat it outta ya.

Such stereotypes during times of foreign conflict are not new in pro wrestling. During the 1980s, as the United States squared off against Iran and the Soviet Union in the Cold War, two of the most popular wrestlers were the Iron Sheikh and Nikolai Volkoff.


The Iron Sheikh, who was actually from Iran, defiantly waved an Iranian flag and sneered at the United States. He was world champion for about a month starting in December 1983, but lost his title to Hulk Hogan. In 1985, Iron Sheikh teamed up with Volkoff, a Russian, to win the tag-team championship.


Years later, the Iron Sheikh had a running feud with Sgt. Slaughter, a wrestler who was a proud member of the U.S. Army.


This year, as the Iraq war droned on, Hassan's loyalty was often called into question by other wrestlers.


It's all an act. But to many Arab Americans, a painful one.

LAX TO LONDON PLANE DIVERTED - TOP
Kathy Vara, ABC 7, 7/25/05
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/072605_nw_plane_diverted.html

LOS ANGELES - Three Pakistani businessmen -- passengers on a flight from Los Angeles to London -- have been checked out and cleared to travel.

United Airlines Flight 934 made an unscheduled landing today in Boston, because other passengers complained the three men were acting suspiciously. The flight was diverted to Logan International Airport, where the men were questioned and then released. They said they were traveling for business.

An FBI spokeswoman says passengers were uneasy because the men were walking back and forth between first class and coach. It turns out their pacing was because they'd been seated in different sections.

Massachusetts State Police say the plane was also searched and nothing suspicious was found. It was cleared to continue on to Heathrow.


I know that people are all cautious and skittish about Terrorism right now, but I wish they could see how exhausting it is for us (Muslims) to have to live our lives like a watched animal~ Esp. since the majority of us are completely innocent, and yet we are considered guilty until proven likewise. On a logical level, I can see people's concerns and why they watched these men so thoroughly for suspicious behavior~ but let's come right out and say it: They only watched them because they were MUSLIM, and if some white non-Muslim guys had been doing the same, no one would have blinked an eye. It sucks that we (Muslims) have to be careful how we act, and watch what we say, and STILL we are regarded as Dangerous!!!!

Currently listening to: "Take another little peice of my heart now baby..." Janis Joplin (Like, right this minute...)
Currently reading: Gandhi's Autobio (awesome!!!) and Salvation on Sand Mountain (for school...not electively!!! Next semester is creeping up on me, so I thought I would get a head start.)
Current Movie recommendation: A Very Long Engagement~Good movie, and it stars Audrey Tautou..how could you go wrong??

Ok, I am trying to have a "calm" day, I am not going to write any scathing reports on current events...no reading BBC online today, or checking out Bangladeshi newspapers...no watching television news...no political conversations with friends...NOTHING! Just happiness and sunshine today. I really need a break anyways.

But what is there to talk about besides politics and CURRENT EVENTS??!?!?!!?!?!?! This is going to be a really lame post, but since I am never good at remembering to post regularly (I am not a good "schedule" follower...)I better just post SOMETHING. My apologies for the lameness of this post...Ali Farka Toure is such an AWESOME guitar player. Man! It makes me want to learn to play the guitar. And I have no musical inclinations whatsoever. I just heard "Addicted to Love" and am now listening to the song "Ai Du"...he is giving me chills with his talent. Whoooo. Ok, that was dumb. This is becoming a stupid commentary post about nothingness...I am beginning to sound like my little sister's blog....I better just post this and forget about writing anything witty or extremely intelligent.

