Obsession With Hate

What is 'Obsession'?

Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West is a 2005 anti-Muslim propaganda film put together by controversial anti-Muslim figures to further the perceived divide between Western and Muslim audiences. 28 million copies of the DVD were recently distributed by a mysteriously-funded entity by the name of the Clarion Fund with the help of 70 US newspapers in a curious and unprecedented campaign. This large distribution, particularly given it was targeted to swing states in the current elections cycle, piqued the interest of many, especially civil rights watchdogs.

Additional Information: Obsession With Hate

No, You Forget MSA UCSD is the most Terroristic

See I was spending the day going over MSA activities, after seeing that FrontPage Magazine, I knew they got it all wrong. UCI, UC Berkeley, UCLA - they have nothing over UCSD. I should know, I went to UCSD.

UCSD had the first propaganda wall, and the first successful take down of the propaganda wall. UCSD had an entire issue of the the "Dawn" the tabloid Jihadist newspaper dedicated to "super sonic jihad" activities attacking in propaganda fashion Israel. It was UCSD that prominently displayed anti-Semitic "Zionsim=Nazism" signs on campus, Library walk of all places, with over two blocks worth of Art, graphics and facts. It was Amir Abdul Malik's first outdoor venue speech. It was UCSD that coined the term "Muslim activist" to cover up the real purpose and design of MSA's in the United States- to take over the Supreme Court!

It was UCSD where the MSA lead a student uprising against FREE SPEECH, lead to the shut down of a respectable University Newspaper: The Koala. Using communist tactics and allying with left wing liberal forces they spread a virulent negative perspective of the paper.

So yes, I am not only bitter but outright angry. All those years trying to not associate with Muslims because of being labeled a terrorist now seems to have paid off for nothing, seeing that MSA UCSD wasn't even on the terrorist network list!

How could they have gotten it so wrong? I mean come on - Queensborough Community College? Who the hell goes there?

Maybe Daniel Pipes could create a special category for UCSD, because we are in a "League of our Own". UCSD is like the Sex Pistols to Punk. Or the Ramones to "new wave" (huh?). UCSD is like the Harvard of institutionalized "terrorizing networks". UCSD is like Edward Said's Orientalism, re-writing the entire face of Academic activism on campuses. UCSD is like the Al-Qaeda manual to Muslim activism on college campuses, like duh!

Being such an outlier on the curve, Pipes probably felt it was unfair to include us in the "list of stealth Jihadist" MSA's so as not to be an anomaly.

See great minds do tend to think a like. Though I am not sure if Pipes was following this great mind, because Queensborough Community College? (What The Monkeybutt?)

No really, that's out of left field. Its like saying Cuba is a democracy. Or like Mugabe is the greatest elected official in the world, right after Emperor Bush and Comrade Putin.

Look I have the pictures to prove it:

Subversive forces work to undermine President Bush's evidence gathering. This picture raises questions on how the UCSD MSA can be so small yet present everywhere, where is their funding coming from? (2002)

Amir Abdul Malik, the fiery "anti-Semite", a consistent

Spreading propaganda and "Right of Return" in other words, the annihilation of Israel. (2005)

Here using morbid tactics, placing body outlines all over campus to win sympathy for terrorist organizations, during the "Peace not Apartheid Week"- (Spring 2005)

Spring 2004, "Justice in Palestine Week" all members wore black to intimidate any other voices but theirs. This picture is of the shirt produced by the MSA for this week, where did they get funding for this?

Though outnumbered, there were Freedom loving patriots undercover monitoring the "hate fest". Patriots are never intimidated by fascists.

The intimidation continues, while celebrating the 56th anniversary of the establishment of the only Democracy in the Middle East, MSA drew on propaganda and "shock and awe" tactics to diminish the Jewish student presence on campus.

Part of the intimidation and Antisemitism displayed proudly with consent from Chancellor Dynes at the time.

The notorious propaganda wall- this is from 2004.

The wall propaganda destroyed, and the terrorist wearing TERRORIST garb worn by Hamas militants trying to prop it back up.

Promoting illegal sanctions against Israel, a MSA co-sponsored talk on Divestment (2002)

Pipin' Away

Daniel Pipes once again visited the University of California Irvine campus this past Thursday, after an all-too-brief hiatus. His lecture, entitled "Militant Islam and the West," drew a sympathetic crowd that numbered about fifty, as well as over a hundred protesters.

Daniel Pipes is well known for his hateful message, and is widely considered the premier Islamophobe in the country. An excerpt of the question and answer session from his lecture, where the Muslim Student Union's Spokeswoman Mariam Moustafa challenged him, clearly evidences this:

Mariam: What if Muslims do not accept your modernized versions of Islam?

