With all the stories on the Internet it can be difficult to always stay in the know. To help, we’ve searched the web for interesting pieces of news, videos and tips to help you start off your week on the right foot.
1. Man pleads guilty for pulling off women’s hijab
Gill Parker Payne, 37, of Gastonia, N.C., pled guilty Friday. He was charged with using “force or threat of force to obstruct a Muslim woman in the free exercise of her religious beliefs.”
On Friday a North Carolina man plead guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge after admitting he pulled off a women’s hijab during a Southwest Airlines flight in December and shouted, “Take it off — this is America!” Gill Parker Payne, 37, of Gastonia, N.C. has been charged with using force or threat of force to obstruct a Muslim woman in the free exercise of her religious beliefs, according to USA Today. [tweetthis]A North Carolina man plead guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge after admitting he pulled off a women’s hijab and shouted, “Take it off — this is America!”[/tweetthis]
According to USA Today, “U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez of the District of New Mexico said the prosecution ‘sends a clear message to anyone who contemplates the use of threats or intimidation to interfere with the right of individuals, including members of our Muslim community, to express their faith without fear.’ He said his office is ‘committed to protecting the religious rights of Muslims in New Mexico by aggressively prosecuting those who wish to perpetrate hate crimes against them.'”
2. The Citadel rejects student’s request to wear the hijab
Photo: GOPUSA
A student’s request that The Citadel, the Military College in Charleston, South Carolina, allow her to wear the hijab has been denied by the school. According to The Citadel, it does not conform with the college’s standard uniform. According to the school the decision reflects its culture of standardizing the appearance of cadets regardless of their religion. “This process reflects an initial relinquishing of self during which cadets learn the value of teamwork to function as a single unit. Upon graduation, The Citadel’s graduates are prepared to enter a life committed to principled leadership in military service and civilian careers,” said Lt Gen. John Rosa.
A spokesman for the family of the student says the student is disappointed in the decision and will not be attending the school in the fall unless there is a change in the decision. The family is also considering legal options.
“We believe the desire to maintain an outdated ‘tradition,’ which was the same argument used to initially deny admittance to African-Americans and women, does not justify violating a student’s constitutional rights. Our nation’s military currently accommodates religious attire in the form of headscarves, beards, and turbans. The Citadel should offer the same accommodations,” said William Burgess, an attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations Attorney. “No student should be forced to choose between her faith and an education that can facilitate future service to her nation.”
3. Meet Donald Trump supporters from the various groups he’s offended — including women, Muslims and Mexican-Americans
Only 7 percent of Muslims surveyed said they would support him, per a February poll from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Although during his campaign Donald Trump has professed just as much hate as love for the various groups he’s offended, the numbers show that these groups don’t share his love.
According to recent Gallup polls, 77 percent of Hispanics and seven in 10 women view him unfavorably. Roughly 86 percent of black voters share the same feelings according to an NBC News/SurveryMonkey poll and just 7 percent of Muslims surveyed said they would support him, according to a February poll from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Sabir Hussaini, the 17-year-old son of two immigrants who fled Afghanistan as refugees during the Soviet-Afghan War, owns, what he estimates as, $200 worth of Trump merchandise. The Kansas-born Muslim teen, who says he’s “obsessed” with Trump, insisted to The NY Daily News that although a majority of Muslims reject Trump, he doesn’t find him hateful at all.
“He just wants to put American people first, because that’s what every President should do for their country,” Hussaini told The News.
4. International Modest Fashion week showcases the best of conservative clothing
The first International Modest fashion week features the work of 70 designers. Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP
The first International Modest fashion week opened Thursday in Istanbul as Turkey hopes to stake claim as a creative hotspot for conservative fashion around the world. During the two-day show 70 designers debuted their designs at the event hosted by Modanisa, an online retailer for Muslim fashion. [tweetthis]The first ever International Modest fashion week wowed viewers Thursday in Istanbul with 70 designers showcasing their work.[/tweetthis]
“[We want] to create mainstream fashion out of modest fashion and to energise Islamic communities to produce [clothing] for Muslim women,” Modanisa CEO Kerim Ture told the Guardian. “They want to have their rules but they also want to look chic.”
Modest fashion represents a growing market in the world. Worldwide spending on Muslim clothing is projected to grow to $327 billion by 2020, according to a recent Global Islamic Economy report.
5. Islamic Center of Tennessee uses film to discuss Islamophobia
The Islamic Center of Tennessee is working to help people separate fact from fiction about Islam and what it means to be Muslim. The film is in response to an event that took place last month where a Tennessee lawmaker passed out a movie called “America’s Mosques Exposed.”
The center’s film is titled “American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction.”
According to Aisha Libhalla, a member of the local Muslim Women’s Council, the film responds to Islamphobia which is a growing concern of hers.
“We want to kill the stigma,” Libhalla told WKRN News 2. “Isis and terrorist is not something that is a Muslim problem. We are just as dumbfounded as everyone else. It is our collective problem, so until we see it as that we can’t conquer this.”
[tweetthis]5 things you should know to start your week off right[/tweetthis]
This list was curated by Kaitlin Montgomery, altM News Editor
