Pamela Geller and Garland Shooting, a breach of public safety with gratuitous defense of freedom of speech.

I was on six TV/Radio stations today giving my commentary about the issue, notes follow the press release:

 Mike Ghouse, President

America Together foundation
Foundation for Pluralism
World Muslim Congress

Dallas, TX | Washington DC
MikeGhouse@aol.com

(214) 325-1916 

http://americatogetherfoundation.blogspot.com

PRESS RELEASE

Pamela Geller and Garland Shooting, a breach of public safety with gratuitous defense of freedom of speech

Dallas, Texas – “Here we go again at the game of provoking and getting provoked, causing undesirable public safety nightmares.”  Mike Ghouse, president of America Together foundation said in a statement released today.

“We condemn the shooting at Garland, Texas at ‘'Muhammad Art Exhibit’ intended as an expression of free speech by drawing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad to provoke Muslims for no reason.  We do realize that we have no control over those who tease people, and those who get irritated and resort to violence. Both are nut cases causing public safety concerns tearing the cohesive fabric of our nation.”

There is no doubt, we have to defend the freedom of speech, that is the God given right of every human, indeed, I have defended Pamela Geller’s right to speak when United Kingdom banned her speech in London. We have defended the rights of Pastor Terry Jones to burn copies of the Quran in Florida, and have defended Sheikh Rachid al-Ghannouchi's right to free speech at Yale which Pamela Geller opposed.

We need to care about our nation and do those things that build a cohesive America, where fellow Americans can come together with respect and dignity for each other rather than irritate and provoke each other.”

The organizers of 'Muhammad Art Exhibit' at Garland ISD facility “said they were exercising their freedom of expression. The district's decision drew criticism from critics and Islamic groups who said the event was an attack on Islam.” Dallas Morning News.

 

The Muslim community was very well prepared, and had decided to stay out of it and not even pay attention to it. However two stray men fell to the provocation and took it upon themselves to shoot out.  The Muslim community condemns that action. Indeed, Imam Zia Sheikh is concerned about the after effects, “Media and right wing will have a field day with this. Just what we didn't want.” We regret the whole incident.

We do support the decision of Garland ISD to rent the facility, and urge the FBI and Police to do a thorough investigation and the find out who else was involved with the shooters, so we can take corrective action.

I urge Pamela Geller to continue to defend freedom of speech and I will stand with her as I have, however, there is no need to provoke fellow Americans and cause safety issues for the public, we have enough problems to deal with and don’t need any more of these incidents.

Criticism of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and free speech

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/11/criticism-of-islam-prophet-muhammad.html


Mike Ghouse Quoted in Islamophobia isn't a Muslim problem, it hurts all religions 
http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/islamophobia-isn%E2%80%99t-just-muslim-problem-it-hurts-all-religions-691094

# # #

NOTES FROM MY TV and RADIO SHOWS 

This was the theme of conversation in all media -  uncompromising support for freedom of speech, breach of public safety with gratuitous defense of freedom of speech.

I am glad the media has been fair in giving the time to express the issues clearly and succinctly. Please refer to the press release link and the link about freedom of speech below, I pretty much stayed with it and had an opportunity to add a few additional points at Al Hurra TV, Fox Radio Network (250 Stations) and NPR (160 Stations).

11:00 Voice of America Urdu Service

11:30 Voice of America English Service

12:45 Turkish Radio

01:00 Local Radio in Louisville

02:35 Fox Radio Stations affiilates across America with Hannity Geller

03:25 Al Hurra Arabic TV

05:30 NPR

-----------------------

Al Hurra TV

After the theme of conversation in all media -  uncompromising support for freedom of speech, breach of public safety with gratuitous defense of freedom of speech.

I responded strongly to the question, what should Muslims do to change the situation? Get out of the Mosques and build relationships, Prophet Muhammad did that, he laid the foundation for cohesive societies by making friends with people around him from Jews,  Christians, pagans and others. We stick around too much in the mosque, we need to get out and be with the people, that should be our priority. The more we know each other, the lesser the problems we would have. Most Americans don't know what we are, and  to change the perceptions about us,  we have to get out and be with the people, we need to go to he mosque, but also allocate time to follow Prophet's foundational Sunnah - to be the Amins. We live in self imposed silos and it is time to change.-------------Fox Radio

After the theme of conversation in all media -  uncompromising support for freedom of speech, breach of public safety with gratuitous defense of freedom of speech. It will be rebroadcast at 5:00 PM in 250 Radio stations across the nations.  We ended speaking it out loudly...

Pamela Geller or ISIS or radical Muslims do not represent the views of mainstream Americans or Muslims - why give credence to such comments? - Just finished the talk with Hannity and Geller.

I stand by freedom of speech, but this was an useless provocative event to tease the extremists among Muslims. 2 People have died and one injured who should be responsible?

There is no problem with Islam or Quran, the problem is with a few Muslims, just as Geller there are her counterparts among Muslims. I have offered her the Quran challenge and told them the formula - read three verses before and after the given supposedly maligned verse.

Hannity asked the age of the prophet's wife - I said 15, Pamela jumps all over me calling it deception. She is deceiving with the false information.

Islam stands for free speech, yes, we do have a few radicals among us, just as others have their share. .

I invite criticism of the prophet, Islam etc. Criticism of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and free speech

-----------

NPR

It was a good 15 minutes interview. Ian Smith is certainly a good interviewer - he brought out the influence of Pamela Geller - legislation in 22 states to ban Sharia, even though it does not exist. I will have to take her on boldly.

Spoke within the lines of the press release and then extensively on Sharia Laws. This will be rebroadcast tonite at 9:30 in 160 Stations across America.

-----------

Dear Mike, 

As a rabbi, Jew, and Fellow American who believes in free speech, I believe it is crucial for all Americans of good will to join together against those who would misuse their right of free speech to deliberately provoke or scapegoat other faith groups. As a Jew, coming from a people who have historically been singled out for persecution, Pamela Geller should be ashamed. There is a religious tradition in our faith that shaming another human being is compared to "spilling their blood," God forbid-- why? Because when another person, who is made in God's image, is embarrassed or made to feel ashamed, they blush. Jews and Muslims are cousins in faith, going back to our shared foreparents, Abraham and Sarah. 

We must always be "lovers of peace and pursuers of peace." I am proud to call you a friend and a builder of bridges.

Sincerely,

Rabbi David Hartley Mark

-----------

Dr. Robert Hunt wrote this and sums up what I have said in my show with Hannity, "This wasn't about free speech, it was about selling hatred as a therapy for anxiety and fear. A band of insignificant losers sought to offend people in the most obnoxious possible way and succeeded in getting a violent reaction from two equally insignificant losers. The group holding the event proved nothing about free speech, and the two shooters died defending nothing but their unjustified anger."  

--------

Imam Zia Sheikh kept the same line on CNN - free speech

-----

Jewish community is embarrassed with Geller's antics, and here is a good piece at Daily Beast about it - http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/04/je-suis-pamela-geller.html?via=desktop&source=facebook 

------

Mike Ghouse, President

America Together Foundation

(Foundation for Pluralism)

Dallas | Washington

(214) 325-1916 text/talk

...............................................................................................................................

Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism, Islam,India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film ”Sacred” to be released on 9/11 and a documentary “Americans together” for a July 4 release.  He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com – Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.