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Boston Globe – Oct. 6, 2006
Group opposed to Roxbury mosque sues
Boston Redevelopment Authority for documents
Charles A. Radin
The David Project, a non profit Jewish advocacy organization, yesterday charged in Suffolk Superior Court that the Boston Redevelopment Authority is withholding public records related to the authority's sale of land to the Islamic Society of Boston for construction of a mosque.
The organization asked the court to order the BRA to surrender the documents, in particular copies of e-mails written and received by BRA deputy director Mohammad Ali-Salaam regarding the Roxbury land deal, and documents relating to travel by Ali-Salaam to the Middle East on behalf of the mosque project.
Susan Elsbree, spokeswoman for the redevelopment authority, said the authority is ``confident the court will find that the BRA has complied with all public records requests."
The David Project is among numerous organizations and individuals sued by the Islamic Society for allegedly conspiring to circulate false and defamatory information about its leaders in order to prevent the building of the mosque…..
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/10/06/group_opposed_to_roxbury_mosque_sues_bra_for_documents/
South Florida Sun-Sentinel – Oct. 12, 2006
Pastor's effort to work with Muslims falls short
By Gregory Lewis
The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, the conservative Pompano Beach minister who called Islam a "dangerous and evil cult," is willing to work with peace-loving Muslims -- but only on his terms.
Dozier, who has waged a vigorous campaign against a mosque's planned move to a predominantly black neighborhood in this city, said Wednesday he had softened his views after speaking with a California-based organization that promotes global freedom.
But Dozier said Paul Nissan of March Against Terror USA urged him to encourage groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations to combat terrorism by stating in writing that they oppose jihads, or holy wars, against non-Muslims.
The organization asked Dozier to encourage moderate Muslims to put a page in the Koran that would urge readers to interpret its "evil verses" historically and not take them literally.
[Nissan] "called me up and presented me with an idea," Dozier said in an interview. "He said March Against Terror could use you if the community receives you. We could work with moderate Muslims. We should be about curtailing, stopping, and eradicating radical extremist Islam."
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Florida Chapter of CAIR, and the group's attorney Areeb Naseer, both attended a morning news conference called by Dozier.
The minister greeted them with handshakes and a smile and said to them, "We can find common ground. It's got to start somewhere."
Ali responded: "There's no better place than in the house of God."
Dozier then astounded the two Muslim leaders, saying he could work with CAIR, "provided they prove they are a peaceful loving organization and share our American values ... and put in writing they renounce terrorism."
Ali and Naseer came away disappointed.
"I was disturbed by many things he said," Ali said. "It was painful to hear him citing the Koran. He's a Christian professing to know the Koran."
Ali took issue with Dozier's trying "to reform Islam," and explained CAIR had already distanced itself from radical extremists. Ali said he sees no need to do so in writing to appease Dozier.
However, CAIR remains open to dialogue, Ali said…
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcdozier12oct12,0,3752035.story?coll=sfla-news-palm
NBC6 – Oct. 11, 2006
Preacher who protests mosque speaks out
A pastor who led a summertime protest against the building of a mosque in Pompano Beach tried to reach out to Muslims Wednesday, but his comments might have caused more controversy instead.
Rev. O'Neal Dozier led members of the Worldwide Christian Center in July to protest the relocation of a mosque to the northwest side of Pompano Beach.
"The Koran is evil, cruel. It promotes evil," Dozier said.
Dozier's comments have been so incendiary in recent weeks that Charlie Crist took him off his campaign advisory committee.
But now, Dozier has changed his tune, with Muslim civil rights activists watching, NBC 6's Ari Odzer reported.
"As long as you're practicing your religion in peace in America, we're fine," Dozier said.
Dozier said his real intent as he fights to keep a mosque out of the neighborhood is to fight the terrorist threat of radical Islam.
"I do know that there are some peace-loving Muslims, probably because they have never read the Koran or because they read the Koran and didn't take the teachings literally," Dozier said in a news conference Wednesday.
