Condemning the murder of three young Muslim Americans in the US this week as “not a hate crime but a terrorist act,” Qatar Foundation has invited all residents to attend a solidarity march on campus tomorrow.
The walk will take place at 2:30pm and begin in front of the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Center in Education City.
On Twitter, QF said:
We call #Qatar to the #QatarSolidarityWalk on Sunday at 2.30pm to show solidarity with the victims #Chapelhill_Qatar pic.twitter.com/wL4g8eaWd7
— Qatar Foundation (@QF) February 13, 2015
The three students — Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; her husband, Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23; and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19 — were shot and killed on Tuesday at their home near the University of North Carolina.
Neighbor Craig Hicks, 46, turned himself in earlier this week and has been charged with three counts of murder. He remains in jail.
His supporters say his motive was anger over a parking dispute, while relatives of the victims argue the crime was motivated by hate.
Many of Hick’s posts on his Facebook page, which apparently has since been taken down, heap scorn on religion.
News of the murders has resonated worldwide, prompting an outpouring of condemnation, condolence and grief. In Qatar, some residents weighed in online:
Hearing about the #ChapelHill shootings just breaks my heart. That graduation photo is so hopeful and full of life.
— Hannah Farrant (@hannahfarrant) February 11, 2015
https://twitter.com/LibyaLiberty/status/565564170603479040
https://twitter.com/queenyaz_/status/566180083988062208
Obama’s statement
On Friday, after intense domestic and international pressure, including from leaders in Jordan and Turkey, US President Barack Obama condemned the killings, saying in a statement:
“No one in the United States of America should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship. As we saw with the overwhelming presence at the funeral of these young Americans, we are all one American family.”
A federal investigation has also been opened to look into the murders. According to the New York Times, at least a dozen firearms — including handguns, shotguns, rifles and a black Bushmaster AR-15 — were seized this week from Hicks’s apartment.
Those attending tomorrow’s march can enter Education City from the Ceremonial Court entrance on Al Luqta St, and can park in the Ceremonial Court parking lot.
QF has also asked supporters to donate to Syrian Dental Relief, which was started by Barakat (a dental student) to aid refugees in Turkey.
For more updates on the case, see the Facebook page launched in the memory of the deceased, Our Three Winners.
Thoughts?
As the other neighbour said parking guy would have shot anyone. If you ask me this is more indicative of what happens when people have easy access to guns but no access to effective mental health services. I feel sorry for these kids being on the end of that unfortunate equation.
No, he’s a terrorist.
No, he’s not. Definitely a mass-murdered, and depending on the evidence, he may have moved over to hate-crime, but terrorist? Nope.
Another Fox News mentality.
Ha, and the funny thing is Fox News makes me barf. The misuse and abuse of the word terrorism trivializes it. What makes this act terrorism in your understanding? I have seen no evidence that there was an attempt at a political aim or to change or coerce governmental or societal behavior; without that, it isn’t terrorism. Evidence may come out on the killer’s motivations that will change that, but so far it doesn’t look at all like terrorism – bigoted and hate filled yes, but that doesn’t equal terrorism.
It also remains to be seen that being an atheist and bigoted in a universal way was the motive for the crime to begin with. That is a far leap to make. Just because a person posts hate filled statements on Facebook doesn’t mean its the motivation for what he did. Now if he had posted that he hated his neighbors because they were Muslims and he was going to kill them, then you have motive, but if he instead made statements against a basket of faiths and he just happened to dislike them because they kept parking in his parking spot….that is an attempt to take coincidence and turn it into motive. That latter statement seems to be the agenda of the US Attorney General who goes about the country looking at every incident to see if they can make it about race or a hate crime as a means of making the media cycle focus there rather than on the other issues that are going on. Weapons of Mass Distraction.
If he was the other way around and was a muslim who shot 3 american studenta you will still say it was a hate crime not a terrorist? How ironic
You are conflating your terms. Please clarify. In addition, you have no idea what I would say in another situation. If a Jordanian (as an example only, your conflating of religious choice with nationality shows a mindset that I can’t endorse) shot three American students for being (insert choice of religion here) I would say that was a hate crime, if their choice of god was incidental I would call it mass murder.
If a Jordanian killed them to send a message to the government or change policy, I would call that terrorism.
As it is now, it is Americans killing each other – sadly common occurrence.
Your statement implies that the guy shot these poor people because of who they were and not for any other reason, which without that being proven as a specific motive means this is just three innocent people shot by a person that should not have had access to a fire arm. Lastly, the news is saying he is an atheist, which means its not Islamaphobia or any other specific religion he apparently had intolerance towards, but rather a general dislike or disdain for all faiths. I know many people that are atheists that have a general hostility towards anyone of any religion. If he had shot his three neighbors and they were Christian, or Buddhist would it have been a hate crime then? What you have here is a US media issue where the 24 hour news cycle loves to drum up a story and a federal legal entity that goes around the country following these events in an attempt to get involved and take pressure off of other issues that the government is engaged in…..in short, these poor students are being exploited even after their death by a media that seeks to sell more stuff through increased ad sales and a government that seeks to distract form other stories such as ongoing nuclear negotiations and encroaching advances in Iraq and the Levant by ISIS.
My statement shouldn’t be seen that way, as I am in complete agreement with your statement.
