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From the Field
New Jersey Muslims back in court today to challenge NYPD spying
After more than a decade in operation, the NYPD surveillance program has not produced any actual leads to terrorist activity. Muslim residents in New Jersey will be in court today to challenge a ruling that found New York City police could legally spy on their communities. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit […]
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Nativism Watch
Gaffney laments disbanding of NYPD Muslim surveillance unit
The New York Police Department announced yesterday it would be disbanding its Muslim surveillance unit, drawing criticism from anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney. Commissioner William Bratton announced the NYPD would be abandoning its controversial program that spied, mapped and documented the everyday activities of community members in New York city and beyond. Critical questions remain […]
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Islamophobia
ACLU Letter Asks DOJ to Investigate NYPD for Muslim Surveillance
As reported by Imagine 2050, NYPD spying tactics throughout the New York region have been one of several ways the police department has used racial profiling and, in the process, sewn mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color. In a letter signed by the Center for New Community and more than 125 other faith, […]
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Islamophobia
Pamela Geller & Allies Hold Presser to Defend NYPD Muslim Surveillance
Anti-Muslim activists and conspiracy theorists will be a holding a press conference to denounce the campaign of New York City mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio. The press conference, organized by Pamela Geller and Cliff Kincaid, will also feature conspiracy theorist Trevor Loudon. According to fliers advertising the event, the speakers cite de Blasio’s stated opposition to […]
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Culture
New Report, Book Reveal Depths of NYPD Spying on Muslims
In the midst of intense scrutiny of the New York Police Department’s racial and religious profiling policies, a group of Muslim youths say they were beaten by NYPD officers late last month in a Bronx park. Two sisters, ages 12 and 14, told the New York Daily News that they were playing in the park the […]
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Culture
Rights Groups File Lawsuit Challenging NYPD’s Muslim Surveillance Program
I stand today with #changetheNYPD activists to call for an end to the blanket surveillance of American Muslims. #no2spying — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) June 18, 2013 A lawsuit announced Tuesday charges that the New York Police Department’s Muslim Surveillance Program has created an unwarranted cloud of suspicion over hundreds of thousands of innocent New Yorkers. It was filed […]
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Culture
NYPD’s “Stop & Frisk” Program Goes to Trial
By Kalia Abiade New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have insisted that their police department’s stop-and-frisk policy does not rely on racial profiling, despite statistics that suggest otherwise. In the last 11 years, 5 million people have been stopped — and often harassed, handcuffed and patted down — without warrant, and […]
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Culture
Report Details Impact of NYPD Muslim Surveillance Program on Community, Students
By Kalia Abiade “It’s as if the law says: the more Muslim you are, the more trouble you can be, so decrease your Islam.” - Sari*, 19, Brooklyn College. Traditionally, college is a time when many young adults begin solidifying their political, social and religious identities, and it’s often a place where many feel free […]
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News & Politics
Cross-Post: Muslim Americans to NYPD: Enough Already, the Commish Must Go
Originally published by Colorlines on January 27th. On Tuesday the New York Times reported that the New York Police Department showed nearly 1,500 of its officers “The Third Jihad,” a 72-minute documentary that casts Muslim Americans as ubiquitously engaged in “a strategy to infiltrate and dominate America.” It was the latest item in a growing […]
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From the Field
Cross-post: Standing up against bigotry
Over fifteen years after the attacks on September 11, 2001, racist and Islamophobic responses-both in law and culture-have not relented. In the face of ongoing anti-Muslim violence, Center for New Community Fellow Manzoor Cheema and Rev. Nancy Petty, pastor at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, wrote an important piece about why it is essential […]
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Islamophobia
ACT for America cries ‘political correctness’
This week, Imagine 2050 will be previewing some of the anti-Muslim bigotry expected to be on display at the upcoming ACT for America national conference and legislative briefing in Washington D.C. on September 6 - 7. One of the panels at this year’s conference focuses on “political correctness,” one of the anti-Muslim group’s favorite straw men. If you […]
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Nativism Watch
Anti-Muslim activists cheer Trump’s ‘Radical Islam’ commission plans
Ryan Mauro, a “national security analyst” at the anti-Muslim group the Clarion Project, was slated to appear at a San Diego law enforcement training focused on “Islamic terrorism” Wednesday and today sponsored by The California Association of Tactical Officers. Given Mauro’s past history of promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, the event has been scrutinized by civil rights groups. Still, the […]
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From the Field
From mourning to organizing for justice
Anti-colonial writer Frantz Fanon exclaimed decades ago, “When we revolt, it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt simply because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe!” His prophetic words became a tragic reality for Eric Garner who repeated “I can’t breathe” eleven times as he died on July 14, 2014, while in a […]
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Islamophobia
Why fearmongering and surveillance won’t end the violence: An open letter to Barney Frank about the Orlando shooting
