New York Times: Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the man behind Innocence of Muslims, “appeared in federal court on Wednesday and denied violating any of the terms of a probation sentence imposed on him in 2010 after a bank fraud conviction.”
Huffington Post: Rep. Mike Honda has responded to the AFDI’s anti-Jihad ad campaign’s presence in Washington D.C, calling for a boycott of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority where possible. Honda’s statement has prompted a response from Pamela Geller, who argues that it is “fiction” to suggest that the advert “impugns the character of all Muslims.”
The New Republic: The Church of Scientology has formed unlikely ties to the Nation of Islam, with many Nation of Islam followers taking after leader Louis Farrakhan- who has expressed a desire for a “long and beautiful relationship” between the two organizations.
Toronto Star: Terry Jones, widely known for threatening to burn the Qur’an, is due to speak at a Toronto event on freedom of speech. Jones has said that “Toronto police have contacted him regarding his visit, but no one has informed him he would be turned back at the border for his anti-Muslim views.”
ABC: “A woman claiming to be a ‘Sovereign Citizen’ was arrested after she refused to exit her vehicle during a traffic stop and drove away, hitting two Memphis officers in the process.”
Comment: Huffington Post: Dr Zahid Bukhari argues that American perceptions of Muslims must change, a task made more difficult as “images of terrorists and extremists are being used by politicians and hate groups alike to misrepresent Muslims and propagate religious intolerance.”
Comment: The Guardian: Sarah Posner, scrutinizing Pew Research Center data that demonstrates declining religiosity and rising secularism in the US, suggests the religious right will continue to press its agenda with considerable intensity “even as they lose public opinion wars.”
The survey data referenced is available here.
