Muslim Football Team Names Spark Protest in California

AP ^ | 12/07/03 | AP

[Pikamax]

Muslim Football Team Names Spark Protest

Sunday December 7, 2003 3:46 PM

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - It was planned as a way to bring young athletes together for a weekend of fun, but when participants in the Muslim Football tournament started naming their teams Intifada, Soldiers of Allah and Mujahideen, Jewish leaders took offense.

Intifada, ``uprising'' in Arabic, is the term used by Palestinians for their revolts against Israeli occupation from 1987 to 1993 and over the past three years. The recent intifada has seen numerous suicide bombings by Palestinian militants. Mujahideen means holy warrior.

Rabbi Bernie King, who lives in Irvine, said the teams' names undermined those who worked to have closer relations with Muslims.

``Something like this ... tends to support those in the community who have suspicions about the real intent of Islam,'' King said.

``What exactly are they honoring here?'' asked Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Los Angeles-based Jewish human rights organization. ``The continued targeting of innocent women and children by homicide bombers deserves to be condemned across the board. It's deeply, deeply disturbing.''

One of the Jan. 4 tournament's organizers said the names were meant to show support for Muslims in the Middle East, but also represent football bravado.

``A lot of the kids on our team are from Palestinian origin,'' said Tarek Shawky, Intifada's 29-year-old captain and quarterback. ``We are in solidarity with people in the uprising. It's about human rights and basic freedoms.''

Fellow tournament organizer Sabih Khan said he had worried about the names and had asked the teams to change them.

``It bothers me a little bit,'' said Khan, 18. But, he added: ``They were just trying to be cool.''

[tet68]

You just can't make up stuff like this, amazing!

[tet68]

``A lot of the kids on our team are from Palestinian origin,'' said Tarek Shawky, Intifada's 29-year-old captain and quarterback. ``We are in solidarity with people in the uprising. It's about human rights and basic freedoms.''

29 year old quarterback???

What else is he teaching them?

[Paul Atreides]

The only religion approved by liberaldom gets taken to task.

[Steel Wolf]

Hey, until they can get the knife into our throat, it is our duty and responsibility to be tolerant. After that, it is permissible for us to reflect on why they hated us, and how we had it coming.

[nuconvert]

"You just can't make up stuff like this"

Actually, I thought this WAS made up.

What kind of names did they expect kids to use?

[Ol' Sox]

``A lot of the kids on our team are from Palestinian origin,'' said Tarek Shawky, Intifada's 29-year-old captain and quarterback.

29, huh? This guy is no kid. He is an influencer and a recruiter and probably the one who whipped up a Palistinian frenzy in American kids in order to further his political agenda. Watch when a wave of domestic suicide bombers emerges from this "football" league.

[tet68]

Jewish leaders took offense.

No bias here.

Everyone should be offended! I am.

[Old Sarge]

If they start talking about "fatwah's", they'll get some REAL attention, now won't they?

[Paul Atreides]

We don't count.

[MinuteGal]

Just a portent of things to come.

Soon we'll be buying the kiddies' Christmas gifts at Allah 'R Us.

Leni

[armymarinemom]

Everyone should be offended! I am.

Ditto!! I'm a Christian and I too am offended.

[Voice in your head]

Is this any worse than naming a team "Devils", "Vikings", or "Pirates"?

[MinuteGal]

Did they use a goat's head as a football?

Leni

[verity]

How do they deal with the old "pigskin"?

[tet68]

Hey, maybe Hollywierd could make a movie from this,
the Mighty Shahids!
Young oppressed palestinian kids living in California
are coached and led by an almost 30 year old man in solidarity with terror bombers to play football against
young jewish boys. A laugh a minute.

[tet68]

Yes.

[sgtbono2002]

This should be offensive to anyone with Common sense. They would crap if they played a white team called the Crusaders.

[Howlin]

``They were just trying to be cool.''

DUH.

[milli]

"How do they deal with the old "pigskin"?"
-----
LOL! surely it helps with passing plays... no one wants to hold on to it too long.

Seriously though, these are offensive names for teams. In today's climate, with everyone so eager to perceive insults at the slightest whim, is it too much to expect that a recreational sport team choose a name without religous warrior conotations?