Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 312, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 10, 2017 Page: 5 of 20
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NATIONAL
5A
Denton Record-Chronicle
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Muslim leaders worried by rallies
By Andrew Selsky
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. — Inside a
mosque in the college town of
Eugene, a half-dozen men pros-
trated themselves on a carpet
while another man led the mid-
day prayers. Over his melodic
recitation came a tapping sound
as a locksmith installed higher-
grade locks on the front door.
The worshippers at the Eu-
gene Islamic Center are worried
about their security. A man re-
cently appeared outside the
mosque and threatened to kill
Muslims.
Barely two weeks later, an as-
sailant stabbed two men to
death and wounded a third on a
commuter train in Portland, 110
miles to the north. The victims
were trying to protect two teen-
age girls, one of whom was
wearing a hijab, as the man
shouted anti-Islamic slurs.
Looking ahead, Muslim
leaders and others are con-
cerned about anti-Shariah, or
Islamic law, marches planned
for Saturday in Seattle and
about two-dozen other U.S. cit-
ies, saying the marches are really
anti-Muslim. They consider the
Portland and Eugene incidents,
and other recent anti-Muslim
crimes in America, part of an
alarming trend that came to the
forefront in last year’s presiden-
tial election with far-right activ-
ists portraying Islam — and all
Muslims — as a threat.
“Our Muslim community is
feeling a tremendous amount of
stress and pressure,” said former
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn,
who plans to attend a counter-
rally Saturday. “It’s important for
local leaders to express solidarity
and make clear we stand against
bigotry, against racism and with
our Muslim neighbors in the
state and beyond.”
The group organizing the ral-
lies, ACT for America, has chap-
ters around the country and says
it is focused on fighting terror-
ism and promoting national se-
curity. It says it condemns bias
against religious groups and is
“proud to stand shoulder to
shoulder with peaceful Western
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Charles Sykes, Invision/AP file photo
The cast of “Jersey Boys” performs June 7,2015, at the 69th
annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Tonys look to avoid
‘Hamilton’ hangover
►1 -
i
ft
But one thing they won’t get
to hear is Bette Midler sing after
talks failed to land the diva, who’s
starling in a hit revival of Hello,
Dolly. In other sour notes, the
thriving and popular Anastasia
didn’t get a slot, despite its draw
with young people, particularly
women. Nor will the musicals A
Bronx Tale and Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, despite their
box-office popularity and the in-
clusion of some other shows that
are struggling.
The wild popularity of Ham-
ilton last year translated into a
huge bump in ratings for the
Tonys, with the telecast beating
the previous year’s audience by
more than 2 million viewers. It
was hosted by James Corden
with an endearing, fan-boy vibe.
Getting buzz from appearing
on the show can dictate a show’s
future, on Broadway and tour.
Justin Paul, who co-wrote
the songs for Dear Evan Han-
sen with his writing partner
Benj Pasek, is looking forward to
Sunday. Although the duo won
an Oscar for the song City of
Stars from La La Land, they
have long toiled in musical the-
ater and consider it home.
“It’s a very meaningful night to
us because obviously this is our
world and we’ve practically wait-
ed our whole life to be able to do
it,” said Paul. “It is very thrilling to
just be there, especially to share it
with so many of our colleagues.”
By Mark Kennedy
AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK — Last year at
the Tony Awards, a rabid inter-
est in Hamilton stemmed a
three-year slide in viewership.
This year, there’s a new host, an
old home and hope that a starry
list of celebrities can cure the
post -Hamilton hangover. None
other than Hamilton creator
Iin-Manuel Miranda will be on
hand to help the transition.
Kevin Spacey, the Oscar-
winning House of Cards star
who has a Tony of his own, will
be host of the telecast Sunday
from the massive 6,000-seat
Radio City Music Hall. With a
foot in both Broadway and Hol-
lywood, Spacey brings glamour
and acting chops to the job.
He declined earlier this week
to reveal what he plans to do,
other than saying, “Everything’s
on the table.” When pressed,
Spacey didn’t buckle. “You’ll just
have to tune in and see,” he said.