Dear Congressman Frank, I’ve struggled to get these words on paper, dealing with my own grief about the targeting and murder of mostly Latinx LGBTQ people this week while also trying to show up for the queer people of color in my life. I’m sure you are also coping in your own way. But your […]
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Nativism Watch
There Goes the Neighborhood: April 22, 2016
There Goes the Neighborhood is a weekly series from Imagine 2050 staff highlighting upcoming nativist events. This week, a lawyer with ties to the organized anti-immigrant movement holds an event in Illinois, a European anti-Muslim activist speaks in the Pacific Northwest, and an anti-Muslim spokesperson presents at a law enforcement conference. Today, April 22, attorney Sara Blackwell […]
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Islamophobia
Anti-Muslim extremist Walid Shoebat was paid thousands to ‘train’ New Jersey police
Notorious anti-Muslim extremist and self-described former terrorist Walid Shoebat was paid an estimated $6,000, likely at taxpayers’ expense, to deliver a “counter-terrorism” seminar to police representing Ocean County, New Jersey, last week. Shoebat, a Lebanon-born former Muslim turned evangelical Christian, has previously called Islam “the devil” and is the author of the book The Case For Islamophobia: Jihad by the Word; America’s Final […]
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Nativism Watch
After Paris attacks, Rep. Pete King calls for more surveillance of Muslims
Rep. Pete King (R-NY) has once again called for widespread surveillance on Muslim communities in the United States and in France after the Charlie Hebdo shootings last week in Paris. While discussing the attacks with host Steve Malzberg on Newsmax TV, Rep. King argued, as he has before, for more spying on Muslims at home […]
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Nativism Watch
Geller, Spencer push for latest anti-Muslim ad
Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, via their organization the American Freedom Defense Initiative, are soliciting funds for a new round of anti-Muslim advertisements. This particular one reads: “Yesterday’s Moderate is Today’s Headline” with the sub-caption “It’s not Islamophobia, it’s Islamorealism.” The ad features a before-and-after picture of a former British hip-hop artist who, according to right-wing […]
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Islamophobia
Despite Bratton Appointment, New Yorkers Remain Hopeful for Police Reform
By Faiza N. Ali On November 5, 2013, New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly for Bill de Blasio, buying into his vision for a more progressive and fair city. It was de Blasio’s commitment to reform the nation’s largest police department that pulled in a significant percentage of voters from communities of color impacted by the New […]
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Culture
Bill de Blasio Defeats Pro-Racial Profiling Lhota & Other Election Results
In a landslide, Democrat Bill de Blasio won decisively over Republican opponent Joe Lhota, becoming the first Democratic mayor of New York City in 20 years. In his victory speech, de Blasio reiterated his “tale of two cities” message that carried him through the campaign. “That inequality, that feeling of a few doing very well […]
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Islamophobia
Conflict of Interest: NYC Mayoral Candidate Poses with Chief Islamophobe Pam Geller, Defends Muslim Surveillance
In February of this year, New York mayoral hopeful Republican Joe Lhota visited the Queens Republican Club to witness one of the premier anti-Muslim activists within the Islamophobia movement, Pamela Geller, receive the “Patriot of the Year” award. Lhota’s seeming support of Geller and her anti-Muslim stance calls into question his ability to fairly represent […]
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Immigration
Lawsuits & Court Rulings Spark Racial Profiling Reform
Racial profiling has been a constant in the news in recent months, thanks to revelations and lawsuits about the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy and Muslim surveillance program. Most recently in New York, the American Civil Liberties Union is seeking an injunction to put the surveillance program, in place since 2001, on hold while it is […]
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Culture
On Anniversary of September 11, Community Solidarity Becomes Increasingly Important
Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the tragic September 11 terrorist attacks that claimed thousands of lives and directly affected thousands more. It is a somber day filled with reverence for those that were lost and reflection for the families, communities, and the countries to which the victims belonged. As we look back twelve years […]
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Culture
Reflecting on the Enduring Relevance of the March on Washington
On Saturday, thousands of people gathered at the National Mall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The similarities between this weekend’s peaceful march and the 1963 event were striking. In both cases participants carried signs demanding voting rights and jobs. They protested systematic and vigilante attacks on […]
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Culture
Judge: New York’s Stop-and-Frisk Policy is Unconstitutional
In a landmark victory for civil rights, a federal judge ruled Monday that the New York Police Department’s problematic stop-and-frisk policy violates constitutional rights and must be changed. The ruling comes after a four-month-long trial that has shined light on sanctioned racial profiling in the NYPD, despite claims to the contrary by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. In […]
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Culture
Possibility of Ray Kelly Heading DHS Raises Rightful Concerns
During an impromptu speech Friday, President Obama spoke movingly about the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman case. He personalized the tragedy, noting that “Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.” His statements brought to mind passages from his book, The Audacity of Hope, where he talked about the slights he’s felt — from law enforcement and others — […]
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Culture
In Light of Zimmerman Ruling, Racial Profiling Poses Even Greater Threat to Black & Brown Bodies