Ok, maybe I was reading it wrong….sorry then. 😉
We’ll have to wait for that to happen, but I hope it will not happen.
To give you a bit of credit, some of the hysteric American media would be liable to immediately call in a terrorist attack, I’ll grant you that.
It’s a hate crime by legal definition, but that doesn’t mean some idiot in the 300 million Americans would not go around calling it a terrorist act.
Idiot? For having a different opinion? Grow up.
Read the post clearly. He didn’t call anyone on here an idiot.
Not on here, but he did call someone an idiot for having a different opinion.
Because saying so at this moment, as with QF, is idiocy.
There goes another person calling others idiots for having different opinions.
To whip people into a froth in these times over supposed religious intolerance is idiotic. I bet good money on this being nothing more than an angry man, who should not have had a license to carry a gun, getting idiot angry over something very trivial. If the facts turn the other way then have your anti-terror march reasons. But in years of terrorism related killings, especially in the ME, I’ve not witnessed one march. Not for the pilot burned alive, not for the journalists beheaded, not for the girls abducted, raped and killed, not for the Pakistani girl shot in the head for going to school, not for the 100s that die every day in killings done in the name of Allah… the list of possible march reasons is long and varied but they choose this one before we even no WTH is going on. Stupid and idiotic. I stand by my former statement.
I didn’t say anything about the case yet, I might agree with you or I might not. But if I didn’t that would make me a(n) … (finish the sentence)
Again the problem most people seem to have is choosing this incident and choosing it when the facts are at best murky in this being anything BUT an anger issue over something stupid as parking. Just like to know who at QF, being a bastion of education, chose to do this. Not a spur of the moment thing as someone spent some time designing a logo and getting permission to do this.
If it’s the student tie thing then why not a march for the QF students who went to Syria to fight with Al Nusrah and at least one dying? Is he a terrorist? Hush hush then. Is he a freedom fighter? Then why no march? As long as it’s in someone else’s backyard the powers that be in this region have no problem inciting the population to some sort of knee jerk reaction. Often with deadly consequences. Be it in your own backyard…chirp chirp chirp. Nothing but crickets.
And being a “bastion of education and learning” you’d think that QF would know the difference between a hate crime and terrorism. Which it will probably pan out to be neither.
Thank you for putting an effort in this argument, but I don’t you get what I mean. Thanks again.
Then you need to try harder, don’t you think?
Debating with someone on how to have a proper debate doesn’t usually end well.
Very true….what makes this so special among all the other atrocities around the world?
Sorry. You’re right. Fox News is a genius think tank for calling everything a Muslim does a terrorist plot.
Try looking at the post to which I am responding (Guest’s) and then reading my post carefully. The idiots (sorry, intellectually naive and challenged people) I’m referring to are the people who cry terrorism every time someone who happens to be Muslim does anything illegal. If you think that sort of thinking is brilliant, then good luck to you.
Are this group of atheist terrorists that he belongs to planning more act of terrorism?
He might be, but what is his terrorist agenda? To turn the US into a Christian state that lives by an ultra-orthodox Christian code. Or maybe he is angry about a parking space (making him a murderer), or maybe he hates Muslims (making his murder also a hate crime, which carries stiffer punishments).
Or to turn it into a state of heavily armed anarchist-libertarian (untreated) psych patients ensuring the sovereignty of parking spaces…
Um. If you’ve read other reports you’d know the murderer has no desire to turn the US into a Christian state because he is an atheist.
I was being sarcastic.
Having classified this as a terrorist act, will QF call for solidarity marches in all cases of terrorist acts. If not, some might get the wrong idea…
Yeah, it is has put me in a difficult position as whether to go participate. If it were a simple memorial it would be easy, but the way that QF have politicized it, long before the evidence is in, makes attendance more complicated. Also, 2:30? Who schedules something for 2:30 on a weekday if they are serious about good attendance?
Looks like they’ve changed their tune. The tag line is now “All students safe … our future protected” http://www.qf.org.qa/news/solidarity-walk-qatar.
Still on their twitter feed…
Glad to see that wiser heads prevailed.
Agreed. Personally I would prefer a different tag line like “walk for peace and safety” which I think would change the atmosphere of the walk as well and reflect the personalities of the victims. A walk is favorable because of the visible appeal of it but what would have been better, in my opinion, was a fundraising event to raise funds for the trip Deah was supposed to go on this summer to help Syrian Refugee Children (http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/syrian-dental-relief/206249) . About $388,000 has been raised so far by people of all races and religions. Now that is solidarity! Let people do something good with their anger and frustration and convert it into love that will be a positive impact for some children.
Karen Hicks, the wife of the suspect police say killed three Muslim college students, says the incident was not a hate crime. -CNN
Well, she would be better positioned to know than the QF, but I can’t imagine her situation. “Ummm, no, my husband is just a run-of-the-mill mass-murdered, he is not a hate killer.” Jeeze, what a position.
That’s why I see no reason for her to lie about her husbands motive.
You mean soon to be ex husband, she filed for divorce in 2009. Not sure why she still defends him, rven if he was her husband ones in her life. She mentioned how he was obsessed with a sniper movie and how he owns many guns. If you tell me is not a hate crime you wouldnt walk to your neighboura door and carry a gun with you? Would you? So please dont tell me it wasnt a hate crime.
