This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/515

'Sheikdown' : The Islamisation of a corporation- CAIR intimidates Dell with civil rights suit - Muslims demand prayer on company grounds

'Pyschological Jihad' being waged by Islamists against Dell to see how much inroad Islam can make in the American workplace
March 23, 2005

http://www.intervarsity.org/ism/news_item.php?news_id=39

MIM: Pyschological Jihad was being waged last week at the offices of Dell computers after Somali Muslim temporary workers walked off their jobs and claimed they were not being given prayer time. The situation was exploited by Islamist organisations such as the Council of American Islamic Relations, and the Human Rights Commission, who intimidated Dell into giving into the workers demands which included monetary benefits such as back salaries for time off additional undisclosed payments. It is highly symbolic that this 'Jihad byDa'wa ' is taking place at Dell, one of the world's leading computer firms ,owned by Michael Dell, one of the richest men in the country, who 'happens' to be Jewish. The fact that Dell dominates the computer market in Israel could be another reason why CAIR wants to portray them as 'anti Muslim' and threaten a boycott of their products. http://www.globes.co.il/DocsEn/did=804241.htm

The audacity of temporary workers demanding that their religous 'needs' be accomodated has nothing to do with freedom of religion or civil rights. It is an attempt to bring Islam into the American workplace under the guise of 'tolerance and diversity'. Even more alarming is that Dell has agreed to give employees training in the 'requirements' of Muslims. This training is simply an exercise in dhimmitude and a further attempt to push Islam by forcing workers to attend lessons about Islam, coyly referred to by CAIR as "additional training on religous accommodation policies and practices." No doubt CAIR will demand to send in "speakers" to 'train' Dell management and employees about 'how to be sensitive to the needs of Muslims' (aka dhimmitude).

In this case it would be advisable for Dell employees (and other companies which are in this situation) to look into filing a countersuit against CAIR for having their civil and Constitutional rights violated by being forced to attend a religious indoctrination session in their workplace.

The fact that the group is question are Somali immigrants, and temporary workers who are not risking their positions, who probably never heard the term 'civil rights' until they were approached by CAIR (and local Muslim groups involved in the protest), indicates that Dell make have been set up as a test case for Islamists to see how far they could make inroads into Islamising the American workplace on behalf of their Saudi masters.

The lackeys at CAIR received a visit in 2002 from Prince Al Turki, who was escorted around the Washington DC office by CAIR executive director Nihad Awad.

"...During a visit on Friday evening to the headquarters of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) he advocated coordination among Muslim organizations in the United States. Expressing MWL's readiness to offer assistance in the promotion and coordination of Islamic works, he announced plans to set up a commission for this purpose..."

http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/36

"In a 2004 Muqtedar Khan "a member advisory Shura of CAIR", stated in interview that ... "CAIR recently received 5 million dollars from a Saudi prince."

http://www.lightmillennium.org/2004_newyear/ypdogan_mkhan.html

Further proof that the' walkout' at Dell was part of an orchestrated campaign can be seen in this press release on CAIR's website which stated that "in a meeting on Saturday, most of the Muslim workers retained CAIR as their legal counsel" and that Nihad Awad "thanked everyone from around the world who contacted Dell.."

"...We are pleased with both the terms of the settlement and with the cooperative attitude of all parties in the negotiations," CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said. "We thank everyone from around the world who contacted Dell to express their support for reasonable religious accommodation in the workplace..."

"...The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the 31 Muslim employees, who left work last month in a disagreement over Islamic prayers, will be reinstated, receive back pay and be granted continued religious accommodation. Managers will also receive additional training on existing religious accommodation policies and practices. Other terms of the settlement will not be made public. http://www.cair-net.org/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=1501&theType=NR

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MIM :CAIR's Jihad against America continued this week with an attack on NRO, which CAIR accused of placing links to two books which they characterised as "An attack on the Prophet Mohammed'. CAIR demanded that NRO advertiser Boeing withdraw their ads from NRO unless the links to the books were removed .

According to CAIR (whose committment to terrorism precludes truth) the links were removed. MIM Is attempting to verify this claim at NRO.

