Florida Bill Aimed at Blocking Aid to Muslim Students

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Stop a Florida Bill Aimed at Blocking Aid to Muslim Students
CAIR Action Alert #FL025



(MIAMI, 4/1/2003) - Florida's office of the Washington-based Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL), along with other rights groups such as Center for Advancement of Human Rights (CAHR) at Florida State University (FSU), Florida Immigration Advocacy Center (FIAC) and the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at FSU today called for the withdrawal of proposed legislation that would prohibit state funds from being used to provide financial aid to students from mainly Muslim countries.

Florida House Bill 31 and Senate Bill 1760 target students from Iran, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Syria, while specifically granting an exemption to students from Cuba, which is also on the State Department's list of terrorism sponsors. The Cuba exemption was granted on March 24, 2003, in a meeting of the Higher Education subcommittee.

To view the proposed bills, go to:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/data/sess.../pdf/h0031.pdf
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/data/sess.../pdf/s1760.pdf
"This legislation discriminates against Muslim students based solely on their national origin. It is a form of racial stereotyping and guilt by association," said CAIR-FL Board Chairman Parvez Ahmed.

"As President Bush stated, America is not at war with the people of any country. If this presumably well-intentioned bill were to be enacted in its current form, the people of these nations would in effect become scapegoats for the regimes that they have been fortunate to temporarily leave behind." added Mark Schlakman, Program Director of CAHR.

Hadia Mubarak President of the Muslim Student Association at Florida State University added, "This bill punishes the innocent students who come from these countries looking to better their lives and take back to their home countries the liberal values learned in America's finest institutions."

Cheryl Little, Executive Director, FIAC said, "This bill creates a false sense of security and is seriously at odds with core American and international human rights principles."




ACTION REQUESTED:

On April 7, 2003 will be heard by the K-20 Committee.

Send an email to members of the K-20 Committee from your area. Copy your email to H31 bill sponsor Dick Kravitz E-mail: [email protected] and CAIR-FL at [email protected].

To find if your representative is on the K-20 committee go to: http://www.cair-florida.org/FL_HR_Ed...m_Contacts.htm




TALKING POINTS:

1. H31 discriminates against students solely baaed on their national origin. This bill is thus discriminatory.

2. H31 contradicts US foreign policy. President Bush has consistently iterated that the war against terrorism and the war on Iraq are not against the Muslim, Arab or Iraqi people, but rather specifically against those regimes that harbor or support terrorists. HB 31 doesn't punish those political regimes nor terrorists, but only innocent students who come to this country to pursue their higher education.

3. One of the best ways to root out extremist/fundamentalist thought is through education in western academic institutions of higher learning.

4. While the U.S. continues its war against terrorism, it seeks to build allies with the people of those countries and especially dissidents of those regimes. By punishing the people, this bill will counteract U.S. objectives in those countries.

[ManchesterFolk]

Iran, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Syria

What do all these countries have in common, other than a Muslim population?

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

I dont think even think u understood the point of the article...unless im missing out on what u mean?

[wilberhum]

It stops aid to a student who is a citizen of any country that is identified by the United States Department of State as terrorist or supporting terrorism. That sounds real reasonable to me.

[QuranStudy]

What do all these countries have in common, other than a Muslim population?

What do your posts have in common? Guess.

It stops aid to a student who is a citizen of any country that is identified by the United States Department of State as terrorist or supporting terrorism. That sounds real reasonable to me.

How is that reasonable?

[Keltoi]

What do your posts have in common? Guess.



How is that reasonable?

It is reasonable because many Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are international students. If a country is known to support terrorism, then it is quite reasonable to deny financial aid to a student from that country. It is a political stance.

[QuranStudy]

It is reasonable because many Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are international students. If a country is known to support terrorism, then it is quite reasonable to deny financial aid to a student from that country. It is a political stance.

Many does not equate most. Shouldnt they be busy capturing Bin Laden than divert the attention? And what if the student is an American citizen?

[wilberhum]

I think it would be reasonable to deny all entrance to the US to any citizen of any country that is identified by the United States Department of State as terrorist or supporting terrorism.

[Keltoi]

Many does not equate most. Shouldnt they be busy capturing Bin Laden than divert the attention? And what if the student is an American citizen?

Like President Bush has stated many times, the U.S. has to be correct 100% of the time to stop Americans from dying in a terrorist attack, the terrorists only have to be right once. How many is enough to take the issue seriously?

Why can't you hunt for Bin Laden and be selective in how you allow to recieve government funds?

If the student is an American citizen, then they wouldn't be a citizen of a terrorist supporting country, unless they have dual citizenship, and in that case I'm sure it would be a case by case basis.

[wilberhum]

Many does not equate most. Shouldnt they be busy capturing Bin Laden than divert the attention? And what if the student is an American citizen?

If the student is an American citizen then they are not a citizen ot an other country.

[therebbe]

How is that reasonable?

Were American students allowed to go to Iran to study? Were American students allowed to go to the Soviet Union during the Col War to study?

It is common sense to keep your enemies out.

Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Yemen, Kuwait are all Muslim countries and they are aloud because they are peaceful.

[Ghazi]

This Blatent Racism! And the west keep on talking about freedom when they come up with stunts like this, American Goverments are a bunch of Hyprocrites.

[wilberhum]

This Blatent Racism! And the west keep on talking about freedom when they come up with stunts like this, American Goverments are a bunch of Hyprocrites.

Please explain. How is it Racism? How is it hyprocritical?

[Muezzin]

The article is dated 2003. Has this Bill actually been passed since then?

[therebbe]

This Blatent Racism! And the west keep on talking about freedom when they come up with stunts like this, American Goverments are a bunch of Hyprocrites.

Can you even define rascism? You throw out the comment, yet why does the USA allow Muslims from Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Pakistan, UAB, Jordan and Egypt if they are so "rascist".

Learn the term before you throw it out there like a pre-schooler yelling for his toys.

[Ghazi]

Can you even define rascism? You throw out the comment, yet why does the USA allow Muslims from Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Pakistan, UAB, Jordan and Egypt if they are so "rascist".

Learn the term before you throw it out there like a pre-schooler yelling for his toys.

This legislation discriminates against Muslim students based solely on their national origin. It is a form of racial stereotyping and guilt by association," said CAIR-FL Board Chairman Parvez Ahmed

It's a known fact the west hate islam they're not gonna come out open with it cause that'll spell the end for the west.

[wilberhum]

It's a known fact the west hate islam they're not gonna come out open with it cause that'll spell the end for the west.

Where did you learn this? Why have you not answered the questions?

[Muezzin]

Yeah, yeah, if the Bill hasn't actually been passed in these three years, there's no issue to discuss. Does anyone know whether or not it's an Act now?

[Ghazi]

Where did you learn this? Why have you not answered the questions?

I did with the qoute.

[wilberhum]

Yeah, yeah, if the Bill hasn't actually been passed in these three years, there's no issue to discuss. Does anyone know whether or not it's an Act now?

I tried to find out. I had no success. I sent an email to the Florida House email address that was included. I will let you know if I here anything.
Does any one here know how to find the information?