Ummm, you show some ignorance of American
culture I fear. In some areas openly carrying a gun to a neighbor’s house, to your workplace, shopping, etc, is completelyu nremarkable behavior. Sadly, in the American context, his carrying a gun alone is not enough, you need to look at the totality of the situation.
Where were the solidarity marches for the Yazidi community / Jordanian pilot / beheaded Brit and American hostages / Phillipine Special Forces? ….. or are they not important???
No university/academic/student connection so it is understandable.
How about solidarity for all of the girls in countries around the world who are attacked, kidnapped, and abused for pursuing an education at all?
They didn’t march for all those nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko haram or maybe QF believes they are better off now as Muslims…..
Whatever the motivation for the dreadful murders it cannot be labelled as terrorism. The truth, palatable or not, is that there is an ever growing fear of the loss of the free and open culture that the west enjoys.
Not a terror act not a hate crime … Just a triple homicide .. An everyday occurance in America … Except this time the victims were not black or Hispanic but Muslim college students
Based on the evidence so far it seems that way, though it could move over to hate crime as more info comes out.
Black, Hispanic and Muslim are not like terms. Like saying apples, oranges, bowling balls.
Yes, why treating ethnicity/skin color as equal to religious choice?
GFYS
Had to look that one up – it’s inappropriate! So, I’m deleting it 😛
What no warning of a ban for that one?
Whatcha say? Whatcha say? I always want new vocabulary words…
Wanted me to do something sexual. To myself.
How terribly boring. Well, maybe not for you 😉 Really though, I would have expected something with a bit more imagination and pizzaz – maybe involving spearmint chewing gun, carbon paper and an air freshener.
Preferably with a bowling ball
you think like one Ms. Troll
They don’t have to be like terms. If in states the people with blue eyes were being feared or hated by some people and then a few where shot. One can say “except this times the victims were not Black or Hispanic but blue-eyed people”. He is comparing identifying characteristics not ethnicity.
So no hispanics have blue eyes?
Ah I get your point and perspective now. However, I don’t think the terms he listed have to be mutually exclusive. If he was in fact, as I interpreted it, listing characteristics (for lack of a better word) of victims the way the US media describe them highlighting the characteristic that stands out for them. Sometimes the headline says “Black male shot” other times they say “Morman family killed”.
The US Media, if you can call them that, has very little understanding of the world. At one time CNN was perhaps something that came to being a news organization., Now, even they have adopted sensationalism. Of course, everyone knows FxNotNews. So more and more people are switching to Al Jazeera and BBC as news sources. I can’t freaking bring myself to open CNN website even; Wish they stop editorializing their HEADLINES too.
Yes. Very good point, and that is why it’s being covered in the media.
It’s a tragedy; and it may be a hate crime.
Don’t forget the white people. In Americans stupid gun loving culture they do not discriminate on who gets shot. A true equal opportunity gun spree, well unless you are in the police then your victim of choice is an unarmed black man.
It’s a hate crime. What else could it be?
Just another day in the US of A.
May they rest in peace. Amazing how hate and intolerance infiltrates into the hearts of many.
I suspect the problem was more with his mind than his heart.
The first thing I noticed when this was initially reported was how it occurred on the same day that Kayla Mueller’s family confirmed her death whilst in IS captivity. Could it have been some kind of retaliation? Only time will tell, I guess.. I’m sure it will all come out in court. But even if it wasn’t his motivation, it seems too much of a coincidence it wasn’t some kind of (literal) trigger.
If the murders where politically motivated, it’s Terrorism.
If they were religiously motivated (ie: Islamophobia), it’s a hate crime.
Parking dispute? It seems highly unlikely that 3 people would be executed by a single shot to the head over parking..
“Parking dispute? It seems highly unlikely that 3 people would be executed by a single shot to the head over parking..”
Not really. With ready access to guns, people get killed in the US all the time for trivial things. Rather than letting cool heads prevail, they reach for a gun in moment of rage.
These are extremely irresponsible actions from QF, a supposed bastion of higher learning. At this moment we don’t know the killers motivations. Most signs point to something totally unrelated to their religion. His FB post were against religion but more than once he supported muslims. Once against christians opposed to the building of a mosque. And apparently he has had a long running battle with others over parking spaces. May seem trivial to most but you never know what will set off an angry person, with easy access to guns, to do terrible things.
Seems an odd thing for QF to do at this point. No ties to Qatar so not sure of the relevance especially afgter noting of the sort after equal, and worse, atrocities going on.
Not a word about the QF students who went to Syria to fight with Al Nusrah and I personally know one of the students was killed in fighting. No march for him?
First, this is a heartbreaking story, and I hope this guy suffers terribly in prison.
However, to usurp this for a political stance in which the privileged students at QF equate themselves with these victims in a show of so-called solidarity is disturbing in its self-righteous indignation and desire to point a finger at America. I’d rather be a Muslim in America than an American in territory controlled by ISIS.
There Muslims around the world being persecuted and killed for their faith, yet where are the Education City marches for those people? And what about the solidarity marches for the young girls kidnapped and abused and killed in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. etc. simply for pursuing and education? Nothing. And that is why I seriously doubt the sincerity of some of the organizers. I’m all for Muslim solidarity, but not when it is so obviously inconsistent and being used to veil another agenda.
