Successful "Creeping Shariah" myth forum

Audience at “Creeping Shariah” myth forum. Click the photo for a photo album of the event

The September 24th forum “Is ‘Creeping Shariah’ a Real Threat or a Trumped Up Scare Tactic?” was held yesterday at the Wisconsin Place Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase.

Our forum was organized by MCCRC and former Maryland State Delegate Saqib Ali;  both audience and panelist feedback indicates it was very worthwhile and a great success.  The forum’s context was a private appearance, later in the day, by ex-Congressman Fred Grandy — a leading purveyor of Islamophobia and the ‘creeping Shariah’ myth — before a Chevy Chase Republican women’s club.

We were all amazed, gratified, and deeply grateful for the diverse audience of about sixty people who set aside weekend time to join us for this forum.  Thank you all very much for attending!

Forum moderator Thomas Nephew, speakers Jamie Raskin, Sulayman Nyang, Shahid Buttar (BORDC), Corey Saylor (CAIR)

We’re also very grateful to our speakers: Jamie Raskin (Maryland State Senator; Professor of Law and Director of the Law and Government Program, American University), Shahid Buttar (executive director, Bill of Rights Defense Committee), Sulayman Nyang (Professor of African Studies, Howard University), and Corey Saylor (Legislative Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations).

Organizers Saqib Ali (event and open letter organizer; former Maryland State Delegate), Thomas Nephew (event organizer and moderator; Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition), and Elizabeth Lakew (event organizer; Secretary of High School Democrats of Maryland) also spoke.  Fred Grandy (former member of Congress), or Mark Uncapher (chair, Montgomery County Republican Party) were also invited, but neither chose to attend.  Organizer Guled Kassim was also unfortunately unable to attend.

State Senator Jamie Raskin’s remarks can be seen in the above video; videos of all the speakers and a fascinating Q & A period are being gathered at our YouTube playlist ‘Creeping Shariah’ myth forum, 9/24/11, Chevy Chase.

Forum video directory in order of appearance:

• Thomas Nephew, with text
• Elsa Lakew, with text
• Jamie Raskin
• Saqib Ali
• Shahid Buttar
• Sulayman Nyang
• Corey Saylor
• Q&A period (9 videos, from 1 to 10 minutes in length)
• YouTube playlist of all forum videos

Related resources, further reading:

• Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America (Center for American Progress, 2011)
• Nothing to Fear: Debunking the Mythical “Sharia Threat” to Our Judicial System  (ACLU, 2011)
• Jihad Against Islam (Southern Poverty Law Center, 2011)
• Manufacturing the Muslim Menace: Private Firms, Public Servants, and the Threat to Rights and Security (Cincotta, Political Research Associates, 2011)
• What sharia law actually means(Elliott, Salon.com, 2011)
• Same Hate, New Target (CAIR/UC Berkeley Center for Race & Gender, 2010)
• The Fear of a Sharia Planet (Iftikhar, Miller-McCune, 2011)

Press and media coverage:

• 9/21: Islamophobia is Focus of Friendship Heights Forum (Thornton, Chevy Chase Patch)
• 9/23: Op-ed: Inviting Republicans as Well as Democrats to Saturday’s Forum on Islamophobia (Nephew to CC Patch)
• 9/26: Video: CAIR Rep Speaks at Forum on Myth of ‘Creeping Sharia’ (CAIRtv)
• 9/28: Update on Fred Grandy “Creeping Sharia” Tour in MD (Moone, MD Juice)
• 9/28: Diverse Crowd Attends Forum on Islamophobia (Thornton, CC Patch)
• 9/29: Montgomery Country, MD forum explores “creeping shariah” (Islawmix)
• 10/1: Dispelling the “Creeping Shariah” myth (Ferrer, People’s Blog for the Constitution)
• 10/9: Former Congressman Fred Grandy responds to Maryland lawmakers (Islawmix)