3rd Texas Muslims Legislative Day: A Resounding Success! But…

April 10, 2007 by Amad Action-Alerts, Civil Rights, Islamic Events, Masjids and Organizations, Politics
5 comments Tags: Civil Rights · Islamic Organizations · Masjids

Now the brave Jewish Senator from Plano, Ms. Florence Shapiro, a lady who truly believes that freedoms and rights have been granted to all US citizens of ALL religious, has come under scathing attacks from many fronts. Blogs, such as the obvious ones IsraPundit, Jihadwatch, LittleGreenBigots, are abuzz with self-hating-Jew, dhimmi-wannabe type smearing of Shapiro. Hate emails are pouring in (see examples here). The question is where are the Muslim blogs?? Where are the self-proclaimed 'liberal, secularist, enlightened, progressive' Muslims when their Muslim brethren are being attacked for engaging in the American democratic system? Let's turn this tide NOW. Let's set Muslim blogs ablaze with entries about this positive event and action-alerts to support Shapiro… this is where we bloggers can make a difference, are you ready?

Your action requested: Thank Senator Shapiro by sending an email to ThankSenator@freeandjust.org
Time Needed: 1-5 minute only.

Alhamdulillah, our brothers at The Freedom & Justice Foundation were able to put together, what seems to have been a remarkable Muslims Legislative Day. Despite all the false and demonizing rhetoric from a few Republican party leaders, despite the showboating by the radio-host turned politician Dan Patrick (author of “the Second Most Important Book You Will Ever Read“), who walked out during the prayer only to return and make a few comments on the importance of religious tolerance (!), and how Dr. Kavacki (who opened the session with Fatiha) should be thankful for being in America, and how this nation is a Judeo-Christian nation (which he repeated a few times, I get the Christian part but unclear as to how the Jewish part has been inserted), blah, blah, blah. Shame on you Dan Patrick, shame on you for displaying your true colors and your deep-rooted bigotry. The video speaks for itself. Here is another take from Texas Kaos.

Tags: Civil Rights · Islamic Organizations · Masjids

About MuslimMatters

Muslimmatters.org began in 2007 as a collaboration between various Bloggers and Shuyukh in order to bring attention to issues faced by Muslims, especially in the West. We have focused on issues of Religion, Society, Ethics, Sex Education, Politics, Civil Rights, Family, as well as the random issues that pop up from now and then, all with some ranting and humor mixed in.

We challenge ourselves and our readers to engage in discourses that touch our lives as citizens of the West, while maintaining our individual Islamic identities: Ultimately to cooperate, but not to compromise.

Hassan

Not trying to be devil’s advocate, but I guess these right wing people feel that same freedom of religion can not be given to their religion in a muslim country, so why give muslims freedom here that they can do invocation on senate floor. May be they feel same way about America, as we were feeling about Afghanistan in previous taliban post?
http://www.muslimmatters.org Amad

Hassan, “we” are not feeling anything about Afghanistan. It is very important not to lump everyone in any one group.

Back to your devilish points :), we cannot conflate what happens in other countries to what happens here. The original pilgrims escaped to America to escape religious persecution in Europe. Like us, they were immigrants, and they set up a constitution that applied to all citizens of this country then and forever. We cannot allow any wing, right or left, to define what we, as citizens of this country, are entitled to.

So, for instance, are we going to say that because Israeli Jews don’t allow Arabs equal rights, then that means Jews should also not be given equal rights in America? Of course not. (By the way, if someone said this, he would probably be jailed as well!)

What happens in other countries, Muslim or non-Muslim has absolutely no bearing on what SHOULD go on in America. Otherwise, what difference will there be left between this country and others? Also, interestingly, while the right-wingers claim to be the biggest proponent of freedoms, and ‘fighting for our freedoms’ and on and on, it is ironically these same people who want to strip rights away from Muslim citizens. People may call this whatever they want, I call it hypocrisy– plain and simple.
Hassan

Yes, the constitution of America guarantees us our religious freedom rights. I am just saying, (lets not use we), I would not want this freedom in Saudia or Pakistan to be given to some non-muslim, even to some deviant sect to stand up and start the session of senate (or whatever equivalent of that we have). I would not mind their right to practice their religion that is guranteed under sharia, but beyond that no. Now if some Americans want to implement “American Sharia” and change constitution to reflect that, I would not like it, but I can understand how and why they feel such.
Runaway

Amad,
Is your email address (what you mentioned) still active?

Yes -Amad
Pingback: muslimmatters.org » Introducing New MM Specialist: Mohamed Elibiary (Founder of Freedom & Justice Foundation)

Amad

About MuslimMatters

Awards

Social networks