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One of the posters created for the anti-Islam conference in Dearborn, Mich. that uses the name of a young woman murdered last year. Organizers say her murder was an honor killing; her family says her tragic death has nothing to do with their religion.
In Dearborn Mich., a Detroit suburb known for its concentration of Muslim Americans, anti-Islam leaders from around the country are gathering to discuss how to rescue women from that faith. The "Jessica Mokdad Human Rights Conference on Honor Killings" on Sunday is named for a local Muslim woman murdered one year ago.
But Muslims, civil rights groups and other religious leaders say the conference is merely another event put on by well-known bigots to attack the minority religion. Their response was to schedule a town hall meeting just a few miles away on Sunday called "Rejecting Islamophobia: A Community Stand Against Hate."
The honor killing conference, organized by Pamela Geller, who became nationally famous for her vocal opposition to the Ground Zero Mosque, aka Park 51 in Manhattan, is based on the premise that Mokdad, 20 years old when she died in April 2011, was the victim of an honor killing justified by Islam.
Mokdad’s family maintains that the killing was a tragedy that has nothing to do with their Islamic beliefs, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.
Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images file
Pam Geller a well-known critic of Islam, delivers a speech during a "9-11 Freedom Rally" on Sept. 11, 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks on the United States. Geller founded a group called "Stop the Islamization of America," considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
"It's not a case based on honor," Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Cataldo, chief of homicide, told the Free Press on Friday.
In court, prosecutors have said the motive for Mokdad’s killing was that her stepfather, Rahim Alfetlawi had "been sexually abusing her," Cataldo said, according to the report. They argue that when she threatened to go public about the abuse he killed her.
Cataldo said the family strongly objects to the conference using Mokdad’s killing, which they say was a tragedy that had nothing to do with their faith.
Geller insists this was an honor killing carried out by a devout Muslim because his stepdaughter was not following Islam, and that the family is covering it up. She alleges that law enforcers systematically cover up honor killings here and elsewhere under "stealth enforcement" of Islamic shariah law.
On her web site, Geller says: "Despite pressure from the media and members of Jessica's family who want to cover up the honor killing aspect of her murder, we are not going to change the name of the conference. Unlike those closest to her, we are going to honor Jessica's memory and stand up against the brutal practice that took her life."
The Dearborn conference will feature speeches by Geller and Robert Spencer — author of the blog "Jihad Watch" — as well as several like-minded legal and religious figures. They have also invited a young man who says he was Mokdad’s friend to offer "firsthand testimony" that she was a victim of honor killing.
Stop the Islamization of America, which Geller and Spencer founded, has been listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit civil rights watchdog.
"Pamela Geller is the anti-Muslim movement's most visible and flamboyant figurehead," according to a profile published by SPLC on its web site. "She's relentlessly shrill and coarse in her broad-brush denunciations of Islam and makes preposterous claims."
The Arab American Institute, a decades-old community organization in the Detroit area, discouraged Muslims and their supporters from protesting at the site of Geller's conference. But they organized a competing event, said AAI president Jim Zogby, because Geller and Spencer have become too prominent to ignore.
"Geller and Spencer have thousands of followers, and are given airtime to spew their hate on major American news networks, as if they are respected analysts with just another viewpoint," Zogby said on the AAI announcement for the "Rejecting Islamophobia" town hall in Detroit.
Although many Americans have never encountered a Muslim in person, about 43 percent questioned in a recent Gallup Poll said they felt at least “a little” prejudice against Muslims.
"This group, we cannot ignore. This is the time for our community to take a stand, along with all those who value America’s commitment to diversity and freedom of religion, against the politics of division and bigotry promoted by the Islamophobes."
A variety of community, interfaith and religious leaders and Michigan public on their agenda, for a "community conversation about how to respond to these continued attacks," said Zogby.
One participant who was just on his way to the town hall was Dawud Walid, who heads the Michigan office of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a civil rights advocacy group for Muslims.
