American Muslim Football: An Intifada On The Gridiron (insensitive team names)

alt.Muslim ^ | 8 December 2003

[Stultis]

American Muslim Football: An Intifada On The Gridiron

Football - it's as all-American as apple pie, large SUVs, and invading third world countries. And in addition to keeping couch potatoes firmly planted in front of their large-screen TVs, it's also a great way to keep young people off the streets and out of trouble. So who could complain when a flag-football league of American Muslims organizes a New Year's football tournament to showcase the best of local Muslim athletic talent? Well, when you have team names that include "Intifada" and "Mujahideen" and feature logos of sword-wielding warriors, some people can get the wrong idea. "I think they should be more sensitive and show respect to other people's sensitivities," said Muzammil Siddiqi, director of the Islamic Society of Orange County and a national Muslim leader. "The words themselves do not have bad meanings, but people associate them with what's going on in the world around them." Others say that macho team names are all a part of the sport. "It bothers me a little bit," said Sabih Khan, an 18-year-old former high school football player and co-founder of the eight-team league. "[But] they were just trying to be cool." While Khan has asked the teams to reconsider their names, the name of the Intifada team might be around as long as its Middle East namesake. "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." With political sensitivities driving name changes for violent or racist team names in American sports (for example, the Washington Bullets changed their name to the Wizards in 1997), local Muslim leaders are frowning on the names, although they say that there is nothing sinister about them. "They tend to be a little more on the emotional side," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the CAIR's Southern California office of the team names. "They look for something that will raise eyebrows."

[joesnuffy]

The '88'rs are a nice touch... 88 = HH = Heil Hitler

[joesnuffy]

The '88'rs are a nice touch... 88 = HH = Heil Hitler

[Lee Heggy]

Makes for a short game when your front line is all suicide bombers.

[Tacis]

"Allah's Razorbacks."

"Slayers of the Followers of the False Prophet."

"Pork Fatwas Are Us."

"Fighting Ragheads."

"We're Not Christians, So Who'll Dare Condem Us Tigers?"

"Mohammed's Rooting Hogs."

[RebelBanker]

Do you suppose anyone told them that footballs are made from pigskin?

[Augie]

They use those squishy foam Nerf footballs...

[The Great RJ]

Where are the PC Police--I'm offended!!!

[ZULU]

I have no problem with those teams or names.

They should use a live hand granade instead of a football though. More people who be interested in watching them blow their Jihadist @sses wawy on the ballfield!!

[MrMarine2U]

I am curious to know that if the author of this article is intellectually advanced enough to understand that if the Arabic nations could get their shit together and weed out the fanatics of their worlds the more rational people of the world, the Western Nations .... Predominately Christians, would not be required to make invading the litter box of a world an American routine/tradition. It is, however, American tradition to protect those people under threat of foreign aggression, invasion or occupation. Just ask the French, the United States has saved their asses three times. Two times from occupation of invading Germans then again nearly two decades later we came to their aid (at their urgent request) when the citizens of one of their colonized territories, Vietnam, began a communist uprising and was literally slaughtering the French citizens and troops there by the hundreds. A conflict that nearly tore our country apart but we didn't let that stand in the way of us assisting one of "America's closest allies" who appears to have amnesia.
I have fought these damn fanatical rag heads in several different nation-states and in Iraq twice losing some very dear friends and many years of my youth for what appears to be nothing. It may not be politically correct but I am all for running all their middle-eastern asses out of this country they hate so much but use to their every advantage only to use their American education and business money obtained through Federal Minority/Immigrant grants through the SBA, against those that made their success possible.
I am all for them playing football with hand grenades and would be more than happy to pull the pins for them before each play. I see it as a win-win situation. They get their 73 virgins and we get rid of them. Semper Fi MAJ B.

[wtc911]

A moderate muslim is one who doesn't pull the trigger...himself.

[sultan88]

"The '88'rs are a nice touch... "

Hey Smith288, Trajan88, MJY1288, cherry_bomb88, drlevy88, gg188, 88Keys, DJ88, Warhead W-88, Rocky88, Blaster88, Squawk8888, RayChuang88, BurtS188: did you see this??

sultan88

[Hank Rearden]

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

Then, most accurately, they ought to be designated The Cockroaches.

[CIB]

Maj. Devil Dog,

I respect your service to our great nation. Those Haji's are the most deceitful and dishonorable people I've ever had the displeasure of looking in the eye. They claim, as does the media, that they are "Good People". Why then are there so many Americans who have gone over there to help them that come back with their hearts broken over the futility of their mission? Because we learned that these people are worthless. If they were good people, there would never be a problem over in the Middle East. They care for nothing other than a religion. I lost friends over there in Baghdad. For what? So these children can ascribe the names of the very enemy we confronted on their jerseys who wished us not only dead, but skinned alive and urinated on. And, the real muslims over there hate the muslims in America. They would rather kill them than any christian.

I dare say it is an American pastime to invade third world countries like the article writer scribbled on his paper. I hated every second I spent in that slovenly country Iraq. I hated Kuwait too. I love baseball and football. However, no one knows what we're talking about except those that have had the same experiences. I can't believe I'm coming back to a country that will tolerate such blatant disregard for it's soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

Jones, U.S.Army Infantry

[BurtS188]

I'm aware of the significance of 88 in white supremacist circles but alas; 188 is just my badge number at work. :-)

[sultan88]

There was a post on FR a couple years ago jokingly accusing us 88's of being neo-Nazis! LOL!

[88keys]

The '88'rs are a nice touch... 88 = HH = Heil Hitler...

Pardon me, joe, but what are you talking about?? I didn't check all the article links, but I didn't see any reference to "88's"?

Please tell me that I don't have to change my "screen name" for fear of being presumed an "HH" type instead of a normal old piano player, LOL!

(just curious...been watching some pro football lately...what about those guys? better half sez "Reggie Langhorne", for example! maybe even Alan Page, but don't quote us on that one...)

[BurtS188]

I didn't understand how it came up either.

It has been a common tag for white supremacists though.

I wouldn't worry about your name; 88keys is pretty obvious plus ya know what; it's your name and you know what you mean. :-)

[realpatriot]

jerk

[gg188]

You may have heard of jalopies,
You heard the noise they make,
Let me introduce you to my Rocket '88.
Yes it's great, just won't wait,
Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.

V-8 motor and this modern design,
My convertible top and the gals don't mind
Sportin' with me, ridin' all around town for joy.

Step in my Rocket and-a don't be late,
We're pullin' out about a half-past-eight.
Goin' on the corner and-a havin' some fun,
Takin' my Rocket on a long, hot run.
Ooh, goin' out,
Oozin' and cruisin' along.

Now that you've ridden in my Rocket '88,
I'll be around every night about eight.
You know it's great, don't be late,
Everybody likes my Rocket '88.
Gals will ride in style,
Movin' all along.