If millions of people walked for Charlie Hebdo cause why can’t QF walk for this cause? Did you ask the same (or similar) questions to the people who marched for Charlie Hebdo? I would like to point out that ANYONE outside of Daesh (ISIS) would rather be ANYWHERE rather than in territory controlled by Daesh and I would also like to point out that it’s not just Daesh who are the reason for this. Can you explain what you believe the agenda to be? I prefer not to have to infer.
Let’s start by someone explaining what the cause is. As far as I know the killer has not released a statement explaining his actions (unlike the Charlie Hebdo case), yet QF has in its wisdom has rushed to declare it a terrorist act. That to me suggests an agenda on the part of the organizers.
What is the agenda? I don’t know, because I’m not one of the organizers. My guess is that for some it is an opportunity to finger-point at the West as hypocritical, following what some might have seen as an over-zealously supportive response to the Charlie Hebdo case. But maybe it’s something else entirely.
Maybe I’m wrong. But if this is really about solidarity of Muslim students, where is the solidarity for all of the other Muslim students the world over who have been beaten and killed simply for trying to attend schools and universities? If this march was part of a pattern of solidarity for oppressed Muslim students, then great. But it is not, which makes it suspect.
I’d refer you to his facebook comments on religion. He clearly held a strong sentiment against religion (to say the least). You can also have a look at what relatives and friends have said about this man. For example, in an interview:
“Yosur wears the headscarf, the hijab, which is obviously very visibly Muslim and it was only after she was there that he showed up on several occasions with a gun, holding a gun and making loud and rude, threatening remarks towards them”
And then, a bit further on in the interview: “It was very clear that she said they are terrified of this neighbour”.
On the day of the murders the parking spot that was ‘disputed’, there was no car in it. Despite it being open for all they knew not to use it.
What if your link is false? The idea at the moment is not that this man was trying to stop these people from going to school or university, the idea is that he shot them for who they were. What if the agenda is that the march is held in support of victims of increasing demonization of Muslims? What if it’s a march against growing hateful attitude towards Muslims in the west or against the hypocrisy of the media, or even both?
“Domestic terrorism” means activities with the following three characteristics:
Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and
Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.” – from FBI’s website.
Now, with all this – do you see how this can be interpreted as an act of terror?
You seem very involved with this, nothing wrong in that, here have a watch of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKBsrsmG2hs
Also, if all of this doesn’t make you see the other side why don’t you contact QF and ask them your questions or give your suggestions – that way you can contribute to the progress of the community more than just by typing online. If you do, get back here and tell us what they’ve said. Thank you.
Did you even read my post? Because your epistle on why this was an act of terror has nothing to do with what I wrote. I’m appalled by the rush to judgement. As you wrote “The idea at the moment”; sums it up beautifully.
Let me try again. Why the sudden rush to march in this case, while not marching in the undeniable cases of fellow Muslim students being persecuted simply for attending school? The answer to that is the answer to your original question about a second agenda.
I suspect anyone asking QF about its motivations will get the same confused bluster that you just offered. I wonder why that is . . . An argument for why what the man did was wrong (which is undeniable) rather than an explanation for marching in this case while sitting in the countless others of undeniable acts of terrorism against fellow students.
I used ‘idea’ to try to be correct in regards to the investigation not having been completed.
Well to me it seemed that your comments were dealing with:
1. Why the word terrorist was used
2. Why they want to march now and didn’t before
1. “As far as I know the killer has not released a statement explaining his actions (unlike the Charlie Hebdo case), yet QF has in its wisdom has rushed to declare it a terrorist act”
I am not investigating this act, what I did in that long comment to was present the opinion that family and friends of the three victims and QF might hold. In other words, a possible explanation to why they used the word terrorist and why they believe its an act of terrorism.
2. If I understand you correctly you are saying:
IF this is about Charlie Hebdo or the US and their actions – they are insincere.
IF this is about solidarity there haven’t been other marches for people suffering – they are insincere
Here’s what I say:
Charlie Hebdo might have been the inspiration for such a march – does not mean it’s insincere.
Though I haven’t heard of a QF march before, QF does plenty of works in solidarity with people. For example, their collaboration with Reach Out To Asia: “Together with partners, volunteers, and local communities Reach Out To Asia works to ensure that people affected by crisis across Asia and around the world have continuous access to relevant and high-quality primary and secondary education.”… “Ten countries have been identified as ROTA’s priorities: Afghanistan, Bangladesh,Cambodia, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine and Yemen. Some of them are among the world’s poorest countries, while others have suffered war or natural disasters during the last years.”
It seems to me that you’re adopting an ‘all or nothing’ attitude. Can people not participate in this march ‘because QF never made a march for other people suffering’? When is QF going to march then? I say this march can be a good starting point for marches (QF already does a lot of solidarity works)
Looking at your comment – why did you bring ISIS into this at the start? I brought Charlie Hebdo because that was a march and this is a march… but why ISIS?
Are you insinuating Muslims should be thankful that there is such a thing as the USA because otherwise they would live under ISIS rule? Sort of like saying, ‘if you don’t like the US go live with ISIS’ but more subtle?
