Comments - Statement of Support for Art Professor Fired from Hamline University... University Does Complete 180 - Oppressed Peoples Online Word...The Voice Of The Voiceless2024-03-29T14:19:04Zhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=6273430%3ABlogPost%3A202646&xn_auth=noHamline University officials…tag:oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com,2023-01-18:6273430:Comment:2030092023-01-18T10:14:46.541ZBilal Mahmud المكافح المخلصhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profile/2frvdhko3jtbx
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Hamline University officials made an about-face on Tuesday in its treatment of a lecturer who showed an image</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"><img alt="Hamline University at night. Snow is on the ground, and a large yellow building is lit up. " src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/17/multimedia/17nat-hamline-lawsuit/kbgv-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale"></img></p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">of the Prophet Muhammad in an art history class, walking back one of their most controversial statements — that showing the image was Islamophobic. They also said that respect for Muslim students should not have superseded academic freedom.…</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Hamline University officials made an about-face on Tuesday in its treatment of a lecturer who showed an image</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"><img src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/01/17/multimedia/17nat-hamline-lawsuit/kbgv-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale" alt="Hamline University at night. Snow is on the ground, and a large yellow building is lit up. "/></p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">of the Prophet Muhammad in an art history class, walking back one of their most controversial statements — that showing the image was Islamophobic. They also said that respect for Muslim students should not have superseded academic freedom.</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">University officials changed their stance after the lecturer, who lost her teaching job, sued the small Minnesota school for religious discrimination and defamation.</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“Like all organizations, sometimes we misstep,” said a statement from Ellen Watters, the chair of the university’s board of trustees, and Fayneese S. Miller, the president. “In the interest of hearing from and supporting our Muslim students, language was used that does not reflect our sentiments on academic freedom. Based on all that we have learned, we have determined that our usage of the term ‘Islamophobic’ was therefore flawed.”</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">The statement added, “It was never our intent to suggest that academic freedom is of lower concern or value than our students — care does not ‘supersede’ academic freedom, the two coexist.”</p>
<p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Full article: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/17/us/hamline-lawsuit-prophet-muhammad-religion.html">After Lecturer Sues, Hamline University Walks Back Its ‘Islamophobic’ Comments - The New York Times (nytimes.com)</a></p> Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFit…tag:oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com,2023-01-15:6273430:Comment:2026942023-01-15T18:26:09.946ZBilal Mahmud المكافح المخلصhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profile/2frvdhko3jtbx
<div class="feed-story-body dy-clearfix"><div class="rich"><div class="rich-thumb"><div class="dy-content-thumb-link xg_lightborder"><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/photo/kofi-bilal-mahmud-eid-alfitr-1443-a-h"><img alt="Thumbnail" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10453163873?profile=RESIZE_180x180&width=128&xn_version=202204270701" width="128"></img></a></div>
</div>
<h3 class="feed-story-title"><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/photo/kofi-bilal-mahmud-eid-alfitr-1443-a-h">Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFitr 1443 A.H.…</a></h3>
<div class="rich-detail"><div class="rich-excerpt"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="feed-story-body dy-clearfix"><div class="rich"><div class="rich-thumb"><div class="dy-content-thumb-link xg_lightborder"><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/photo/kofi-bilal-mahmud-eid-alfitr-1443-a-h"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/10453163873?profile=RESIZE_180x180&width=128&xn_version=202204270701" width="128" alt="Thumbnail"/></a></div>
</div>
<h3 class="feed-story-title"><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/photo/kofi-bilal-mahmud-eid-alfitr-1443-a-h">Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFitr 1443 A.H.</a></h3>
<div class="rich-detail"><div class="rich-excerpt"><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profiles/blogs/6273430:BlogPost:196844">http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profiles/blogs/6273430:B...</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Kofi Bilal Mahmud</p>
<p>Executive Director</p>
<p>Oppressed Peoples Online Word </p>
<p>Support OPOW: <a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/photo/opow-5">OPOW Needs Your Support - Oppressed Peoples Online Word...The Voice...</a></p>
<p><span>The Voice Of The Voiceless... A People Without A Voice Can Not Be Heard...</span><br/><br/><span>Paypal: jabal51@</span><span class="skimlinks-unlinked">hotmail.com</span><br/><br/><span>Or Cashapp: $bilal1370</span><br/><br/><span>Mail: Little Deep Creek LLC</span><br/><span>P.O. Box 1241</span><br/><span>Conley, Ga. 30288</span></p>
<p></p>
