Second Above the fold Update: While sitting in Reagan Washington Airport this week I had an idea of how to handle people like the praying Imams. If you are in an airport and a group such as this decides that they are going to make a scene and start publicly praying I suggest that all those of Christian Faith kneel together (preferably close to the prostrated praying Imams) and start reciting, in calm tones, the Our Father over and over until the praying Imams finish their prayers. What's good for the goose should also be good for the gander and a point can be made in a very non-threatening passive way. I would not, however, suggest requesting extra seat belt extenders, sitting in the incorrect seat, talking aloud about the great actions of UBL or other such terrorist. If this bothers the Imams, I am sooooooooo sorry. Not!
Above the Fold Update: After writing the post below I had to take a short drive for business purposes. The radio station, was playing Christmas tunes and the song "Let there be Peace on Earth" was on. As I was listening to this the line "and let it begin with me" stuck in my mind. I reflected upon the following statement that was in the Washington Times Story:
Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, called removing the imams an act of Islamophobia and compared it to racism against blacks.
"It's a shame that as an African-American and a Muslim I have the double whammy of having to worry about driving while black and flying while Muslim," Mr. Bray said.
As I reflected upon this a plan came to mind. I think that by sharing this plan I can "let peace begin with me". The combination of the comparison of Islamaphobia with black racism and the protest of the Imams at the ticket counter reminded me of the Rosa Parks story and how Martin Luther King, Jr. changed the history of our nation by leading blacks in a peaceful boycott of the Montgomery bus system.
I think that the Muslim world should take a play from this very successful playbook. I think that Muslims worldwide should join in protest against that treatment of these Imams by American airlines by refusing to utilize the services of these airlines. I think that Muslims should stand as one and state that they will not work for, invest in, or fly with any airline that agrees with how these Imams were treated. I think that Fatwa's should issue specifically naming the airlines which Muslims will have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with. It should be a very specific Fatwa and should prohibit all Muslims from flying on any such airline whether in the United States or flying from or into the United States. Let these airlines feel the economic wrath of the Muslim World by informing the rest of the world that they will not fly on these discriminatory airlines.
There are nothing but upsides to this plan. Either the refusal of the Muslim World to ride on airplanes in America will bring the airline industry to its knees and the airlines will know that they cannot afford to "mistreat" praying Imams or the American people can travel in accosted peace and no longer experience the fear of being blown out of the sky by Muslims aboard their airlines.
Granted this plan is a work in progress, but I am already starting to feel the peace. I am just waiting for that Fatwa list so I know which airlines are being boycotted.
Original Post:
The Washington Times has an update on the Muslim Imams who were removed form US Airways Flight 300 last week. The 6:30 p.m. flight was from Minneapolis to Phoenix. Prior to take of the flight was delayed and several Muslim religious leaders were removed from the flight because of their erratic behavior. As soon as they were removed from the flight they screamed racism and profiling (Aside: How profiling became such a dirty word I have no idea. If anything it is a natural human instinct. We profile everyone we meet and on average are pretty good at it. The only downside I see to profiling is that it may allow a person who does not fit a profile to be overlooked). The Imams claimed that they were merely exercising their freedom of religion and going about their business in their normal way.
The story by the Washington Times reviews the reports of interviews with airline employees and witnesses. The conclusion is that the behavior of the Imams was normal - for terrorist. The suspicious behavior included several of the Imams praying rather loudly together in Muslim speak prior to the flight and invoking the name of Allah when the board order was issued, talking in Muslim speak and English about UBL and other terrorist identities, not sitting in their assigned seats once they boarded the airplane but instead choosing to separate by sitting in seats that covered all the exits in the airplane, and several of the Imams asked for seat belt extenders despite not being overweight and placed them on the floor. Just Praying- My Ass.
At best, this was a purposeful publicity ploy to push the boundaries of acceptable behavior to challenge and provoke the airlines to kick them off the flight. Anyone who cannot see through such tactics should remember the Muhammad Cartoons from Denmark. The Weekly Standard recently ran an update on the matter:
Pretending to be on a mission to create understanding and dialogue, the imams set out from Denmark for the Middle East last December, where they spread false rumors of the Koran being burned on the streets of Copenhagen and otherwise did their best to incite violence against their host nation, resulting in attacks on embassies, trade boycotts, and flag burnings. They were later caught on hidden camera by a French documentary filmmaker, bragging about their exploits.
I believe this is the same group of guys who showed a picture of what they claimed to be Muhammad depicted as a pig, but it was some guy at a pig festival who probably wouldn't know Muhammad from Xerxes. If you remember, people died as a result of these BS protest. I am sure that Minneapolis Imams were disappointed in the lack of attention sympathy that they received, so they decided they needed to protest again.
But the imams who were escorted off the flight in handcuffs say they were merely praying before the 6:30 p.m. flight on Nov. 20, and yesterday led a protest by prayer with other religious leaders at the airline's ticket counter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Questions - How did they get to Reagan Washington National Airport from Minneapolis. Did they fly? If so, did they act in the same "normal" manner on that flight? What does Reagan Washington National Airport have to do with what the Minneapolis Airport Authorities did? Oh and by the way who are these guys? How did they earn or obtain the title Imam? Were did they go to Imam school? Are they American citizens? If they were born Americans why are they running around speaking Muslim speak in the airport? If they are naturalized citizens where did they come from? If they are not Americans, why are they still here?
A spokeswoman for US Airways declined to discuss the incident. Aviation security officials said thousands of Muslims fly every day and conduct prayers in airports in a quiet and private manner without creating incidents.
Talk like a terrorist, Look like a terrorist, Act like a terrorist - get treated like a terrorist. I am no Sherlock Holmes, but I am sure that these Imams got exactly what they wanted. However, I am not so sure that they have received all that they deserve?
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