{"id":2105530,"date":"2023-11-22T05:38:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T10:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-islamic-scholar-railed-against-gays-an-anti-israel-student-group-invited-him-to-upenns-campus\/"},"modified":"2023-11-22T05:42:20","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T10:42:20","slug":"this-islamic-scholar-railed-against-gays-an-anti-israel-student-group-invited-him-to-upenns-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-islamic-scholar-railed-against-gays-an-anti-israel-student-group-invited-him-to-upenns-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"This Islamic Scholar Railed Against Gays. An Anti-Israel Student Group Invited Him to UPenn&#8217;s Campus."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthis-islamic-scholar-railed-against-gays-an-anti-israel-student-group-invited-him-to-upenns-campus%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2105530&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>&#8216;Prepare to be inspired,&#8217; UPenn&#8217;s Muslim Students Association \u200dsaid when announcing Yasir Fahmy as\u2062 a speaker<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Yasir Fahmy (Al Falah Center\/YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>An anti-Israel \u200cstudent group at the University of\u2062 Pennsylvania invited an Islamic scholar and \u200ccleric to campus who last year argued that \u2064gay people are &#8220;destructive&#8221;\u200d and &#8220;will not be happy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The scholar, former Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center \u2064senior \u2063imam Yasir Fahmy, delivered a \u2064June 2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RSKO3AD_vBY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lecture<\/a> titled, &#8220;Thoughts on LGBTQ+.&#8221; Fahmy during the lecture argued that gay people and those who &#8220;indulge in what you like&#8221; are \u2063living a \u200d&#8221;destructive&#8221; lifestyle. \u2062&#8221;We&#8217;re lost, and a true\u2062 representation\u200d of\u2062 this loss and this waywardness is this \u2063LGBTQ movement,&#8221; Fahmy said. &#8220;You\u2062 see what&#8217;s happening with Disney\u2014Buzz Lightyear, now \u2062Buzz \u2064Lightyear is\u2062 suddenly gay. Suddenly, he&#8217;s gay.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Months later, \u200con\u200d Nov. 6, 2023, the Penn Muslim Students Association\u200d said\u2062 it was\u200b &#8220;excited&#8221; to introduce Fahmy as a speaker at its annual conference, MSA East, which the \u200dgroup held Saturday.\u2064 &#8220;Prepare to be\u2063 inspired and join us for an incredible journey through great events \u200dled \u2062by these\u2064 amazing lineup \u2063 [sic] of speakers,&#8221; the association said alongside a photo and\u200c bio of \u2062Fahmy. \u200c&#8221;Register now to be part of something extraordinary!&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<h3>Fahmy&#8217;s denunciation of &#8220;this LGBTQ&#8221; movement \u2062stands in stark contrast to\u200c Penn&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/diversity.upenn.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">commitment<\/a> to &#8220;diversity in all its forms.&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>The \u200cuniversity says it &#8220;draws its strength from a multitude of races, ethnicities, genders, [and] sexual orientations&#8221; and <a href=\"https:\/\/lgbtcenter.universitylife.upenn.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hosts<\/a> \u200d an &#8220;LGBT Center&#8221; aimed at cultivating &#8220;a campus climate where all students, regardless \u2064of their\u2062 gender or sexual identity, can live authentically.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The\u200c university is\u2062 also home to <a href=\"https:\/\/lgbtcenter.universitylife.upenn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Student_Organization_List_2018_1531861834.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">at least two dozen<\/a> &#8220;LGBTQ+\u2064 student organizations.&#8221; After the <em>Washington Free\u200d Beacon<\/em> reached out to some of those organizations to inquire about Fahmy&#8217;s invitation to speak on campus, the Penn Muslim \u2064Students\u2064 Association \u2064scrubbed Fahmy&#8217;s name and photo from\u200d its conference <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1KvSN1Od6gjbv4yMUE64Lj2xiqeIowx5l\/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">program guide<\/a>. \u2062The association, which did\u2062 not respond to a request for comment, \u2064also made <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=siuACgwUPv0&#038;list=PL-2OT1fUopj-eZcmJaWc_pSJWMso-6GNl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">private<\/a> a video \u200dof the \u200dconference it touts on its <a href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/pennmsa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to Fahmy&#8217;s lecture denouncing gay people, the Islamic scholar has\u2062 delivered anti-Semitic sermons, including\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.memri.org\/reports\/friday-sermon-passaic-county-nj-islamic-scholar-yasir-fahmy-zionism-sick-sadistic-cult\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one<\/a> that saw\u200c him condemn &#8220;the sick sadistic cult known as Zionism&#8221; and accuse Jews of &#8220;bribing&#8221; elected officials.\u2063 While it&#8217;s unclear if that rhetoric inspired the Penn Muslim Students Association to invite Fahmy to campus, the group\u200c has spewed anti-Israel rhetoric following Hamas&#8217;s Oct. 7 terrorist assault on the Jewish state.<\/p>\n<p>In an Oct. 13 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CyXJ5dngbxa\/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&#038;img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a>, for\u2064 example, the association lamented &#8220;all attempts at normalization of the Israeli apartheid regime&#8221; and extended its &#8220;support for the Palestinian\u200b diaspora\u2062 as\u2063 they grieve the decades-long \u200ccrimes against humanity of their homeland.