Swiss ban on minarets a giant step backward

The Swiss news agency ATS reported today that the ban on the construction of minarets has been approved by 57% of the voters who supported this draconian measure. The referendum that proposed the ban was backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP).

 It is a sad moment for all people who cherish religious freedom to see a discriminatory law receive wide popular support in the country that witnessed the birth of modern democracy. It is also ironic that such a blatant expression of intolerance is taking place in the birthplace of Jean-Jacques Rousseau who drew on his Swiss experience to call on Europe to embrace freedom and shun arbitrary rule.

Fear Mongering, Muslim Americans, and Fort Hood Tragedy

Muslim bashing is the new cottage industry with its own industrial barons and a wide web of fear mongering bloggers ready on a moment notice to echo the noise generated at the industry’s hate mills. The buzz word at the anti-Muslim network and its far-right bloggers this weekend was my recent visit to Fort Hood. The reporting was not on the content of my presentation or the purpose of my visit, but rather over a set of fictitious affiliations and unfounded accusations. The attack focused mainly on the fact that I am a director with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), an umbrella organization that represents professional Muslim organizations and Islamic centers across the United States and Canada.
The buzz started from the Jihad Watch blog of Robert Spencer, the epicenter of anti-Muslim propaganda. Spencer harbors boundless hatred towards Islam and Muslims and spends his day spinning every piece of news involving Muslims that he thinks he could manipulate.

Bent on Confusing the Public about Islam

The Far Right Exploits Rifaq Bary's Case to Distort Islam

The Center for Security Policy (CSP) published recently an article on Rifqa Bary who converted to Christianity and ran away from her family with the help of an evangelical group based in Florida. The article, titled “Florida Department of Law Enforcement Earns an F,” provides yet another example of CSP’s practice of using half truth and innuendo to confuse the public on matters relating to Islam and Muslims.