The casual reader of 'Sharia 101,' Jan Burton's letter to the editor of the Brainerd Dispatch might imagine that the local supporter is simply deeply moved by the topic. Burton writes:
The Brainerd lakes area will soon be graced with Jeffrey Baumann's presentation of "Shariah 101" at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16, in the Blue Room of Yesterday's Gone . . .
Jeffrey Baumann has gone to great lengths to develop a factual, balanced, neutral, mild, unimpeachable presentation that will garner praise, agreement, and awareness, and it is his hope that this will lead to action.
He had the honor of presenting to a number of elected leaders and alongside internationally known experts on Islam. He is grateful for this opportunity to present "Shariah 101" to the Brainerd lakes area.
As readers can see, the text in bold is taken word-for-word from a poster from an earlier presentation this year. That's the time when he had the "the honor of presenting to a number of elected leaders."
Fortunately, those events were covered by real person, not talking point spewing robots like Burton, and we know that Baumann's content isn't quite "factual, balanced, neutral, mild, [or] unimpeachable."
In Speaker to address Islamic law at St. Cloud event, Kristi Marohn reported:
A presentation on Islamic law scheduled to take place Tuesday in St. Cloud has drawn negative reaction from some who say the speaker is anti-Muslim.
The event, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at a St. Cloud restaurant, is titled "Shariah 101." A flyer advertising the presentation states that it will focus on "the nature of Sharia law, its connection to Islam, and its relevance to world and local events."
The flyer bills the event as a "factual, balanced, neutral, mild, unimpeachable" presentation. . . .
. . .[T]he presenter is Jeffrey Baumann, who has spoken out against the building of a mosque in the Twin Cities. Minutes from an October 2011 Southwest Metro Tea Party Patriots meeting state that Baumann spoke on "The Threat of Shariah Law" and "painted a frightening picture of what is in store for the U.S. as deference to Islam continues to grow."
So mild. MPR reported on part of the reaction in Legislator rebuked for speaking at event described as anti-Muslim.
In St. Cloud comes to grips with clashes between immigrants, longtime locals, the Strib's Maya Rao reported:
Baumann encouraged people to go to interfaith dialogues and public talks on Islam in Mankato, Brooklyn Park and, next week, at St. Cloud State University. Baumann said that people should go to the foot-washing station at the SCSU student union and use it to “make a scene.” The station was installed in 2001 after a Muslim student slipped and hit her head while washing her feet at a bathroom sink.
“If they’re challenged, ask ‘Is this Muslim-only or is this a public facility?’ ” said Baumann, adding that someone should bring a video camera to make sure that it has an effect.
The four legislators who attended Baumann’s speech were Sens. David M. Brown, R-Becker, and Bruce D. Anderson, R-Buffalo, and Reps. Jim Newberger, R-Becker, and Cindy Pugh, R-Chanhassen.
The Star Tribune's Matt McKinney wrote of the presentation in Anti-Muslim speaking circuit runs through rural Minnesota:
Baumann, who has delivered the presentation for the past five years, cited several Qur’an verses, articles from an oil company magazine and letters written by Muslims to support his contention that Muslims here are on a path to throw out the Constitution and institute sharia. Unless Muslim immigration is stopped and Islam is no longer recognized as a religion deserving of First Amendment freedoms, the country, as it’s known today, will be lost, he said.
Those changes are already taking place in Europe, he added, with an Islamic state soon to take over the democracies of the European Union.
While Baumann suggested several times that Muslims consider themselves justified in killing Christians, he said later he wouldn’t want his audience to react violently. . . .
Other than telling people that Muslims should be stripped of religious rights and urging people to create disturbances, and calling them the "enemy," he's a totally balanced and mild guy.
Photo: the poster for Baumann's January event.
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