New Yorkers were confronted with startling news last month when police arrested the founder of an Islamic television station for beheading his wife after she filed for divorce. Police arrested Muzzammil Hassan on the charges of second degree murder after he reportedly confessed to the crime and led authorities to her body.
As Americans, we hear news of beheadings, terrorism, and the enforcement of Islamic law in other countries, but it seems that more frequently now, we are starting to see it on our own soil.
Radical Islamic protestors have rallied in streets, holding signs saying “Freedom go to hell,” “Islam will dominate” and “be prepared for the real Holocaust.” Terrorist attacks have been carried out in our country, such as Sept. 11, 2001 and further attacks are being plotted in our midst.
A Pew Center poll showed that one-in-four Muslim Americans under 30 believe suicide bombing is acceptable. In 2002, influential Muslim prayer leader Abdul Alim Musa stated in Washington D.C. that “[extremists] are not suicide bombers. They are heroes.”
In the documentary “The Third Jihad,” Zuhdi Jasser, a Muslim, exposes the agenda and the threat of radical Islam on both the safety and freedom of America. It shows the rise of radical Islam in the United States and the infiltration of terrorism on our soil.
The documentary reveals a secret “manifesto” discovered by the FBI that “[outlines] the goals and strategies of the Muslim brotherhood’s activities in North America.” The manifesto states that the work in America is a “grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the western civilization from within.”
The document states that the ultimate goal is to destroy the West, making Islam the dominant religion over all others and lists organizations that will help to carry out this agenda; many of which are considered moderate by Americans.
Yousef Khattab, a supporter of the Islamist Thinkers Society was quoted in the film stating, “Islam will dominate. That’s what it will be. The flag of ‘there is no other God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger’ will be on the White House, if that’s where we choose it to be. Just takes time, the American people are waking up now.”
He also said that “there is no compulsion in Islam; that means we can’t force it on you, but we will enforce Islamic sharia [law].”
Although there are those who would categorize themselves as peaceful Muslims who disagree with the violence of terrorism, one cannot ignore that radical Islam is a threat to American security.
Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the majority of terrorists happen to be Muslim fundamentalists. The goal of radical Islam is to dominate the world and promote the religion by the sword and by violence. Radical Muslims have stated that by the year 2050 America will be an Islamic state.
The media has sought to minimize this issue and create a world of coexisting religions, but they have neglected the bigger picture; there are terrorists on our soil who do not seek peace. If we cherish our freedom, we cannot ignore the facts. Before we make peace talks, we must understand the agenda of those we are speaking with. There is a threat against this nation, and we can either turn a blind eye or realize the truth.
Becky Yeh is a junior journalism major and a columnist for the Daily Forty-Niner.
Maybe I wasn’t clear. Would you consider a school shooting to be a terrorist activity? If so, then I believe 0% of them have been Muslim, most of them disaffected white kids who decide to bring guns (Klebold/Harris, for instance) and others of undetermined religion. Terrorism is subjective. There is no international definition of terrorism – therefore it’s important to define what it is. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. For instance, would you consider the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip to be terrorism? The Palestines would consider it to be so. See: 7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_incidents,_2008 article. Tons of attacks, by other organizations such as the LTTE. I don’t have the time to check to see if each perpertuator was a Muslim or not…but you can’t make a sweeping, broad generalization and expect me to believe it. Who says it, and how they have analyzed all of the attacks?
It is surprising to me that Americans would be confused on what a terrorist is and that terrorism is a threat… even after sept 11. If anyone has studied the Koran and the absence of freedom in Islamic nations, they would understand this. Women are beheaded all the time, radical Islamists are calling for jihad, people are blowing themselves up in the name of Allah. Did you ever read what the Koran says about those who are Jews, Atheists, Christians, or non Muslim? Did you ever read that it says to slay those who don’t believe? Do you realize that public schools are teaching children in the US how to do the prayer that converts one to Islam by saying there is no god but allah and muhammad is his messenger? This idea of accepting religious diversity has allowed this to creep in and it is ridiculous that we can teach Islam in school but we cannot teach the Bible.
“Michael Yee” and “realist” must be kidding when they say that they’re unclear what the word “terrorist” means and who it refers to nowadays. I don’t think Becky used many great examples, but it’s obvious what she thinks a “terrorist” is and it is the same definition as what most people, myself included, apply to it. In our current age, “terrorist” refers to people who blow themselves up in marketplaces, who fly planes into buildings, who form cells with the intention of causing attacks here and abroad – oh and look at this, the overwhelming majority of them happen to be Islamic too! Well I guess we’re all clear on what a “terrorist” is now, huh?
I wonder where the claim that a majority of the terorists are Muslims came from? Is that based on the sensational media coverage that we put on big attacks…or what? What definition of “terrorism” are we using, and to what contexts? You seriously can’t just throw that out there and have me believe it…I need some more context.
In response to Becky Yeh’s article in the Daily 49er, I am appalled and insulted at the breadth of the writers presumptions. In the article she claims “Radical Islamic protestors have rallied in streets, holding signs saying “Freedom go to hell,” and “be prepared for the real Holocaust.”” Nowhere does she cite where or when this took place. These are bold inflammatory words that should be back by a verifiable source. Her main source is a movie called “The Third Jihad.” She claims, “It shows the rise of Radical Islam in the United States.” After doing some research of the makers and distributors of the film, I found out that a very ambiguous group called the Clarion Fund funds it. I have, as well as others, concerns about the motives of the Clarion Fund and the movie itself. According to the Clarion Fund’s website, it is a “non-profit, non-partisan organization” which just so happens to have the same address as Aish Hatorah, a self-described “apolitical” Jewish group. It however refuses to name its donors and has raised the concern of more than one news group. The Inter Press Service News Agency headed a September 2008 article, about a similar video released by the Clarion Fund, with the title “Neo-cons, Ex-Israeli Diplomats Push Islamophobic Video.” Yeh also claims, “Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the majority happen to be Muslim fundamentalists.” Less than 50 years ago terrorist were called guerillas and if I am not mistaken we supported and supplied them in Nicaragua and in Afghanistan. To the British, the Boston Tea Party was an act of terrorism. Who is and is not a terrorist is very subjective. If we are striving toward cohabitation between all religions we should well learn to keep our anxieties grounded in reality.
I agree with Emaad, and we cannot forget that radical religious sects (Islam, Christianity, Judaism has them all) do provide serious threats. Also, the author should read up on the other threats that have faced us for the past 30 years that still affect us. Google “FTOs” and click on the State Department’s link if you want the goods on who really “hates” us.
Besides, “radical Islam” puts terrorism before Islam, it is not a true representative of the religion. Same thing with Kach and Kahne Chai and Judaism, and Army of God and American Evangelism.
Emaad – You seem to be just another idiot who doesn’t recognize there is a problem. Since when is criticism considered “hate mongering”? People like you who immediately throw out the “hate mongering” accusation are clearly hindering intelligent debate.
Yet another effort of a neocon agenda follower who is not satisfied after blood-bathing Iraq. Hate mongering is a crime esp between 1.8 billion muslims and the rest of the world