Guest Request From A Former USC MSU President
Everyone:
Please take a minute to read this article below, and my further explanation below the link: Front Page Magazine
Traditionally, there have been two Muslim student organizations at USC, a Muslim Student Association (MSA) and a Muslim Student Union (MSU). The article makes no distinction.
USC MSA does not exist as a recognized student organization (recognition from the Office of Student Affairs at USC). USC MSA has not existed as a recognized student organization for at least 1 academic year. USC MSA has not even existed in an unofficial capacity (leadership, members, events, meetings, etc.) for at least 1 academic year.
The USC MSA website was just being hosted by USC Information Services Division, with no webmaster updating or maintaining the website. At no time was the USC MSA website affiliated with the USC MSU.
However, the Provost of USC unilaterally removed the hadith in question (discussed in the linked article above) and moved the USC MSA website to the USC MSU website url without discussing the matter or decision with the USC Office of Religious Life, the USC MSU, or the Director of Muslim Affairs at USC.
After that, the Office of Religious life agreed to host the USC MSA website as a "university resource" as to not assign the USC MSA website to USC MSU.
This whole situation seems hypocritical in light of the fact that Ann Coulter can come to a USC co-sponsored event at the Annenberg School for Communication and said something to the effect of "we should go to the Middle East and allow them to convert to Christianity, if they don't, we should wipe them out." But at the same time, a hadith taken out of context can be unilaterally removed from a website without even discussing the matter with the Office of Religious life or Muslim faculty, staff and students at USC, and that the website can be moved and re-assigned to an unaffiliated Muslim group who is left holding the bag and answering questions.
The manner in which the outside concern was addressed in secrecy with no transparency or discussion with the people that it impacted directly: the Office of Religious Life, the USC MSU, and Muslim students, faculty, and staff at USC is problematic to say the least. Freedom of speech and freedom to practice one's religion seem to be subjective at USC.
Please contact the Provost's office directly: USC
Related Articles:
Daily Trojan
U.S. News & World Report
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4 comments:
For the folks looking for contact information for the provost, here you go:
Phone - 213-740-2101
Fax - 213-740-7606
Email - provost@usc.edu
i think its hypocrisy for us to say "freedom of speech"
zionists say the same thing.
when muslims are sloppy they need to learn how to clean up instead of always whining about how they set themselves up for another mess up. its 2008, iraq war, post 911. america doesnt exactly love muslims. stop being reactionary and do something pro active for a change
I have no issue with the Zionists attempting to utilize their freedom of speech. Let Daniel Pipes and Ann Coulter say what they need to; the whole concept of the marketplace of ideas is based on EVERYBODY'S ability to speak freely.
It's hypocritical of USC to grant such freedoms to some groups, over others. Additionally, who are we to say the USC Muslims aren't being proactive. Allahu Alam with respect to what they're doing on/for/at their campus.
To label all defensive measures reactionary is unnecessarily over broad and simplistic.
I dont have a clue what is being requested in the post? I honestly am confused by the request and if there is any action to be taken I wouldnt know what preciesly its for.
For my two cents on the issue- to the "former MSU President" and collegues- there are certain things that you publicize and other things that you do internally. You ask for a not so specific cmapaign calling for God knows what to acheive God knows what. Do you think Muslims will honestly actively participate? How many servers is this email circulating on?
I dont think to many, because I am on the majority of them for SoCal anyway. How do you think a right wing, zionist, necon campaign similar to yours garner? Trust me, the phones would be off the hooks. Its not because they are more ardent in their beliefs. Rather its because they have an executable plan with whatever it is they roll out with.
Finally, if this thing gets picked up as a news story just imagine the damage this will do to Muslims and Islam in America. Not because the hadith or wrong or anti-semetic. Please dont mistake the PR concern as me being appologetic for the hadith or something. Rather, in the PR world, the comparison is quite simple- PEACY PEACHY BIBLE/TORAH compared to the "violent jihadi" Quran and Islam. Who will report on the context of the hadith. Who will explain the layered structure of the hadith and end time implications of it? Who will report that in a 600 word piece that will be read by thousands online, picked up by hundreds of other smaller town newspapers?
What impression are you adding to the already negative impression people have of Islam and Muslims? How is this a freedom of speech issue when at the core, Muslims and Islam arent even taken seriously in the light of being part of humanity?
I get the points. Honestly I understand what your trying to do. however, I think your doing it the wrong way, and even the action taken is pretty half-planned out from my perspective.
I dont know the full detail only what this appeal tells me.
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