April, 16 2015, 03:15pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
CAIR-NY Director of Operations Sadyia Khalique, 646-665-7599, skhalique@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
CAIR-NY Calls on Brooklyn College to Protect Muslim, Arab Students After Appearance by Hate Group Leader
NEW YORK, NY
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today called on Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, N.Y., to take measures to ensure the safety of Muslim and Arab-American students after a scheduled April 22 appearance by anti-Muslim hate group leader Pamela Geller.
[ACTION ALERT: Send a polite note to Brooklyn College President Karen L. Gould at: BCPresident@brooklyn.cuny.edu. Copy to: info@cair.com ]
Geller's organization, Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA), is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). SPLC also named Geller as a member of the "anti-Muslim inner circle." CAIR has listed her as a member of the "inner core" of those promoting anti-Muslim bigotry.
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor:Pamela Geller
"Pamela Geller is free to spew her anti-Muslim bigotry, and Brooklyn College is free to host the leader of a notorious hate group, but minorities targeted by Geller's intolerance must be protected from those who may turn her hate-filled rhetoric into violent actions," said CAIR-NY Director of Operations Sadyia Khalique.
Geller's hate blog was cited by Anders Breivik, the terrorist who killed more than 70 people in two attacks in Norway, in his manifesto justifying his attacks.
Her group was denied a trademark after an appeals court ruled that the name disparaged Muslims.
Geller has bragged online that she uses a Quran, Islam's holy text, as a doorstop and posted a video on her personal website that claims Muslims have sex with goats.
She has falsely claimed that "Hitler and the Nazis were inspired by Islam" and that Islam "mandates" lies and deception. She has also posted images on her blog that include a fake photograph of then Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan in a Nazi uniform, another fake image of President Obama urinating on an American flag, and drawings purporting to depict Islam's Prophet Muhammad as a pig.
Video:Pamela Geller Posted 'Pig Face' of Prophet Muhammad, Says Islam 'Inspired Hitler'
Another image posted by Geller, headlined "Piss Be Upon Him," showed one of the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad covered in urine. ("Piss Be Upon Him" is designed to mock the traditional phrase "Peace Be Upon Him" that Muslims use when mentioning any prophet of God, including Abraham and Jesus.)
Recent hate incidents targeting American Muslims include threats to and vandalism of mosques, vandalism of schools and Muslim businesses and threats to Muslim community members.
SEE:Shots Hits Windows of Oklahoma Mosque
CAIR-OK Seeks Federal Hate Crime Probe of Pork Left at Edmond Mosque
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)—a co-sponsor of Sanders' Medicare for All Act—similarly toldHuffPost in a Tuesday interview, "The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the healthcare system."
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