The Islamist intent of CAIR's ' holy war' to censor and intimidate America into dhimmitude was summed up by the organisations press release:

Contact Boeing About National Review's Attack On Prophet Muhammad"
http://cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=224&theType=AA

"We would like to thank all those who took the time to contact both
National Review and Boeing to defend Islam and the Prophet Muhammad from
defamation," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad



Announcement of the settlement came following a meeting today between representatives of CAIR, Dell, the Muslim workers, the Nashville Metro Human Relations Commission, and Spherion Corp., the company that provided the workers to Dell. (In a meeting on Saturday, most of the Muslim workers retained CAIR as their legal counsel.)

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A local agency in Nashville, Tennessee, is investigating whether 30 Muslim contract workers were unfairly fired by Dell Inc. for taking unscheduled breaks to pray, a city official said on Thursday.

A Dell spokesman said no workers had filed complaints in what was a "misunderstanding" and the company had policies to safeguard religious practices.

The temporary employees at Dell's logistics facility in Nashville were fired in early February, according to a preliminary investigation by the human relations commission for the metropolitan region surrounding Nashville.

The dispute involved the timing of breaks for sunset prayers by the 30, all Somali immigrants, who were employed by staffing agency Spherion Corp. on a temporary basis at Dell, the world's largest personal computer maker.

"The workers were told: 'Choose work or choose faith,'" said Kelvin Jones, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission for the greater Nashville area. "They didn't see an option: They chose not to work."

Dell spokesman David Frink said, "We had some contract workers who left Dell basically on a misunderstanding of our religious (policies)."

He added, "Our long practice has been to accommodate religious belief, including time for prayers."

Dell aimed to resolve the issue "beneficially" and several workers have since returned to work at Dell, he said.

Dell operations include a major production center in Penang, in the majority Muslim nation of Malaysia, and facilities in Singapore and Bangalore, India, each with large Muslim populations.

A spokesman at Spherion, a $2 billion-a-year staffing agency, was not available for comment.

Several Somali workers fired from a nearby Whirlpool plant lost a trial on a similar issue last September. The jury decided Whirlpool was within its rights to limit workers' break times so as not to disrupt factory production.

Nashville has seen an influx of at least 5,000 immigrants from Somalia over the past decade, Jones said.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1360712/posts
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MIM Update: Anti CAIR reports that the spokespeople at Dell say that CAIR overplayed it's role in the dispute. MIM is attempting to get clarification on the matter.

In Defense of the Constitution

News & Analysis

011/05 March 23, 2005

CAIR: The Truth About Dell Computer Corporation's Muslim Contract Employee's

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) recently announced victory over Dell Corporation in a case of "religious accommodation".

http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPrint.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200503\NAT20050318b.html
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/05/03/67159824.shtml

From the above, a reader would be left with the impression that CAIR officers played a key part in the negotiations and settlement.

Curiously absent from media accounts is an in-depth analysis of Dell's position. ACAIR contacted David Frink, Dell spokesman for Dell's side of the story. According to Frink:

".as I mentioned when we spoke, the agreement reached is between Dell, Spherion and the 31 Spherion employees contracted to work at Dell. With regard to CAIR, I want to make it clear that the issue was settled locally in Nashville."

When queried about the secret agreement terms between CAIR and Dell, Frink made it clear that there is no agreement, secret or otherwise involving Dell and CAIR.

ACAIR has it from a reliable source that Dell Corporation stood up to CAIR's strong-arm shakedown attempts at the meeting and CAIR was marginalized.

.and when can we expect an apology from CAIR to Dell and everyone else who fell for this latest prevarication?


Andrew Whitehead
Director

Anti-CAIR (ACAIR)
[email protected]
www.anti-cair-net.org

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As Bob Parks points out in his article: Could CAIR less


"...Why is it that those who seek special treatment that would be considered outrageous in the case of other groups, in turn try and "educate" the rest of us as to why the rules don't apply to them and why we'd damn well better accept it?.."

"...I've always wondered why people do whatever they can to leave certain parts of the world to come to America, then once here do whatever they can to make America resemble the place from which they fled?.."

"...Religious accommodation, diversity training, and sensitivity. It's nice that CAIR wishes to share such good will with the rest of us. However I think they'd be more accepted if they practiced themselves what they demand of everyone else..." (see article below).