"I'm not insulted because the reverend does not know what he's talking about," said Areeb Naseer of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Some Muslims who watched the news conference said Dozier stuck his foot in his mouth over and over again, such as when he suggested all Korans sold in the U.S. should come with a disclaimer:
"These jihadist scriptures that you find in this book are for historical purposes only, not to be taken literally," Dozier said.
"If Muslims were to say that we're going to change Christianity, it would be opposed, so I take issue with him trying to reform Islam," said Altaf Ali of CAIR….
http://www.nbc6.net/news/10055049/detail.html
Broward Times – Oct. 10, 2006
Pastor who opposed mosque announce plans
to work with Islamic organizations
By Elgin Jones
Rev. O’Neal Dozier, Pastor of the Worldwide Christian Center, remains staunchly opposed to the construction of an Islamic Mosque in northwest Pompano Beach. So determined is Dozier to keep the facility out of the predominantly Black, lower income neighborhood, until it led to his distributing literature and giving speeches in opposition to it.
Those expressed views on Islam have cost him his position on the board that recommends lawyers for Gov. Jeb Bush to consider appointing as judges to the bench in Broward, as well as his position as a member of the Charlie Crist for Governor Campaign.
Today, in what seems to be a re-thinking of those positions, the conservative Reverend announced he has entered into dialogues with Islamic organizations to address those and other issues. Dozier said politics did not play any role in his decision, but it was prayer and consultation with other religious leaders that influenced his decision.
“After much soul searching and deliberation concerning my previous statements about radical Islam being a dangerous and evil cult,” Dozier wrote in a statement just released, “I want to applaud and thank those peace-loving Muslims who share our American values of freedom, tolerance, and human rights,” it reads.
Dozier said he has been in discussions with some groups and is reaching out to other Muslims from several organizations to denounce terrorist acts and condemn terrorist organizations. Those discussions, he said, would be the first in a series that would lead to talks about the Mosque proposed for the same neighborhood where his church is located.
“It was never my intention to include them (peace loving Muslims) as being a part of the problem regarding radical Islam,” explained Dozier. “Without question, the problem of global terrorism is not coming from peace-loving Muslims, but from radical Islamic extremists who have taken some of the teachings of the Koran and the Hadith literally, in order to advance their political agenda through violence and terror,” he said…..
Miami Herald – Oct. 11, 2006
Preacher alters his stance on Islam
BY DARRAN SIMON
The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, whose characterization of Islam as a ''cult'' and a ''dangerous religion'' cost him some political friends, said Tuesday he has changed his position.
Dozier initially made his remarks in July on a South Florida radio show. He was voicing his objection to the construction of a mosque in a black Pompano Beach neighborhood because, he said, the community could become a breeding ground for terrorists.
On Tuesday, Dozier, 58, once a political appointee of Gov. Jeb Bush, said in a press release that he never meant to include ``peace-loving Muslims who share American values of freedom, tolerance and human rights . . . as part of the problem regarding radical Islam.''
Dozier plans to discuss the issue at a press conference today at his church, The Worldwide Christian Center, 450 N. Powerline Rd., in Pompano Beach.
Dozier came to his realization ''after much soul searching'' and ''much prayer,'' and he wants to work with Muslim and non-Muslim groups, he said in his press release.
Dozier was forced to step down in July from a nine-member Judicial Nominating Commission responsible for nominating judges in Broward. Bush appointed him to the post in 2001 and reappointed him in 2003. Dozier resigned before his term expired.
Last month, Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist had his staff remove Dozier from all his campaign committees because of Dozier's views on Islam.
Altaf Ali, executive director the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which has tried to meet with Dozier, applauded his position.
''If Dozier is true to his word, we are eager to build a relationship with him and his community,'' Ali said.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/15727300.htm
South Florida Sun-Sentinel – Oct. 11, 2006
Conservative minister alters stance on Muslims
By Gregory Lewis
The conservative Pompano Beach minister who called Islam "a dangerous and evil cult" says he has had a change of heart and has begun a dialogue with Muslims who share "our American values."
