Robert Muise, AFLC Attorney, stands next to Bill of Rights

A blog post by the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) said:  ”The City, not wanting to offend its large Muslim population, would not allow the Christian to hand out religious literature at the Festival.”

In the order, the federal judge stated, “In this case, the Plaintiff received the full relief he sought — an invalidation of the leafleting restriction and a permanent injunction barring its enforcement. . . . Because this result ‘cannot fairly be labeled as anything short of excellent, [Plaintiff] is entitled to a fully compensatory fee.’”

AFLC Senior Counsel Robert J. Muise represented Pastor Saieg in this successful free speech case. At the time, Muise was Senior Trial Counsel for the Thomas More Law Center.

The City of Dearborn has 14 days to appeal.

“The award of attorney fees in this case,” noted Muise, “is critical in the lawfare against Civilization Jihad and dhimmitization, or subjugation, of an entire municipality in Michigan. Dearborn has a long record of this kind of illegal, heavy-handed treatment of Christians as an attempt to placate Dearborn’s sharia-faithful. The court’s ruling  demonstrates that this kind of behavior will come at great cost.”

The citizens of Dearborn never voted for the absurd anti-free-speech ordinance. Some Dearborn citizens are wondering why public officials conspired together to create the un-constitutional city ordinance(s) – against the will of the people.

Muise recently won acquittals for charges of  disturbing the peace brought by the Dearborn prosecutor against a group of Christians following their arrests by Dearborn police in 2010 for the same kind of peaceful free speech activities.  Muise and David Yerushalmi of the American Freedom Law Center, along with attorneys from the Ann Arbor based Thomas More Law Center, currently represent these Christians in a civil action arising from these arrests.

George Saieg of Arabic Christian Perspective

Whalen said Saieg and his Arabic Christian Perspective organization sued Dearborn and its police chief, Ron Haddad, because after distributing Christian information at the event for several years, he was told police would arrest him if he gave information to anyone at the Arab fest.

“Requiring defendants to absorb plaintiff’s attorney’s fees for the district court proceedings in this case would produce the absurd result of punishing defendants for their success in this court and for acting in accordance with precedent endorsed by two federal judges. Moreover, it would send a message that established precedent and this court’s rulings cannot be relied upon given that a plaintiff potentially could persuade the 6th Circuit to establish new precedent,” the City of Dearborn argued.

The judge stated that the pastor did, in fact, prevail on his free speech claim.

“Defendants may have believed that they were ‘acting in accordance with precedent endorsed by two federal judges,’ but the 6th Circuit ultimately held that they were not acting in accordance with the Constitution,” Judge Whalen stated.

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This heart-warming story looks into their everyday life,  and give you a clear appreciation for taking efforts to get to know someone who is much different from yourself!

Local film-maker Stephen Coats  produced the new video series to begin promoting a video contest that examines cross cultural differences, misunderstandings, religious conflicts — and promoting better understanding with people that are different than ourselves.  The video contest,  At the Intersection of Faith and Culture, will award cash prizes for the best new videos.  First prize is $1500, second prize – $750, and third prize $250. Aspiring film-makers, artists and story tellers can submit video clips for inclusion in the series beginning Dec. 1, 2011

Sabeel Media, which was one of three finalists for the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce’s Innovative Spirit Award in 2010 maintains an office in east Dearborn.  Stephen Coats  (founder of Sabeel Media)  moved to Dearborn after working in Hollywood for over a decade.  From their small office across from Joe’s Top Dog Coney Island, Sabeel Media videos on YouTube  and Vimeo are changing the world – sending waves of excitement around Dearborn and all over the Middle East.

Pastor Terry Jones is confronted by BAMN Protestors

Using Dearborn’s City Hall and Schaefer Road as a stage for their antics  (and attempting to grab international news headlines) – a small group supporting Terry Jones group ‘Stand Up America Now!’ tried to walk down Schaefer Road – against the shouting and shoving of the Detroit area anarchist group ‘By Any Means Necessary’ (BAMN).