Those watching will see musi-
cal numbers from nine new and
revival musicals, including
stand, Come From Away, Dear
Evan Hansen, Falsettos,
Groundhog Day The Musical,
Miss Saigon, Josh Groban and
the cast oiNatasha, Pierre & The
Great Comet of 1812, Hello, Dol-
ly! and WarPaint. There will al-
so be a performance by two Tony
Award winners last year — Cyn-
thia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr.
Andrew Selsky/AP
Drew Williams, a member of the Eugene Islamic Center, said members of the mosque have
been rattled by an incident in which a man showed up and allegedly threatened to kill wor-
shippers, but the community has shown concern and support.
Muslims as well as peaceful
Muslims worldwide.”
Yet many Muslims and others
say the group promotes a distort-
ed and prejudiced view of Islam.
ACT for America activists
portray Shariah as largely in-
compatible with American de-
mocracy and often warn of a
stealth effort to replace U.S. law
with Islamic law. Muslims call
the claims ludicrous and say Is-
lamic law plays a role similar to
Jewish law, as a guide to reli-
gious life rooted in the Quran.
Aneelah Afzali, who heads a
Seattle-area group that works
against discrimination and hate
crimes, said she will be putting
up an “ask a Muslim booth” near
Seattle’s anti-Shariah rally, “so
people can ask questions direct-
ly about Islam, and we can
counter conspiracy theories, ac-
cusations and lies that come
from that hate rally.”
She said she has noticed in-
creased hostility toward Mus-
lims, evidenced by the destruc-
tion of a granite sign in front of
the mosque she attends in Red-
mond, Washington, by someone
apparently wielding a sledge-
hammer. A temporary sign was
destroyed a few weeks later.
‘What was so beautiful was
the outpouring of community
support,” she said, explaining
that many community and busi-
ness leaders showed up for a cer-
emony and left their handprints
in the concrete base that holds
the new sign.
The marches come amid a
rise in reports of anti-Muslim
incidents in the U.S., including
arson attacks and vandalism at
mosques, harassment of women
wearing Muslim head coverings
and bullying of Muslim school-
children.
Two far-right groups, the Oath
Keepers and the Three Percen-
ters, are to provide security at
some of the rallies, apparently the
first simultaneous anti-Shariah
rallies in the U.S. Members of a
third group also confirmed they’ll
attend, according to the Southern
Poverty Law Center, which mon-
itors hate groups.
‘With the recruitment of anti-
government groups and the
Proud Boys, the potential for vio-
lence increases,” the center said.
Muslim leaders hear echoes
of the views of groups like ACT
for America in President Donald
Trump’s temporary ban on entry
into the U.S. from six Muslim-
majority countries — a measure
currently blocked by federal
courts — and in his claims of
dangers posed by immigrants
and Muslim refugees. Trump
has said his policies are critical
for protecting national security.
Those who attend the Eugene
Islamic Center, in an off-white
building in a lower-income
neighborhood, are still coming to
grips with the May 10 threat from
a man who was arrested the next
day while carrying a knife.
Mosque member Drew Wil-
liams said the man claimed to
have killed Muslims while serv-
ing in the military in Iraq and
told witnesses, “I have no prob-
lem killing you.” The man was
charged with intimidation,
menacing and harassment.
“Many people are worried and
saddened and very shocked, but
we still hope to be able to practice
and to be part of the Eugene com-
munity” Williams said as the
locksmith worked next to him.
Besides installing stronger
locks, the mosque is raising
funds to erect a fence around the
building and possibly hire a se-
curity guard for Friday prayers,
when the number of worship-
pers peaks.
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TAKE A HI
STAND
Stand With Me!
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Sat,6/10
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1 1 ■
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• Police & Fire Departments
Give them what they need to do their job
• Update Code Enforcement & Permitting
"Reduce turn around time
• Reduce Property Taxes
"Goal: Reduce tax rate so no City Property tax increase
• Tighten the City Budget
"Eliminate costs not needed"
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I Stand with All of Denton!
VOTE FOR DON DUFF
Denton City Council—District 3
www.RobsonRanchRoad.com/id894.html
Political Advertising Paid for by Don Duff for City Council Campaign, Tricia Douglas, Treasurer, 9125 Gardenia, Denton, TX 76207
DE-1615753-03
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Parks, Scott K. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 312, Ed. 1 Saturday, June 10, 2017, newspaper, June 10, 2017; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1131514/m1/5/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .