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Freedom house Report and Saudi influence in universities

Reader comment on item: [Freedom House report on] Saudi Venom in U.S. Mosques

Submitted by Terrence Quirin (United States), Feb 2, 2005 at 14:08

I read the Freedom House report discussed by you in your 2/1 report. I have seen some of this literature and not in a mosque. My daughter was a student at American University from 1997 -2001.

While attending a concert in the campus worship center (used by all faiths), I picked up several publications distributed by the Saudi embassy. They were in English. I took them home because I have long been interested in and concerned about Islam in America. I read these booklets and was stunned and more than a little ticked at the brazenness of the content. These were left for all students and were filled with the hatred discussed in the Freedom House report. This was pre-9/11 so the full import of these publications escaped me.

I have from time to time emailed the Saudi Embassy and CAIR asking if the Saudi government would permit the construction of churches and synagogues and free worship and renounce the "policy" of only Muslims in the holy places. I never expected and answer and did not get one.

More recently I attended a discussion of my Church's Peace and Justice Committee where members of the Villanova Islamic Education Center were present to discuss Islam, its tolerance, compatibility with democracy and why Sharia would be a good for America. I raised a host of questions about the persecution of Copts (denied by the Egyptians among them), the intolerance of the Saudi's toward Christians and Jews contained in their school texts and laws (denied also with the statement that they did not abandon "thinking" by assuming the veil), dhimmitude (absolutely denied), the conflicts within the Koran and the doctrine of abrogation (conflicts denied - they only cite the peaceful parts to the unwitting) as well as many of the issues outlined by you
in your publications. My conclusion (not shared by the professors within the group) was that these people were practiced liars who could not confront the truth because they were preaching a totalitarian worldview that admitted no error.

As a sometimes liberal Democrat I struggle with the concept of freedom of religion and speech but I firmly believe that we have destructive forces among us disguised as a "tolerant religion". I believe we have to challenge Islam and its impact on freedom. I do not see moderation as a driving force in Islam. Perhaps so-called moderate Muslims don't read the Koran or choose to ignore it. But can we count on that for our protection? Will what is happening in the Netherlands happen here? Your discussion of the murder of the Copts in New Jersey suggest s we may be there. A member of the Coptic parish works with my wife and says the newspaper descriptions have been cleansed. Local news coverage says the throats of the victims may have been punctured. The parishioners know what happened.

I am not afraid of the label of Islamaphobe. I am more afraid of being a facilitator.

Terry Quirin
thank you
Submitting....

