CAIR Welcomes Tennessee University's Decision to Drop Anti-Muslim 'Summit'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today welcomed a decision by a Tennessee university to drop an Islamophobic "homeland security summit" featuring John Guandolo, an infamous anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist who claims a former CIA director was a "secret Muslim" and that Muslim hotel managers, cabbies and 7-11 workers seek to take over America.

CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, says Trevecca Nazarene University will no longer host the January 25 anti-Muslim event organized by Republican gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers. The event would have featured three Islamophobic speakers, including Guandolo.

SEE: Trevecca Nazarene University Blocks Mae Beavers Event Called Anti-Islam
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/01/10/trevecca-nazarene-university-considers-blocking-controversial-anti-islam-event-sponsored-mae-beavers/1009242001/

"We welcome the decision by Trevecca Nazarene University to disassociate itself from this hate event featuring bigoted Islamophobic conspiracy theorists posing as national security experts," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. "We thank Tennessee's American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC) for its vital work on this issue."

"By working with our allies here on the ground in Nashville, AMAC was able to prevent the anti-Muslim haters from having their event at a respected university like Trevecca. Nashville has become a welcoming city for all people and will continue to be so," said AMAC Program Manager Sabina Mohyuddin.

Earlier this week, CAIR similarly welcomed a decision by Virginia's Amherst County Sheriff's Office to drop an event featuring Islamophobic conspiracy theorist Chris Gaubatz. Gaubatz is an employee of Guandolo's anti-Muslim hate group Understanding the Threat.

SEE: CAIR Welcomes Virginia Sheriff's Decision to Drop Anti-Muslim Event
http://cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14905-breaking-cair-welcomes-virginia-sheriff-s-decision-to-drop-anti-muslim-event.html   
Audio/Video: Islamophobes John Guandolo, Chris Gaubatz Smear Mosques, Say BLM is Funded by 'Enemies' of U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR4VgC0Yf_Y

The FBI is currently investigating an image tweeted by Guandolo's hate group that purported to show the bombing of "CAIR HQ" in Washington, D.C. Guandolo, who has previously tweeted that "CAIR needs to be obliterated," re-tweeted the bombing image on his personal account. Earlier this month, Guandolo tweeted that "Islam is evil & barbaric."

SEE: CAIR Asks FBI to Probe Tweet by Anti-Muslim Group Showing Bombing of 'CAIR HQ'
http://cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14750-cair-asks-fbi-to-probe-tweet-by-anti-muslim-group-showing-bombing-of-cair-hq.html

Minnesota's Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek has accused Guandolo of assaulting him during a national law enforcement conference earlier this year in Reno, Nev.

SEE: Video Shows Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist John Guandolo's Alleged Assault on Minnesota Sheriff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBlxiFVeXtI 
Exclusive - Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist Guandolo Assaults Minn. Sheriff at NSA Conference, Per Court Documents
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2017/08/11/john-guandolo-assault-richard-stanek-national-sheriffs-association/ 
John Guandolo Ordered to Stay Away from Sheriff Stanek (Star Tribune)
http://www.startribune.com/restraining-order-filed-against-former-fbi-agent-accused-of-assaulting-sheriff-stanek/439932193/ 
Anti-Muslim Speaker Now Accused of Assaulting a Sheriff
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/maricopa-county-attorney-john-guandolo-islamophobic-training-9592739

Among his many bizarre and Islamophobic claims, Guandolo has falsely claimed that:

• U.S. mosques are planning armed attacks on law enforcement authorities and churches,
• the Black Lives Matter movement is funded by "enemies of the United States,"
• when a Delaware Imam (Islamic religious leader) touched his nose during the pledge of allegiance before a legislative session it was part of "civilizational jihad,"
• former CIA Director John Brennan was a secret Muslim,
• Muslims are "obligated" to lie,
• Muslim hotel managers, cabbies and 7-11 workers seek to take over America,
• it is "unprofessional" for officials to seek information about Islam from Islamic religious leaders (imams).

