The magistrate in the Rifqa Bary case ruled today that Rifqa Bary, the 17-year-old who ran away from her Columbus home in July, would be allowed to continue to receive Christmas cards sent to her from third parties.
You can still send Rifqa a Christmas wish and a New Years card as well!:
Rifqa Bary c/o Angela Lloyd 255C Drinko Hall 55 West 12th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210.
WDBO Local News Check out my interview
Rifqa leaving court room
Jamal addressing supporters
The parents: Mohamad Bary and Aysha
There was a good number of Rifqa supporters present outside the hearing room. The sheriff's deputies were out in force, too. At one time there were at least as many as nine present keeping an eye on them. As if these were the dangerous people.
Rifqa supporters
Much thanks to Heartland Patriot for the photos ...... if you crib them credit to Atlas -- that goes double for the Columbus Dispatch.
UPDATE: Jamal Jivanjee's observations:
There was approximately 30-40 people who came out to the courthouse to support Rifqa today. In addition to Ohio, many were there from places around the country such as Washington state, California, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, etc... The hearing was scheduled to begin at 9 AM today, but the actual hearing did not commence until about 12 PM. Rifqa was very encouraged to see all the supporters there as she was being escorted to and from the meeting room throughout the morning as she was waiting for her case to be heard.
About an hour before her case was to be heard, she informed me that only one of her supporters would be allowed in the courtroom. This was very different from the hearings in the state of Florida. The courtroom in Florida was large enough to seat a much greater number of people, as well as overflow rooms equipped with a live audio and video feed. This was not the case in Ohio today. I was the only one able to enter the small courtroom for the hearing today, and it was filled with reporters. There was no seats left for anyone else. It seemed to me that this was very upsetting to her. She felt very bad that her supporters traveled long distances to be there, and yet they were not allowed to go in to the courtroom. It struck me that even though she is in the fight of her life, she seemed more concerned about her supporters. She wanted everyone there to know that she greatly appreciated their presence. I wonder, due to the interest in this case, was there not a larger courtroom available for Rifqa's hearing today?
Once the hearing was under way, the first order of business to be discussed was the 'Unruly' charge that Rifqa's parents have filed against her. They wanted to 'amend' the date on that motion because the date that Rifqa's parents are claiming she was 'unruly' was a date she was actually in Florida seeking refuge. They wanted to amend the date to an earlier date before she fled. This is ridiculous because she was always a very compliant child, and they only are claiming that she was unruly because she fled from her home. Rifqa's attorney Kort Gatterdam replied to the affect that they can't simply change the date on the motion to suit their needs. The magistrate stated that the 'unruly' charge would be dealt with at the trial for the 'unruly' charge in January.
The next order of business was mediation. The C.A.I.R. appointed attorney for Rifqa's parents filed a motion asking the court to force mediation between Rifqa and her parents without attorneys present. Their reasoning for wanting the mediation is because Rifqa's parents believe that Rifqa is misguided about the true nature of Islam as well as their own intentions toward her as well. They wanted a meeting to 'reeducate' her, so to speak. Rifqa's attorney, Kort Gatterdam, replied to the effect that after almost 17 years of living in her family, she was very well aware of their intentions toward her. Thankfully, the magistrate Mary Goodrich denied the motion to force this visit. This was good news!
The other major order of business today had to do with the motion that the C.A.I.R appointed attorney for Rifqa's parents filed on 12-1-09 to have all communications from third parties (not approved by her parents) blocked from being sent to Rifqa. In my opinion, this is an attempt to keep her isolated from her Christian friends as a way to discourage her faith. This was to include the Christmas cards that were sent to Rifqa from all over the country and world as a result of the campaign that Pamela Geller initiated through Atlas Shrugs. This outrageous motion was withdrawn by the C.A.I.R. attorney before the magistrate could deny it. So, thankfully she is still able to receive cards and notes of encouragement sent to her attorney's office at the following address:
Rifqa Bary
c/o Angela Lloyd
255C Drinko Hall
55 West 12'th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
Today's events were very good news. None of this would have been accomplished apart from prayer however. To all those who took time out of their schedule to pray for this girl, THANK YOU. I was shocked, however, that they did not even attempt to address the dependancy issue. This is the main issue at hand. Rifqa is seeking to become a dependent of the state of Ohio in order to stay in foster care until she is 18 and this is being opposed by her parents under the advisement of C.A.I.R. Please understand that C.A.I.R. is a very powerful national organization that is very involved in this case. The C.A.I.R. representative for central Ohio was present just outside the courtroom today. I observed Rifqa's parents attorney shaking hands with him and talking with him numerous times before the start of the hearing. I say all that to say that she still desperately needs your prayers during this season. The trial for dependency will be very important. Please keep Rifqa and her legal team in your prayers. Pray also that the church would rise to the occasion and stand with one of their own as a result of her powerful testimony. I am convinced that this is a wake up call to the church right here in America who very rarely ever have an opportunity to suffer for their faith. We should also ask for prayer for the millions of other Rifqa Barys in the world to be set free from oppression as well.
Local FOX affiliate had different reportage from that of the Dispatch. Why am I not surprised?