I think I’m done now but If i haven’t reached you and nothing I have written matters to you I hope you can at least, through your own resolve, drop some of the cynicism and give QF the benefit of the doubt.
If you want to call it a day, feel free. But if you are going to criticize my viewpoint and then expect me to sit idle because you’re tired of debating, that’s ridiculous.
1. QF does great things, and I have long be an advocate of those successes. That’s why this decision bothers and disappointment me. QF shouldn’t lend its name to an overtly political agenda. If students want to do this independently as a student organization, then fantastic. I would criticize the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for doing the same thing.
2. I mentioned ISIS, because it is an example of terrorism–recent, Islamic, and with American victims (and others). I don’t think this guy is on a par with them.
3. I’m not adopting an all-or-nothing attitude. I’m simply questioning, why have a QF sponsored march now? Don’t you find it just the little bit odd. Surely you are not so naive to think this is just accidental. If it is about Muslim solidarity, then why not march for the fellow Muslim students who have UNDOUBTEDLY been killed for being Muslim and for pursuing an education? Why pick this case and rush so quickly to judgement? There is some evidence circulating in the media, but no investigation has been conducted, and certainly QF isn’t privy to all the evidence.
4. QF is an international organization that does a lot of good worldwide. This sort of knee-jerk reactionism tarnishes its global image. Keep in mind that a large section of its students and a large section of its employees are not Muslim; nor is Islam mentioned in its mission statement, which all about education and community development. QF is effective precisely because it is not political, and this marks smacks of politicization. Again, if students want to march independently, then good for them. But for the organization itself to organize and advertise the march is a short-sighted decision, because it opens itself up to serious criticism every time it does or does not take action. No longer can it say, ‘we aren’t political’ or ‘we don’t insert ourselves into world politics’, and for all the heat Qatar takes in the global media, QF has been largely immune precisely because is USED TO be able to offer those responses.
Now that I’ve finished talking, I’ll take your approach: if I haven’t reached you yet with my wisdom, then I never will. I’m done now.
In response to point number:
2. So you’re countering by saying that Americans are killed by ISIS? I still don’t see its relevance, unless you’re saying that Daesh killing Americans, explains (explains not excuses) this act.
3. Have you considered that QF consists of mainly American universities and that it has quite strong ties with America? This strong relationship with the US together with the fact that there are a lot of Muslims in QF and that the reaction of solidarity that the American Muslim community expressed might have provided a trigger, don’t you think?
I couldn’t keep away.
To respond:
2. Of that’s not what I’m saying. Don’t try to bolster your weak argumentation with such absurdity.
3. QF includes some American branch campuses, but most of QF’s employees and expenditures are not part of those campuses. From a fiscal point of view, the American campuses account for a fraction of QF’s budget. And take note that the American campuses are NOT endorsing the march, nor will they, because they undoubtedly realize that politicization of institutions like this is an amateur move.
No doubt some of their students will participate, and I fully endorse their right to do so. Perhaps they will get a taste for it and start marching with their Muslim brothers and sisters who are being beaten and killed around the world for merely daring to seek an education in countries in which the murders are unlikely to be ever be brought to trial. But that just wouldn’t be as glamorous as the cliche-anti-westernism that is so in vogue.
If this was a genuine, student-led grass-roots march, I wouldn’t have much of problem with it. Kids are kids, and it’s good to see them agitated about something.
2. So it was irrelevant.
3. I didn’t see anything about American universities endorsing or not endorsing, who gave you this information? Besides, who asked them to endorse it and why should they? The point I was trying to make was that the ties with the US are quite strong and this could have been a trigger.
I think people will go out there in solidarity (unity of feeling), to show support to the family and friends that suffered as well as in the common cause of stopping the growing anti-Muslim hate.
I tried to explain that QF is doing a lot to help Muslims elsewhere, too. Solidarity is not limited to marches and perhaps sometimes its not best expressed/most effective as marches. Like I said, good things can come out of this march, perhaps there will be more of them in the future.
Although it might seem like it I’m not a spokesperson for QF so what I’m saying reflects what I think about this. If you want a more certain answer it’s best to ask the organizers.
I work at one and we received messages saying we are not sponsoring or affiliated in any manner with these events tomorrow.
Nor will they, despite the organizers’ pretense that they and the faculty, staff, and students are all calling for this. If they press release for this had been issued by an American university in America, it would be sued.
2. Of course it’s relevant. Much of the anti-Muslim feeling you claim is the world over stems from those sorts of actions and the fact that some use it to justify negative images of all Muslims–as you well know.
3. You still have not explained the reasons for marching in this instance but not the many, many others in which Muslim students have been victims of undisputed terrorism merely for trying to attend school. We all know the reason why: because this case is in America, and no matter how early it is in the search for evidence (and how limited the evidence is), protesting these poor kids’ deaths fits into the cliche West-is-hypocritical mantra. It’s a way to say Muslims are victims, too, just like all those people being killed across Europe for drawing cartoons (or answering police calls, being in the wrong shop, being on the wrong street, or just being Jewish). But these cases aren’t the same, and trying to equate them makes you look ridiculous. I get your point, but you need a much better case and more consistency in protest to be taken seriously. I just hope this isn’t a sign of things to come for QF: politicization, Islamization, and hastily planned, dictated marches that inaccurately claim widespread support. I’ve seen enough of that around the world already.
