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January 25, 2006

'A'CLU -- just what the hell

are they thinking?

The ACLU sued the federal government Wednesday for blocking a Muslim scholar from entering the United States, arguing that the government should not use anti-terrorism laws as "instruments of censorship."

The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in U.S. District Court sought to open the way for Tariq Ramadan, a Swiss intellectual and Muslim scholar, to accept invitations to speak to audiences in the United States.

Last I looked, a non-American citizen has no right to expect to be allowed into the US under any circumstance. Censorship? How does the First Amendment convey rights to people who are both non-US-citizens and are not even in the US itself? Meet Tariq Ramadan.

Of course, the 'A'CLU is being consistent in bending over backwards for Islamists to enter this country at will, not be identified, not be tracked and, heaven forfend, end up in a database! What's to fear from Islamists like Ramadan who believe things like Sharia are superior to democracy?

Daniel Pearl and Nick Berg could not be reached for comment.

In further demonstration of the 'A'CLU's seriousness and sober reflection of priorities, they've helped a poor defenseless 17 y/o high school male assert his Constitutional right to wear a skirt to school.

Posted by Darleen at January 25, 2006 01:05 PM

Comments

A little historical perspectiv emight be in order here. During the Cold War our government used immigration laws to deny entry to "communist threats" like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Pierre Trudeau. The ACLU is most likely using this case to challenge portions of the Patriot Act, which do affect U.S. citizens as well.

I haven't read up on this case but I know people who are knowledgeable about Ramadan and he is not a terrorist; he is being targeted because of who his father was. If you rely on Right Wing extremists like Daniel Pipes for your information you won't get the full story.

Posted by: Brad at January 25, 2006 02:53 PM

- Well while you're busily reading and stuff, maybe you'd could pinpoint the time in the last 40 years when the left decided that everyone in the world comes under the US Constitution. Is this just a poorly hidden instance that your purist ideals think that the world needs to all be Americans? This is more of the usual pure Socialist bullshit.

Posted by: Big Bang Hunter at January 25, 2006 05:43 PM

I guess it's a good thing to spread democracy and freedom in the Middle East, but a bad thing to enourage anyone in the Middle East to come here and exercise it, eh?

Posted by: Brad at January 25, 2006 06:22 PM

Quite frankly, it's stupid to encourage "terrorists" to come here in order to exercise what they consider to be their rights---or anything else.

What is your proof that that it's Ramadan's father they're after, and not Ramadan himself? Got any links? Can you refer us to some websites? Any other evidence other than what these guys who are so very "Knowladgeable" about Ramadan have told you? (And how do they know so much about him, and why are you so quick to accept their word?) If you haven't studied the case, how can you be so sure they're telling you the truth?

And, yeah, it's a good question---since when does the United States Constitution extend to the entire world?

Posted by: TalkinKamel at January 25, 2006 06:30 PM

Kamel: you misread me. I didn't say the Feds are after Ramadan's father. I said he is being targeted in part because of his father, and especially his grandfather (Hassan al-Banna) who founded the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ramadan has said in multiple interviews that he does not feel that violence is justified either in the occupied territories or by Muslims elsewhere. He has acknowledged Israel's right to exist. He is a revered scholar and author and I happen to know one of his publisher's.

My take on the ACLU suit--again, without having read the full text of the legal briefs--is that this is an important case because many scholars and artists and intellectuals are being denied entry into the United States or are intimidated from coming here, based solely on their religion. It has ramifications for citizens here (especially teachers) who may have a controversial platform. But then, I would guess that you have no problem with the intimidation of professors either domestic or foreign.

Posted by: Brad at January 25, 2006 07:39 PM

- Something like what happened at Georgetown University the other day... Eh Brad....Except wait.... In that case it was the Liberal professors doing the intimidating.... why imagine that....

Posted by: Big Bang Hunter at January 25, 2006 09:14 PM

Brad

Daniel Pipes has long researched Islam and is a supporter of Islam, but has also been adament in pointing out the poison of the ideology of Islamism. You dismiss him as 'rightwing' but have no evidence to back that up. Pipes credibility is question just because he criticizes and warns about Islamism. Geez, how 9/10/01.

And if one looked at the links provided in Pipes article as a jumping off point, Ramadan is not all the sweetness and light you'd have us believe -- all his 'for Westerner ears' rhetoric is belied by what he says to fellow moslems. Or maybe you think the French, of all people, are 'rightwing' like Pipes when they banned Ramadan, too.

Posted by: Darleen at January 25, 2006 11:05 PM

You dismiss him as 'rightwing' but have no evidence to back that up

Darleen, give me a break please: Daniel Pipes most certinly is a Right Wing ideologue:

His solution is simple: The Israeli military must force what Pipes describes as a "change of heart" by the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza -- a sapping of the Palestinian will to fight which can lead to a complete surrender. "How is a change of heart achieved? It is achieved by an Israeli victory and a Palestinian defeat," Pipes continued. "The Palestinians need to be defeated even more than Israel needs to defeat them."

Posted by: Brad at January 26, 2006 09:44 AM

The Palestinians need to be defeated?

Sounds just fine to me!

(t one time it might have been possible to ship them to Jordan, which is, after all, the homeland that was designated for them, by the UN; unfortunately, their merry pranks there, culminating in a plot to assassinate the king, and Black September, that doesn't seem too likely. The Palestinians do have a way of making themselves loved by all, don't they? Gee, look at all the great stuff they did for Lebanon. . . )

Posted by: TalkinKamel at January 26, 2006 10:47 AM

- Actually I don't agree with pipes on this one. Netanyahu has the right idea. Everytime one of the darling peace loving "freedom fighters" decides to make himself a martyr to Allah you take out his bosses with a surgical strike. (Notice how its never the bosses that are talked into turning themselves into a human roman candle). At some point, when the attrition to the heads of the snake get to expensive, then their murdering asses will stop. Also, after Iran goes too far forcing the West to act, which it will sooner or later, that will cut off a major portion of the funding to Hesbullah and Hamas. Then they'll be down to Syria and Northern Pakistan, for rocket money.

Posted by: Big Bang Hunter at January 27, 2006 07:52 AM