On what is supposed to be the most holy, joyous and peaceful days of the year a series of bombings has rocked across Nigeria. St. Theresa Catholic Church was hit in one of the blasts. A spokesman from the Islamist sect Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day there were five bombings across Nigeria. According to The Telegraph Boko Haram is responsible for 491 killings across Nigeria just this past year. When are world leaders going to denounce this Islamist group along with other violent Islamist sects around the world? How much killing has to happen in order for the world to wake up and respond justly? We need to stand up for the defenseless in these countries where Islamofascists have spread intolerance and violence, and targeted Christians, Jews, and anyone who refuses to submit to Islam, specifically Sharia Law. The Boko Haram haven't been declared a terrorist organization? What?!?
"We have in these three vehicles (ambulances) 15 corpses," a rescue source told the AFP news agency at the scene on condition of anonymity. He said the toll was likely to be higher since he believed other rescuers were also pulling out bodies. People were inside the church at the time of the blast, but Mr Shuaib could not say how many. Nigeria'semergency agency said it did not have enough ambulances available to evacuate the dead and the wounded. A second explosion was subsequently heard in the central Nigerian town of Jos.
The White House has condemned the bombings in Nigeria. Hopefully more leaders will follow suit. Prayers for peace...
Smitty at The Other McCain has a good take on the plight of Christians in the Middle East and in Africa. He has also channeled Edmund Burke in his Edasurc post. It is quite apropos IMO.
Recently a young writer and filmmaker named Layla Merritt wrote to me about work she has been doing researching and working on a documentary that is dear to her heart. While the film is in development, she created a rough cut trailer and uploaded it to YouTube -- it is above. The first day it was on YouTube, she received a serious distribution inquiry from California Newsreel, the premier distributor ofeducation films in ethnic studies films to institutions. But after that, Layla began receiving harassing emails and threats from angry Muslims around the world, who said things like "I can get to you easily, Jew."
Her film doesn't actually attack Islam, but it does highlight the absurd oppression and tragic challenges that American girls face in when they are kept in Islamic communities. Black From Islam also uses the girls whom Layla interviews to make case study comparisons to women in the Islamic Middle East who have been profiled by New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof. Two of Layla's interview subjects grew up in the secretive Islamic group Jamaat al-Fuqra in American cities. A group that originated in Pakistan, Jamaat al-Fuqra is suspected of complicity with the beheading of Daniel Pearl. Layla explains her intention in making Black From Islam this way:
Black From Islam: African American Women Defectors from Islam
Black From Islam, a film by Layla Merritt, is a one-hour, educational documentary. It features interviews with three ex-Muslim women, two experts, and an informational reference. During the heat of Black Nationalism in the 1970's, African Americans converted in droves to Islam. Black From Islam identifies the historical routes African Americans have taken to Islam in America, rejecting the slavery-linked dogma of Christianity. It closely examines the cultural differences of how Americans live as Muslims in America, through the experiences of three American women. Communities such the Muslims Of the Americas (MOA) are highly reclusive. They live as large families on private compounds or buildings. They practice polygamy and home-school their children; they arrange their daughters marriages. This way of life, virtually foreign to most American teens, is a reality for some American girls who grow up Muslim. BlackFrom Islam takes an intimate look at non-secular, Muslim-American communities through the triumphs and tragedies of the women who left them.
The audience for Black From Islam includes scholars, students, libraries, institutions, African Americans, women, Americans, and internationally, anyone with an interest in the movement and spread of Islam. Says Merritt: "I have been contacted by many Muslims, some who identify with the character in the film and some who are angry and make unsolicited threats. Because the stories of the MOA are so powerful and have never been told before, I expect this film to cause quite a controversy and I realize it's dangerous for me, but I hope that in America I will have enough freedom to take the risk."