Sorry to butt in to your debate, but I don’t think the march is about solidarity with those who lost loved ones. It is about their murder being recognized as an act of terrorism rather than a hate crime i.e. a deliberate act with political motivation against all Muslims rather than one man acting out his personal hatred against three individuals. This taking place before there has been an investigation and the judgment being made by the Media and those with vested interests. It is not a measured response, it is not to offer condolences and empathy to the families, it is political and provocative here in Qatar which is a nation of many religious faiths – and none.
Good post
And you’ve never explained to me what the cause is. Solidarity in what? Living as a student and member of a largely misunderstood religious minority? Living in fear that someone’s prejudice and misunderstanding of your religion will subject you to violence and murder?
I wrote it up there.
I understand your doubts and we’ve heard each others arguments. I don’t think they make the march illegitimate. Could I ask you, if QF announced that this march is just a new way of showing solidarity would you classify it as political or reasonable?
Anyways, you said that you hope this will lead to students wanting to help their “Muslim brothers and sisters” (I’d like to add ‘and all of humanity’) even more and I think that sounds like a good conclusion to this.
Having solidarity is one thing, becoming judge and jury and using it to politicize an event is another.
It doesn’t really seem like you are reading his post…and just arguing for the sake of arguing. It is safe to assume you are affiliated with QF in some manner. I agree with David. Also, if you read the guys blog; yes he hated religion in general (not just Muslims)…so how does that link him to being specifically anti-Muslim? I can understand if the march was against the killing of innocence in general due to differing beliefs 🙂 But then, as said before, why aren’t they protesting every time someone in the Middle East is persecuted because of such.
I do not believe this man had a political agenda in mind (a terrorist) I think he was just some homicidal maniac.
Also, my colleagues and I have been to the U.S. and Europe a lot for work and never once have we felt demonized for being a Muslim. People like to blow things out of proportion. Sure of course there are people who don’t like Islam, there’s also people who don’t like Jews, same as anywhere in the world there will be people who dislike a type of peoples.
For example, when I read Arab news sites (like Al-Jazeera) and blogs and I see all the anti-Shiite and death to Shiite comments or the kill the “non-believers” comments, I do feel quite fearful and sad (and I am a Sunni). As well, I do know people who have been bullied and harassed in the work place for being a different sect of Islam and nothing has happened to the harassers and the things said were quite awful :I
The individual was told just to ignore….he ended up resigning which I think was what the bully wanted.
If it was in the U.S. or Europe they would have been fired or suspended.
The U.S. isn’t the greatest but you sure have much more protection for being “different” under their law.
If I were QF i would have a march for all hate crimes ALL over the world.
Qatar Foundation is a Qatari organization, whether it has American universities, and as such should not just focus on what happens in America.
Well said
Tell you what. Why don’t you call the FBI, tell you them who you are, and why you are upset this is not being investigated as terrorism. Then I’ll call QF to share my thoughts.
Because QF organising this March is divisive. They are marching because they are muslim, those that marched for Charlie hebdo marched for freedom of expression for the whole of humanity.
Anyone who thinks the killings were wrong can march be they Muslim, Christian or otherwise this is not intended to divide a community whatsoever.
“We invite the whole community to join the Qatar Solidarity Walk for the Chapel Hill shooting victims”
Solidarity in what exactly?
But it’s an obvious agenda and its divisive. The silhouettes tell you all you need to know why they are marching and who they support.
Why don’t they protest the treatment of muslims in Burma and the attack and denial of rights they suffer on a daily basis? That is something we could all support, this blatant and politically motivated stunt is a disgrace for QF and for Qatar.
Not really, the western media has practiced its finest double standards again, no #JeSuisBarakat or majorly publicised marches with world leaders participating, so Muslims in QF or anywhere else have the right to march
#ChapelHillShooting
But it is why they choose this one in particular that is the concern. People die everyday and some of them are murdered but I don’t see a QF march everyday. This one is political and educational establishments should stay out of overtly political messages.
Let’s not forget the “Not a hate crime but a terrorist act”..
Aren’t all killings wrong? Regardless of their religion, aren’t all victims to be mourned? There have been countless murders in the name of God, whatever the path to God the perpetrators happen to follow for no reason it seems other than the victims follow a different path, or none at all. If the march actually called for the whole of Qatar residents to march in solidarity against these sectarian murders then I would be there- have to take a day off work to do so though. This march seems to me not to be a sign of respect for the three Muslims in US, but a statement of Solidarity with Muslims against the rest. Not Constructive, highly divisive and I find it personally offensive to be lumped in with terrorism or hate crimes simply because I am not Muslim.
Because it was a terror attack in Paris, plain and simple, no debate.
It’s highly doubtful this act in NC was at all. Picked the wrong cause to latch the terrorism label to and QF should know better.
If the roles were reversed, do you think the word ‘terrorist’ would have been used (even before investigation)? By media, by people, by governments?
Not sure what you mean. What roles? If you mean the parties religions were reversed…
For one the dude had no religion, he’s an atheist. when something of the like HAS happened the police in most cases have been quick to say “this appears not to be terrorism related”if there was no cause to believe that.
