I was one confused guy last night when I heard about the shootings in Garland. See, I knew that the Curtis Culwell Center had become a flash point in the discussion about Islam in this country, but I had no idea there was a follow up.
The follow up is what is in the news, but not how we got here.
I still can't believe Garland ISD is the epicenter of this, but here we go.
Back in January, I had an eye on this because I thought about going to let a certain someone know at least one person in Texas knew who he was and he was a complete and utter jackass.
Upcoming Islamic event at Garland ISD venue prompts complaints
By Richard Ray, KDFW, Fox 4, Jan 12, 2015 9:40 PM CST
http://www.fox4news.com/...
Garland ISD is getting angry calls and emails from people upset about an Islamic conference on school district property. However, one of its speakers in particular has become a lightning rod for criticism.
The scheduled keynote speaker at Saturday's conference, Siraj Wahhaj, is an imam from New York, identified by federal authorities as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings. Wahhaj denied involvement, but did defend convicted plotters, and a New York Post article says he called the FBI and CIA "the real terrorists."
The Garland conference is entitled "Stand with the Prophet In Honor and Respect.” It's hosted by a group from Chicago, Sound Vision. Its flier asks participants if they are "Frustrated with Islamaphobes defaming the Prophet," but also, if they are "Fuming over extremists like ISIS who give a bad name to Islam.”
I still can't believe Siraj Wahhaj is fuming over extremists who give Islam a bad name. I would have paid money to see this sublime cognitive decoherence live, but if you can't shame them in Texas, you shun them.
I mean, this is the level of absurdity:
"I don't know if now is the right time,” said former Republican Congressman Allen West. “Definitely maybe not anytime is the right time for this type of conference with these type of speakers."
When you out crazy Allen West you need to step back and re-evaluate what in God's name you are doing.
Literally.
But this is Texas, and certain Baptists will never skip a chance to crawl up on the cross. Especially in public, when they might even get on TV!
Protesters picket Islamic conference in Garland
Staff reports and KXAS-TV (NBC5), 18 January 2015 08:25 AM
http://www.dallasnews.com/...
A fund-raiser to build a center dedicated to teaching Muslims how to combat negative depictions of their faith drew crowds of protesters Saturday in Garland. Some who picketed the event said Islamic beliefs pose a threat to the American way of life. Counter-protesters also attended, urging understanding and cooperation.
Imam Siraj Wahhaj, the leader of the Muslim Alliance in North America, was the keynote speaker for the event. Critics say he advocates the overthrow of the United States and the imposition of Sharia law.
Because of safety concerns, the conference's organizers increased security at the Curtis Culwell Center near North Star Road and the President George Bush Turnpike. Abdul Malik Mujahid, the president of Sound Vision Foundation, said hundreds of hateful messages had been posted online about the conference.
First off, why the Sound Vision Foundation booked Imam Siraj Wahhaj is beyond belief. There are countless other rational and respected Muslim figures in this country. This dude had no business coming down to Texas to spread his vision of the future. It was a brave move cotton and it ended poorly for everyone.
One of the speakers at the conference, Georgetown University religion professor John Espositio, said the event was part of a series nationwide to discuss terrorism, hate speech and anti-Islam fears.
"I go to Muslim countries, and I speak all over the United States," he said. "What’s interesting to me is that this is the first time that I’ve been in a situation that I’m come to speak and I’ve seen this level of hate."
So the stage is set for Act II.
I had no idea every Islamophobe in the world found out about a small fundraiser in Garland, Texas. I knew that sooner or later every Islamophobe would try to cash in on the Charlie Habbo tragedy.
I had no idea the Islamophobes were so butthurt that they decided to do the one thing Muslims ask you not to do, draw the Prophet, at the very same obscure Curtis Culwell Center to drive home their hateful message where just two months prior people hoped for peace and understanding.
Their whole purpose was to incite.
Btw, both times the Garland ISD Police, Garland PD and the County all handled both of these fiascos with the must professionalism. Since police departments are currently getting hammered, and deservedly so, let's at least hand this kudos out, because Texas police usually make the international stage for reasons they are being hammered.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, the internet highways that lead to Islamophobia were ablaze. Just checked out this line up!
American Freedom Defense Initiative with Pam Geller!
Geert Wilders, the biggest Islamophobe from Europe!
and 72 other people...total. As in all attendees.
And Professor John Espositio just thought he had seen hate! Buzzfeed has a good summary on the xenophobic train wreck that is Pam Geller.
This Is The Woman Who Organized The Muhammad Cartoon Drawing Contest In Texas
Tasneem Nashrulla, Buzzfeed
http://www.buzzfeed.com/...
According to Geller, the contest and exhibit were in defense of free speech after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Some critics of the event called it an attack on muslims, and many have criticized Geller and her organization overall as being anti-Islamic.
“These savages need to be held to account, and the West has to stop this pathetic cowardice and submission to barbarity,” she wrote in her blog, Atlas Shrugs. “They’re just cartoons. Enough already.”
Most recently, her organization’s anti-Muslim ads featuring Hitler were seen on the sides of San Francisco’s buses two days after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris.
The ads, with the words, “Islamic Jew-Hatred: It’s in the Quran,” show Hitler and his “staunch ally, the leader of the Muslim world, Haj Amin al-Husseini.” Al-Husseini was a 20th century Arab Palestinian leader and a vocal opponent of Zionism.
Last week, the MTA, which runs New York City’s mass transit, voted to ban all political advertising on its trains and buses after a federal judge allowed AFDI to run its ads on MTA’s buses and trains. One of the ads says Hamas kills Jews to worship Allah.
(edit: Here is Pam Geller's Instagram of the subway ad before she wisely removes it:
http://i.imgur.com/...
actual live link: https://instagram.com/... )
Geller is also a staunch opponent of President Obama and has described him as an “unabashed member of the transtribal supertribe that Muhammad created 1,400 years ago.”
In a post on Atlas Shrugs this February, Geller detailed how Obama flashed the “Muslim gang sign” by putting his one finger up in an “affirmation of Islamic faith” at a U.S.-African Leaders’ Summit in D.C.
This isn't even the highlight reel, go read the rest, this lady is crazy and her hate boilth over. No wonder no one knew about this and only 72 to people choose to attend this Hate Fest 2015. I'm still confused how a long wolf fanatic in Arizona would know about, except that it was in the same exact place as the previous event.
So it all adds up.
By the way, here is what my mom told me to say about Geert Wilders:
And also to their credit, the Sound Vision Alliance posted this on their website:
http://www.soundvision.com
The Dallas Muslim community and Sound Vision were wise to ignore the hate mongering of Pamela Geller, who organized a hate cartoon competition against the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, on May 2, 2015.
The entire Dallas, Muslim community and their neighbors, ignored the event, as the hate-mongers could only sell 200 tickets to their hate exhibit. Most of the attendees were from out of state, according to Garland Mayor Douglas. Unfortunately, some insane persons, however, decided to give hate-mongers the attention they desired with their violent act. They injured an officer, as they were shot dead. Once again, a bad name for the community.
We, the people of faith, must counter the war-terror-hate cycle with peace-love-respect. We #StandWithTheProphet in Love & Peace, against Hate & Terror.
See how that goes for them.
But at least wanted everyone to know how we got here.