"I think firstly we have to better expose who these anti-Muslim bigots are as well as their funders," said Walid. "We believe that the Islamophobia that permeates our country is being pushed by a well-organized, highly-funded network."
He says that while Dearborn and Detroit have become a focus for the activities of Geller and others of like mind, the problem is bigger.
"Islamophobia is a national illness," he said.
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so muslims are offended by the movement to rescue women from their backwoods religion but NOT offended by their cohorts who decapitate young girls for talking to jews or christians. uh, yeah, political correctness has gone awry.
Did I miss something? What happened to the murderer?
Islam is a world wide illness, It needs to eradicated. Islam needs to be judged a hate crime.
How completely ironic.
There is no unbiased news. Every "news" program on tv is opiniotainment, with the presenters pandering to their specific market segments.
I live in the Dearbornistan Heights Michigan. The Middle Eastern/Muslim are the worst to live with. Arrogant and very disrespectful of their neighbors.
They are taught that they are superior to you and that you will ultimately be subserviant to them...
...and people wonder where/how atheism gains ground.. These religions are just covers for propaganda machines that create predatory people.
<atheist, supporter of the military, supporter of the constitution, supporter of family values, 99.999999% pro life.
First and foremost you have to abide by the laws of the country where the incident occurred. Doesn't matter if you're a citizen, tourist, in country on a work visa or an illegal alien. That trumps religious beliefs, opinions, or whatever else.
Muslims only go by their religious beliefs and laws...they only pretend to go along with our laws...
"Lest anyone doubt the reality of this global phenomenon, some recent accounts are worth reviewing. Overwhelmingly directed at Muslim women by male relatives and often linked to forced-marriage practices, these murders are “widely reported in regions throughout the Middle East and South Asia,” ESPECIALLY IN PLACES THAT APPLY SHAIA, according to Amnesty International. But, as the group is also careful to point out, honor-killing incidents are now being reported in the United States."
"These crimes are unusual in that they are culturally, not individually, motivated. The U.S. branch of Amnesty explains:
So-called honor killings are part of a community mentality. Large sections of society share traditional conceptions of family honor and approve of “honor” killings to preserve that honor. Even mothers whose daughters have been killed in the name of honor often condone such violent acts. . . . In addition, communal acceptance of “honor” killings furthers the claim that violence in the name of honor is a private issue and one to be avoided by law enforcement. Community acceptance of these killings stifles accurate reporting of the number of violent crimes against women in the name of honor. As a result, the true extent of the prevalence of “honor” killings is still not fully known.
Because it does not fit easily into other patterns of domestic violence, honor violence needs to be explicitly addressed in any law aimed at protecting women from violence. Though the Senate’s Violence Against Women bill mentions “domestic violence” 38 times, and makes provisions for such esoteric subsets of domestic violence as those committed by non-Native Americans on Native American reservations, it fails to mention honor violence even once. Amidst its generous funding for a panoply of feminist causes, it does not provide a single dollar toward studying or preventing this unique and growing crime pattern."
and holding a conference to highlight this problem is evil demonic racist islamophobia
no, it is not...
While there are very legitimate reasons to be suspicious and cautious concerning Islam, not every crime committed by a Muslim has to do with Islam. Anti Islamic activists must be very careful not to overreach in their attempt to point out the violent nature of Islam or they will quickly lose credibility.
Pam Geller speaking for the rights of Muslim women - LOL....she is using every opportunity to bash up Islam and Muslims and all the high school drop outs " honor killings" are more widespread in Hindu India then in any Muslim country.
But you shouldn't condone it no matter which religion is doing it.
Can you provide a link that verifies that bogus statement? Do you have some type of verifiable documentation?..I think you are not telling the truth...
What did she say that wasn't verifiable as the truth?
Well, there is that part where she's claiming that this woman's killing was an honor killing, even though the prosecutor fought the case as one where the man killed his stepdaughter because she was going to tell on him for sexually abusing her.
