Dearborn: Muslim at city council meeting calls for Sharia patrols, restriction on free speech

02/24/2014

The council members appear to have received this man’s appeals with some impatience. However, make no mistake: there will be many more incidents like this, with calls for the implementation of Sharia morals police and Sharia restrictions on the freedom of speech growing louder and more insistent. And then city councils and other governing bodies will be forced either to articulate and implement a defense of Western principles of free expression, or capitulate. Right now the latter looks much more likely.

“Super Bowl coach honored at city council meeting, first garage ordinance reading approved,” by Samer Hijazi for Arab American News, February 14 (thanks to Creeping Sharia):

DEARBORN — This week’s city council meeting started out on a positive note as the city honored former Seattle Seahawks assistant coach and Dearborn native Robert Saleh for his recent Super Bowl victory. However, the atmosphere at City Hall took a bizarre turn after a local Arab American confronted the council on what he said were “troubling issues in the city.”…

The highlight of the evening came at the very end during the public comment section, when a local Arab American took the podium to address concerns he had with the city. The man, who identified himself as Hassan, stated that he lived in Westland but had concerns he wanted to address as an individual who works in the city. He refused to publicly give his address fearing for the safety of his family.

After referencing Prophet Muhammad and loudly chanting Islamic prayers, Hassan said that the city needed to monitor neighborhood parks around the clock because people have been using them to conduct sexual activities. Council President Susan Dabaja, however, told him that the city doesn’t have the resources or money for increased security at parks and asked him to move on to his next point.

Hassan also stated that there were magazines and newspapers at the public libraries and civic center that can “cause colossal damage to a child’s health,” asking the city to review and monitor literature before they are distributed. Dabaja cited that freedom of speech laws exist and that parents, not the city, should monitor what their children read.

“These issues are not relevant to this body,” Councilman Thomas Tafelski added, looking frustrated.

Hassan was told he needed to speed up his message to the council because, according to council rules, an individual is limited to three minutes of speaking time during the public comments portion of the meeting. Hassan proceeded to address concerns he has regarding discrimination against Arabs in the city. He cited his current place of employment as an example.

“There is no political correctness contained and there is so much harassment towards Muslims and Arabs,” Hassan said.

Dabaja, however, was quick to tell him that his points were out of line and not issues that the council usually tackles.

“If you have concerns about your supervisor, then go ahead and seek the advice of legal counsel. This is not something that we as a body can address,” Dabaja stated before telling the individual that his time on the floor had expired….

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