Oddly enough, most of the anti-Terry-Jones-protesters were not Dearborn area Muslims, but  mostly Detroit area BAMN activists.  The BAMN activists waved signs and shouted slogans like “Dearborn has made it clear, racist pigs aren’t welcome here.”  Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly praised Dearborn residents for showing restraint, and exercising self-control by ignoring Terry Jones and keeping the peace.

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Terry Jones tried to bring forward five points (according to his press release) in his speech at Dearborn City Hall:

1. Demanding  Freedom of Speech, Civil and Human Rights from all Muslim governed countries — or their immediate removal from the U.N.
2. Immediately halt all Muslim immigration and remove all illegal aliens from the United States.
3. Monitoring all mosques to assure that they are places of worship and not of Islamic [jihadist] propaganda.
4. Positions of authority and decision making in US embassies in Islamic countries must be held by non-Muslims.
5. Ban ‘Sharia law’ nationwide in the United States.

Terry Jones made the following comment:

The general rally went very good. We were very pleased with that. We knew that we would definitely be met with some opposition. That happened the very first time that we came to Dearborn, the second time, and now here the third time where people were very unruly, yelling and screaming. The last time we were here, they threw bottles of urine at and shoes at us. This time they were cussing, yelling and making it very hard for us to have a peaceable assembly as the First Amendment guarantees us. That was very disturbing in that sense. We were absolutely devastated or shocked at the reaction of the counter protesters as we just wanted to march peaceably on the sidewalk down to the Arab festival. We had made our intentions very, very clear that we were going to be peaceful. We were met with very much aggression. People got in our faces, they yelled at us, they cussed us. They attacked us! We were hit, we were assaulted, we were pushed to such a degree that the police came to me several times requesting that we stop our walk.

The police did not demand that we stop. The last time an officer came to me, he said that they had made so many arrests that they had no more vehicles left to put people into. It was very clear that through their aggression, through their assault, it was very clear that the situation would only escalate. It was a very, very violent thing.

We were very surprised! We consider it to be a very serious state that our nation is either in or headed toward when you have declared peaceful intentions of simply walking on the sidewalk and you are attacked in that sense. I’d like to again emphasize we’re very shocked that we were attacked and hit. We were pushed even to the extent that when it was all over, the police came to us and they said, “Ok, you all have been assaulted. Do you want to press charges?”. We decided at that time not to press charges, but we were indeed very shocked.

The actions of the counter protesters did not serve as any type of a deterrent. We will proceed on with our message. We will be heading next week to New York City. After that we will be going to Chicago. We will be spreading our message and our concern about the radical element of Islam.

Meanwhile, back at the Arab Festival local residents and guests enjoyed dancing, entertainment, fantastic food, and music throughout the weekend.

Evangelists with Acts17 (and several other Christian groups) – perhaps emboldened by winning several lawsuits that guaranteed their right to proselytize at the festival claim to have peacefully distributed 30,000 pamphlets on topics like “the Diety of Jesus Christ, the reliability of the Gospel accounts,  and the truth about Mohammed“.  In addition, local residents (from Dearborn and surrounding communities) quietly and peacefully distributed 20,000 flyers in English and Arabic entitled God is Not Silent.

Related Stories

• Mayor Praises Community for Response to Terry Jones
• Another Rally Against Radical Islam at City Hall
• Order of the Dragon Cancels Protest – Condemns Jones and Mohammed
• Fear of Sharia or Fear of Losing Political Influence?
• Community Debates Response To Terry Jones
• Daddy, I Saw the Mayor Do Something
• Mayor O’Reilly Explains Actions While Praising Community
• Diversity and Peace
• A Christian Response –  Comparing Bible and Koran
• The Evolutionary Hermeneutic and Dearborn
• Lessons from Terry Jones and Osama Bin Laden
• Dearborn Rejects Extremism – Jury Find Jones a Threat to Peace – Arab American News
• Multiple Arrests Made at Anti-Islamic Protest During Dearborn’s Arab International Festival – Dearborn Patch

It is not clear from the announcement exactly how much participation each of these groups will have in the Saturday rally on the steps of City Hall. However, it is known that ACT! for America representatives from Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids will be participating, along with Mr. Rene Buller – an American Defense League (ADL) representative from New York.