Jessica Mokdad had started to date a caucasian male and she began not to wear the veil...when her father's intimidation and threats and physical abuse didn't work he killed her to preserve his Islamic honor...Qur'an 4:34 frees him up to do this...Learn your Qur'an...
What ever happened to the notion of the United States as a "welcoming melting pot".
The word you use contains the word "melt". Melt, defined, is to become merged: to change into, or blend with.
To become an American means more than just aspiring to become an American Citizen and all the benefits that come along with it. American Italians have done well with this despite initial nationalistic bigotry that most countries have. If you do not blend in with American society and culture it's by YOUR own doing!
This is part of the war against the West. It's happening all across Europe.
Britain: Muslim 'Honor Crimes' Skyrocketing
The data on honor violence in Britain was released on December 3 by the London-based Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organization (IKWRO), a registered charity that provides advice to Muslim women and girls living in the United Kingdom, who are facing forced marriage, honor-based violence, female genital mutilation and domestic abuse.
A total of 39 police forces responded with a total of 2,823 incidents. IKWRO estimates that a further 500 incidents may have been reported to the 13 forces that did not respond.
The top five worst areas in Britain are: London (495 incidents); West Midlands including Birmingham (378 incidents); West Yorkshire including Bradford and Leeds (350 incidents); Lancashire (227 incidents); and Manchester (189 incidents).
The victims are, more often than not, Muslim women, whose personal conduct is perceived to have brought shame on her family. Reasons for perceived dishonor include having a boyfriend, being a rape victim, refusing an arranged marriage, seeking a divorce, and in some cases wearing make-up or inappropriate dress.
One 15-year-old girl known to IKWRO was subjected to beatings and house arrest after her father found text messages on her phone to male friends from school.
In another case, Banaz Mahmod, a 19-year-old woman in south London, was strangled on the orders of her father and uncle because they thought her boyfriend was unsuitable.
The September 24 report shows that the phenomenon of bigamy and polygamy -- which is permitted by Islamic Sharia law -- is far more widespread in Britain than previously believed, even though it is a crime there, punishable by up to seven years in prison.
The rapid growth in multiple marriages is being fueled by multicultural policies that grant special rights to Muslim immigrants who demand that Sharia law be reflected in British law and the social welfare benefits system.
The report quotes two senior social welfare experts based in Lancashire (one of the most "multicultural" areas in Britain) who estimate that there are now at least 20,000 bigamous or polygamous Muslim unions in England and Wales. This would imply that around 300,000 people are living in polygamous families in Britain if the average size of such a "family" is 15 people.
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/2640/britain-muslim-honor-crimes#
Where the heck are the Feminists on this? They'll get up in D.C. and insist Colleges pay for Law Students' birth control but they can't talk about women getting murdered? Want to talk about a "War on women?" What about them being murdered over b.s. like this? Where's N.O.W.? It seems the conservatives are the only ones standing up against crud like this, yet they get called all kinds of junk by the press about being "anti-woman." Gee, I thought not wanting women to be murdered made one pro-woman! I wish a lot more people were pro-woman that way!
Out looking for some worthless cause to bitch about.
I have no hate for Muslim or Christian people but I don't need another dumb ass religion trying to force their beliefs on me and others. I've had enough of this religious crap keep it in your churches, temples , mosques and out of my face and out of my government.
Well said, Jimi.
In what way do you feel threatened by Christians and how are they trying force their beliefs upon you?
As a non-Muslim under Islam you will be given three choices...submit and convert to Islam,if you don't do this you must pay the jizyah tax Muslims (a special poll tax that only non=Muslims must pay in order to be allowed to live, or die....These are the choices Christisans are being given in many places where Muslims are attacking and destroying Christians...as in Pakistan, Egypt, Niger, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many other places...soon...in America you may have to decide what your choice will be...choose wisely..
Lets see pulsar how do I now feel threatened by Christians, how about we start with the women's rights issue that seems to be the the main topic today. And don't give me that The Muslims are coming,The Muslims are coming crap. They seem to be the new boogeyman these days not the atheist Russians of days gone by.
