UPDATE: Rifqa Rally Videos: The Speeches
And so they came ....from Wisconsin, Toronto, California, Dearbornistan (so they said), Michigan, New York, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Louisiana ..... and it was good. (Big giant shout out to Big Fur hat who created these amazing iconic images of Rifqa)
Click below for full coverage
Much much more to come: Simon! Nonie! James! Jamal! Great Americans....pictures and video!
Simon Deng
Nonie Darwish
Hijabed Heagney over at the Columbus Dispatch on the spin out on the rally here
The girl, who goes by Rifqa, ran away to Florida in July and was returned to the custody of Franklin County Children Services late last month. She is living in a foster home while a dependency case deciding where she should live is pending in Franklin County Juvenile Court.
A hearing had been scheduled for today; it was continued until Dec. 22.
Heagney is wrong. The trial set for today was a "dependency" hearing; it has not been rescheduled. The hearing on the 22nd is for the charges filed against Rifqa by her parents for being "unruly" and ungovernable".
The "Rally for Rifqa" was held in a small park across from the courthouse at 373 S. High St. Speakers included bloggers such as Pamela Geller, who warns against Islamic law encroaching on the freedoms of America.
"I'm telling you, it is up for us. We have to take back our own country," she told the crowd. Some held signs reading "Free Rifqa," and a few wore T-shirts that read: "Islam is of the devil."
Nonie Darwish, who is founder of the group Former Muslims United, and Simon Deng, a Sudanese man who was enslaved, also spoke about the need to protect Rifqa.
The girl and her supporters have said the violent ideology of Islam will force her father to kill her for leaving the faith.
Her father, Mohamed Bary, said that is not true and his daughter has been brainwashed to distrust Islam. Muslim leaders have said, in response to this case, that there is no compulsion in the faith.
Right, just ask Major Muslim Nidal Hasan.
Authorities in Ohio and Florida have found no credible threats to her safety.
How about the dead bodies? Are they credible?
Photo hat tip Tara
The speakers (clockwise from left) Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, Nonie Darwish, Simon Deng, James Lafferty.
Dr. Andrew Bostom and Rich Davis
Deng and Geller
