Anti-dhimmitude at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. “Pa. university goes ahead with Islam critic’s speech,” from Associated Press:
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. –A speech by a best-selling author and critic of Islam will be held at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, despite calls by members of the Muslim community to cancel the event.
The article never makes it quite clear to readers who may not already be familiar with her story and her work that Hirsi Ali is herself an ex-Muslim.
Members of the Islamic Center of Johnstown wanted Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s appearance canceled, saying her attacks on Islam are unjustified and Muslims in the Johnstown area get along well with everyone else.
“I don’t want her to poison anyone’s mind,” Mahmood A. Qazi, the center’s founder and past president, told the Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown. “She doesn’t believe in God. How can she talk about God?”
She can certainly talk about a belief system, especially one with which she had so much firsthand experience.
Qazi and Islamic Center president Fouad ElBayly met with Jerry Samples, the school’s vice president of academic and student affairs.
“They expressed their concerns and I understand their concerns,” Samples said.
Islam, however, has been discussed at other campus events, he said. Qazi and ElBayly also wanted to discuss Islam on campus later and Samples agreed.
“Qazi and ElBayly also wanted to discuss Islam on campus later,” but apparently only on their terms.
Hirsi Ali, a Somali native and former Dutch member of parliament, is scheduled to speak Tuesday evening at Pitt-Johnstown as part of an annual lecture series.