The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, pastor of the Worldwide Christian Center in Pompano Beach, has campaigned against a mosque's planned move to a predominantly black section of the city, deriding Muslims as terrorists. Dozier said Tuesday that he still opposes the mosque's move but has a newfound relationship with some Muslims.
"After much soul searching and deliberation concerning my previous statements about radical Islam being `a dangerous and evil cult,' I want to applaud and thank those peace-loving Muslims who share our American values of freedom, tolerance, and human rights," Dozier said in a news release on Tuesday. Dozier planned a news conference at his church today to announce his position, which he said he reached after talking to other Christian leaders.
Altaf Ali, executive director of the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he would attend Dozier's news conference. Ali said Dozier has the right to oppose anything he wishes but "to prevent a place of worship is the same type of bigotry" African-Americans have faced.
Dozier's previous comments about Islam prompted Gov. Jeb Bush in July to remove him from the Broward Judicial Nominating Committee. Republican gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist took Dozier off a campaign advisory committee last month.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cdozieroct11,0,5136326.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Orlando Sentinel – Oct. 11, 2006
Build bridges of understanding
By Sabiha Khan
Often seemingly well-intentioned editorials and public discourse are characterized by broad-brush statements about Islam and Muslims.
One of the oft-repeated canards is that Muslims have not condemned violence or have done little to condemn it. Such perception unfortunately translates into prejudice against Muslims. Recent polls show that nearly four in 10 Americans admit to prejudice against Muslims, with one in four refusing to live next to Muslims.
Ordinary Americans cannot be entirely blamed for their attitudes as they are fed a steady diet of negative news pertaining to Islam and Muslims. But a careful study of the lesser-covered stories beyond the headlines will show that the negative attitudes toward Islam and Muslims are often the result of ignorance, which can be overcome by a dose of reality.
Muslim leaders have and will continue to speak out against violence in the name of Islam for it is Islam that teaches us to value human life. Those Muslims who react violently to protest cartoons or speeches do so despite the teachings of Islam, which advocates peace and justice for all people.
Muslims have condemned the attacks on our country on 9-11. Pages of these condemnations are posted on our Web site at www.cair.com/html/911statements.html
The Council on American-Islamic Relations ran full-page ads and TV/radio public-service announcements condemning terrorism, has held protests and candlelight vigils, has initiated "Not in the Name of Islam" online campaigns. CAIR members have spoken at churches and synagogues, issued numerous statements and conducted hundreds of interviews in our struggle to relay the message of peace to our fellow Americans.
Some Muslims erroneously resorted to violence to protest against Pope Benedict XVI's inaccurate comments about Islam. However, missing from the headlines were gestures for dialogue from Muslims and the unequivocal condemnation of violence. At CAIR, we went further and raised money to repair the churches that were damaged in the misguided attacks.
Prophet Muhammad's teachings continue to inspire most of the 1.5 billion Muslims to be kind, tolerant and loving to all people. Unfortunately, most Americans judge Muslims by the sensational headlines of violence and rarely have a chance to correct their misperceptions by interacting with the millions of Muslims who are their neighbors, doctors, teachers, engineers, nurses etc.
We Muslims will continue to stand for justice and condemn violence in the name of our faith whenever and wherever it occurs. We ask others to judge us not by the minuscule minority of extremists among us. Stereotyping is un-American and hurts our national interest at home and abroad.
It is time our fellow Americans made the effort to learn about Islam and Muslims. More than ever, we must remain united as a nation striving to bring peace and harmony to our world through education and mutual understanding. My office stands ready to offer lectures, seminars and workshops to build a harmonious community. Contact me at (407) 649-1660 or skhan@cair.com.
Sabiha Khan is executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) -- Orlando.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-myword1106oct11,0,6268552.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
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