URI College Republicans shed light on Islamic fundamentalism

By: Samantha Turner

Posted: 10/19/07

10/19/07 - The University of Rhode Island's College Republicans are looking to bring awareness and a little political debate next week with its Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week.

The week will focus on the dangers of Islamo-Fascism, also known as radical Islam or Islamic fundamentalism, and its effects worldwide.

"We feel that Islamo-Fascism is the threat of this generation," Ryan Bilodeau, URI College Republican's treasurer, said. "It's important to us to confront the lies surrounding it. We want to show Islamic fundamentalism's violence against women, against homosexuals, etc."

The week begins on Monday in the Memorial Union Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the Student Petition Drive to denounce violence by Islamo-Fascism against women, homosexuals, Christians, Jews and non-religious people.

URI women's studies' professor Donna Hughes will be discussing the violence and injustices against women on Tuesday in Atrium 2 of the Memorial Union at 7 p.m. Hughes first became aware of the hardships of women under Islamo-Fascist regimes more than a decade ago while working at University of Bradford in England, where she began working with Women Against Fundamentalism.

"After working with Women Against Fundamentalism, I met a number of women who were exiles from Iran," Hughes said. "They began educating me on Islamo-Fascism in Iran."

Hughes also described these women and others who have been victims of Islamo-Fascism as the "strongest critics of Islamo-Fascism in the world."

Robert Spencer, founder of the Jihad Watch and author of "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam," will take the stage as a guest speaker Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom to discuss radical Islam.

Bilodeau said the lecture by Spencer, who received both criticism and threats for his work, will be one of the most interesting components of the week.

"When I called to get his contact information for the event they would only give me his phone number and not his address because he has received death threats," Bilodeau said.

The fourth event of the week will be a showing of the documentary "What the West Needs to Know" at 7 p.m. in Atrium 2 of the Memorial Union.

Ending the week will be a memorial service, also being held in Atrium 2, for the victims of Islamic terrorism.

The event is part of Terrorism Awareness week, organized by conservative writer and activist David Horowitz and the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Terrorism Awareness Week is being held on 200 college campuses nationwide, including Brown University, Yale University and Princeton University.

When Horowitz and his organization last stopped at URI two years ago, Horowitz's speech on indoctrination was interrupted by protests and debates from students and opponents of Horowitz.

"They made fools of themselves," Bilodeau said. "It was just disrespectful. They were yelling when he was trying to speak."

Melvin Wade, director of the Multicultural Center, disagreed with Bilodeau's negativity regarding that night's protest.

"I thought the way students handled it the last time was incredibly strategic and disciplined," Wade said.

Wade also disagreed with the titling of the week's events.

"I think titles that are needlessly incendiary make dialogue impossible because they actually shut down dialogue, in my opinion," Wade said. "You can imagine if someone were to say 'American-Fascism Awareness Week' how Americans would feel about that."

Also wanting to open up dialogue on the subject is Hughes, who said she hopes this event will foster a "open discussion" of the subject on campus.

"My view is that I'm very happy that they're introducing this debate on campus," Hughes said. "This is a very important women's and human rights issue, as well as a terrorist issue."

Bilodeau admitted that past events sponsored by the College Republicans "have been polarizing," but he hopes to make this next week's event more consistent and honest.

"What we're trying to do is bring ideas to the people and let them decide and hopefully they'll be respectful," Bilodeau said.