Frank Fiorello, President of Order of the Dragon

Mr. Fiorello had previously planned a protest in front of the Islamic Center of America for April 22nd (along with Pastor Terry Jones) but cancelled the protest after meeting with Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly and Police Chief Ron Haddad and various faith leaders representing the Dearborn community.

At the April 16th meeting, Mr. Fiorello explained that the Order of the Dragon was formed to “protect the traditional rights of Americans and …  protect our country from the rise of radical Islam and the implementation of Sharia law.”  Mr. Fiorello said he wants to “stop Islamic colonization” and said his principles are based on the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Thomas Payne and  “the writings of the founding fathers”.

The rally this Saturday appears to be organized separately from another rally at city hall that Pastor Terry Jones is planning for June 17th – when Jones says he will speak on the steps of City Hall and then lead a march from City Hall to the Dearborn Arab International Festival.

The steps of Dearborn City Hall are a designated “Free Speech Zone” or “no permit required” zone. (One of several free speech zones the City of Deaborn has designated for public assemblies and protest rallies – that do not require a permit.)

The American Defense League (ADL) website claims “Islam is Pure Sedition. Sedition is Not Constitutionally Protected.” An article on the ADL website complains that Pastor Terry Jones spent time in a Dearborn jail because of implied threats against him:

“When the limit of free speech becomes subjective – and subject to the threat of violence – the spirit of the First Amendment has been utterly lost… In this case, Terry Jones’ right of free expression has been subjected to the implied threat of violence. As far as I know, nobody from the mosque is actually threatening him.  The worshipers of the Islamic Center of America should be granted the respect and dignity of assuming that they are good Americans, as well as good Muslims, and can handle the free expression of others like reasonable adults.  If someone can’t handle it… well, that is why we have a government to defend our inalienable rights.”

Another article claims that the ADL Facebook page was targeted by Jihadists,  after approaching 10 million page views.

Brigitte Gabriel - Founder of ACT! for America

ACT! for America, an organization based in Pensacola, Florida was “founded by Brigitte Gabriel, a Lebanese immigrant who came to the United States after losing her country of birth to militant Muslim fundamentalists during the Lebanese Civil War.”

In a 2009 video on YouTube,  Brigitte Gabriel speaks about a “wake up call to America … a wake up call about the danger of out-of-control political correctness”  - after the shootings at Fort Hood.

According to the ACT! for America website, the organization was  created “to provide American citizens a means to be a collective voice for the democratic values of Western Civilization, such as the celebration of life and liberty, as opposed to the authoritarian values of radical Islam, such as the celebration of death, terror and tyranny… Now an American citizen, Brigitte Gabriel founded ACT! for America to give Americans their voice back. That unique American voice, full of joy and anticipation of better days and infinite aspirations… muted by the scourge of political correctness.”

Rana Elmir, the Muslim woman who is leading the ACLU fight for Terry Jones’ right to condemn Islam says:  ”If the First Amendment means anything… [it means that] people with unpopular opinions get to express them”.  Elmir is the communications director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) branch in Detroit.

Elmir, also a Lebanese American, said she vehemently disagrees with people like Terry Jones, but the ACLU defends their First Amendment free speech rights, because it is “blatantly unconstitutional” to prevent them from speaking.

Related stories

• Order of the Dragon Cancels Protest – Condemns Jones and Mohammed
• Fear of Sharia or Fear of Losing Political Influence?

The walk-out lower level overlooks the park-like back yard with built-in putting green. - Photography by Bob Brodbeck

The walk-out lower level overlooks the park-like back yard with built-in putting green.