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In court Tuesday, Rifqa Bary said she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She also refused her parents’ request for mediation, saying "I'm not ready."
Bary, 17, and her parents met in hopes of resolving several issues at Franklin County Juvenile Court. Her father also requested that she not be given Christmas cards.
The judge decided the teen would be able to receive third-party correspondence and that he would not force mediation between Rifqa and her parents. Rifqa did not make any public comments as she exited the court room.
The Dispatch reported that CAIR puppet Tarazi withdrew the motion. Perhaps it was after the judge ruled against him.
The teen, officially named Fathima Rifqa Bary, ran away from home to seek asylum with a family in Florida months ago. She told authorities she left because she feared for her life because she wanted to become a Christian, foregoing her family’s Islam faith.
UPDATE: Just for knowing, the CAIR-Columbus executive director Babak Darvish was there.
Darvish is the same CAIR rep who was coaching the Barys when they met with the press. Omar Tarazi was going out into the lobby and apparently colluding with the CAIR representative SEVERAL times before and after the hearing.
Here's a shot of the pics of Darvish advising the Barys back last summer. At the very far left you can see Darvish sitting at his desk supervising the interview. And in this next photo you can see the whole scene inside Darvish's office (this one taken at some other time as the Barys' clothes have changed, but the picture above them in Darvish's office, as in the other photos, is still the same):
Here is Darvish sitting at his desk in all his Islamist glory:
And in this last photograph you see the local reporters doing their job. But if you enlarge the photo you can see the document on Darvish's computer - a memo bearing the header "DO NOT RELEASE TO PUBLIC" and "FATHIMA RIFQA BARY TALKING POINTS". (more here)
Back and forth Tarazi went with Darvish, according to Jamal Jivanjee, who saw it all. Omar Tarazi wanted FORCED MEDIATION with the parents. The parents contend that Rifqa has a "misunderstanding" of Islam.
Judge said no. When there looked like there might be a deal for dependency, the judge might have gone along with the mediation, but now that the parents are fighting dependency.
Rifqa's counsel is playing defense. Dependency was not even discussed today.
Dependency will be dealt with January 19th. Dependency is the key issue and how it will go is unknowable.
The unruly charge is still there .......word changed to "wayward".
UPDATE: Yes, there is a Santa Claus!
Trying to kill Rifqa's Christmas card campaign. I don't know what CAIR was thinking. Talk about bad PR moves. You can still send Rifqa a Christmas wish: Rifqa Bary c/o Angela Lloyd 255C Drinko Hall 55 West 12th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210.
UPDATE: The hijabed one over at the Dispatch is reporting:
The magistrate in the Rifqa Bary case ruled today that the 17-year-old who ran away from her Columbus home in July does not have to sit down for mediation with her
parents.There were several issues resolved today at the hearing in Franklin County Juvenile Court, including:
- Mediation. Magistrate Mary Goodrich said issues now being discussed would best be resolved with individual counseling instead of group mediation.
Not sure what this means? A secular counselor, I hope.
- Third-party messages. Bary's parents don't want her to receive Christmas cards, and had filed a motion that any third-party messages first go to Franklin County Children Services. Omar Tarazi, the family's attorney, withdrew that motion today.
- Rifqa's mental health. Assistant County Prosecutor Chris Julian said that a counselor was trying to determine whether 17-year-old, whose full name is Fathima Rifqa Bary, has post-traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD? Like Major Hasan at Fort Hood? Or battering at the hands of the Islamic machine?
Next hearing set for January 19th.
Photo: Attorney Angela M. Lloyd, left, with Rifqa Bary in court today (Tom Dodge of the Dispatch) Uh, the Dispatch made me take the pic down. Man, that was fast. Columbus editors are reading Atlas. Heh.
UPDATE: Fox has an article up declaring that Rifqa is getting her Christmas cards. Of course she is. Atlas readers knew that last week (here). Atlas readers, G-d bless 'em all, have sent hundreds of Christmas cards as a result of the Atlas Christmas card campaign, kicked off here in support of Rifqa.
Yes, she is receiving her cards. That is not the point, It should not be an issue. Anyone in America can receive Christmas cards. Why should Rifqa be any different? Why should it even be an issue?
That is the point. It is not a victory that she is receiving them. That is the mindset of a dhimmi.
UPDATE: Hearing underway.
UPDATE: From Jamal's twitter: They are only letting one of Rifqa's supporters in the courtroom. The rules keep changing by the minute! About 2 hours ago from txt (hat tip Rick)
Atlas ops at the courthouse, cell phones must be turned off at the security checkpoint. If you are caught with one on, you will be removed. Taking notes will also get you removed, if caught.
The Atlas Christmas card campaign was such a success that the parents/CAIR are suing for the seizure of all cards. Islamic supremacism.
Report: No Christmas cards for Rifqa Bary, parents said
Rifqa Bary is scheduled to return to court today because her parents want to ban her from receiving Christmas cards, according to a report on WESH.com.
Also, her parents are expected to ask a judge to hold the teenager in contempt of court for refusing to attend Muslim counseling sessions.
Anyone who hears anything please post in comments.