--------------------------------

This is an excerpt from "Islamic prayer demanded in US workplace" by Sher Zieve at Mich News:

" ...In a time when all vestiges of Christianity are being attacked by the Left and their legal representative, the ACLU, the Islamic organization CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) is demanding Muslim prayer-time be allowed in the US workplace and that employers must make accommodations for it. CAIR's Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar even had the audacity and arrogance to say: "Given sufficient ‘goodwill' on the part of all those involved, both the employees' legal right to reasonable religious accommodation and the employer's right to maintain smooth operations in the workplace can be maintained." Huh? Read further at :http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_7213.shtml

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http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3066562

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Devout Muslims are required to pray five times each day, and one of those prayers must be said at dusk.

That's prompted a dispute between Dell Computers and dozens of temporary workers at one of its packaging facilities. The workers contend that they were denied the right to pause to practice their religion at the plant in Nashville, Tennessee. About 30 of the workers walked off the job in protest on February fourth. They're now seeking help from a city mediator. Many of the workers are Somali immigrants who work for a temporary agency. A Dell spokesman says the company has a policy that allows workers to slip away to pray a few at a time. Company officials want to know if the temporary firm was following that policy .

--------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, 03/18/05

Muslims reach settlement with Dell on prayer at work

Associated Press

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/05/03/67109708.shtml?Element_ID=67109708

31 employees will be reinstated, managers to get training

Muslim contract employees at the Dell Inc. plant in Nashville reached a settlement with the company on issues related to a dispute over prayer in the workplace, a national Islamic civil rights advocacy group announced yesterday in Washington.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the 31 Muslim employees, who left work last month in a disagreement over Islamic prayers, will be reinstated, receive back pay, and be granted religious accommodation. Managers also will also receive additional training on existing religious accommodation policies and practices.

Other terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The settlement came following a meeting yesterday between representatives of the council, Dell, the Muslim workers, the Metro Human Relations Commission and Spherion Corp., the company that provided the workers to Dell.

"We are pleased with both the terms of the settlement and with the cooperative attitude of all parties in the negotiations," CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said. "We thank everyone from around the world who contacted Dell to express their support for reasonable religious accommodation in the workplace."

Most of the affected employees are from Somalia.

Abdirizak Hassan, executive director of the Somali Community Center of Nashville, said the workers walked out of the company's Nashville plant last month because they were not allowed time for prayers.

----------------------------------------

A group of Somalis who claim they were fired for praying on the job at a Dell plant in Nashville, Tenn., has hired an Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.

http://informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=159901170

By TechWeb News
March 16, 2005
URL: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=159901170

A group of Somalis who claim they were fired for praying on the job at a Dell Computer plant in Nashville, Tenn. has hired an Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.

Of the 30 employees who left work at the plant, 21 have signed legal counsel retainer agreements with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The employees maintain they were dismissed, because they acted against efforts by Dell management to keep them from their sunset prayers.

Published reports stated that neither Dell nor the Spherion outsourcing and temp company that hired the Somalis would comment on the complaints. However, a Dell spokesman, commenting on the firm's general practices, said Dell has a policy of accommodating religious beliefs.

"When granting time off during a shift on a manufacturing line would be disruptive," the Dell spokesman said, "we have worked out reasonable accommodations, such as a tag-out procedure when employees can leave the line to pray and return, allowing the next employee time to leave the line to pray."

CAIR asked Wednesday that the workers be rehired. CAIR, which said it has helped solve hundreds of religious accommodation cases for American Muslim workers, added that hundreds of Muslims have contacted Dell after being informed of the situation.

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MIM: Bob Parks points out that "a job is an entitlement" and asks if CAIR's mission statement of empowering Muslims entails "peaceful assimilation or potential takeover?"

http://www.americandaily.com/article/7191

Could CAIR Less
By Bob Parks (03/22/05)

It would be purely rhetorical for me to say at this point that I was confused. Maybe if I toss some ideas around, we may learn something.

