'Tis the season: Tariq Ramadan... Tariq Ramadan... Tariq Ramadan, prospero año y felicidad
An update on this story. "Islamic Scholar’s Suit for a Visa Is Rejected," by Alan Feuer for the New York Times:
Saying the government had acted properly and for “bona fide” reasons, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit on Thursday that was brought last year by an Islamic scholar who claimed that a portion of the Patriot Act had been used to deny him a work visa to enter the United States.
The judge, Paul A. Crotty of Federal District Court in Manhattan, said the Patriot Act had not, in fact, been used to deny the visa to the scholar, Tariq Ramadan, who was trying to enter the United States from his home in Switzerland in 2004 after being hired to teach an Islamic ethics course at the University of Notre Dame.
Judge Crotty said the government’s decision was made because, in a four-year period, Mr. Ramadan had given $1,336 to a Swiss charity later designated as a terrorist group.
Mr. Ramadan, a respected academic and a grandson of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, a once-militant group, sought to portray himself in the suit as a victim of the Patriot Act and as a standard-bearer for academic freedom. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on his behalf as well as on behalf of the American Academy of Religion, the American Association of University Professors and the PEN American Center.
"Once-militant." Bridge for sale!
The suit claimed that a portion of the Patriot Act denying visas to people who “endorse or espouse terrorist activity” was unconstitutional and that the free speech rights of the academic groups had been violated because they could not meet with Mr. Ramadan in the United States.
The government originally said Mr. Ramadan was denied the visa under the Patriot Act but later said it was because of his contributions. Mr. Ramadan maintained that from 1998 to 2002, when he made the donations to the charity, Association de Secours Palestinien, he did not know that it supported terrorism — specifically the Palestinian group Hamas. He also argued that the charity was not officially designated a terrorist group by the United States until 2003, after his donations had stopped.
Judge Crotty nonetheless ruled that he had not provided “clear and convincing” evidence that he was unaware of the charity’s links to terrorism.
In his 32-page ruling, Judge Crotty said American consular officials could bar foreigners from entering the country, without judicial review, if they could prove that there were legitimate and bona fide reasons for doing so. The judge did not address the Patriot Act issue because his ruling was based on the contributions.
Jameel Jaffer, Mr. Ramadan’s lawyer, said the decision was “legally wrong” and “deeply unfair.” He said he anticipated an appeal.
Whoever is translating Caroline Fourest's "Frere Tariq," that takes Ramadan appart, sly bit by sly bit, should step on it. That book needs to be out in English soon. And who will translate the "Open Letter to Tariq Ramadan" (Lettera aperta a Tariq Ramadan) by Magdi Allam, an Egyptian who is now an Italian citizen, a RAI commentator, and an editor at Corriere della Sera, who addresses him directly -- "I know you, Tariq Ramadan" -- because Magdi Allam was familiar with the Muslim Brotherhood founded by Hassan al-Banna, the grandfather of whom Tariq Ramadan is so proud, and whose activities, including whipping up Cairene crowds to attack shops owned by Copts and by Jews, Ramadan refuses to condemn because "he was my grandfather." In other words, filial piety justifies this silence -- but tell that to the children of Nazis who have had no trouble denouncing their parents.
Ramadan participates in the Jihad as its propagandist. He is not taking up arms, but he is doing everything he can, as Radio Berlin did, or TASS, to confuse and demoralize the Infidels in Europe, by promising them something he never bothers to define, because it doesn't exist: a "European Islam" that, despite having the same texts and tenets, will somehow be different from all the Islams, to date, over 1350 years, that have ever been experienced and endured by Infidels.
Keep him out.
We in the USA have already had a comprehensive "Islamic ethics" course, complete with practical workshops and commnity outreach--it's commonly referred to as the war in Iraq.
Community.
Islamic ethics, eh? An oxymoron, like friendly fire or military intelligence.
One wonders,yes, one wonders whether Mr Ramadan would introduce his students to the fine points of taqiyya and kitman, or discuss the ban on befriending Infidels, or the uniquely amoral Muslim approach to treaty-making.
Or the absence of the Golden Rule - since those who follow the prophet are merciful toward one another (hah! half the time they don't even seem to manage that!) but harsh toward the Unbelievers.
Or the fact that expediency trumps all: if something benefits Islam/Muslims/ the individual Muslim, it's good; if it doesn't, it's bad. Hence Muslim clerics have been known to tell Muslims to rob Infidel banks, and to avoid paying tax to Infidel governments. Muslims have been caught breaking Infidel traffic rules - because they have soaked up the teaching that NO pesky Infidel rules apply to their lordly selves.
Or that, whereas Jews, for example, regard David's faith in God as admirable, but condemn his murder of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba, viewing those acts as negative examples, Muslims are taught to regard EVERY action of Muhammad - including his having sex with his nine-year-old child wife, his robbing of caravans, his lies and treaty-breaking, his unprovoked attack upon peaceful oasis farmers, and his authorising the beheading of 800 helpless POWs - as completely worthy of admiration and imitation.
