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Members of Oklahomans Against CAIR Hate protest outside the Oklahoma Memorial Union Saturday. The group claimed that the sponsors of a Muslim event inside the Union (the Oklahoma chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations) has ties to the Middle Eastern extremist group Hamas. Ricky Maranon/The Daily |
A small group protested a Muslim event Saturday on campus, claiming the event was sponsored by an organization with ties to terrorists.
Members of Oklahomans Against CAIR Hate gathered outside the Oklahoma Memorial Union, stating the Oklahoma chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), sponsors of a screening of a Muslim cultural film that night, has associations with terrorist organizations.
“We are not here to hate anyone,” said Cindy Crenshaw, president of Oklahomans Against CAIR Hate. “We just want to point out that CAIR has been linked to terrorist organizations that have carried out terroist acts.”
Crenshaw said she understood how the intentions of her group could be viewed as anti-Islamic, but said she hoped people would see the group as only coming to protest CAIR, and not anything against Islam and Muslims.
“I love everyone,” Crenshaw said. “We hope that our protest will expose the truth about hateful terrorist actions that this group has been linked to.”
Among the protestors was Oklahoma 5th district Congressional candidate Kevin Calvey, who helped organize the protest.
“We are not here to hate Muslims,” Calvey said. “CAIR is what we want to focus on tonight. We have court convictions of CAIR members across the country in relation to terrorist acts, and yet, they are here tonight saying they are a group that promotes civil rights.”
Calvey said the actions of CAIR show it is not the civil rights group it claims to be.
He cited the recent conviction of Ghassan Elashi, Dallas CAIR founder, who was sentenced to 65 years in prison for raising money for the Palestinian extremist group Hamas. Elashi had told people he was raising money for an organization known as The Holy Land Foundation.
But those attending the event said they felt prejudice and stereotyping was the cause of the group coming to campus.
“We are the Oklahoma chapter of CAIR,” said Razi Hashmi, executive director of Oklahoma CAIR. “Our chapter has done nothing to promote terrorism, and it is unforturnate that we would be linked to other groups when all we’ve done is attempt to promote, uplift and support Muslims.”
Hashmi said the event was intented to be an interfaith event with people of many beliefs and religions trying to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be Muslim in America.
“We hope that our event being protested tonight will show people that it is still difficult to be a Muslim in this country because of stereotypes,” Hashmi said.
Those attending the event said they hoped the protestors would help people experience what it is like to be Muslim in the U.S.
“I came here tonight to learn more about a community that I don’t know much about,” said Brittany Novotny, Oklahoma House District 84 candidate. “I did not really see the protestors outside because I came in through a back door, but I do think it is unfortunate that an event this important to our state and even our county would bring out people who show a prejudice.”
Novotny said by learning about the hardships of Muslims, non-Muslims can gain a better understanding of the community.
“Am I a little upset? Yes,” said attendee Areebah Anwar. “But I hope this will cause people to see things from our perspective when it comes to stereotypes and other difficult things Muslims deal with.
“By having protestors here tonight, they can see first hand how hard it can be for us.”
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Well, the film was very good. But, I have to say the most telling (and entertaining) part of the evening was when a well-coifed CAIR hater got a curbside dropoff in a white, king-cab duelly pickup truck. We need to be protesting big oil, and self-important, gas-guzzling Americans, not OK-CAIR.
Bubba-
Razi Hashmi is an employee of CAIR. He works at their office in Oklahoma City.
Hashmi has shilled for Hamas in the press at least two times, that I am aware. Once when he complained about the illegal and immoral offensive against the "Hamas rulers" in Gaza and then when he told U.S. Rep. Mary Fallen she should be neutral when she spoke out against Hamas! That's in print. And let's not forget the protest he put together in OKC last January. Did you see the hateful and offensive signs? That's all documented in video and photos.
In U.S. vs. Sabri Benkahla, "...CAIR and the Muslim American Society was described on page 58 as arms or founded by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Moreover, from its founding by Muslim Brotherhood leaders, CAIR conspired with other affiliates of the Muslin Brotherhood to support terrorists. See Government's Memorandum in Opposition to CAIR's Motion for Leave to File a Brief.etc., in United States vs. Holy Land Foundation Cr. No. 3-04-cr-240-G (N.D. Tx. September 4, 2007. Proof that the conspirators agreed to use deception to conceal from the American public their connections to terrorists was introduced at both the Texas trial in 2007 and also at a Chicago trial the previous year. United States vs. Askqai-, el al.. No. 03-978 (N.D. 111.2006)..."
Let me repeat from the federal document: "CAIR conspired with other affiliates of the Muslin Brotherhood to support terrorists"
Muslims who practice secular Islam are cool but when your mosque partners with an organization such as CAIR that's a whole different issue.
Oklahomans are starting to wake up.
“Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Qu’ran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth.”—Omar Ahmed CAIR (Council for American Islamic Relations) Founding Chairman
It is unfortunate that the actions of a few people have caused so much hate and outrage over CAIR. I am reminded of the recent ACORN scandal in which a few, stupid employees made some big mistakes costing ACORN to lose all of its federal funding. The amount of good ACORN has done to help the poor vastly outweighs a few mistakes by a few individuals, but now the organization is in dire straits because of those individuals. I am positive that CAIR really does want to help relations between non-Muslims and Muslims in America. They should not be punished because of a few individuals who associated themselves with CAIR committed some heinous crimes. Quite frankly, that is the same logic that supports racism against minorities. Shameful.
With respect to all cultures and religions around the world; I believe that those who labeled these protesters as Racist, or Prejudice, and considered their actions as stereotyping completely misunderstood the nature of the protest itself. In fact, those opposed to the protest are guilty of prejudice themselves.
Philosophically speaking; those protested against, believe the protest is wrong and simply meant to produce prejudice against their agenda. The mere fact racism was mentioned is evidence of this. I have studied World religions extensively and can tell you that the Qur’an is packed with reasons for the western world to be concerned.
Example: "Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends." (Surah 5:51).
I say then to all who read this post; the protesters were attempting to keep our youth, and those uneducated on the group CAIR from indoctrination. By this action, they were attempting to eradicate the scourge of terror that plagues American society today. It was not meant to attack a race, or culture, or to stereotype the Muslim. It was meant to expose the mindset of the individuals that would see America's demise through the hands of those with proven ties to terrorist organizations (Oklahoma chapter or not, their ideals are the same as those that lead them).
Please readers beware of the terrorist within and the propaganda they spread or it will surely be the demise of our great nation and those with like cultures.
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