<h3><a href="http://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profiles/blogs/support-opow-today-an-appeal-from-executive-director-bilal-mahmud">Support OPOW Today...An Appeal From The Executive Director Bilal Ma...</a></h3>
<p><br/><br/><span>Thank you from all of us here at OPOW</span></p> CAIR Announces Official Posit…tag:oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com,2023-01-15:6273430:Comment:2026932023-01-15T18:22:59.133ZBilal Mahmud المكافح المخلصhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profile/2frvdhko3jtbx
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-adb0829 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><p>CAIR Announces Official Position on Hamline University Controversy, Islamophobia Debate…</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-4845bc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image"><div class="elementor-widget-container"></div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-adb0829 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><p>CAIR Announces Official Position on Hamline University Controversy, Islamophobia Debate</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-4845bc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><div class="elementor-image"><img width="1080" height="611" src="https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/hamline2.png" class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-46721" alt=""/></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-5451c05 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><ul class="elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info">
<li class="elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-28b8043 elementor-inline-item"><span class="elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date">January 13, 2023</span></li>
<li class="elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-fcb6516 elementor-inline-item"><span class="elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-time">8:57 am</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-92bf240 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-content"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><p><em>Muslim civil rights and advocacy group says “no evidence” classroom lesson was Islamophobic, expresses support for Muslim students.</em></p>
<p><em><img src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/17/23/66684495-11646465-The_CAIR_led_by_Nihad_Awad_joined_organizations_like_The_America-m-23_1673998090184.jpg"/></em></p>
<p><strong>(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/13/2023)</strong> – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released an official, nationwide position statement in response to a controversy at Minnesota’s Hamline University involving visual representations of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) in the classroom.</p>
<p>“Although CAIR’s national headquarters normally does not comment on local issues that arise in states with one of our state chapters, we must sometimes speak up to clarify where our entire organization stands on issues of national concern,” said <strong>CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad</strong>. “This is one of those times.” </p>
<p>In its statement, CAIR reaffirmed its longstanding policy of discouraging the display of images of the Prophet while also noting that the academic study of ancient paintings depicting him does not, by itself, constitute Islamophobia. CAIR also said that it has seen “no evidence” that former Hamline University professor Erika Lopez Prater had bigoted intent or engaged in Islamophobic conduct in the classroom.</p>
<p><strong>READ FULL STATEMENT HERE</strong>: <a href="https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/1_13_2023-CAIR-Statement-on-Islamophobia-and-Hamline-University.docx.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Official CAIR Statement on Islamophobia and Hamline University Cont...</a></p>
<p>In the statement, <strong>CAIR </strong>said in part: </p>
<p><em>“For almost thirty years, CAIR has been…exposing, countering, and preventing incidents of Islamophobia. This pervasive form of bigotry harms countless people here in America and around the world. We never hesitate to call out Islamophobia, but we never use the word Islamophobia lightly. It is not a catch-all term for anything that we find insensitive, offensive or immoral. To determine what constitutes an act of anti-Muslim bigotry or discrimination, we always consider intent, actions and circumstances…”</em></p>
<p><em>“Although we strongly discourage showing visual depictions of the Prophet, we recognize that professors who analyze ancient paintings for an academic purpose are not the same as Islamophobes who show such images to cause offense. Based on what we know up to this point, we see no evidence that Professor Erika López Prater acted with Islamophobic intent or engaged in conduct that meets our definition of Islamophobia… </em></p>
<p><em>“Academics should not be condemned as bigots without evidence or lose their positions without justification.”</em></p>
<p>CAIR also expressed support for Muslim students at Hamline University and encouraged schools to consider the perspective of students who argue that displaying depictions of Prophet in the classroom is harmful and also unnecessary, given they represent a small and late-stage part of the vast Muslim art history.</p>
<p>CAIR encouraged school officials, academics, students and others involved in the situation at the local and national level to re-examine the controversy with open minds, and pledged to do what it can to help resolve the conflict.</p>
<p>[<strong>NOTE</strong>: CAIR noted that its statement today represents the sole official and authorized position of the organization. Any past comments which contradict the statement do not represent CAIR’s position.]</p>