For a bowl of water, give a goodly meal;
For a kindly greeting, bow thou down with zeal;
For a simple penny pay thou back in gold;
If thy life be rescued, life do not withhold.
Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold they reward.
But the truly noble know all men are one,
And return with gladness good for evil done.

~~~~Gujarati Didactic Stanza

What in the world is this all about?? My friend forwarded it to me and I have no idea what it is about and cannot find any info on it...Has anyone even heard about this situation???? I am shocked!!!!!



ELATION IN HARLEM AS GIRL HELD IN TERROR INQUIRY IS RELEASED - TOP
>NINA BERNSTEIN, New York Times, 5/7/05
>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/07/nyregion/07suicide.html
>
>It began with two 16-year-old immigrant girls arrested at dawn, detained
>far from home, and, in a chilling government assertion, called would-be
>suicide bombers who posed "an imminent threat to the security of the United
>States."
>
>But now, after holding the girls for six weeks in a Pennsylvania detention
>center, the government has quietly released one of the girls and is
>allowing the other to leave the country with her family.
>
>One girl, an immigrant from Guinea, was back in her East Harlem high school
>yesterday among the jubilant friends and teachers who have insisted all
>along that the accusation was absurd. The other girl, who grew up in
>Queens, was still in detention, but was granted an order from an
>immigration judge that will allow her and her parents to return to their
>native Bangladesh as soon as the trip can be arranged.
>
>Many questions remain unanswered in a case that has been marked from the
>start by secrecy, including closed hearings, sealed F.B.I. declarations,
>and orders barring the lawyers from disclosing government information.
>James Margolin, an F.B.I. spokesman, did not return calls seeking comment
>on the latest developments, and earlier had said he could not discuss the
>cases.
>
>But Natasha Pierre, the lawyer for the Guinean girl, Adama Bah, said the
>outcome spoke for itself. "She should never have been detained in the first
>place," Ms. Pierre said of her client, who was not yet 2 when she arrived
>in New York with her parents, Muslims who have a trinket shop near a subway
>stop in Bushwick, Brooklyn. "I'm still under a gag order and I have to be
>very careful not to cross the line. All I can say is she's innocent - she's
>more than innocent. The girl doesn't know anything."

Salaam! I am reading Gandhi's autobiography right now and I am feeling SO inspired. Also, I am in an Interfaith Alliance group and I got to speak about Islam today, and I felt so happy afterwards. People seemed genuinely interested and understanding...there was no hateful commentary or anything even close. It made me realize that yes, maybe world peace is possible SOMETIME in the future, and that understanding and love amongst various groups is not a dream, but an actuality. Inshallah.

The seeker of truth should be humbler than dust...~Gandhi

Salaam Alaikum!!
Tonight I watched a very wonderful documentary called Promises and I am recommending it to EVERYONE!! Please, please, please go out and watch this documentary. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jew, or anything else. It will open up the eyes of the world to this situation...and make you understand BOTH sides of the coin. The main theme of this story runs along the lines of my favorite quote:

AN EYE FOR AN EYE ONLY MAKES THE WHOLE WORLD BLIND~GANDHI


Ma salaama~Habibee

Sorry to write about such grim things today. I just feel like I need to speak out about it. It gets really frustrating sometimes to be seen as the "other" or the "enemy"....I feel sort of alienated in my own country sometimes, and it's hard to deal with. If I can't be accepted here, than where will I go? I have no "other" country to go to! This is my home! I was born here! I am an American! This is all I know!~ THis must be what it felt like for the German Jews during WWII- they were considered outsiders in their own country...I see so many parallels to what is happening right now in America and what happened in Germany in the beginning of the Holocaust (i.e. propaganda against Jews/Muslims, people referring to Jews/Muslims as a different "type" of people, people's generally discontent with Jews/Muslims and their use of Jews/Muslims as scapegoats for other internal issues within the country...etc.) I am not saying that America would ever go to the extreme of actually KILLING Muslims outright...but at least there HAS been talk (just after 9/11) of placing Muslims in "supervised holding units" similiar to concentration camps (like we did to the Japanese in WWII). So, some things aren't TOO OUTLANDISH for America to consider.....

U.S. Marines Accused of Killing Iraq Man

Iraq Ambassador to U.N. Accuses U.S. Marines of Killing Unarmed Cousin, Calls for Investigation

