Orland Park Forum On Islam Takes Turn For The Douche

By Jon Graef in News on Aug 25, 2013 4:30PM

Orland Park photo by spencewine

What was supposed to be a calm, orderly forum about Muslim life in America took a turn for the douche in southwest suburban Orland Park Thursday as some audience members took to badgering forum participants about Sharia law, Muslim extremists, and 9/11.

The Chicago Tribune's Michael Holtz somehow avoided facepalming himself over and over again while reporting details such as these:

The tone for the Thursday evening event was set while the three panelists at the Orland Park Library were still introducing themselves. In the first of many interruptions, a half-dozen audience members stood up and demanded that everyone recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Library Director Mary Weimar denied their request. She explained that it wasn't standard practice to recite the pledge at library events and requested that the attendees show more respect for the panelists.

Those panelists?

Thomas Maguire, the associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago; Amir Toft, a doctoral student in Near Eastern languages and civilizations, also at U of C; and Iman Sedique, a doctoral student in sociology at Northwestern University.

Holtz writes that the three panelists "asked the audience to maintain an open mind about Islam."

How did that go?

In return, they were peppered with questions about Muslim extremists and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Joseph Figliulo, a Frankfort resident and member of Act! For America, a national organization of people concerned about "the threat of radical Islam," called Shariah "a totalitarian ideology along the lines of communism and fascism."

Nearly a dozen audience members appeared to side with Figliulo. They often clapped and cheered for one another as they took turns explaining their distrust of Muslims.

And that's not even the most ridiculous part, sadly. To wit:

Library officials called police after an audience member accused the panelists of being complacent in the face of terrorism overseas. The remark led to a burst of outrage from audience members who said the panelists were avoiding the topic

The forum, according to the Tribune, was "part of a monthlong series the library organized to explore Islamic life and culture."

Sounds like it was a swell success!