The lower level offers a beautifully finished recreation room with gas fireplace and full kitchen with bar. - Photography by Bob Brodbeck

The living room was expanded from the original design to create a spacious 26′ by 13′ plus a 12′ by 11′ L shaped room.

Million Dollar Home in Dearborn, Michigan. Photography by Bob Brodbeck.

This is truly a stunning, one of a kind home!  Contact Barbara Stieper at 313-274-1700 with Century 21 Curran and Christie for more details about this home.

Dearborn offers a wide variety of housing options, with houses selling in the bargain basement category of $20,000, and luxury homes in the $500,000 to $2 million range – although most homes in Dearborn typically sell in the $60,000 to $340,000 range.

The gourmet kitchen includes lovely cherry cabinets, dramatic charcoal granite counters, a hardwood floor, and a planning desk. - Photography by Bob Brodbeck

The gourmet kitchen includes lovely cherry cabinets, dramatic charcoal granite counters, a hardwood floor, planning desk, large granite island, table space and a door wall leading to two-tiered deck.

The large family room features a gas fireplace, cathedral ceiling, hardwood floor and custom built entertainment center. - Photography by Bob Brodbeck.

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The Dining Room at 7 1/2 West Lane in Dearborn, Michigan. Photography by Bob Brodbeck.

The lower level offers a beautifully finished recreation room with gas fireplace and full kitchen with bar.

The walk-out lower level overlooks the park-like back yard with built-in putting green. (See part 2 of this story.)

This is truly a stunning, one of a kind home!  Contact Barbara Stieper at 313-274-1700 with Century 21 Curran and Christie for more details about this home.

Dearborn offers a wide variety of housing options, with a few homes selling in the bargain basement category of $20,000, and luxury homes in the $500,000 to $2 million range – although most homes in Dearborn typically sell in the $60,000 to $340,000 range.

'The Fallen Angel' - Christopher Daniels - photo by ROH Wrestling

‘The Fallen Angel‘ Christopher Daniels is one of the top stars of Ring of Honor Wrestling (ROH) and is also featured on TNA Impact! on Spike TV.  In addition to Ring of Honor and TNA, Chris has worked for every major pro wrestling organization including WWE, WCW, ECW, and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Colt ‘Boom Boom‘ Cabana - Rising Star for Ring of Honor Wrestling

Colt ‘Boom Boom‘ Cabana is also a top star of Ring of Honor Wrestling (ROH). In addition to Colt’s work with Ring of Honor, he is one of the most in demand independent pro wrestlers in the world, having wrestled for almost every international pro wrestling organization, including the WWE and TNA. He is a former NWA World Champion. Colt is very entertaining, a nice guy, and quite glib (he also does stand up and improv comedy).

Tickets will be available to purchase at the door on the night of the show! This event replaces the previously scheduled show on April 29th. All tickets purchased for April 29th will be honored on May 6th!

A special meet and greet autograph session with Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benajmin and Charlie Haas) will take place prior to the event from 7:00-8:00 PM.

The Friday Night Lineup:

• Main Event- Kings Vs. Wolves II - The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli) with Shane Hagadorn vs. The American Wolves (ROH World Champion Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards)
• No-Disqualification Match - El Generico vs. Roderick Strong with Truth Martini
• First Blood Match - Jay and Mark Briscoe vs. The All Night Express (Kenny King and Rhett Titus)
• Non Title Special Challenge Match - World Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas vs. Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly
• Grudge Match - Christopher Daniels with Truth Martini vs. Colt Cabana
• Honor Takes Center Stage Rematch - Homicide vs. Tommaso Ciampa with The Embassy
• Singles Action - The Prodigy Mike Bennett vs. Grizzly Redwood
• Singles Action (round 2) - Michael Elgin with Truth Martini vs. Andy ‘Right Leg‘ Ridge

Seriously. This is open to all Dearborn residents. Proof of residency is required.

