Posted on 08/13/2015 1:06:51 PM PDT by Osage Orange
Muskogee County gun range posts sign saying establishment is 'Muslim free'
The Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store in Oktaha, off U.S. 69 in Muskogee County, has posted a sign indicating the business is a Muslim free establishment.
Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2015 1:45 pm | Updated: 2:49 pm, Thu Aug 13, 2015.
By SAMANTHA VICENT World Staff Writer
An owner of a Muskogee County gun range confirmed Thursday that his business has a sign posted on its window indicating the facility is a "Muslim free" establishment, an act that has drawn criticism and raised legal questions from a national Muslim civil rights advocacy group.
Chad Neal, who is one of the owners of the Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store in Oktaha, said the sign was posted in response to the July 16 shootings at two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which left six people including the alleged perpetrator, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, dead.
The sign states in capital letters, "This privately owned business is a Muslim free establishment, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone."
"We do not want to have any jihadis training on our gun range and then going down to our local armed services office (in Muskogee) and having better marksmanship than they showed up with," said Neal, an Iraq War veteran. "I've seen what Muslims and jihadis do to people. It's just not going to happen in my store."
Veronica Laizure, civil rights director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oklahoma, said views such as Neal's are dangerous to Muslim residents in the state. She also said the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits places providing public accommodation to discriminate based on race, color, sex, religion and national origin.
Neal said he has followed cases of businesses posting similar signs in other states such as Texas and believes he is within his legal rights to do the same in Oklahoma.
"Obviously there's a lot of stereotypes specifically associated with Muslims, specifically the threat of terrorism and extremism," Laizure said. "It puts (Muslims) in the 'other' category and makes them seem like they're not a part of their community. The Oklahoma Muslim community is proud to be citizens of this state and proud to be in America, and these stereotypes are very damaging because they feel like they can't take part fully in American life and American society."
The Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store website states the owners are part of a "Constitutional militia" in Oklahoma and know what it is like to see and be part of natural disasters, which prompted them to begin keeping emergency supplies on hand so people can be "ready to go at a moment's notice."
Neal said the move has been met with support from his community except for one person who gave the business a negative review on Facebook. He also called Islam a cult and said the Qur'an — the faith's religious text — tells adherents to lie and kill "infidels," or those who disagree with the religion's teachings.
"We're part of the community down here, and they love us," he said. "I don't want to have a bad range day and have someone wearing full Muslim robes and such making someone feel uncomfortable. It's a free country and we reserve the right to refuse anyone."
Laizure said being Muslim does not always equate to being of Middle Eastern descent, as many Oklahoma Muslims are African-American or white. She additionally noted the differences between the aftermath of the South Carolina mass shooting in June, in which Dylann Roof faces federal charges of killing nine people inside a historically black church, and the Chattanooga shooting in July.
"The Muslim community vehemently opposes violence and extremism in all forms," Laizure said. "It's just really unfortunate that the Muslim community is so often put in the spotlight in this negative way when others, particularly white Christian radicals, are not asked to apologize (after attacks.)"
Brady Henderson, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said in a statement that ideas of public segregation and second-class citizenship "belong in the past."
"Whether a business's policy is 'no coloreds' or 'no Muslims,' it is making the same choice to put hate and ignorance ahead of traditional American values like freedom and equality," Henderson said. It is important that we as citizens speak out against the growing movement to resurrect Jim Crow."
Meanwhile, Neal said he and others who work at the store are Christian people who "love everyone" and that he is "not here to start a religion war."
"We're a mom and pop shop," he said. "We're just trying to make it. We've pretty much settled in here to keep our community safe."
Samantha Vicent 918-581-8321
samantha.vicent@tulsaworld.com
Better yet have a Muslim only area, preferable some where down rannge. ;-)
I would have posted a sign that said, “A muslim may be hiding behind your target. Buy more rounds!”
Brady Henderson, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, said in a statement that ideas of public segregation and second-class citizenship “belong in the past.”
FFFFUUUUUUU
and FUHC
Why not get it all out. Hurray for this establishment. Lets start a movement??
Not dangerous enough. He's just saying 'stay away'.
Muslim free is fine by me.........
He's right, but under the Civil Rights Act he's opened himself up to lawsuits and prosecution. Muslims could end owning his business.
For acceptance, the application should be required to eat a BLT and draw a picture of Muhammad, screwing a pig.
No one allowed here...with names like Hussein, Abdul, Obama, Kalid, etc....
Probably safer....than no Muslims.
ping
Good reasoning, but I doubt he can make it stick, legally. To achieve his stated goal, it might have been smarter just to make any Moslems who actually walked in uncomfortable.
Muskogee county and city PO use this range for official practice and qualifying. Everyone one of his neighbors are like minded and agree with his decision to do this. We Okies keep it real. lol
Another reason I miss living in Oklahoma. Good going OK!
Ditto that!!
We shall see!!
That’s true. If there’s anywhere they could make this stick, it would be Oklahoma ... except for Norman or Tulsa ...
All he has to do is change the wording on his sign.
—THIS IS A JIHADI FREE ESTABLISHMENT—
—ALL JIHADI’S WILL BE SHOT AND ARRESTED, THEN SHOT AGAIN—
After all a jihadi isn’t necessarily a mooslimb, just an insane murderous 7th century camel humper who wants to kill every body who doesn’t believe exactly as he or she does.
Are Muslims legal citizens of the United State?
Did they take the Citizenship course and vow to become citizens of the United States?
Are they just here on a visa?
If any of the above questions are NO, then they are not entitled to the rights and privileges of citizens of the United States.....
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