American liberals are constantly reminding us of the "separation of church and state", which incidentally appears nowhere except in the "living Constitution." So with that, by legislation we have removed symbols, the Ten Commandments, and hymns from almost all public places. High school football players cannot have prayer before, during or after their games, and the song "God Bless America" has even been outlawed in some venues. This has been done as to not offend the roughly five to ten percent of people in this country not Christian.

That would be acceptable, however reluctantly, if enforced fairly. Unfortunately it is not.

Two or so weeks ago, Dell Computer in Nashville told some of their employees that they would not be able to take time out of their work day to pray. Some would consider that appropriate if the prayers were of a Christian origin. However, Muslims at the company were the ones making the demands.

"The workers were told: 'Choose work or choose faith. They didn't see an option: They chose not to work." - Kelvin Jones, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission for the greater Nashville area

In the liberal world, a job is an entitlement. Now while most people would like one, it's not possible to get one where you can do anything you want, especially if it interferes with the routine operation of that business, and more so if prayer is involved. Tell me that the ACLU wouldn't rush to aid a company where Christians demanded prayer time at 10am....

Well, after a week of spotty media attention and intervention from CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dell backed down and according to the Austin Business Journal, "A religious concern raised by 31 Muslim employees of the Spherion Corp. contracted by Dell Inc. in Tennessee has led to an agreement that will allow the employees to conduct sunset prayers."

Here's the part that is confuses this columnist:

"As part of the agreement, Dell and Spherion employees in Tennessee will receive additional training on Dell's current practices for religious accommodation. Those guidelines instruct managers and supervisors to grant paid time away from an employee's work area for prayer as long as those requests are reasonable."

Why is it that those who seek special treatment that would be considered outrageous in the case of other groups, in turn try and "educate" the rest of us as to why the rules don't apply to them and why we'd damn well better accept it?

I don't need no education. I'm just looking for consistency here. Thus my mistrust at the motives of a group like CAIR.

In a previous column I noted my brief, but telling run-in with a CAIR representative on a discussion involving racial profiling after 9/11 on a Los Angeles radio program. What always gets me going is when any, yes, ANY fringe group tries to compare their inconvenience to what blacks went through prior to and during the civil rights era. There is no comparison, unless you are ready to be called a racist to make you back down.

So who is CAIR and what might they really want?

According to their website, "CAIR's mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."

Now while most have no problem with the understanding of any religion, in this case it doesn't seem like dialogue was encouraged; just demands. As far as protecting civil liberties, that sounds nice especially considering how civil liberties are approached in some of the countries Muslims escape to settle here.

That's right; I said it. ESCAPE.

It's the "empowering American Muslims" part the concerns me.

What kind of empowerment are we talking about? Peaceful assimilation or potential takeover? I only say this considering the perception that some Muslims around the world seemingly have little design on getting along with anyone not Muslim. To say this can even have a hit put out on you and your family.

That might offend some at CAIR, but it happens all around the world every day. Imagine a world without fatwas and where "infidels" weren't targeted for elimination according to the "alternate" interpretation of the Koran.

Back to the website, "CAIR's Governmental Affairs Department conducts and organizes lobbying efforts on issues related to Islam and Muslims. The department is active in monitoring legislation and government activities and then, responding on behalf of the American Muslim community. CAIR representatives have testified before Congress and have sponsored a number of activities designed to bring Muslim concerns to Capitol Hill."

Should we consider there being a difference between being Muslim and American. I only say this because our laws are created to encompass all, not everyone except Muslims. I know the racial profiling thing strikes a nerve with American Muslims, but CAIR people on television and radio denouncing the profilers as racists and not condemning the terrorists who are mostly Muslim speaks volumes and breeds the suspicion that inspired this column.

"CAIR's Communications Department works in conjunction with local and national media to ensure an accurate portrayal of Islam and Muslims is presented to the American public. CAIR monitors local, national and international media in part, to challenge negative stereotypes, but also to applaud and encourage positive representations of Islam and Muslims. Over the years, CAIR has become a respected and credible source for journalists and other media professionals."

It seems the depiction that really pisses them off is that of some Muslims being terrorists. CAIR people always bring up the Columbine shooters and Tim McVeigh to show that not all violent people are Muslims. No one has said that, however I'd like to offer one piece of advice to counter some of the daily news reports that dictate otherwise: STOP BLOWING SHIT UP!

