Home Grants News (coming soon) ContactThis item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/7440
December 18, 2016
MIM: The Society Of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Council On American Islamic Relations (CAIR) have teamed up to organize "Muslimedia" indoctrination events at Islamic Centers to propagandize to non Muslim journalists how to report on Muslims and Islam. The first event was at the terror tied Islamic Center of Boca Raton. Muslimedia is nothing less than Da'wa - Islamic proselytising. CAIR is a Saudi funded front group for Hamas and was designated a terror organization by the UAE. Their stated goal is to replace the Constitution with the Koran. Their collaboration with the SPJ reveals how deep Islamist infilitration has become in the American media. This effort is an attempt to inculcate journalists with an Islamist victimhood narrative while attempting to convert them to Islam.
"How does your local news media cover the Islamic community? How should they?
"SPJ will visit your town and co-host a blunt debate about the way journalists cover Muslims at home and abroad. And we'll do it in a mosque with a free halal lunch.
"Muslimedia is more than just talking and eating. You'll also tour the mosque and observe afternoon prayers".
MIM: The Islamic Center of Boca Raton's Outreach aka Dawa Facebook page carried this description of the event:
"This past Sunday we had an excellent conversation on Islam in the media. This event was hosted by the Society of Professional Journalist and ICBR. We were able to have a very open discussion about how muslims, for the past several years, have been portrayed by journalist. Both sides learned a lot about each other. Bridges were created and trust was built.
The panel consisted of both journalist and Muslims leaders from south Florida. A special thank you to all our panelist: Olivia Cantu, Afifa Khaliq, Shehryar Wahid, Bassem Alhalabi, Annie Hayat, Wilfredo Ruiz, Emily Bloch, Lulu Ramadan, Ilene Prusher and our moderator Michael Koretzky.
This past election season has been a rough one. A lot of crazy and hateful rhetoric. We have to make sure our stories and perspectives are heard. The best way to do that is to reach out to our trusted friends in the media. These strong relationships will only help our community. I thank them for listening to us and learning about Islam and the struggle muslims go through everyday."
MIM: The Society of Professional Journalists wrote about the event on their website:
First-ever Muslimedia Hosted in Boca Raton
"I'm so proud of the initiative we started with this inaugural Muslimedia event," said Emily Bloch, an SPJ Florida board member. "The conversations we had in that mosque between journalists, members of the Muslim community and Boca Raton residents were important especially in a post-election America."
The event was hosted at the Islamic Center of Boca Raton. The mosque made national news this summer when it was removed as a polling site after voters complained.
We were able to have a very open discussion about how Muslims, for the past several years, have been portrayed by journalists. Both sides learned a lot about each other, bridges were created, and trust was built," said Annie Hayat, the mosque's public relations and outreach director.
The discussion included a range of topics, from what they wish non-Muslims knew about their religion, where the media gets it right and wrong, and their concerns about their future with a new president in the White House.
"The fact that we went an hour past schedule because no one wanted to stop talking is a testament in itself. We're excited to keep this going and the momentum up," Bloch said.
The panel was comprised of:
Lulu Ramadan, the only Muslim reporter at The Palm Beach Post. She covers Boca Raton and Delray Beach. She graduated last year from Florida Atlantic University, where she was editor of the student newspaper.
Ilene Prusher, an FAU journalism professor, but for the previous two decades, she was a foreign correspondent for publications ranging from TIME to the Christian Science Monitor. An observant Jew, much of her coverage occurred in Muslim-majority countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Turkey. In 2012, her novel Baghdad Fixer was published.
The ICBR has invited several rotating panelists, including
Olivia Cantu, Emerge USA's South Florida director
Afifa Khaliq, SEIU's communications director
Bassem Alhalabi, ICBR president
Annie Hyatt, ICBR PR and outreach director
Wilfredo Ruiz, CAIR Florida communications director
During Muslimedia, guests were given a tour of the mosque, including prayer rooms, children's classrooms, and the imam's office. Afterwards, dozens of people gathered for an open discussion with panelists and the audience, with a break for a halal lunch.
Students from Florida Atlantic University's Owl TV also attended to film the conversation and the tour of the mosque.
While promoting the event, several universities and SPJ chapters across the chapter showed interest in hosting their own Muslimedia event.
"I would recommend this event to all Islamic Centers.," Hayat said. "Nothing can be healed unless there is an open discussion. We have to make sure our stories and perspectives are heard. The best way to do that is to reach out to our trusted friends in the media. These strong relationships will only help our community. I thank them for listening to us and learning about Islam and the struggle Muslims go through everyday."
https://spjflorida.com/2016/
MIM: The Islamic Center of Boca Raton is a radical mosque with a history of violent incitement and Jew hatred.
"In October of 2000, ICBR Imam Ibrahim Dremali spoke at a rally where Israeli flags were burned and slogans, such as "With jihad we'll claim our land, Zionist blood will wet the sand," were shouted. Dremali told the crowd "not to be sad for those who were martyred and to not be afraid to die for what they believe in" obvious allusions to suicide bombers. The children at the rally were made to lie down in mock graves and one child was hoisted aloft by the crowd to represent a corpse." http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=18067
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Home Grants News (coming soon) Contact Home Grants News (coming soon) Contact
Coming soon to a mosque near you: Muslimedia.
SPJ will visit your town and co-host a blunt debate about the way journalists cover Muslims at home and abroad. And we'll do it in a mosque with a free halal lunch.
What you'll talk about
You don't have to cover the Mideast, terrorism, or politics to face practical and ethical issues about reporting on the world's second-biggest religion...
Journalists and Muslim leaders will teach each other how they approach these topics and maybe both groups will learn something new.
You don't even have to be a journalist to attend. You just need to be an interested and open-minded reader.
Why there's lunch
Frankly, it's easier to break stereotypes of both Muslims and journalists when you're breaking bread. This is a give-and-take, back-and-forth meal. No question is stupid, and all answers are open-minded.
Muslimedia is more than just talking and eating. You'll also tour the mosque and observe afternoon prayers. And best of all, we'll buy the lunch and help with the boring logistics to make it all happen.
Grants
SPJ will offer money and other assistance throughout 2017. For starters, SPJ's Florida chapter which hosted the first Muslimedia in November will work with you on the three L's...
Questions? Comments?
We'll get back to you within 48 hours.
This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/7440