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Penn Muslim Students Association&#8217;s Saturday conference <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1KvSN1Od6gjbv4yMUE64Lj2xiqeIowx5l\/view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">featured<\/a> the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a top sponsor. CAIR has <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/biden-administration\/biden-tapped-this-muslim-group-to-fight-against-anti-semitism-its-defending-hamass-attack-on-israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vehemently defended<\/a> Hamas&#8217;s attack on Israel, blaming the terror group&#8217;s assault on the &#8220;Israeli government&#8217;s apartheid policies.&#8221; CAIR executive director Nihad Awad similarly dubbed Israel a &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-tapped-this-group-to-fight-anti-semitism-its-defending-hamass-attack-on-israel\/\" title=\"Biden chose this group to combat anti-Semitism, but it supports Hamas's assault on Israel.\">settler colonial apartheid state<\/a>&#8221; in the wake of the attack and called on \u200dPresident Joe Biden\u200d to condemn Israel, not Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You must condemn \u200dthe occupier not the occupied,&#8221; Awad said.<\/p>\n<p>Penn is no stranger to anti-Semitic speakers. The university in September \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/upenn-anti-israel-festival\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hosted<\/a> a Palestinian literature festival featuring \u2063Hamas-linked speakers \u2063who have praised terrorism against Israel. \u200bOne speaker, former Pink Floyd\u2062 frontman Roger Waters, earlier this year dressed\u200c up like a Nazi during a concert\u200d in Germany.\u200c Waters has referred to\u2064 Jews as &#8220;kikes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can student organizations like the Penn Muslim Students Association ensure that\u200d the speakers they invite align \u2062with the diverse perspectives within the Muslim community and promote understanding and tolerance<\/h2>\n<p><span>  .&#8221; In\u2063 the sermon, Fahmy \u200dreferred to Zionism as a \u200b&#8221;racist evil ideology&#8221; and called for the \u200cliberation \u2064of Palestine from Israeli occupation.<\/p>\n<p>These inflammatory and \u200ddiscriminatory views expressed by \u200dFahmy are concerning, especially\u200d considering \u2062that\u2063 he was \u200dinvited to speak at an \u200bevent hosted\u200d by the Penn Muslim Students\u2063 Association, a student organization that should uphold the \u2064values of inclusivity and respect for all individuals\u200b on campus. It is disheartening to see\u200d an organization that is meant to represent the interests of \u200dMuslim students promoting a\u200c speaker with such controversial beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200cdecision to invite Fahmy raises questions \u200cabout the\u2063 vetting process for speakers at the MSA East conference\u2064 and the values that \u200bthe association upholds. As\u200d an educational institution that\u2062 prides itself \u200don fostering a diverse \u2064and \u200cinclusive environment, it \u200cis important for the university to ensure that speakers\u2064 invited to campus align with its\u2064 commitment to equality\u200b and respect for \u200dall individuals.<\/p>\n<p>While it is crucial to promote freedom of speech and the exchange \u200cof \u200cideas on campus, it is equally important to draw a line\u200d when it \u200bcomes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liz-cheney-attacks-trump-and-under-fire-rnc-boss-ronna-mcdaniel-as-2024-rumors-swirl\/\" title=\"Liz Cheney attacks Trump and under-fire RNC boss Ronna McDaniel as 2024 rumors swirl\">promoting hate\u200d speech<\/a> \u200cor discriminatory views. The university should take this incident as an opportunity to revise its policies\u200c regarding speaker invitations and \u200densure that all voices represented on \u2062campus are consistent with its values of inclusivity and respect.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200bit is essential for \u2063student\u200d organizations like the Penn Muslim Students Association to\u2064 actively engage in self-reflection and ensure that the speakers they invite reflect the diverse perspectives within the \u2062Muslim \u2062community and promote understanding \u200band tolerance. In\u2062 doing so, they can contribute positively to the discourse on campus and foster an environment that is conducive to learning and growth for all students.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the invitation of Yasir Fahmy to \u2064speak at the Penn Muslim Students Association&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-islamic-scholar-railed-against-gays-an-anti-israel-student-group-invited-him-to-upenns-campus\/\" title=\"This Islamic Scholar Railed Against Gays. An Anti-Israel Student Group Invited Him to UPenn's Campus.\">annual\u200c conference raises concerns<\/a> about\u200b the values and vetting process of the organization. The \u2062university should use\u2063 this incident\u2064 as an opportunity to\u2063 review its policies\u200c regarding speaker invitations and reaffirm its commitment\u200b to promoting\u2063 inclusivity and \u200drespect. Additionally,\u200b student organizations \u2063should strive to invite speakers\u2063 who promote understanding and tolerance, fostering a positive and constructive environment for all students on campus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8216;Prepare to be inspired,&#8217; UPenn&#8217;s Muslim Students Association said when announcing Yasir Fahmy as a speaker Yasir Fahmy (Al Falah Center\/YouTube) An anti-Israel student group at the University of Pennsylvania invited an Islamic scholar and cleric to campus who last year argued that gay people are &#8220;destructive&#8221; and &#8220;will not be happy.&#8221; The scholar, former<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2088,"featured_media":2105531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2105530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2088"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2105530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2105531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2105530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2105530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2105530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}