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Reader comments (75) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Honestly. [140 words]KhadijahSep 3, 2008 18:54137893
2muslims tell us they hate us ! [112 words]Phil GreendMay 30, 2007 12:1195334
I am sorry to disappoint but I do not hate you [357 words]RabiaOct 23, 2007 01:3995334
1being an american [7 words]j taftFeb 16, 2008 12:4595334
one GOD for all [22 words]Ahmad KabulistaniOct 13, 2008 01:5895334
Unbelievable-- to commenters [430 words]RafiahOct 19, 2006 20:4461741
1Not so unbelievable [284 words]RafaNov 4, 2006 03:3261741
1Guess what? We know who you are now. [778 words]LagomorphNov 20, 2006 12:2061741
Hmmmmmm. [113 words]ThomasMay 2, 2007 11:0361741
5Muslims are not vctims [31 words]ETMay 19, 2011 11:3061741
2It time to remove tax status from Mosques [56 words]Steve BaldwinMay 19, 2006 11:2545956
what media are you talking about? [114 words]Usman ChoudharyOct 3, 2006 00:0845956
2To all of those who don't 'get it' out there... [85 words]Common SenseOct 27, 2006 17:1445956
1Just Wondering [55 words]KenangaDec 14, 2005 07:5829939
aatt [11 words]dfdsJun 13, 2005 09:1422651
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1Response to commenter C. Calhoun [83 words]A.WoodsFeb 15, 2005 13:1020359
1In response to commenter N. Khan [33 words]C. CalhounFeb 14, 2005 15:0720325
1Learning Arabic [117 words]Gloria StewartFeb 13, 2005 22:2820315
1Only Daniel Pipes... [14 words]Salman R.Feb 13, 2005 20:1520313
I Agree and Disagree with commenter AM [129 words]Ayesha A.Feb 11, 2005 17:2120277
1A TRUE MENACE [274 words]Timur AliFeb 11, 2005 11:4620269
1Response to Toor [117 words]N. khanFeb 10, 2005 14:2120250
I am terrified! [196 words]AM of VirginiaFeb 10, 2005 11:2520241
1Reality testing [226 words]Dan KatcherFeb 9, 2005 12:5820216
1The Saudi Emperor Has No Clothes [63 words]Chaim HarmanFeb 8, 2005 19:0920194
2Islam as a religion of peace? [366 words]Concerned EuropeanFeb 7, 2005 04:4620143
Islam's peace [199 words]SoundOct 31, 2006 13:1320143
Dialogue is needed [219 words]Mohammad A. ToorFeb 6, 2005 02:5020133
1Oil and the Bush administration [22 words]Muriel CoillFeb 5, 2005 17:1820125
1Oil and Saudi Arabia [51 words]Ron FSep 17, 2006 14:2820125
1Anti-dote [54 words]Peter NamtvedtFeb 5, 2005 14:3320119
1Saudi Venom in U.S. Mosques [33 words]Kathryn G. PiersonFeb 5, 2005 13:0520118
1Wahhabi or not Wahhabi that is the question? [191 words]AndyFeb 5, 2005 06:2920114
1Walter Harbert's Response to Sida [405 words]Walter HarbertFeb 5, 2005 01:0520111
1Is this expected from "moderate" muslims? [159 words]JaladhiFeb 4, 2005 12:4720107
1Response to comment by Terrence Quirin [93 words]JaladhiFeb 4, 2005 09:0120105
1BRAIN WASHING [202 words]LINDA SALZMANFeb 3, 2005 14:4320092
1Sedition [193 words]JaladhiFeb 3, 2005 10:2220086
1The United States is too lenient with the Saudis [189 words]Octavio JohansonFeb 3, 2005 08:2320083
1Bush & Saudis [56 words]Kermit J. Halperin, D.D.S.Feb 2, 2005 22:1420080
1OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W.BUSH [246 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 2, 2005 16:2920078
1Greetings from Europe [508 words]FrankJul 17, 2006 12:3820078
'Peaceful Islam'? [17 words]Romesh ChanderFeb 2, 2005 16:1620077
It happened in Nicaragua before [213 words]Arnie FishmanFeb 2, 2005 15:2720076
Response to commenter Walter Harbert [257 words]SidaFeb 2, 2005 14:3520075
Freedom house Report and Saudi influence in universities [493 words]Terrence QuirinFeb 2, 2005 14:0820074
What will it take [194 words]SidaFeb 2, 2005 13:4320073
1Do We Need to Protect Ourselves? [245 words]Robert RogersFeb 2, 2005 11:4920070
Reporting on Saudi hate speech [70 words]Rev. Douglas R. Ardis Sr.Feb 2, 2005 08:3220069
1American Worker's !9 years experience in Saudi Arabia [394 words]Walter HarbertFeb 2, 2005 08:0320067
Saudi position misunderstood by commenter Rob James [69 words]Adam GreavesFeb 2, 2005 07:2220065
1Where is the Homeland Security Department? [252 words]Caesar M. ArevaloFeb 2, 2005 01:5020064
2Saudi Hate [201 words]Susan PetreaFeb 2, 2005 00:2420060
Saudi Vermin in U.S. Mosques [152 words]MaxFeb 1, 2005 23:1620059
Citizen of the Free World [9 words]Citizen of the Free WorldFeb 1, 2005 22:3420054
1Our legislators should read this . . . [805 words]A concerned citizenFeb 1, 2005 18:2920052
Stop Hatred [76 words]SamJun 16, 2007 21:2420052
There is a lesson here in bird flu... [176 words]Michael CFeb 1, 2005 17:4620051
DECLARATION OF WAR:What could happen to you... [91 words]Marcos BerensteinFeb 1, 2005 16:4220050
Which Orange County? [20 words]Bob MilliganFeb 1, 2005 15:2920047
As Expected [123 words]Darwin BarrettFeb 1, 2005 15:2720046
Impressive and Terrifying Saudis [48 words]Cynthia GrenierFeb 1, 2005 14:4420045
1Start by Keeping Them Out [155 words]Pat KunzFeb 1, 2005 13:5920044
1The heart of it: ISLAMIC Scripture-Koran & Hadiths. [190 words]Paul RinderleFeb 1, 2005 13:1420043
Keep up the good work [52 words]Bill RautenbergFeb 1, 2005 13:0920042
1The Head of the Snake [260 words]Don CastellaFeb 1, 2005 12:5320041
Saudi influence in American mosques [143 words]Merl Francis KimmelFeb 1, 2005 12:5120040
Stopping this funding [42 words]M. WilsonFeb 1, 2005 12:4520039
Saudi Venom in U.S. Mosques [11 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DavidFeb 1, 2005 12:1420038
The Saudi money has being a source of evil since long time. [124 words]Dr Ahmed Youssif. MDFeb 1, 2005 12:0520037
Saudi money in Italy [254 words]Octavio JohansonFeb 1, 2005 10:4120032
Media? [70 words]Dave MitchellFeb 1, 2005 10:0620031
With friends like these who needs enemies. [129 words]JaladhiFeb 1, 2005 09:3120030
So much for those "Parteners against Terror" commercials [69 words]Rob JamesFeb 1, 2005 08:4020027

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