CAIR, ACLU File Suit Against ‘Muslim Free’ Gun Range on Behalf of Man Refused Service


Muslim CAIR Member Sues Business Owner

Fatihah recounts his experience at the gun range as follows:

Fatihah went to the gun range after learning about the sign. He said the owners of the store were pleasant and welcoming until he told them he was Muslim.

“At that point, they started treating me with suspicion,” Fatihah said.

Robert Muise, with the American Freedom Law Center, represented the Florida gun shop owner and now is working for Chad Neal, the owner of the Oklahoma gun range.

Muise said Fatihah was denied service because he was belligerent, not because of his religion, and that the sign declaring the shop a “Muslim-free” business is protected free speech.

“The only thing the law prohibits is if somebody denies services strictly on the basis of religion, and that didn’t happen here,” Muise said.

Fatihah denies that he acted belligerently.

Claims of discrimination by business owners against Muslims have been reported in numerous states, and formal complaints have been filed with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding incidents in Arkansas, Florida and New Hampshire, said CAIR’s national director Ibrahim Hooper.

The problem is that business owners cannot know if a customer will be dangerous to the rest of his clientele or not, and must take reasonable measures in order to keep everyone safe. That may not satisfy an individual customer who will declare he is perfectly innocent, but owners prefer not to take that risk. Further, given the threats and murderous actions of many Muslim terrorist groups throughout the world, including those most recently in San Bernardino, that position seems reasonable and well grounded.
There is also precedent, which should have some bearing on this case as well.

After Andy Hallinan established a “Muslim-Free zone” at his gun store in Florida, The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) attempted to sue the owner for religious discrimination. In a crushing blow to CAIR, a U.S. district court just threw out the case entirely.

The reason is simple, Hallinan has a clear right to free speech, and his speech didn’t cause any identifiable harms to CAIR or its supporters.

A U.S. district court has thrown out a lawsuit against a Florida gun store owner, Andy Hallinan, owner of Florida Gun Supply. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, brought the lawsuit against Hallinan for establishing a “Muslim-free Zone” at his gun store.

The reason the judge threw out the case was the fact that CAIR had not proved that its organization nor any of its constituents were harmed as a result of the establishment of Hallinan’s “Muslim-free Zone.” According to Fox13 News, Judge Beth Bloom said CAIR, “insufficiently alleged imminent harm,” and that, “There are simply no facts grounding the assertion that Plaintiff (CAIR) and/or one of its constituents will be harmed.”

Unfortunately, Islamic terrorism has caused a huge shift in how people view foreigners and Islam in general. While it is true that most Muslims are not terrorists, it is also true that Muslim groups are responsible for over 90% of the terrorist acts committed in the world.

They can and do occur anywhere, and there are Islamic leaders who quote the Qu’ran in justifying such violence. In fact, Iranian government and religious leaders to this day continue to incite their followers with calls for “death to America.” So it is entirely reasonable and responsible for business owners to keep their customers safe, which may include denying access or service to those the owner deems a risk.

As soon as the terror threats and acts by Islamic jihadis are disavowed by organizations like CAIR and have ceased to be commonplace throughout the world, business owners will welcome new Muslim customers and work hard to serve them and keep them happy.

In the meantime, there will continue to be business owners like gun range owner Chad Neal who will take a stand in protecting his customers, and I am grateful that his priorities are exactly where they should be.

Source: washingtontimes.com



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