Research and Storytelling
Historically, black Americans were drawn to Islam in rejection of oppression. Islam offered a way of life and support community that was about education, respectability, honor, etc... and many poor blacks were attracted to that. At various points during the 20th Century, there were peaks of conversions to Islam by black Americans. The first was in 1930, when an Afghan who went by the name Wallace D. Fard created the Nation of Islam. The second was the 1940's, when Pakistani Muslims spread al-Fuqra, now known as the Muslims Of the Americas. Black From Islam's most powerful aspect is the interviews with former Muslim women. During the rise of BlackNationalism during the civil rights movements of the 1960's and 70's, African Americans converted in droves to Islam.
The three women interviewed are daughters the converts (if possible, one of the mothers will join her daughter in an interview, but that's not confirmed yet). The women were raised in Muslim sects as children and defected. The film closely examines cultural differences in how Americans live as Muslims in America. Communities like the Muslims Of the Americas are highly reclusive. They live as large families on private compounds or buildings. They practice polygamy and home-school their children. They arrange their daughters' marriages. This way of life, virtually foreign to most American teens, is a reality for some American girl who grow up Muslim. The result is often difficulty co-existing as both Muslim and American, and extreme culture shock.
The story will unfold beginning with the import of African Americans to the Americas. The historical research will be accompanied by commentary from Dr. Jocelyne Cesari. The cultural expert will provide commentary on the political and cultural movements affecting African American religious demography, leading up the 1970's and the peak of Black Nationalism. The film will examine various acts of violence from Islamic groups such as the NOI and al-Fuqra through the stories of Jalila, Yasmina, and Alia. The film will explore the positive and negative aspects of these religious sects for African Americans. It will make ties to the oppression of women in Islam, using the testimonies of the three women as case studies to compare to oppression of women and terrorist foment in Middle East, drawing on research by New York Times journalists and authors of Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wuddun.
Layla has recently secured interviews with the girls from al-Fuqra. This group has rarely been exposed. They are polygamists who occupy secluded land, and the girls are often molested by their stepfathers. Because the group condones and even encourages violence, many defectors are afraid to speak out, but Layla has finally found a girl who is willing to talk. She was so damaged by what she experienced with al-Fuqra that she became a porn star before obtaining her education and building the confidence to move forward.
The trailer doesn't have any of the al-Fuqra/Muslims Of the Americas interviews in it, but that is a huge part of the documentary. Layla is the first person in the world to get insider interviews from former MOA members. It's virtually impossible, because they are afraid of action against them. But Layla needs funds to finish this project.
Layla Merritt is a woman of courage. I am impressed by her perseverance and professionalism. And now she needs money to buy copyrighted images and pay for advanced editing expenses. Please help. Watch the trailer and you will see how worthy a project this is. And then please donate to Black From Islam by clicking the donate button below.
It is indeed courageous for Layla to speak out. You can help Layla Merritt by donating right on Atlas Shrugs.
Robert Spencer does a great job in this debate. He stays on topic and refutes the Imam's misinformation about how women are to be viewed and treated according to Islam. The last quarter of the video consists of a questions and answers session following the debate.
I was ecstatitically happy last night when I heard the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. Now... I am left with at least a couple questions because of the news I just found out about. His body, as reported by multiple news sources, has been buried out at sea. Do you know why our military supposedly did this? They did this in order to conform to Islamic law. What??? As it has been stated numerous times OSAMA BIN LADEN AND ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS DO NOT REPRESENT ISLAM so I want to know why would our government give legitimacy to the Islamofascists' cause - the perversion of Islam - by adhering to Islamic law when dealing with the SOB murderous thug bastard's body by giving him a proper Islamic burial? That just doesn't make sense to me. The U.S. military has sought after Osama Bin Laden for nearly a decade so why wouldn't both the military commanders and our president want to present us with absolute certainty that Osama Bin Laden is indeed dead? Why wouldn't they bring his body back to the U.S. to give every American the opportunity to see his lifeless body? Are we going to be seeing pictures of Bin Laden's lifeless body proving that he is indeed dead? If not, I am skeptical.... I want to believe that Osama Bin Laden is dead but with this administration's lack of moral fiber and their continued lack of transparency which is even evidenced in Osama's death by not showing the American community his cold dead body their lies in me a a skepticism about the news of his death. Are we going to hear from any of those in the military who took part in the operation to kill Bin Laden? I want to believe but.... the proof is buried out at sea. There have been fake photos of Osama released on the internet.