We hear of assassinations, car bombings, beheadings, kidnappings, and that's only the ones being done to fellow Muslims, then CAIR gets all bent out of shape because they say WE are perpetuating a negative stereotypical image. Give me a break.

"CAIR offers internships to students or other interested individuals who wish to gain experience in media relations, political activism or civil rights work."

In other words, more indoctrination of kids....

"CAIR organizes regular conferences and training seminars for government and law enforcement agencies, media professionals and the academic community. These events are designed to present easily accessible and accurate information about Islam and Muslims. CAIR's TeamWorks sensitivity and diversity training workshop is offered to employers, educators and organizations as a proactive approach that highlights relevant Islamic practices and offers suggestions for religious accommodation. CAIR also provides training for the Muslim Community and activists in areas such as media relations, public speaking, lobbying, and civil rights."

Religious accommodation, diversity training, and sensitivity. It's nice that CAIR wishes to share such good will with the rest of us. However I think they'd be more accepted if they practiced themselves what they demand of everyone else.

Here in America, Muslim women have all kinds of rights. Rights that would allow them to be part of an organization like CAIR; rights that aren't allowed to women in numerous Muslim countries. I've always wondered why people do whatever they can to leave certain parts of the world to come to America, then once here do whatever they can to make America resemble the place from which they fled?

Again, my confusion....

"Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, lobbying, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism."

It ain't workin'.

The positive image of radical Islam will not be cured by CAIR through turning attention away from the fanatics and onto those who criticize them. Organizations, including tax exempt "nonprofit 501(c)(4)'s" who portray themselves as oppressed minorities like post-slavery blacks, are using blacks in the typical and insulting way used so often by American liberals and their fringes.

The only people who can clean up Muslims' images are those Muslims themselves, and I don't mean those taking the heat for the crazies. I personally have a Muslim friend who has told me many things about Islam I truly didn't know; this despite the "education" and promotion of positive images disseminated by CAIR.

Until then, television shows like "24" and movies like "True Lies" are stereotypical depictions of Muslims. People like me have had to acknowledge that some stereotypes have a basis in truth. Some people have problems with accepting that.

I could CAIR less.

Bob Parks is a former Republican congressional candidate (California 24th District), ex-Navy, father, graphic designer, producer/composer, life-long New England Patriots fan, and member/writer for the National Advisory Council of Project 21.

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MIM: In 1997 CAIR suceeded in shaking down the Nike company by threatening they would lose their Muslim markets if they didnt recall and apologise for what they fictiously claimed was a logo which resembled the name of Allah.In a stunning display of dhimmitude Nike not only apologised publicly but agreed to build three playgrounds at Islamic Centers in the United States with CAIR deciding where they would be.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9811/21/nike.islamic/


Nike and Islamic group end log jam


Opposing views celebrate common ground
November 21, 1998


FALLS CHURCH, Virginia (CNN) -- Athletic footwear company Nike and an Islamic organization broke ground on a playground on Saturday and announced that a controversy over a shoe logo is over.

Nike and the Council on American-Islamic Relations completed an agreement last week, officially resolving a problem that began in April 1997 when CAIR objected to a shoe with a design on the heel similar to the Arabic word for "God" or "Allah."

As part of the final agreement, Nike is building three playgrounds for Islamic communities in the United States, said Roy Agostino, communications manager for Nike. CAIR will decide where the playgrounds will be, Agostino said.

The first playground will be at Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center, Falls Church, Virginia, where representatives from Nike and CAIR held a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday. Children from the center's school drew pictures of what they would like in their new playground. Nike distributed balloons and T-shirts.

The first step toward building a new playground

In June last year, Nike apologized to Muslims for any unintentional offense, agreed to recall all products carrying the design, introduced training for Nike designers in Islamic imagery and agreed to investigate how the design came about.

After the recall, other issues remained, such as the shoes' appearance in some markets outside the United States.

"I think this agreement we signed with Nike a few days ago puts this whole issue to an end. And we hope that Nike will be now aware of the sensitive market that they have and the global issue that pertains with the shoes," said Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR.

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/515