What issues do you have with women's rights under Islam? What issues do you have with women's rights under Christianity?
Are you supporting Islamic treatment of it's women?
Islam is a backward religion,just look at most muslim nations..except for their militarys they are basically living in the dark ages ,for those defending islam what has that religion done for you ?,Im not a very religious person (my beliefs are more Pagan than mainstream) but i like the USA's option to be "non-muslim" ,people who compare modern christianity with modern islam are idiots..do you see christian suicide bombers? ,do you see christians executing islamics for being muslims,when was the last time a group of christian suiciders stole planes an crashed them into mecca ??? ,are you people suffering from memory loss or is 9-11 acceptable to you ? ,im one of those people who thinks the middle east would better be used as a glassed parking lot.
makes you appreciate Christianity a little more eh? Although I wouldn't mind seeing some violence against those of you who say vile things about it.Horrible christianity that has birthed a society as free as has been seen.You're welcome
Very good point.
im gonna go with no on that one.......birthed a society as free as has been seen? what about the Native Americans that we all but wiped out? id say they had a pretty free life, before the "assimilation by fire" we gave them..... Plenty of tribal people live a free life.....
We are not free, we have illusions of freedom. Thats the trade off though, give up some liberties and you get a somewhat stable life. I like having flushing toliets, running water, smoothly paved roads, and a miltary so over-sized that noone has invaded us since the revolutionary war (save pearl harbor). Go ahead spy on me, listen to my phone conversations, record my emails, i have nothing to hide.
What about them indeed...there are now more native Americans than ever before...they own their own land,...they have their own governments...their own police force...they are allowed to run gambling casinos that are given special benefits such as special tax laws that benefit only Native American Indian casinos...They are given all the benefits that any American can get.
now contrast that with what Christians get in Muslim lands..
When will people realize that there is no omnipotent being in outerspace watching everyone's genitals and running the iniverse? The government really should kick all these immigrants out, but uses them to control the rest of us.
Which immigrants would that be Willy? and why would you want to kick them out?
Geller is correct on this one.
One thing I will say about muslims. Bless them for even agreeing to live in Dearborn. Dearborn is one of the ugliest and most dangerous places on the planet. I hope the rank and file muslims can turn things around.
i am simply amazed that in this day and age you people still believe in religion,and every one of you is vain enough to think yours is the one true religion.....holding on to ideas more than 2,000 years old,written by some group of tent and cave dwellers....no,religion is nothing more than a scam....full of thieves,pedophiles,liars,preying on the stupid....no,your religion is not special,no,your religion is NOT the exception,yes,you are as gullible as the others...if this information annoys you,please feel free to have your god/gods smite me
Cataldo said the family strongly objects to the conference using Mokdad’s killing, which they say was a tragedy that had nothing to do with their faith.
It has everything to do with their faith, they think that their women are nothing. They feel that the women are there only so they can use them for whatever they like. It shows very well in this case, the stepfather used this girl and when he was done....Killed her! They don't look at the women as human beings, only a piece of property. They own them and they WILL do what they are told or else.
It's about time that these women get to speak their minds for once. The men think they have ALL the Rights and the women have only at all. They teach their women from the beginning that they are here only to be used by the men and they better not ever object. The women are so afraid that they will not leave, they know that the men will hunt them like they do in ever country now and punish them. They have cut off ears and noses or just killed them for years now. They are not going to change till they are shown they can't do that anymore and get away with this treatment of women.
I'm seeing a lot of misplaced anger in a lot of these posts. Yes, honor killings are wrong. But, aren't all murders wrong? Why does the reason have anything to do with it. Would all the people who are outraged over this being an honor killing be ok if it was a gang related killing? A robbery related killing? A rape related killing?
Murder is murder and the reasons behind it do not make one murder any worse than the other. All murder is wrong, no matter why it's committed. How many people have the KKK murdered? They claim they kill to keep America racially pure and Christian. Do we now have to ban or condemn Christianity because of them? Because I'll guarantee you there have been a lot more KKK killings than honor killings in this country.