<p><strong>BACKGROUND</strong></p>
<p>Islamic artwork and iconography dating back to early Muslim history center largely around calligraphy and geometric designs because of ancient teachings that limited, discouraged or outright forbade the drawing of living beings, especially Prophets and other figures whose images might be subjected to idolatry. No images of the Prophet were drawn during or anywhere near his lifetime.</p>
<p>Many Muslims therefore consider visual depictions of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) sacrilegious and offensive. However, Muslim artists in some regions of the world did draw paintings depicting the Prophet hundreds of years after his passing, and some Muslims use certain images as part of their religious practices.</p>
<p>Like many other American Muslim institutions, CAIR has condemned anti-Muslim extremists who create or display images of the Prophet to cause offense. CAIR and others have also respectfully discouraged mainstream institutions from showing images of him meant to be positive. </p>
<p>In 1997, sixteen major American Muslim groups, including CAIR, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to respect Islamic teachings and the sentiments of most Muslims by altering or removing a frieze that depicted the Prophet in an attempt to honor him as a “great lawgiver.” </p>
<p>However, Muslim groups did not describe the Court as Islamophobic because its intent was not bigoted.</p>
</div>
</div> Two people at the center of t…tag:oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com,2023-01-12:6273430:Comment:2028132023-01-12T14:26:59.629ZBilal Mahmud المكافح المخلصhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profile/2frvdhko3jtbx
<p>Two people at the center of the controversy at Hamline University over academic freedom that has gained</p>
<p><img alt="A person speaks during a news conference" src="https://img.apmcdn.org/5844a76956eeca351acc48f23d5ea34b5ffb0a81/uncropped/7f880e-20230111-cairmn-hamlin-university301-600.jpg"></img></p>
<p>international attention spoke Wednesday about how the incident has impacted their lives.</p>
<p>Aram Wedatalla, who is the head of Hamline’s Muslim Student Association, said she was blindsided by an image of the Prophet Muhammad presented in her World Art class at Hamline last fall. </p>
<p>“I’m 23 years old. I have never once seen an image of the Prophet,” said…</p>
<p>Two people at the center of the controversy at Hamline University over academic freedom that has gained</p>
<p><img src="https://img.apmcdn.org/5844a76956eeca351acc48f23d5ea34b5ffb0a81/uncropped/7f880e-20230111-cairmn-hamlin-university301-600.jpg" alt="A person speaks during a news conference"/></p>
<p>international attention spoke Wednesday about how the incident has impacted their lives.</p>
<p>Aram Wedatalla, who is the head of Hamline’s Muslim Student Association, said she was blindsided by an image of the Prophet Muhammad presented in her World Art class at Hamline last fall. </p>
<p>“I’m 23 years old. I have never once seen an image of the Prophet,” said Wedatalla fighting back tears during a press conference held Wednesday at the Minneapolis headquarters of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) </p>
<p>Full article: <a href="https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/01/11/hamline-student-former-instructor-at-center-of-debate">Hamline student, former instructor at center of debate over religio..</a></p>
<p><span>“This includes showing and discussing both representational and non-representational depictions of holy figures (for example, the Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ, and the Buddha). If you have any questions or concerns about either missing class for a religious observance or the visual content that will be presented, please do not hesitate to contact me.”</span></p> "It is our understanding that…tag:oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com,2023-01-12:6273430:Comment:2028052023-01-12T12:08:58.310ZBilal Mahmud المكافح المخلصhttps://oppressedpeoplesonlineword.ning.com/profile/2frvdhko3jtbx
<blockquote>"It is our understanding that Dr. López Prater noted in her syllabus that such images would be</blockquote>
<blockquote><img src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/17/23/66684489-11646465-image-a-19_1673997748718.jpg"></img></blockquote>
<blockquote>included in the course, that the visual exercise and discussion were optional, and that she gave verbal cues both before and after the image was shown in their online class."</blockquote>
<p>According to a report published by The New York Times, the 42-year-old adjunct professor was let go from her job at the university even…</p>
<blockquote>"It is our understanding that Dr. López Prater noted in her syllabus that such images would be</blockquote>
<blockquote><img src="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/17/23/66684489-11646465-image-a-19_1673997748718.jpg"/></blockquote>
<blockquote>included in the course, that the visual exercise and discussion were optional, and that she gave verbal cues both before and after the image was shown in their online class."</blockquote>
<p>According to a report published by The New York Times, the 42-year-old adjunct professor was let go from her job at the university even though she warned students ahead of her presentation about the 14th-century painting, along with other images of holy figures like the Buddha.</p>
<p>Full article: <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-what-erika-lopez-prater-do-petition-support-fired-hamline-university-professor-receives-7-000-signatures">What did Erika Lopez Prater do? Petition in support of fired Hamlin...</a></p>
<p>More Information: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Dr.%20L%C3%B3pez%20Prater">(1) Dr. López Prater - Search Results | Facebook</a></p>