CAIR has in the past said Guandolo is putting local Muslim communities at risk by making the false claim that, "Mosques/Islamic Centers are organizing for armed confrontation with law enforcement, shoring up physical defenses where they see likely confrontation and increasing their pre-attack surveillances of churches and other targets."

John Guandolo: Indict Journalists - Muslim Hotel Managers, Cabbies, 7-11 Workers Seek U.S. Takeover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NMLtiwfZM 
Audio: Islamophobe John Guandolo Claims Mosques, MSA Chapters Seek 'Overthrow' of U.S. Government
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=645fIfXjdp8 
Video: John Guandolo Claims Muslims are 'Obligated' to Lie, Talking to Imams is 'Unprofessional'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juQj8FDINz0   
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: John Guandolo
http://islamophobia.org/islamophobic-individuals/john-guandolo/75-john-guandolo.html 
Video: Islamophobe John Guandolo Claims CIA Director John Brennan is a Secret Muslim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aieUdwZoYMg 
Guandolo: Delaware Imam Touching His Nose is Part of Civilizational Jihad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq2IL2oJsQE

Backgrounder on Islamophobe John Guandolo:

CAIR's profile of Guandolo documents his belief that America "is at war with Islam" and that major Muslim organizations and mosques are "preparing for combat." Guandolo also claims there is inaction on the part of the U.S. government to counter this threat because people inside the Trump White House "have been co-opted by the bad guys." 

Earlier this year, Guandolo excused a terror attack on a London mosque because "people who are still sane" are "having to make very difficult decisions."

CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: Understanding the Threat
http://www.islamophobia.org/islamophobic-organizations/32-understanding-the-threat.html

In 2016, a Texas college canceled a similar event. The college's decision came following a request by CAIR's Dallas-Fort Worth chapter.

SEE: Texas College Cancels Controversial Law Enforcement Training Event Led by 'Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/texas-college-cancels-controversial-law-enforcement-training-event-led-by-anti-muslim-conspiracy-a7061731.html
Ex-FBI Agent John Guandolo to Host Anti-Muslim Training at Texas College
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2016/05/31/fbi-agent-guandolo-islamophobia-training-texas-college/  
CAIR-Dallas Asks College to Cancel Law Enforcement 'Training' by Islamophobe John Guandolo
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13562-cair-dallas-asks-college-to-cancel-law-enforcement-training-by-islamophobe-john-guandolo.html

In 2015, CAIR welcomed the withdrawal of an FBI representative from an event in Texas that was initially sponsored by the anti-Muslim hate group ACT! for America and featured Guandolo.

SEE: FBI Withdraws from Texas Event Initially Sponsored by Hate Group and Featuring Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12832-fbi-withdraws-from-texas-event-sponsored-by-hate-group.html

Virginia's Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy rescinded its approval of in-service training credits for state law enforcement scheduled to attend a training Guandolo was conducting in Culpeper, Va., after being made aware of his anti-Islam rhetoric.

SEE: Virginia Agency Pulls Accreditation for Anti-Muslim Training
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12387-virginia-agency-pulls-accreditation-for-anti-muslim-training.html      

A sheriff in Kansas decided not to partner with a citizens group sponsoring a Guandolo training after being informed of his conspiracy theories. When a journalist at Kansas' Wichita Eagle covered the controversy, Guandolo accused the reporter of material support of terrorism.

SEE: Kansas Sheriff Won't Partner on Training by John Guandolo
http://www.cair.com/press-center/cair-in-the-news/12503-kansas-sheriff-wont-partner-on-training-by-john-guandolo.html      

A number of Arizona police departments decided not to send officers to one of Guandolo's trainings.

CAIR: Arizona Police Departments Drop Out of Islamophobic Training
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12655-arizona-police-departments-drop-out-of-islamophobic-training.html     

Guandolo left the FBI shortly after reports surfaced that he had allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a key witness in a corruption trial targeting a member of Congress. In addition, he is documented as having falsified his credentials and work experience.

Major General Tony Cucolo, Commandant of the US Army War College, informed CAIR in an email: "Mr. Guandolo's claim (in print) that he teaches at the Army War College and any other references (e.g., online) identifying him as an adjunct instructor here are simply untrue."

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: https://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

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CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

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