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Anti-Islam Hate Group Keynote Speaker at Tea Party Rally Sparks Controversy

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on Florida GOP U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio to not participate in a Tea Party rally featuring Brigitte Gabriel, the head of ACT! for America, an anti-Islam hate group. Gabriel has made controversial statements, including that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office and that Islam is the "real enemy." CAIR asked the group to drop Gabriel as a speaker last week, but the invitation was not withdrawn.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the invitation of Brigitte Gabriel, the head of ACT! for America, to be the keynote speaker at the Tea Party's "U.S. Constitution Freedom Rally" in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
  • Gabriel has made statements that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office and that an American Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen" and that Islam is the "real enemy."
  • CAIR has called for an educational initiative by the American Muslim community to respond to a Florida church's planned "International Burn a Koran Day" on September 11, citing the growing opposition to American mosques as evidence of the nationwide growth of anti-Islam sentiment.
  • ACT! for America and Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA) are hate groups that promote anti-Islam sentiment, according to CAIR.
  • Brigitte Gabriel has also claimed that Arabs "have no soul" and that Muslims worship "something they call 'Allah,' which is very different from the God we believe [in]."
  • CAIR is asking Marco Rubio to not lend legitimacy to the hate rally and to demonstrate through his actions that the Republican Party will not seek to benefit from the rising level of Islamophobia in society.

Statistics:

  • September 11, 1931, was the target date for the "International Burn a Koran Day" event planned by a Florida church.
  • September 12 is the date for "Muslim Family Day" at Six Flags theme parks.
  • 5 times a day Muslims pray as part of their daily rituals, according to Brigitte Gabriel.

Sources:

  • Council on American-Islamic Relations
  • CAIR Asks Fla. Tea Party to Drop Anti-Islam Speaker
  • SEE: Stop Six Flags 'Muslim Family Day'

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