Pipes: The war goes on.

Mariam: For how long?

Pipes: Until they do. We are fighting a defensive war…Which is worse, being attacked by terrorists, or being afraid of being perceived as a terrorist?

Mariam: So because I’m a Muslim, people should be afraid of me?

Pipes: I’m afraid so. [Applause]

(actual transcript from a reporter)

More information about Daniel Pipes can be found here. Alkalima Newsmagazine has created a professional pamphelet that can be downloaded and printed, for use if Pipes is invited to speak on your campus.

You can check out video of the silent walkout here.

To see video of how the Muslim students were then followed and harassed by a Red County blogger, see here.

Over a hundred UCI students, wearing tape across their mouths that said things like "Islamophobia" and "Racism", silently walked out of the Pipes' lecture once he began railing against domestic terrorism and accused students of being terrorists.

The Muslim Student Union released a press statement several hours before the event on their website, condemning Pipes' hateful message. They have also uploaded a video statement. Feedback is always welcome.

The Daily Pilot covered the event with an article entitled "Protesters Turn Silent" and local elected official Chuck DeVore blogged about it.

Overall, I think it is important to note that Daniel Pipes has very little support - as evidenced by the lack of turnout to his lecture. The type of propoganda he preaches, which attempts to paint all Muslims as extremists out to kill, is simply not accepted as truthful. It's also interesting to see how student activism evolves on campuses across America.

American Muslim Community Experience

An excerpt from my blog- there is a larger context, however you can appreciate the historical analysis I put forth on the American Muslim community in the US. Its a brief and short analysis, there is much more to be added, however please comment and share your thoughts:

The forwarded e-mail is a internet lynching of AEF. Pipes, in all his load of junk, does share a meaningful quote by AEF:

"among American Muslim organizations, the intellectual and moral grounding—not just in the Islamic texts but in the pluralities of the Islamic tradition—is woefully, woefully absent. There has not been a serious movement among these organizations to create educational institutions that would attempt a critical understanding of the tradition they claim to represent. There are practically no such institutions, or even attempts to preserve the knowledge of Islamic law. These organizations remain activist, with a lot of energy but without direction."

The very people who he (Pipes) is associating (AEF) with, do not see him (AEF) as anything significant. It probably is because of his (AEF's) criticism of the lack of "intellectual depth" shown by the community at large or as I mentioned in my "Dancing" post that he runs miles ahead of the community so people just don't understand him.

But that is the problem in the United States and definitely the root of this is the Muslim societies "back home". I find the colonial period in Muslim history to be a significant factor in the demise of Muslim understanding of Islam and that coming from the growth of hardcore Sufism (loss of balance in dunyia and akhira). The freed societies, post colonial era, had this mixed attachment to Islam and the West, one that was superimposed by the idea of "modernity".

Islam became a culture, and that culture was taken by the Muslim diaspora- i.e. from Pakistan to America- which became part of the identity developed by Muslims in the West, until 9/11.

Sheikh Suhaib Webb, a convert said it best, during the pre-9/11 era, Muslim in America had a landscape dotted with the intellectual battles of the schools of thought in the old world. We saw these ravages first hand in the demise of the salafi movement, the "caliphate" establishers and now the Sufi attacks on the conservatives or traditionalists.

I believe this happened because the doctors and engineers and professionals that flocked to America's shores were all culturally Muslim, with limited training in Islam. I remember as a child the conflict that arose when some one prayed using a different way- based on a different school of thought- and the ensuing battles which became personal vendetta's that went on to split the community.

These rifts were from this flawed cultural understanding of Islam. From this idea that my Islam is the only Islam. The immigrants who came to America brought a basic understanding of Islam with them, definitely a love for the religion and a desire to be American. It is no wonder that we have so many doctors and engineers who run the boards, who chair the charities, who work in social services- giving up lucrative jobs in their fields to devote themselves to assisting the Muslim community in America, out of a love to be on the Godly path. That is partly also why we have "imported" Muslim "imams" and also why there was a lack of social rooting into the American fabric beyond the idea that "yes I am (insert your nationality)-American".

The concern was always "back home"- sending money, constant trips back, marriage, burials even. Since 9/11 that has drastically changed, and I see more and more people talking about being American Muslim.

I agree with Abu El Fadl in his statement, however, I think it lacks the historical appreciation of the development of the American Muslim community. Like other immigrant communities, the diverse Muslim community is following the same path, albeit, with a huge head start.

