Whenever someone is brought to our great campus, many questions should be asked. How will they be perceived? Do they support our cause in the right way? Do we actually believe in all that they say? Are they extremists? These questions were hardly asked, let alone answered when the Muslim Student Association (MSA) decided to bring Amir Abdel Malik to our campus.
Let me give you some background on what may transpire on Thursday, May 11, 2006. This Amir of the Oakland area may proceed to tell you that he is a moderate. Here is a good first quote to help understand him. The guy thinks that “the Israelis-were ‘in-control’ of Sept. 11” and that it was “an excuse to wage war against Muslims around the world.” Not only that but he was quoted in Berkeley as saying, “We ain’t gonna lose. We must implement Islam as a totality,” in which “Allah controls every place – the home, the classroom, the science lab, the halls of Congress.” He’s talking about taking control of the government of the United States and implementing a Sharia Islamic Republic!
In the last three years, his major talks at UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley have all included extremist terrorist ideologies and anti-American statements. He has been quoted as saying that the wars against Iraq (Gulf War and Iraqi Freedom) were manufactured by the Jews in America. Is this guy serious? Where are his facts to make that case?
This man continues to support Hamas. Documented evidence shows his support goes back at least to 1999 when he gave a speech at a San Francisco rally praising the terrorist organization. His speech included calls that “Muslims must reject such a designation (against labeling Hamas a terrorist organization).” Hamas has been responsible for 60 terrorist attacks.
The guy is also a great propagandist. He’ll distort facts and use clever wording to make you think that what he says is the truth. If you don’t know the facts, he may easily fool you. If you would like to see him yell and propagandize to a supportive crowd of Allahu Akbar screaming fans, check out http://standwithus.com/UCI_incitement2005.asp. He was brought to Berkeley in February 2004 and even some Muslim students were uncomfortable and ashamed. Some went so far as to say, “As a Muslim, I just want to apologize.”
This is not something we need and not someone any honest organization would bring to speak at a peaceful and just campus like Cal Poly. Do the research before bringing radical extremists to this campus.
Jeff Pathman
Computer engineering junior