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS Jul 2, 2005 — Iraq's U.N. ambassador accused U.S. Marines of killing his unarmed young cousin in what appeared to be "cold blood" and demanded an investigation and punishment for the perpetrators.

In an e-mail to friends obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie said the killing took place in his ancestral village in western Anbar province, where U.S.-led forces have been conducting a counterinsurgency sweep aimed at disrupting the flow of foreign militants into Iraq.

His cousin Mohammed Al-Sumaidaie, 21, a university student, was killed June 25 when he took Marines doing house-to-house searches to a bedroom to show them where a rifle which had no live ammuntion was kept, the ambassador said. When the Marines left, he was found in the bedroom with a bullet in his neck.

Richard Grenell, spokesman for the U.S. Mission, said acting U.S. ambassador Anne Patterson received a call from the Iraqi ambassador "and expressed her heartfelt condolences on this terrible situation, and contacted senior State Department and Pentagon officials to look into the matter immediately."

The U.S. military issued a statement in response late Friday.

"The events described in the allegations roughly correspond to an incident involving Coalition Forces on that day in that general location; therefore a military inquiry has been initiated," the statement said.

"We take these allegations seriously and will thoroughly investigate this incident to determine what happened," the statement quoted Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson as saying. The investigation could take several weeks, the statement said.

Sumaidaie said the killing represents "a betrayal" of the values and aspirations of Iraqis and Americans to defeat the terrorists and build a country based on freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

"It is a betrayal of the American people who are making huge sacrifices to bring this about, and a betrayal of Iraq and all Iraqi patriots who have put their trust in the United States," he said.

In the letter, Sumaidaie gave a detailed account of the tragedy.

Mohammed, an engineering student at the University of Techology in Baghdad, was visiting his family in the village of Al-Shaikh Hadid when the Marines knocked on the door, the ambassador said.

The young man rushed to open the door and greeted the group of about 10 Marines and an interpreter who appeared to be Egyptian pleasantly, "happy to exercise some of his English," he said.

The Marines asked if there were any weapons, and Mohammed said there was a rifle, which only had blanks, the letter said. He then led some of the Marines into his father's bedroom where it was kept, Sumaidaie wrote. His father, the local headmaster, was at school.

A short time later, his mother, brothers and sisters who were kept in the living room heard a thud but they were generally relaxed because they had nothing to hide, and "they thought, nothing to fear," he said.

But later a younger brother, Ali, was dragged by the hair into the corridor by a Marine and was beaten. The mother started sobbing. A Marine then went out and returned with a camera and went into the bedroom. After a while, the family went outside and waited on the porch as they were ordered, the ambassador said.

More than an hour later, as the soldiers were leaving, the interpreter asked the mother in Arabic if that was her son inside. When she replied "yes," the interpreter said, "they killed him!," Sumaidaie said.

"The mother let off a deafening cry of anguish, but the Marines were smiling at each other as they were leaving," he said. "In the bedroom, Mohammed was found dead and laying in a clotted pool of his blood. A single bullet had penetrated his neck," the ambassador said.

The ambassador wrote that he believed "a serious crime has been commited a crime that may be repeated up and down Al-Anbar" and demanded an investigation into what he said appeared to be the "killing of an unarmed innocent civilian a cold blood murder."

Arizona paper cleared over "kill Muslims" letter
02 Jul 2005 00:19:11 GMT

Source: Reuters

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX, July 1 (Reuters) - The Arizona state Supreme Court ruled on Friday a Tucson newspaper could not be held liable for publishing a letter that urged people to kill Muslims to retaliate for the death of American soldiers in Iraq.

In a 5-0 ruling, Arizona's highest court found unanimously the Tucson Citizen was protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and could not be sued for printing the letter in December 2003. The opinion reversed a lower court judge.

The court stated the letter to the editor "does not fall within one of the well-recognized exceptions to the general rule of First Amendment protection for political speech." It ordered the case be sent back to Pima County Superior Court and dismissed without the chance to be refiled.

Michael Chihak, the Citizen's editor and publisher, said the ruling vindicated the paper's decision and could have broader ramifications for others.