Daniel Pipes, Wafa Sultan and Yaron Brooks @ UCLA

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for more...

Exclusive Coverage of Drs. Sultan, Pipes, And Brook At UCLA Panel Discussion On Islam With Protests [video/pics]

Daily Bruin: Students Protest L.O.G.I.C. Panel Event

and for more on Daniel Pipes:

Exposing Daniel Pipes : The Truth Behind his Lies*

(click on the image to enlarge)

* Special Jazak Allahu khayran and Thanks to the UC Irvine Muslim Student Union and AlKalima Magazine for putting together this pamphlet.

Advice from a MSA Alum and a Young Muslim “Activist”

by Cassie Williams

We’re activists. We are passionate about issues that are close to our hearts – Palestine, dispelling misconceptions about Islam, the war in Iraq, Imam Jameel, etc. Throughout the year, at campuses around the state and country, we see young Muslim students getting riled up about this or that, putting on protests, rallies, lectures, seminars, Fast-a-Thons, and sit-ins to promote these heartfelt issues.

But where is Allah swt in the mix? Where is Islam? Where is our spirituality?

We say that we are speaking out and doing all this for the sake of Allah….but are we?

How many times have we, as Muslim students, prior to an MSA sponsored event, sat down together as a group, in a circle and just made du’aa together and asked Allah swt to put His blessing in the event, to add barakah to our studying for all the effort that we put in to working for His cause, to open the eyes of the ignorant, to open the hearts of our opponents, to open the ears of those who have previously refused to listen?

How many times have we sat down together as an MSA before making a decision on how to handle a controversial situation and asked Allah to guide our decision-making process and lead us down the straight path?

How many times have we openly and sincerely prayed for our adversaries like Daniel Pipes, Paul Wolfowitz and the like?

We don’t do these things because we sometimes lose sight of the legacy of our deen when our hearts are stirring with the fires of passion, anger, and activism. But let us not forget our legacy, especially the legacy that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) left for us. He left us with myriad stories of how he handled situations very similar to the ones we face on our campuses and communities.

For example, we all know the story of the Prophet’s visit to the people of Taif. He came to bring them the message of peace, the most amazing message ever revealed, that of Islam. He came gently, humbly, respectfully. And what did they do? They ran him out of Taif, throwing stones at him and taunting him until he bled as he fled for safety. And as he left Taif, angels from Allah swt came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said to him,

“O, Prophet of Allah! I am at your service. If you wish, I can cause the mountains overlooking this town on both sides to collide with each other, so that all the people therein would be crushed to death, or you may suggest any other punishment for them."

The Prophet (pbuh) replied with this amazing words that we should remember at all times, “Even if these people do not accept Islam, I do hope from Allah that there will be persons from among their progeny who would worship Allah and serve His cause."

The Prophet (pbuh) faced much more treacherous adversaries, much stronger, bolder, more brazen adversaries than the likes of Daniel Pipes. The story of the Prophet’s journey to Taif is just one in hundreds, if not thousands of stories that we, as students, must contemplate, reflect upon, share with one another, and act upon.

These are not just stories for us to memorize. They are pieces of a complete instruction manual that the Prophet (pbuh) left for our benefit. Each story has its place in our lives. And until we realize that our activism will not be complete without deep reflection, du’aa and purification of the soul, we will continue to waste the legacy of our beloved Messenger and make a lot of clamor without a lot of success.

I hope that this will be an opportunity for us to take some time together to think about the purpose and intentions of the Muslim Student groups on our college and high school campuses. Maybe we can think about how to implement the character of the Prophet, his sunnah, du’aa, and true supplication for Allah’s blessing and guidance in our youth activities.

Our work is futile without the blessing of Allah swt. Therefore, sit together as an entire MSA, go around the group and allow each person to share their du’aa for an upcoming event. Not only will this ensure that you allow Allah swt to take the reigns, it will also bring you closer together as a group, as brothers and sisters for the sake of Allah swt. The joining together of spirituality and activism is an amazing dynamic when practiced regularly.

I pray that Allah swt inspires you to implement this harmonious link in your MSAs. I pray that Allah swt guides you all in your personal activism and in your personal spiritual growth. I pray that Allah swt leads you toward fulfilling the rich, bountiful history left by our Prophet (pbuh) and his followers. I pray that Allah swt gives you success and allows your activities to help open the eyes, ears, and hearts of those you target. And I pray that Allah swt will join us all together, all the young Muslim activists who worked for His cause, on the Day of Judgment and will keep us in His shade and place us on pillars of light reserved for those who loved one another for His sake. Ameen.