In the days since a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, there has been an outpouring of reactions across the Internet and in the streets. Race, as it did in the commentary surrounding the trial, has played a major role in working through the outrage, grief and even guilt that many have […]
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Culture
NYC Mayor Threatens to Veto Bills that Protect Citizens from “Stop & Frisk”
Last week, the New York City Council voted to approve police oversight bills meant to end discriminatory policing that critics say have unfairly and unconstitutionally targeted the city’s communities of color. The decisions to pass the Community Safety Act and to create an Inspector General position are reactions to NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy, widespread surveillance of Muslim communities and other documented instances […]
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Culture
ACT! for America to Launch Anti-Muslim Website for Law Enforcement
Last year, the anti-Muslim ACT! for America began fundraising efforts for a new initiative called “The Thin Blue Line Project.” The project was billed as a one-stop internet resource for information concerning the perceived threat of Muslim infiltration and terrorism in the country. Additionally, the project would combat “political correctness” that “is too often keeping […]
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Culture
Obama Administration Supports Monitor if ‘Stop & Frisk’ Struck Down
A few days ago the Obama Administration came out in support of a court appointed monitor in the event that stop and frisk is struck down. New York’s Stop and Frisk trial is nearly over and the city only awaits the judge’s verdict, which will be delivered sometime in the next few months. It’s been a […]
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Culture
Far Right Turns to Race & Religion to Define Political Violence
The recent brutal attack on a soldier in London by men identifying as Muslims has reignited the debate about what the term “terrorism” means and to whom it applies. Anti-Muslim activists in the United States were quick to label the attack “Islamic terrorism,” despite the short supply of details at the time. Dictionary definitions of […]
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Culture
Geller, AFDI Release 18-Point Platform for “Defending Freedom” Against Islam
By Kalia Abiade In the two weeks since the Boston Marathon bombings, the usual cast of anti-Muslim fear-mongers has shown no sign of easing their hateful rhetoric. Even as their concocted conspiracy theories have crumbled around them, these pundits, bloggers and politicians have kept the attacks coming at a rapid pace. It comes as no surprise that Pamela Geller has been out […]
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Culture
Members of Congress Continuing Conflation of Immigration and Terrorism
In the wake of last week’s horrific events in Boston, many nativists in the anti-immigrant and Islamophobia movements did not use the opportunity to appropriately mourn victims and families or support law enforcement officials who valiantly worked to locate those behind the attack. Instead, they viewed the events as a timely excuse to focus on and […]
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Islamophobia
Islamophobic Radio Host Tom Trento Engages in Dangerous Fear-Mongering
Tom Trento, founder and director of The United West, is urging his listeners to be on the look out for two young men who appear to be Arab who, he says, were involved in the Boston Marathon bombing. In the announcement for his April 18 broadcast, Trento doesn’t even attempt to hide his bigotry. Referring to […]
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Culture
Pamela Geller Attacks Associated Press
Pamela Geller’s recent screed in World Net Daily is an insult to anyone who cares about the freedom of the press and the public’s right to know. Her June 20 column ravaged the Associated Press for filing suit against the New Brunswick Police Department after the department denied them public information, which may be a […]
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Culture
Muslim American Community Goes to Court and Wins
Almost 11 years after 9/11, the Sikh and Muslim communities in New York City, and advocates for civil rights everywhere, are celebrating a big win. For all these years Sikh and Muslim MTA (New York City’s public transit authority) employees have been discriminated against at their jobs. They either had to put the MTA logo […]
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Culture
New Voter Laws Target Minorities
We need to stop this voting purge. As a recent series in the Village Voice reported, 41 states are trying or have succeeded in making it more difficult to register and vote this November. NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice estimates that millions of voters could be turned away at the polls. For example, here in […]
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News & Politics
Audio-blog: Racial Profiling Doesn’t Work, Not Even a Little Bit
In this episode of Imagine2050’s audio-blog we take a look at the issue of religious and racial profiling. The Sikh Coalition has released a clever new app that allows users to immediately report racial profiling at the airport. The Obama administration isn’t concerned about the NYPD’s surveillance and profiling of Arab American communities and doesn’t […]
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News & Politics
Friday Media Recall (12.30.2011)
Every Friday we want to offer a collection of media pieces that we’re finding provocative, vital, persuasive, prophetic, genius, infuriating, mind-blogging, and other adjectives that gesture at all things thought-provoking. Some of these posts will, of course, focus on immigration, but some will not. Some of these posts will represent the foreground of our national […]
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Culture
Cross-Post: Occupy Wall Street protesters stripped of their power
As freezing temperatures descend on the Northeast, reports emerge that the City has taken away the protesters’ sources of power and heat. The city has stripped Occupy Wall Street protesters of their power. Dozens of firefighters and police officers entered Zuccotti Park Friday morning to confiscate generators and gas canisters. Fire trucks and police vans […]