"It is obviously a favorable ruling for us, and not just for us, but for the First Amendment," he said. "If the ruling had been unfavorable, it may have led people to curb expressions of their thoughts, opinions and feelings rather than adding to the public dialogue."

Herb Beigel, a lawyer for the two Tucson men who filed the lawsuit said he was disappointed by the ruling and had not yet decided whether to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Beigel condemned the decision "as giving the press protection that is far broader than the U.S. Supreme Court" has ruled in the past, and said a deeper investigation into the facts of the case was needed before a decision was rendered.

The lawsuit, filed by Aly W. Elleithee and Wali Yudeen S. Abdul Rahim, stemmed from a three-paragraph letter in the Citizen that called for quick retaliation for soldiers' deaths.

"Whenever there is an assassination or another atrocity, we should proceed to the closest mosque and execute five of the first Muslims we encounter," the letter said. "After all, this is a 'Holy War" and although such a procedure is not fair or just, it might end the horror."

The letter caused an uproar in Tucson and prompted Chihak to issue an apology for printing it.

The Tucson men, who are Muslims, filed suit claiming that the letter constituted an assault and an intentional infliction of emotional distress. The assault claim was dismissed by the lower court, but the distress charge was allowed to continue.


Ok, now imagine that a Muslim had published a letter in the Newspaper stating that we should ASSASSINATE Pres. Bush in retribution for all the IRAQI deaths that have occured in this freaking "HOLY WAR" (as that idiot so named it)....you can be certain that that Muslim man would be investigated for
"Terrorism" in a heartbeat, and he would most likely be prosecuted for issuing a death threat...I am sure that's against the law somehow.....But NO! If it's published AGAINST Muslims, it's ok...that's how the Nazi's started with the Jews, people!!! Read your HISTORY!!!!

MASHALLAH!!!!!

READING QURAN COULD HELP FOLKS UNDERSTAND MUSLIMS - TOP
Rosemary Blackburn-Smith, Columbus Dispatch, 7/2/05
http://www.dispatch.com/print_template.php?story=dispatch/2005/07/02/20050702-A7-04.html&chck=t

As a Christian, I was deeply offended by Kevin Montavon s June 18 letter to the editor. Montavon s words were a perfect example of the biases and prejudices that have perpetuated the misunderstandings between Islam and the greater American society. Montavon stated, incorrectly, that the Quran is not valuable to all human beings, and then went on to list the verses in the Quran that he thinks are bad.

I don t think most Christians need to be reminded of all the bad verses in the Bible, ones condoning violence and slavery and male superiority. The Quran is just like the Bible and any other holy text, both a revelation of God and a product of its times. Montavon derides the Quran s teaching that it is the only sacred text. Most religions believe that their way is the only right path; if the Quran taught that the Bible was correct, then Muslims would be Christians. Obviously the Quran teaches that it holds the supreme answers, just as Jesus said that he was the only way to God.

However, the question here is not whether Montavon agrees with the words of the Quran, but whether reading it would be a valuable experience for him and other non-Muslims. The answer is undoubtedly yes. Reading the Quran would be a wonderful way for Americans to learn more about the true basis of the Muslim faith. Since Sept. 11, Islam has been systematically misunderstood and disrespected, and the more Americans read Islam s sacred text, the more people will be truly informed about where Muslims are coming from.

Likewise, Muslims would benefit from reading the Bible to better understand where Christians are coming from. Mahmoud El-Yousseph (recent letter) is not asking people to agree with the Quran, as Montavon seems to think. He is asking Americans to become educated about the world and about the people who share the world with us.

Montavon s obvious disdain for the entire Muslim faith is frightening. It s hard to believe that The Dispatch even printed a letter that serves the sole purpose of propagating hatred and misunderstanding. Montavon even went so far as to call Muslims uncivilized because of their anger over having pages from their holy book flushed down the toilet. The Quran is a holy and sacred text, whether Montavon lives by it or not. I doubt that he would be writing the same letter if it were Christians demonstrating their unhappiness over similar disrespect to the Bible.

Americans are searching for peace and security. The first step to getting there is respect, and respect for Muslims will be hard to come by until Americans learn to understand them. Reading the Quran is a productive and rewarding way to start down the path of that understanding.

This looks like it would be interesting....