In the spring of 2010 the city of Detroit refused to run Pamela Geller's religious liberty bus ads, which offer help to people wishing to leave Islam safely.
Pamela Geller stated, "Despite the desperate need for resources for Muslims under threat for leaving Islam, the city of Detroit refused to run our freedom campaign on the Dearborn and Detroit buses."
In May of 2010 her group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, sued the city of Detroit for refusing to post their religious liberty ads.
A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that Detroit's SMART bus system must run Pamela's religious liberty ads which are aimed at helping those living in fear, wishing to leave Islam.
The city of Detroit even violated their own ad guidelines on freedom of speech. The fear which Islamic supremacy poses to others of different faiths has permeated throughout both Detroit and Dearborn. Here is SMART's first guideline:
"As a governmental agency that receives state and federal funds, SMART is mandated to comply with federal and state laws. First Amendment free speech rights require that SMART not censor free speech and because of that, SMART is required to provide equal access to advertising on our vehicles."
CAIR claimed that Pamela's ads were "offensive." An individual or group's claim that something is "offensive' does not give them the right to violate the Constitution by violating person' free speech rights.
'According to the Washington Times, a teacher in Dearborn noted that there was "a climate of fear in the Detroit area's community." The educator explained: "The fear is palpable. I know there are things I am ‘not allowed' to say. A discussion of religion with a Muslim person is often prefaced by the statement, ‘Don't say anything about the Prophet [Muhammad].' In free society, open and honest conversation is not usually begun by a prohibition. Threats and intimidation are just part of life here." '
Then SMART accused Pamela's ads of being political. WOW! Is Islam a political entity? Are they effectively admitting that Islam is political? Instead of or in addition to Islam being religiously based?
In their motion, AFDI argued "The fact that society may find speech offensive is not a sufficient reason for suppressing it. Indeed, if it is the speaker's opinion that gives offense, that consequence is a reason for according it constitutional protection."
"I flew to Detroit to testify in the suit back in July 2010. David Yerushalmi and Robert Muise, who is with the Thomas More Law Center, represented me. I was armed with hundreds of pictures of honor killing victims; the testimony of ex-Muslim teenager Rifqa Bary, whose life was threatened; screenshots of Facebook fatwas on apostates, and the actual death fatwa issued at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the most important institution of Islamic law in the Sunni world and the authority that approved the revealing English-language guide to the Sharia (Islamic law) known as Reliance of the Traveller."
"This was a huge win, not just for us, but for the First Amendment, and a defeat for all those who claim that I am a hater because I am willing to talk about what is wrong in Islam -- including, as in this case, honor killings and fatwas for apostasy. Judge Hood protected free speech and did not take any swipes at my message, which she could have (such as saying, "While we might despise AFDI's message, we must protect it..."). She did not do that. Good for her."
"I was thrilled, not just for the protection of free speech, but for those living in danger who will be helped by our freedom buses."
"Those ignored and abandoned people were the ones who really won this victory."
This is indeed a huge win for the First Amendment. The Constitution won out, as it should, over Islam's environment of fear in Detroit and Dearborn.
Hawkins of Big Journalism points out that Rush Limbaugh was correct when he stated that Pelosi and Hoyer were moving Rep. Clyburn, a black democrat, to the back of the bus in order to guarantee that they, two white folks, would hold the key positions on the Democrat side of the House. Hawkins also points out the hypocrisy of Al "racial ambulance chaser" Sharpton accusing Limbaugh of "race-baiting". Sharpton is the person who is guilty of race-baiting.
Amusing Bunni posted Cute & Funny Kitteh Thanksgiving Videos. (BTW- Bunni's computer is in the shop and she will be back to blogging next week, so no need to worry)
