Anti-Muslim round-up: 4/18/2018
The following is a list of activities and events of anti-Muslim organizations. Organizations listed as anti-Muslim hate groups are designated with an asterisk (*).
National Groups
On March 14, an anti-Muslim group with a history of placing provocative ads engaged in the next step of their latest legal battle. The听American Freedom Defense Initiative,*(AFDI) anti-Muslim extremist and AFDI President听Pamela Geller, along with fellow anti-Muslim extremist and AFDI Vice President听Robert Spencer, filed lawsuit against King County, Washington. The lawsuit alleges that AFDI, Geller and Spencer鈥檚 First Amendment rights were violated when,听, King County rejected AFDI鈥檚 application to post ads that resembled posters produced by the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Rewards for Justice Program. County officials reportedly took down the AFDI ads after receiving complaints that they were anti-Muslim. A 2015 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals鈥� 9thCircuit upheld King County鈥檚 decision. Representing counsel for AFDI were anti-Muslim lawyers听Robert Joseph Muise听补苍诲听David Yerushalmi听from the听American Freedom Law Center.*
On April 4,听澳彩开奖 reported听迟丑补迟听John Guandolo, President of听Understanding the Threat*(UTT) planned to embark on a five-day tour across five cities from April 5 through 9. The events were being organized with support from the Christian right-wing media outlet, Worldview Weekend. On April 5, Guandolo, along with Worldview Weekend鈥檚 (WVW) Brannon Howse spoke in Des Moines at the tour鈥檚 first event. Subsequent events scheduled for the April 6, 7, 8 and 9 were canceled due to a combination of outcry from local activists and, in at least one case, failure by UTT to provide adequate event insurance. The reaction by UTT was almost immediate and melodramatic. According to听, 鈥淎ll cities have been canceled the WVW 5 city tour. [sic] This is where we lose the war!鈥�
On April 5 through 11听Aynaz 鈥淎nni鈥� Cyrus, an anti-Muslim provocateur, spoke at six events in South Dakota. According to her website, the听听听speaking engagements 鈥� in Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, respectively 鈥� were each billed as a 鈥淧rivate Event.鈥澨鼴y contrast details for the听,听,听听补苍诲听听events in Rapid City, Yankton, Aberdeen and Sioux Falls were open to the public. She is scheduled to speak at additional events later this month. The April 10 and April 11 events also featured Chris Gaubatz, who until recently, was listed as the vice president of the John Guandolo-run UTT. Cyrus began the Minnesota leg of her tour on听, speaking in Little Falls, rounded out by appearances in St. Cloud on听听and Rochester on听. (According her website, the April 14 event required attendees to send their name and telephone number to the organizer鈥檚 email 鈥渇or vetting.鈥�) Cyrus is not shy about her anti-Muslim views. For example, in reaction to positive media coverage of U.S. fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad during the 2016 summer Olympics, she rhetorically asked in an online video if Americans are 鈥渉appy we are becoming a Muslim country? Or is it that we are very happy that we are welcoming Islam and sharia to America?鈥�
On听听听anti-Muslim speaker, Christian pastor, and founder of听Truth in Love Project(TIL)* Shahram Hadian began a packed April speaking tour in Montevideo and Duluth, Minnesota. Both speaking engagements were on the topic of 鈥淭rojan Horse of Interfaith Dialogue between Christians & Muslims.鈥� Hadian is scheduled to deliver this same presentation throughout Montana later this month. (See below for more information.) He was also scheduled to speak on听听听in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Pewaukee, Wisconsin, at the same venues as Guandolo. When the venues backed out due to public outcry, Hadian was forced to cancel his talks. He immediately released an online video and fundraising pitch blaming the 鈥淚slamo-Marxist-Fascist uh鈥� oppressors in this nation,鈥� along with the Bloomington Police Department, for the cancellations.听
Local and regional groups
From May 5 to 15, Tom Trento, head of the anti-Muslim hate group听The United West,* is co-organizing a trip to Israel with Fox News entertainer and former New York attorney general candidate Jeanine Pirro. Pirro has her own sordid association with anti-Muslim hate. In addition to her Israel tour partnership with Trento, Pirro has previously had anti-Muslim extremist and听ACT for America* founder听Brigitte Gabriel听on her show听听President Trump鈥檚 鈥淢uslim Ban.鈥� Pirro has also hosted faux terrorism 鈥渆xpert鈥澨�Steven Emerson, who once听听the entire UK city of Birmingham to be 鈥渢otally Muslim where non-Muslims just simply don鈥檛 go in鈥� 鈥� a claim Pirro did not dispute. (If fact Pirro听听in the same segment, saying, 鈥淚t sounds like a Caliphate within a particular country.鈥�) The tour also includes an 鈥溾�� with 鈥渋nvited guest Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.鈥� The May 14 dinner comes at a very politically-sensitive time, on the day the U.S. Embassy moves to Jerusalem.
Local and state legislation
As yet another example of the frequent and opportunistic overlap between anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim movements, on April 4, ACT for America sent out an email congratulating supporters for successfully pushing several cities in southern California to condemn SB 54, a recently passed bill limiting the ability of state and local law enforcement agencies鈥� to get involved in immigration enforcement.听
On March 29, the Kentucky state legislature approved SB 57, an Andy鈥檚 Law bill, clearing final legislative hurdles in the Senate. According to the bill鈥檚 profile posted on听, the SB 57 has been delivered to the Governor鈥檚 office and is awaiting signature. Andy鈥檚 Law is a听template state-level bill听created by the听American Public Policy Alliance (APPA)* that attempts to create a civil cause of action against a person or group of people alleged to be either directly or indirectly involved in a terrorist attack. Experts point out that it is at best redundant, and at worst consistent with other anti-Muslim legislation (such as 鈥�anti-Sharia Law鈥� bills) that seek to demonize American Muslims.
On April 6, the Idaho legislature closed its 2018 legislative session. Among the many the bills 迟丑补迟听, a three times-introduced anti-Sharia bill by Idaho State Representative Eric Redman. As 澳彩开奖听reported, Redman has previously worked with anti-Muslim hate groups, such as the听Treasure Valley chapter of ACT for America,* as well as with Stephen Gele, a board member of the APPA.
Upcoming events
Will Johnson, a far-right activist and founder of Unite America First is organizing an event in Dearborn, Michigan on April 21听听the 鈥渦nconstitutionality, lawlessness, and infiltration of Sharia Law鈥� in the United States. (Dearborn has one of the largest Middle Eastern and Muslim populations in the United States.) The event will feature a line-up of high-profile anti-Muslim speakers, including Aynaz 鈥淎nni鈥� Cyrus,听Usama Dakdok, Farrah Prudence and Sandra Solomon.