ON A NEW SHOWTIME SERIES, AMERICA'S PROTECTOR IS A MUSLIM - TOP
Jacques Steinberg, New York Times, 7/4/05
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/arts/television/04cell.html

LOS ANGELES - The two members of the Islamic terrorist cell pulled up to the curb at the airport and quickly exited their Cadillac Escalade.

As one hustled a passenger - a biochemist from a local university - out of the backseat and into the terminal, his destination Vancouver but his intentions unknown, the other nervously picked up a pay phone. He was alerting his supervisor at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The scene, acted out before cameras at Los Angeles International Airport on a recent morning, was for a Showtime series called "Sleeper Cell," which is scheduled to have its premiere later this year and is, in many respects, unlike any other program that has been produced for American television.

The lead character is an undercover F.B.I. agent who has managed to infiltrate a Southern California sleeper cell largely because he is a practicing Muslim. The character, Darwyn, is the first major role created on an American series - whether before or after the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackings - that depicts a Muslim as a hero seeking to check the intentions of terrorists.

That the production has such a high gloss of credibility - at least in terms of the prayers that Darwyn utters, the ways he interprets the Koran and his struggles to reconcile his religion with his daily life - is a function of the creative team supporting it: three of those playing prominent roles behind the scenes are themselves Muslims. And having been raised on a steady diet of Arab bad guys - whether on shows like "JAG" or "24," or movies like the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle "True Lies" - they say they welcomed the opportunity to put a character on television who looked like them, shared their values and sought to save the day.

What remains to be seen is whether a large number of Americans will be willing, four years after the Sept. 11 attacks, to be entertained by a 10-part dramatic series that strives to be bracingly and disturbingly realistic in its portrayal of some people's worst fears.
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I find it hard to believe that American's WANT to watch a show that portrays Muslims as REAL and HONEST people...look at Kindom of Heaven...that movie ROCKED and it portrayed Muslims in an accurate light...as well as people sorta historically accurate (somewhat) and yet, the American public could only comment on it being "too nice" regarding Muslims...too "politically correct" like we don't deserve that sort of treatment...and implying that it painted a BETTER picture of Muslims than what we really are!!! How rude!!!

~THe only thing that I am worried about in regards to this show is that people will think that Terrorism is a normal everyday part of every Muslims lives...which is wrong! I have NEVER met a terrorist, I do not know a terrorist, I have not seen a terrorist...I have never heard anyone talk about terrorism....I mean really...come one America! Terrorism is the first thing people want to talk about with me when they meet me and find out I am a Muslim. Like it's some topic that I can relate to or something. Would terrorism be the first subject you think of to discuss with EVERY 22 year old American girl you meet??? It's always either Terrorism or Women's Rights in Islam (esp. in regards to dress)....can't people see me as a human being first and foremost and ask me normal questions like, what are you studying in college? or what are some of your hobbies? NOT "what's your opinion of the Middle East situation"..."How do you feel about Americans...do you support Bin Laden's statements?" "Why do your women feel like they should be invisible".....yadda yadda yadda. Yeah, HELLO, I am a normal 22 year old who likes to play sports, I ride my bike to work, I read alot, I am a History/Anthropology Major (double major), I like cooking, I don't CARE about Bin Laden and I quite frankly don't keep up with this whole "War on Terror" business...in fact, I think it's a comical name...like "War on Drugs"...was there ever really a "War on Drugs"? Are we winning or losing? How would you measure that? There are still drugs on the street, so I guess we aren't very successful at it...Anyways, I went off on a tangent...sorry. I support this show, but it bugs me that the ONLY time Muslims have EVER been portrayed by the American Media, it has SOMETHING to do with Terrorism. Why not just have a Muslim character on a show that doesn't freakin' get involved in Terrorism somehow (good or bad) and that just does NORMAL stuff...Like go to college and have friends and do grocery shopping and play basketball, etc. With no sprinkling of terrorism in the plot. Oh, and no bashing of Muslim women's modesty...and no portrayl of Muslim men as Patriarchal Assholes. That is ALL I ASK. Is it too much??