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Somali Organization Urges Caution Ahead Of Nationwide Anti-Muslim Rallies

Civil rights groups called Thursday for vigilance in the face of planned rallies Friday and Saturday at mosques in Dearborn and other USA cities by anti-Muslim demonstrators, saying that rhetoric on the presidential campaign trail is stirring up prejudice. “Masjid Muhammad was one of those that were identified”.

In May, when Ritzheimer staged a heavily armed protest outside the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix, he had said he wanted to see similar rallies nationwide.

“Should there be protests, a lot of counter protesters are hoping to come out”, said Connors.

Anti-Muslim bullshit has truly been off the charts lately. A leader with the Oath Keepers threatened in September to arrest lawmakers who supported the Iran nuclear deal, beginning with Sen. Conservative Texas politicians have also stoked community tensions, culminating in global headlines last month when Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old who brought a homemade clock to school, was detained by police who thought it was a suspicious device. Check out the hashtag #HateUnchecked to see the response of people from across the country and information about mobilizations in various cities.Despite these incidents, just last Friday Bill Maher declared on his HBO show that the concept of Islamophobia was “silly.” “Probably not a good mixture, I don’t think”, Paul Schwarzhoff said. The Facebook page for this event, however, has featured something very promising.

Muslims and other who feel threatened by the protests are urged to contact law enforcement authorities. “I believe in charity and helping your fellow man no matter what their religion or skin color is”. The number of mosques in the United States has risen from about 1,200 in 2000 to 2,100 five years ago, according to a study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research titled The American Mosque 2011. Besides open gawking at the grocery store here and there and a post-it note on my auto one time, I have to say I’ve been treated with nothing but dignity and respect my whole life.

Without question, these Americans – however misguided – have a right to peacefully express their hatred for Islam, even in front of a mosque.

“When you have angry people with guns, you always worry that a loose cannon will do harm”, Shami said.

Can you still really call a place your home if you don’t feel safe there anymore?

Another event also planned for Saturday is the Justice or Else! march, which is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March. The statement noted that protesters may be armed.

But there has been a silver lining to these planned protests.

In May, two gunmen were shot dead by police at a “draw the prophet” contest in nearby Garland, where anti-Muslim protestors had gathered outside a Muslim conference in January. “How many has the U.S. had so far?” And Jewish Voices for Peace issued a call on Wednesday to Jewish groups to stand with Muslim Americans against these hate-filled rallies.

American Muslims are also asked to use the hashtag, #HateUnchecked, on Friday at 3pm to raise awareness about religious freedom in the nation. “And there’s been a few conversation about having a community chain to separate the mosque from the protesters”. “These people, in the name of the First and Second Amendment, are clearly nothing but anti-Muslim bigots and racists, and [the rally] is based upon hate”, says Dawud Walid, the executive director of CAIR Michigan.