Some yes but that doesn’t mean it is an appropriate thing to do before the facts are known.
I agree with you but I don’t think that is reason to dismiss the march tomorrow as illegitimate.
Again, if the slogan at the top of the ad wasn’t there, no problem.
For a center of education they show little intelligence in how they are portraying this. One of the campuses is Northwestern Journalism. One of the finest journalism schools in the world. I think they could tell them that restraint this early is best policy.
For a lot of people it would be though given QF have already declared it an act of terrorism. Lack of due process is culturally extremely offensive to a lot of westerners.
QF has organized the march. QF has stated their view is that this was an act of terrorism. If you don’t believe it was or you aren’t prepared to commit yet that it was then it would be pretty illegitimate to attend the march wouldn’t it?
Only if the people involved shouted Allah Akbar and declared their intent to kill non muslims in America and backed this up with a cheap home made video starting their aims.
Is there free pizza with that?
and vallet parking.
What other agenda?
Ask you yourself why there have been no marches of solidarity for all of the other Muslim students around the world who have been beaten and killed just for attending schools and why the sudden attention for this case and the rush to assume it is an act of terror.
Yes I think anyone would rather be a Muslim than an American in ISIS territory. The difference is that these Muslims were in their homeland, born and raised. If things got really out of hand with Islamophobia where would Muslims who have been there for generations go?
I agree with you I think walks on other past injustices would have been great.
A few points about definition. Terrorism requires evidence of political intent. Hate crimes require bias being a primary or partial motivation but the interpretation is very different in different legal jurisdictions. In this case it does not appear the evidence either way is in yet.
Perhaps of interest QF seem to have changed their poster so that the top line does not say anything about terrorism any more.
Actually that’s only one version of the poster – Another still refers to terrorism as above.
I have been following the debate with great interest, trying to paint this as a terrorist attack on muslims because he has atheist posts on his facebook account. This person was clearly unhinged but nothing in this attack suggests it’s a hate crime or an ‘atheist’ attack. The though of an atheist attack is just laughable.
I understand why muslims are trying to fight back but they’ve chosen the wrong case. The many acts of Islamic terrorism are easily defined as so as the perpetrators shout Allah Akbar and use parts of the koran and hadiths to justify their actions. (Unfortunately there are plenty of them to choose from, maybe the koran needs to be revised and bought up to date)
There are hate crimes against muslims, try attacks on Muslims in India by Christians, attacks on Muslims in Burma and Sri Lanka. The violence is not only something carried out by Muslims in some places they are on the receiving end.
However QF has picked the wrong case and as an institution supposed to promote education I find this disgusting.
*brought up to date
Maybe I need to go back to English lessons!
Actually this one seems to be a lost battle. Only old people like me still think – “Buy/Bought, Bring/Brought”.
“..nothing in this attack suggested it’s a hate crime or an atheist attack” yeah cause you are there and know the facts.
What is disguisting is your suggestion to ‘revise’ the Quran when you know that muslims claim it and therefore believe it to be the word of God which means it can’t be changed by humans. I am sure you know this but you choose to be insulting.
Your comment is a little odd in that 1st you question that MIMH could know something without being there and then you assume s/he knows something when you’re not them. Whether your points are valid or not there’s a kind of logical inconsistency in the way you’ve put the two together. This is intended as a criticism – not an insult.
Lol
Religious people know their religion even though their is no evidence to back their beliefs and also expect the rest of us to take what they know on face value
If you have faith you don’t need reason.
I guess it’s like being drunk all the time, you know you are right even though to everyone else…
Yes but there are ugly drunks and there are entertaining drunks.
lol how very true!
And QF know the facts and decide to stir up animosity? Are they personally investigating this case?
I don’t think removing the portions or amending those relating to killing non Muslims and those regarding slave owning to take away justification from terrorists would be too controversial. The koran has been amended in the past so it’s not unprecedented.
That way of thinking only applies to Muslims; don’t apply it to others. Your arrogance is breathtaking. Your assumption that others even believe in your god scares me. Believe what you will, but don’t expect others to. Your feeling insulted by something is not a valid reason for others to not express an idea.
Sounds like just another dispute over potatoes. It could be really frustrating to decide whether to choose red or white potatoes. http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/news/id_10074/Muslim-family-attacked-while-shopping-at-Dearborn-Kroger.html
Pretty disgusting the police are not going to take any action. Surely they should be arrested for harassment or threats of bodily harm.
However I guess we should take into account the Arab American publication has an agenda the same as Fox news
Reminds me of my kids. “He hit me!” “No – He hit me!” How are the cops supposed to tell. Yes it sounds like people got hurt but it’s not clear from the report what actually happened – apart from one guy having tattoos…
Exactly. It’s not clear to you because you chose to ignore the part where family was attacked after being called terrorist and many other insults.
Well actually I thought it was because so far there is only one named witness, very few media reports and police have not yet disclosed their view of what happened. Call me crazy but I thought I might wait before formulating an opinion on this particular story.
What is quite disgusting is the very fact that the story is covered only by Arab American and no other media outlets. If we want to stick to facts as suggested via many comments here, two white guys attacked a family minding their own business. Calling them terrorists and beating the dad. All you have to contribute is that this news source has agenda. Carefully hidden bigot comes out Finally.