Please note that the limit is a maximum of 50 pounds or five office papersized boxes of documents per person. For information on the May 14 event, call the Department of Public Works at 313-943-2085.

Throughout our history, Americans have turned to prayer for strength, inspiration, and solidarity.

Prayer has played an important role in the American story and in shaping our Nation’s leaders. President Abraham Lincoln once said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.” The late Coretta Scott King recounted a particularly difficult night, during the Montgomery bus boycott, when her husband, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., received a threatening phone call and prayed at the kitchen table, saying, “Lord, I have nothing left. I have nothing left. I have come to the point where I can’t face it alone.” Dr. King said, in that moment of prayer, he was filled with a sense of comfort and resolve, which his wife credited as a turning point in the civil rights movement.

It is thus fitting that, from the earliest years of our country’s history, Congress and Presidents have set aside days to recognize the role prayer has played in so many definitive moments in our history. On this National Day of Prayer, let us follow the example of President Lincoln and Dr. King. Let us be thankful for the liberty that allows people of all faiths to worship or not worship according to the dictates of their conscience, and let us be thankful for the many other freedoms and blessings that we often take for granted.

Let us pray for the men and women of our Armed Forces and the many selfless sacrifices they and their families make on behalf of our Nation. Let us pray for the police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect their fellow citizens. And let us ask God for the sustenance and guidance for all of us to meet the great challenges we face as a Nation.

Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those who have been affected by natural disasters at home and abroad in recent months, as well as those working tirelessly to render assistance. And, at a time when many around the world face uncertainty and unrest, but also hold resurgent hope for freedom and justice, let our prayers be with men and women everywhere who seek peace, human dignity, and the same rights we treasure here in America.

The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on the President to issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a “National Day of Prayer.”

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2011, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith or conscience directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I ask all people of faith to join me in asking God for guidance, mercy, and protection for our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

An Artistic Rendering of the English Letter A

The A has been proven to be the first natural vocal sound, and entitled to the first place in alphabets. Hence this letter is found is many words first uttered by infants;  which words are the names of the objects with which infants are first concerned as the breast, and the parents.

Hence in Hebrew am (aleph mem)  is mother, and ab (aleph bet) is father.  In Chaldee and Syriac abba is father;  in  Arabic, aba;  in  Ethiopic, abi; in Malayan and Bengalese, bappa; in Welsh, tad, from whence we retain daddy; in Old Greek and in Gothic, atta;  in Irish aithair; in Abysinian, abba; in Amharic, aba; in several African dialects, baba;  and papa is found in many nations. Hence the Latin mamma, the breast, which is in popular use, the name of mother; in Swedish, amma, is a nurse.  This list might be greatly extended; but these examples prove A to be the first natural vocal sound, and entitled to the first place in alphabets. The Hebrew name for this letter, aleph, signifies an ox or a leader.

A has in English, three sounds; the long or slender, as in place, fate; the broad, as in wall, fall, which is shortened in salt, what; and the open, as in father, glass, which is shortened in rather, fancy. Its primitive sound was probably aw. A is also an abbreviation used before words beginning with an articulation; as a table, instead of an table, or one table. This is a modern change.

• Among logicians, A, as an abbreviation, stands for a universal affirmative proposition.
• The Romans use A to signify a negative or dissent in giving their votes.
• In algebra, A and the first letters of the alphabet represent known quantities – the last letters are sometimes used to represent unknown quantities.
• Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet, are used in Scripture for the beginning and end – representative of Christ.

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“All about the letter A” is derived from Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary –  Noah Webster was an American  lexicographer, textbook pioneer, political writer, and editor. He has been called the ‘Father of American Scholarship and Education.’  His name became synonymous with ‘dictionary’.  Webster was  a revolutionary and freethinker.  Webster was a founder of the Connecticut Society for the Abolition of Slavery.  The historic home of Noah Webster is preserved for public viewing at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.