The Fruit of Islamophobia in Oklahoma

So often the COGs moan and scare monger about Muslims. There seems to be little awareness of the problem of discrimination and hatred directed against American Muslims. The Huffington Post has published a timeline of acts against Muslims in the United States in 2016. In the timeline 385 acts are listed ranging from harsh rhetoric to the criminal act of murder.

What follows are the entries from the timeline for what happened in the home state of PCG's Headquarters, Oklahoma.

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WHERE: Oklahoma
WHEN: Feb. 25, 2016
WHO: Unidentified bigots.

Organizers of the annual Muslim Day at the Oklahoma state capitol -- in which followers of Islam host panels and discussions with state lawmakers -- said they received multiple threats to disrupt the event. "We've heard all kinds of crazy things, like people wanting to throw bacon at attendees, or blocking entrance to the capitol," said Adam Soltani of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. One online threat in particular read: "Everyone should put as a big a pocketful of bacon bits in their pockets and throw it like wedding confetti all over these neanderthal bastards." The Quran forbids pork product consumption. Dozens of anti-Muslim protesters showed up at last year's Muslim Day. Organizers said they had stepped up security for this year.

Source: KOKH

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WHERE: Savana, Oklahoma
WHEN: May 2, 2016
WHO: Police arrested a man named Larry Johnson

Johnson allegedly attacked a man working at the Savana Superette gas station, stabbing him in the chest and head. A witness told police that Johnson called the victim a “terrorist.” The victim, police added, was born in Bangladesh. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Source: The McAlester News-Capital

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WHERE: Oklahoma
WHEN: June 18, 2016
WHO: Republican Oklahoma state representative Pat Ownbey

Ownbey shared an article on Facebook titled “Radical Islam -- The Final Solution” in which the author, Paul Hollrah, argues that “Islam is not a religion, subject to First Amendment protections.” The article goes on to say: “The first step in coming to grips with the Islamic threat is to officially declassify Islam as a protected religion in the hearts and minds of western populations.” When asked by a reporter at NonDoc if he thought Islam should be protected by the First Amendment, Ownbey said it was an “interesting question,” adding that he’d have to study Islam before making a determination. Later, after deleting the Facebook post, Ownbey said that Islam “should be Constitutionally protected.”

Source: NonDoc, KFOR

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WHERE: OK Halal Meat & Grocery store in Oklahoma City
WHEN: Aug. 11, 2016
WHO: Unknown

Someone spray-painted a series of anti-Muslim messages on the wall of the store. “Saad is not welcome here," read one message, likely directed at Saad Mohammed, director of Islamic news and information for the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, a mosque near to the store. Another statement said, "CAIR not welcome here,” referring to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim civil rights group. Other messages mentioned the terror group ISIS and made derogatory references to the Prophet Muhammad. On another wall of the store, someone spray-painted a hangman with spaces underneath for a five-letter word. Police are investigating.

Source: News9, The Oklahoman

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WHERE: Tulsa, Oklahoma
WHEN: Aug. 12, 2016
WHO: Stanley Vernon Majors

Majors, a 61-year-old ex-convict, allegedly shot and killed 37-year-old Khalid Jabara outside his home. Majors reportedly has harassed the Jabara family, who lived next door, for years. He called the Jabaras -- Christian immigrants from Lebanon -- “dirty Arabs,” “Aye-rabs” and “Mooslems.” Last year, he nearly killed Haifa Jabara, the family’s mother, when he hit her with his car. Afterwards, according to police, he called the Jabaras “filthy Lebanese” who “throw gay people off rooftops” -- a reference, no doubt, to ISIS propaganda videos showing the terror group doing just that. Majors was arrested and now faces murder and hate crime charges.

Source: The Huffington Post

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And so the quotations end.

The COGs need to be better aware that talking about Muslims or any group in an irresponsible manner can have tragic consequences that need to be avoided.