If the report is correct then it is clearly intimidation and they should be prosecuted.
I’m assuming Arab American is not a pro Jewish publication?
Special interest group news always focuses on news of interest to their community that may not be of interest to the populace at large. You can find endless examples like this. A legal response seems justified, but the article itself is no different than what you would find in the Indian or Chinese community newspapers.
Maybe one of my favourite quotes from this was so called muslim leaders calling for atheist leaders to condem this murder! They really don’t get it. I understand why they said this as muslim leaders are called on to condem muslim atrocities but atheists don’t have leaders. There is no belief system, no book of rules, no Organisations in fact nothing. Atheists don’t get together to pray for their non belief!
Yes, there are no Atheist books, leaders or scholars to say who to kill, or for what reason. Pat Condell has a YouTube channel where he articulates his own Atheist thoughts quite well. Please beware though, closed minded people may take some offence.
If someone takes offense it is their problem not mine.
Instead of QF stirring up hatred they should look at the bigger picture.
So, anyone going to march at the QF tomorrow in sympathy for the Copenhagen terror victims?
Is it clear yet that they were the victims of a terror attack?
Apparently it doesn’t need to be clear according to QF.
BBC – “..this has the feel of an anti-terror operation…”
Were they the right religon? Probably had it coming to them anyway…..
Danish media is reporting it that way, unlike the US media in this case.
what way?
I was responding to a question of whether the Copenhagen attack was known to be terrorism or not, but it has since randomly vanished, al la disqus style.
Or Shabina the arbitrary censor lol.
She has been rather random recently, hasn’t she? How do we get the old predictable/consistent Shabina back? Her evil twin blows.
A-qatr told me to GFYS and got a funny emoticon. I do something benign and she threatens with a ban constantly. LOL she be funny. Maybe she has something against deserts or cards.
Good food yummy sweets – yep, and emoticon would be the appropriate there. 😉
LOL LOL
What’s wrong with Go Forward Yonder Soldier?
Maybe she’s telling me to join the Crusades.
Anyone any good with photoshop? We can change the QF poster to ready “Not defending a religion, but terrorism” and take them on Sunday. Be good as a conversation starter.
Deleting for being a troll.
Doha News – Is there some particular reason you have chosen to remove the original image that said “Not a hate crime but a terrorist act”.?
And there it seems to have come back again…
That’s too almost funny. Doha News shows a backbone. Not
As a muslim, I find this to be offensive. While I completely condemn the brutal murders of the three young and bright students, I see no reason to place their murders of many other Muslims who have been persecuted across the world. I fail to see why these three are put on a pedestal? Have a march, in solidarity, but make it a march to show solidarity with all muslims (at least) if not all of humanity.
In America there is nothing to be surprised about. This things just go on and on. Here is another recent link where a innocent coloured human being was brutalized
http://whnt.com/2015/02/12/madison-police-to-hold-news-conference-today-support-coming-for-indian-man-badly-injured/
Difference is that policeman will be held accountable. If you’re going to make comparison don’t pull a QF.
Which nirvana are you from?
Perhaps to put the recent atrocity in perspective, take a look at http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/ . There were over 51,000 Gun incidents last year in US, 12,500 people killed and over 3000 children under 17 killed or injured. This year- and its only February, there have been over 5000 gun incidents, leading to more than 1500 deaths. Gun Ownership is commonplace. Multiple gun ownership is commonplace. Americans routinely carry guns everywhere- the supermarket, office, church. So when there are disputes, long running disputes, is it surprising when one party steps over into violence and shoots. I have no idea of his motives- nor does anyone at QF. The march is ill-informed and frankly dangerous. What does QF want? Revenge? Copycat? at best this is disingenuous which is pretty unforgivable for a body such as QF, at worst it is provocative.
that’s a lot of marches
Americans DO NOT, repeat DO NOT routinely cary guns everywhere. I’m from a Conceal Carry state and I know of no one who actually does. About 3.5% of the population have the permits. That’s hardly “routine”. So SOME Americans routinely carry them. And gun ownership is NOT that common. Be careful how you phrase things.
Yet 12500 people were shot dead last year. I am not American obviously but the perception outdide is that in some parts of US guns are universal
And that perception would be false just like many Americans idea of the ME is false. Most gun deaths are concentrated in low income urban centers where there’s a high incidence of drugs and poverty with the strongest carving out their area to control but someone else always trying to take a piece of that territory. Most suburban and outlying areas do not see such high incidence of gun violence.
I find it funny how some folks here in the comment section said it shouldn’t be called a hate crime or act of terror.
If the shoe were on the foot and it was a Muslim who killed three non-Muslims you’d be called it an act of terror or a hate crime.
Who says?
Read through the comments. There are a large portion of posters who are saying that the killer shouldn’t be called a terrorist or that he committed a hate crime.
But if this was a Muslim who killed 3 atheist it would be a terroristic act.
Again the problem here was that QF, not a person said these things. People say lots of things but an institution like QF, especially being a supposed bastion of knowledge, understanding, etc had no right to jump to that conclusion and a responsibility to act… Responsible.
Deah Barakat was truly a world citizen. Rest In Peace Deah, Yusor and Razan – the world has lost some very precious human being. Your legacy will live on. Here is a video of providing care to others:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=921953841156655