The First Amendment is one of the most cherished hallmarks of America. There is no other nation on earth that has such a robust right for citizens to articulate their thoughts – including scientific discourse, the ability to challenge the government, and even expressions of hatred and bigotry.

Eastern Michigan University recently hosted a debate on Islam in which an anti-Muslim critic named Robert Spencer was the key participant. People ranging from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to prominent rabbis have criticized anti-Muslim intolerance spewed by Spencer and his affiliate organization, the American Freedom Defense Initiative.

I believe that Spencer has the fundamental right to speak hatefully about fellow Americans. I also know that people of goodwill have the right not to engage him in his rhetoric. Moreover, we have the right to challenge his bigotry by not granting him dignified platforms.

Passivity in the face of hate speech has cumulative consequences. Words matter, and discrimination is inspired by those who have loud voices that repeat sweeping false generalizations and stereotypes.

Dawud Walid of CAIR writes at the Detroit News blog, 13 August 2013

See also “Debaters at EMU spar over whether Islam promotes violence”, Detroit News, 10 August 2013

And “Islam debate held on EMU campus”, Eastern Echo, 13 August 2013

An American-Islamic advocacy group is asking Brevard County not to allow “an anti-Muslim hate group” to use a commission meeting room in Viera on Tuesday for a speech by a controversial University of Central Florida professor.

“It creates the perception of endorsement and approval by the Brevard County government of this group’s hateful views,” said Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR].

Jonathan Matusitz, an associate professor at UCF, is set to speak at an ACT! For Space Coast Florida meeting in a county room during a session titled “The Islamic Threat to America.” ACT! Space Coast Florida is a chapter of a national organization that warns the public of what it describes as “radical Islam.”

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Never one to let facts interfere with his opinions, Mike Huckabee recently compared Muslims on holy days to “uncorked animals.” The benighted former Arkansas governor made the comments on his radio show Wednesday, saying that Muslims emerging from mosques on Fridays, the day of prayer, “come out of there like uncorked animals, throwing rocks and burning cars”.

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An Islamic Center of Murfreesboro leader Tuesday questioned why plaintiffs opposed to government approval of mosque construction continue to appeal their case.

“We have already wasted enough energy and money on this issue,” said Saleh Sbenaty, a board member with the ICM and a 20-year professor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. “We have been here for over 30 years. This is our home. We are productive members of our community. We have no other place to go.”

Plaintiffs’ attorneys Joe Brandon Jr. of Murfreesboro and Thomas Smith of Franklin filed a request to appeal with the Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday. The plaintiffs hope the state’s top court will overrule a Tennessee Appeals Court decision in late May that supported the way the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission approved plans for the ICM to construct a mosque on Veals Road, off Bradyville Pike.

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Anti-Shariah activists have a new target in their sights: Crayola. Late last week the Pickens County (Ga.) Republican party posted a call to action on its website about a new promotion from the world’s leading crayon manufacturer, which had begun offering free Islamic-themed coloring pages in honor of Ramadan. Zut alors! The images are pretty innocuous — one features a prayer rug; another features a young boy kneeling while reading from the Koran. But the Pickens GOP sees something more nefarious:

Recall that Muslims consider Ramadan the “month of jihad” and “month of victory” over infidels. Crayola should remind kids not to try and draw Muhammad lest their parents need to fend off Muslims and enter witness relocation – like the creator of Everyone Draw Muhammad Day – since the FBI nor anyone else will protect them.

Christmas trees and bunnies abound but a search for the Bible returned zero results.

contact Crayola:@CrayolaListening to Consumers and CustomersConsumer AffairsCrayola LLC1100 Church LaneEaston, PA 18044-0431-or-Click here to contact us electronically.About Our Products – in the U.S. or Canada:For Crayola®, Silly Putty®, Portfolio Series and Pop Art Pixies products, call 1-800-272-9652 1-800-CRAYOLA.

Both the Pickens County GOP and another anti-Shariah website, the appropriately named “Creeping Sharia,” both published the exact same text on the exact same day, so it’s not clear who plagiarized whom. Crayola is in good company. Other American institutions that have fallen under the spell of Shariah (according to anti-Shariah activists) include David Petraeus, the grocery store Wegman’s, and Nashville’s Hutton Hotel.

Mother Jones, 29 July 2013