From the severely logically convoluted article:
Fighting for our academic freedom and freedom of speech, this guy is a real civil libertarian! Of course, the free speech he is fighting for is the freedom to overthrow our freedom of speech by violent terrorist activity, but that is beside the point.
Why don't the academic groups meet with Mr. Ramadan far from the fascist despotic confines of the U.S., with its antiquated prohibition on terrorism, and meet in one of the idyllic fonts of freedom that are the Islamic nations?
Interesting that he wrote his PhD dissertation on Nietzsche. Must of been handy when it came to explaining to infidels why they should they should embrace the rise of the new Fatherland, er, I mean Islamoland.
"European Islam", where the only the most sophisticated engineering goes into your suicide vest, making it both functional and elegant.
That must be reassuring.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on his behalf as well as on behalf of the American Academy of Religion, the American Association of University Professors and the PEN American Center.
... so, ACLU supports American enemies, wherever ACLU finds them? America has venemous vipers (ACLU) and Cobras (CAIR) in it's own back yard.
Nobody needs this worm Tareek Ramadan in this country for any reason. We don't owe him a welcome. Got it, ACLU, CAIR, et al?
He's a radical Muslim puke, and can stay where he is.
Poor ACLU-now they'll have more to whine about.
Satan Claus again.
The title, and the initials, are the same -- ACLU. But the personnel who run the ACLU, and their understanding of men and events, and knowledge of the world, are far inferior to those who ran the organization in its heyday, when Martin Dies and HUAC, and of course Joseph McCarthy, had to be taught a thing or two. The people who then ran the ACLU had been formed during World War II. They were, by and large, not fools and certainly aware that Soviet Communism, and its admirers and collaborators abroad, were a threat. The people who have crept into many of the positions of power in the present ACLU appear not to have any understanding of Islam. They have not read the texts; they do not know the tenets; they haven't any idea what attitudes naturally arise even in those Muslims who may not go to mosques but who grow up in societies, or families, suffused with Islam -- what can be called the atmospherics of Islam. They are as ignorant as Bush, and we saw what that ignorance about Islam has caused us to squander in Iraq. But they are even more dangerous to our wellbeing than Bush with his Iraq venture. The organization should be shunned, and another one created, one not unlike the ACLU as it once was, when it was run by those who were not inclined to act to undercut the political and legal institutions of this country, and who were well aware of the world-wide relentless menace that the ideology of Communism, or rather of Soviet Communism, represented, for America and for the West.
So many organizations have become parodies of themselves. More than a decade ago those who could not stand the politics that suffused the MLA -- the politics of race, gender, "sexual orientation" and so on -- and they formed a group of "literary scholars and critics." While it too has declined into something as "departmental" (in Frost's famous use), if one must endure meeting "one's colleagues" and discussing -- rather than reading and studying, and then transmitting the fruits of that reading and studying to the young -- the Literary Scholars and Critics group is much the better professional assocation. A similar group of intellient malcontents, I have heard, have done the same with Middle Eastern studies -- simply have decided to start a rival group, one not dedicated to being apologists for Islam and the Arabs. Perhaps it is time to start a real ACLU, that is one that will not be in the hands of those who, if they were successful, would likely make the job of those whose duty it is to protect us still more difficult. Surely there are defenders of civil liberties who are keenly aware of the menace of Islam, and are not intent on always and everywhere standing up for those who do not wish us well, who wish us, and our legal and political instiutions and solicitude for individual rights (the same ones that the current ACLU allows itself, not quite accurately I'm afraid, to believe it is defending).
A new ACLU. Yes, that's the ticket.
Tariq Ramadan really wants to get into the U.S. in a bad way; I wonder why? He must feel an urgent need to perform his carefully rehearsed repertoire of taquiya, islamic propaganda, and prevarication for American audiences, preferably young, malleable, and receptive dupes like those found on college campuses. Con artists like Ramadan always target the most vulnerable and naive. It has been made clear to this oleaginous slug that his malevolent presence is not welcome in America, yet he persists in his quest for a visa. Why would Notre Dame want this slimy reptile on its faculty? If he fooled Notre Dame into believing his resume of lies and deceit, imagine how easily he could beguile the students.
Leave it to the ACLU to promote, defend, and empower the enemies of America. They hate America as much as Tariq Ramadan does but they both know that there is much indoctrination yet to be done before their dreams of destroying this country are realized. I hope he never sets foot on American soil. I only wish we could throw out his colleagues already here, many of whom have been poisoning young minds far too long.
Marisol,
I used to hate that song (too much airtime on the radio), but you've improved the lyrics.
Hugh,
The way you feel about the ACLU, is the way I feel about NOW. Both have been corrupted and have strayed from their original goals.
I've linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2007/12/re-tariq-ramadans-suit-for-us-visa.html