Muslim conference booted from hotel

[rug]

Published On Thu Oct 13 2011

The Sheraton Centre hotel will not host a Muslim religious conference that was to feature speakers who have expressed anti-gay and anti-Semitic views.

The Star informed a Sheraton convention services manager about the speakers on Wednesday. On Thursday, after the Star published an article on the conference, a hotel spokesperson said it had been “cancelled due to the organization’s failure to satisfy a contractual requirement.”

The conference, which had been scheduled for Oct. 23, was organized by the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA), a British organization seeking to establish a Canadian presence. The IERA’s local public relations officer could not be reached Thursday evening.

Jewish and gay organizations had criticized the IERA for inviting four speakers who had disparaged gays, Jews and Christians. Gay activists in Britain denounced a hotel chain in January for hosting a London IERA event involving several of the same speakers.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1069557--muslim-conference-booted-from-hotel

[NMMNG]

1. ....

:popcorn:

[rug]

3. You said it.

And it's not even near Detroit.

[darkstar3]

2. So do you think THIS is persecution?

If yes, then how is this different from another recent story in which you repeatedly said "this is about a country club"?

[rug]

4. Do you?

[darkstar3]

5. You posted the OP, I'd like to see your comment.

Since you posted this specifically looking for hypocrites, I think you should show whether you're one first.

[rug]

6. I'm sure you do. But I'd rather hear your undiluted opinion first.

[dmallind]

8. My opinion is that atheists were less likely to feature homophobia and anti-semitism

Which makes a bit of a difference, no?

[ZombieHorde]

7. This article demonstrates why the serial comma, or Oxford comma, is important.

Jewish and gay organizations had criticized the IERA for inviting four speakers who had disparaged gays, Jews and Christians.

[David Sky]

9. First: I hate poorly written articles, articles that don't even have a

DATELINE: (for those who do NOT know what a dateline is in journalism, Google it!)

Secondly, it is perfectly within the right of any private enterprise to refuse services to whatever group they want, based upon past or current destructive, hateful, or intolerant behavior of members of that group. E.G. The Ritz Carlton in NYC is unlikely to offer their ballroom to mud wrestlers. Harvard University would not allow military recruiters because of the DADT policy of the military, (now that policy has changed and Harvard invited them back).

Beliefs that are bigoted, anti-Semitic, or otherwise threatening, destructive and harmful to a portion of society might be seen as solid, legal grounds for the hotel to refuse services.

I don't see the corollary with atheism being refused services or hospitality. Atheism, in and of itself, is NOT harmful to those who hold religious beliefs. But I can understand why some religious people can and do refuse hospitality to atheists.
Holding an atheist convention in a church would probably not ever happen, but how is a country club a religious place?

[Goblinmonger]

10. Cue humblebum with militant atheism

being the same as the KKK.

[Goblinmonger]

11. Standing up against bigotry

is not bigotry. If they just didn't allow this conference because they were Muslim (and I'm sure that happens), I would say bigotry. But for them to make it clear that they don't like the bigoted position of the group is different. Dawkins was disallowed solely because he was an atheist (and O'Reily doesn't like him). Not some perception of bigotry.

Of course, I would argue that some posters on here disallowing Dawkins because he is the same as the KKK would not fit into this category because that is just fucking ridiculous.

[trotsky]

12. Too difficult for some people to grasp, evidently. n/t

[darkstar3]

15. Indeed.

[Deep13]

13. Canadian law prohibits "hate speech."

They feel suppressing the stirring up of hatred against ethnic or other groups is more important than absolute free speech.

[cleanhippie]

14. Poor attempt at false equivalencies, rug.

Do you really think that the two incidents are the same?