Month: May 2015

On Sunday night, a terrorist attack in Garland, Texas resulted in the death of two terrorist gunmen (Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi), and the injury of a security guard. As described by media outlets, the attack was made on an event held by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), an organization led by Pamela Geller.  The terrorist gunmen drove up to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on Sunday night as the event was coming to an end and shot at the security officer, Bruce Joiner, who was shot in the leg.  Garland police returned fire and killed the two terrorist gunmen.

Rita Katz of the SITE Institute reports that one of the men, Elton Simpson communicated with a U.S.-Somali terrorist “Mujahid Miski,” who urged the attack.  Responsible for Equality And Liberty has a statement of defiance and rejection to those terrorists who believe that their violence will deny the universal human rights of our fellow human beings.  Nadir Soofi was not under the scrutiny of law enforcement sources. In addition, the Dallas Morning News provided a report on May 5, 2015, stating that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in an audio recording: “We tell America that what is coming is more bitter and harder and you will see from the soldiers of the Caliphate what harms you.”

The terrorist attack happened as Ms. Geller  was finishing her speech in the Curtis Culwell Center to other attendees and media covering the event in what they called the “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest.”  CNN has reported on other similar attacks.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) rejects all terrorist violence, without qualification, everywhere, and all the time.  Such terrorism is a direct attack on our fellow human beings and on their universal human rights.

We do not have to agree with free speech of others.  Our free speech is shared, and we can protest speech we find objectionable.  Not just the United States of America, but also the nations of the world have agreed to this in our Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), including Article 19 (freedom of expression), Article 18 (freedom of thought), and Article 20 (freedom of peaceful assembly). Like our shared free speech, we have shared universal human rights of security, in accordance with Article 3 of the UDHR.  Furthermore, this is defended in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Part III, Article 19 (freedom of expression).

We do not have to agree with or like the peaceful speech or actions by another group. But they have a right to that peaceful speech when it is not criminally calling for the murder or violence against another person.

I didn’t like Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons, either. But I don’t HAVE to like them. They have the right to their free speech nonetheless, and the terrorist violence in response to free speech is always wrong. Furthermore, it is a WAR – a war on our shared universal human rights.

In fact, I passionately disagree with Ms. Geller, her AFDI organization, her SIOA organization, her anti-Islam extremist stance, and her provocative tactics. I have written many times, at length of my disagreement with Ms. Geller, and our rejection of her views and actions.    I have seen some of vitriolic images her SIOA organization members have previously posted of Muhammad, and to say that many were objectionable and disgusting would be the understatement of the century.  But like so many in the world, I believe she is doing what she thinks is the right thing to do, as much as I disagree with her extremist views.

While we can disagree, even passionately disagree with such views, comments, and insulting cartoons, when terrorists seek to silence public debate with their guns, bombs, knives, and other weapons of war, then even those of us who passionately disagree have a common threat.

According to our Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she and her organization have the right to freedom of thought and expression without being the target of a terrorist attack.

We either do or do not believe in these universal human rights.  Not just when it is convenient, pleasant, or for those with whom we agree.  This is what distinguishes us from those who seek the oppression of the world, using many arguments, many tactics, and many violent actions. Our universal human rights are shared by all of us, everywhere, all the time.

There are those who may find the AFDI’s views objectionable or who disagree with it, and may choose to believe this gives them the privilege to look the other way at a terrorist attack on free speech. But when we allow that, what will happen next time, when it is your free speech?  Next time, will it be YOUR freedom of expression that terrorists threaten?

We are also seeing Twitter being used as a tool for universal communications in many ways, some good, some bad. It is a tool. How the tool is used is up to our fellow human beings. But what we see this morning (and last night) is that there have been too many who have used this tool to call for new attacks of violence against people with who them disagree.

As you can see, some call for new terrorism, some praise existing terrorism, some threaten the “kuffar.” Some post graphic images of beheaded individuals and threaten to do this to others who publish such cartoons. One threatens “stop insulting the Prophet Muhammad or come your heads everywhere,” as an ISIS beheading video is posted. Others are advised to provide their Twitter threats in Arabic so that the “right community” can read them.

Let us be clear: our universal human rights are for all people. Not just for people of one religion, one race, one ethnic group, one nationality. They are not for just one country or one region of the world. Our universal human rights are UNIVERSAL. This is where we must stand united.  If there is a war, this is what we must all be fighting to defend.

The L.A. Times quotes Ms. Geller as stating “This is war on free speech. What are we going to do? Are we going to surrender to these monsters?” On this point, Ms. Geller is right. This war on free speech must not go unchallenged in the United States, just like those threatening a war on free speech have been challenged in France and the rest of the world.

We must take a stand on this.  When it comes to this violent terrorist attack on freedom of expression, I stand beside Pamela Geller and all those whose free expression is threatened by terrorist violence. Because if we surrender on their universal human rights, we are not just surrendering on their speech and expression, but we are surrendering the free speech and expression of all Americans and all of our fellow human beings.

#JeSuisPamelaGeller

According to the media – prior to the terrorist attack – Elton Simpson’s Twitter account was being using to send messages sympathetic to the ISIS organization and its terrorism.  SITE reports that Elton Simpson communicated with a U.S.-Somali terrorist “Mujahid Miski,” who urged the attack.

The second terrorist was named as Nadir Soofi, who had numerous contacts within both the United States and Pakistan.  Nadir Soofi was the follower of extremist cleric Zarkir Naik (recently given an award by the Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz), extremist cleric Sheik Khalid Yasin (aka Abu Muhammad).  Nadir Soofi was also a follower and fan of Ossama Elshamy, who was a well-known speaker of Islamic media groups in Washington DC and elsewhere.

To Somali terrorist “Mujahid Miski,” who uses the Twitter tool to groom others and encourage them to commit terrorism, and who reportedly inspired Elton Simpson – as well as to all terrorists.

We are NOT AFRAID OF YOU.

We say this in public – and we say it to your face.

Criminals are a cowardly lot.  They seek to sneak up on the helpless, the defenseless, and those who they think cannot fight back.   They use their cowardice to seek to inspire “terror,” but they truly only inspire defiance instead.

Our support for our universal human rights is essential for the equality, liberty, dignity, and security of all of our fellow human beings.  I urge all of my Muslim friends who work for human rights every day to also speak out to challenge the cowards who think they will terrorize free men and women in our world.

We reject and denounce those in the media and politics who feel freedom of expression is expendable to those they disagree with. This is wrong and it is a categorical rejection of our shared universal human rights. We either have such freedoms or we do not. It is essential to make it clear that we have such shared freedoms as part of our human rights, and to be responsible for their defense.

If we are responsible for human rights, it is not just when it is convenient. It is especially important when it is not convenient and when it is challenging to do so. That when we know that we are really….

Responsible for Equality And Liberty

and it is always another GOOD DAY to be responsible for equality and liberty.