A quick Google search for "Christian terrorist" returns 32,400,000 hits. Islamic terrorist returns 2,910,000. Let's protest those damn Christians!
Murder is murder. Condemn the act, not the reason.
Are you afraid of Christians? You sound like you're just the rebellious type that doesn't like authority. Another liberal that needs no help in life. How sad.
A Christian terrorist to you is someone who says "hello" and "have a blessed day".
One thing is certain, these Islamic lunatics need to be removed from the earth. Their goal is to conquer America, be it by force or through brain washing.
Nuke Dearborn, kill and remove the towel heads by what ever means required and for the love of God abolish Sharia Law at all costs. This isn't a religion it's a cult of destruction and hate with it's own set of rules and laws. Allowing them to flourish here is the biggest mistake in American history.
Better to be an alive bigot than a dead sympathizer. Better to be a bigot than a murderous child molester who's goal is to take over and conquer every country on earth and who's main objective is to murder all infidels "non believers" >their own words!
Get rid of these Islamic nut jobs before it's too late. Lets win this war once and for all, eradicate every last one of them from the face of the planet.
"To make a statement that all religions are the same is as naïve as saying that all political parties are the same. Some religions and belief systems give a higher value to each human life and some religions and belief systems give a lower value. As generations of Americans past, our time has come to defend the beliefs and values that made this nation great, such as equality before the law….There are such 'social values' today in Europe, America and Australia only because during those thousand years the Christians of Europe possessed the warlike power to do what the Christians of Asia and Africa had failed to do—that is, to beat back the Moslem invader." Teddy Roosevelt 1916
Religion aside, love thy neighbor aside, if any person or group believes that "honor killings" (what a disgusting use of the word) are acceptable and moral, then no, they are not welcome in "my" America. I'm not saying all Muslims believe honor killings are ok, but really, we can't love and accept unconditionally, we have to have some standards. So no, I do not love my neighbor if they abuse children, condone honor killings, or follow any other abhorrent practice in the name of religion, or otherwise. It seems the whole issue of honor killings has gotten lost in this thread. Are Muslims practicing honor killings in this country? If they are, they need to be prosecuted and persecuted, nor for their "religion" but for the fact that they believe in voluntary murder and ownership of another person, which this country does not believe in, we cannot "accept" all religions and persons when they have beliefs that violate America's basic concept of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" WITHOUT infringing on another person's right to the same.
The reality is, Carol - And rightfully so - Someone could believe in the idea of an honor killing, and as long as they don't actually act on their belief and commit a crime, they haven't done anything wrong. We aren't prosecuted for beliefs here in the USA, just actions. Would you really want it to be any different? Do you really think that would mesh with Ameerica's basic concept of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"? There are plenty of people out there who have all kinds of beliefs that are not in line with our laws, to be sure. And if they are vocal about it, they are watched, no doubt. But if they just have their belief and live their lives lawfully, it's none of anyone's business. THAT'S the American Way, and I for one think it's part of what makes this country so great. Along with Freedom of Speech, by the way.
Regarding Christianity, Mark Twain wrote in his auto-biography - published in 2010 100 years after his death - " Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled."
Why is it that the self-righteous always feel the necessity to point the finger at others who are not like them and excoriate them for being different and wrong?
Gary,
as a christian, how am I to understand the excoriation from an atheist when he/she is spewing their bombast, hate and fingerpointing toward me? as best I understand, they are basing it on their faith in darwinism, nilism, secularism and other "nothingisms"...right?
Mark Twain wrote many things, hated religon, and believed in the supernatural....He was a great story teller..
the whole point of honor killing, is there is such a thing, is a family trying to save its name, however, if the family is saying this is not honor killing and instead the poor girl was sexually abused and killed by her step father(happens in every day america and in every religion sadly) why is this lady insisting it was honor killing..it beats the purpose of honor killing to kill then say it was not in honor killing...on a side note, i hope the step day gets thrown to jail all his life...