Saturday, August 04, 2007

Bailey's Accused Murderers Have History of Enforcing Islam the Hard Way

As reports pointed to yesterday, the gun used to murder former Detroit News writer Chauncey Bailey in Oakland, California has been traced by police there to the Black Muslim group that operates the Your Black Muslim Bakery. (“Police believe they have journalist's killer”). Among the seven men arrested on Friday are Yusuf Bey IV, son of Yusuf Bey, the founder of the bakery. (“Black Muslim bakery members suspected in Bailey death").

As of this morning, a 19-year-old handyman connected with the bakery has confessed to the killing (“Report: Bakery Handyman Confesses To Bailey Slaying”).

It was fairly widely known that Bailey, who was working for the Oakland Post at the time of his killing, “had been working on a story about ‘the financial status of the organization’' and the ‘`activities of a number of people who were working in the organization,’ including possible criminal activity.”

According to the San Francisco Chronicle and other sources, the Black Muslim group had a long history of violence, intimidation, and other criminal activity, including rape and kidnapping. Though Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam denies connection with the bakery group, the bakery gang’s founder, Yusuf Bey, and its current members, all wear the distinctive "You Can Call Me Minister Farrakhan bow-tie and slick street menace, and they call themselves "Black Muslims." You can get a look at the younger Yusuf Bey’s TV interview on Thursday night. The highlight of Bey’s spiel, which he gave after Bailey's murder, was his stated devotion to “cleaning the streets up.”

According to Bay Area KTVU-TV:

"Lt. Ersey Joyner, head of the homicide unit at the Oakland Police Department, said, 'In my opinion several members of the bakery have been involved in a very violent enterprise and carried themselves in a manner that was disrespectful to the community and to law enforcement.' Joyner said, 'They are very callous and appear to have believed that they were untouchable.'" ("OAKLAND POLICE: Muslim Bakers Lived Lawless Life”).

Maybe this was why they seemed so unconcerned at being caught on security video when a bunch of them trashed a liquor store in November 2005--one of two they wrecked that night. Significantly, the attackers made clear to the store clerks that they were angry that the “Muslim-owned business would sell liquor when it's against the teachings of Islam to do so.” (“Oakland Liquor Store Vandalism Defendants Considering Plea Bargains”).

Still, in spite of the clearly religious basis of the attacks, Oakland police at the time said “the motive for the attacks was to express anger about the large number of liquor stores in the city's black community.” In the same vein, now Oakland Assistant Police Chief Howard Jordan, “[r]eferring to the alleged criminal activity and today's arrests…said, ‘This should not be seen as religious.’”

Intimidating reporters is also an important part of the Your Black Muslim Bakery's community outreach. In 2002 a previous series of reports on the group for the San Francisco weekly, East Bay Express, led to escalating threats against the reporter to the point the paper “stopped writing about the group," and the reporter had to hide out in another county after that. (“Bakery linked to violence in the past”).

In this case, Walter Riley, the attorney for the Oakland Post, the newspaper for whom Bailey was investigating the gang’s criminal activity when he was gunned down, now says “the newspaper was unable to verify key details of the story and decided not to run it, possibly abandoning the article altogether.” Since Bailey was just killed the day before, the newspaper has no business saying it couldn't verify the details of what was probably a complicated investigative story. But we all know what Riley meant: 'we get the message and we're laying off."

Donna Ayo, a community leader who knew Bailey a long time, said she knew about Bailey’s story. She said "'I know about the article they did not approve of. But they're not above the board. They (the Black Muslims) don't get a pass.’”

Two newspapers have already dropped stories about these thugs out of fear. We'll see if they get a pass or not.

12 comments:

Ronbo said...

Excellent article!

Could you post it on TFFJ?

A thousand thanks, Ronbo!

Anonymous said...

And this article is related to Dearborn how?

Michael said...

Anonymous:
It's about the prevalence of Islamic supremacism, and its absolute intolerance for any other mode of thought.

That said, has history shown any other way (besides the hard way) to "enforce Islam?"

Anonymous said...

Michael-

I do not see a relation between what happened in Cali to what happens in Dearborn. I think this just another stand against Islam by people who still do not understand the religion and who continue to see the negative aspects of the religion instead of what positive outcomes come from it.

I saw that another story on this website was about the Islamic footbaths. The blame should not have been on the Muslims, but on the university itself. The association went to the administration and asked for the Muslim footbaths which led to the school paying for it. The school could have said no and I know that $25,000 for a Muslim footbath could have been paid for by Muslims in the community. The Muslim community is very engaged in what happens in the city. I'm sorry you're to blind to see it.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous #1-The article is related to Islam and its' practice, the relevance to Dearborn is obvious.

Anonymous #2- The DU understands the religion quite well. They see the praxis of it in their midst.

The installation of the footbaths was initiated and spurred on by the Muslim Student Association, so the blame doesn't entirely belong to the university.

"I think this just another stand against Islam by people who still do not understand the religion and who continue to see the negative aspects of the religion instead of what positive outcomes come from it."

The concept of thinking doesn't apply to your comments....you ignore facts and reality. Get your head out of your ass.

Anonymous said...

I still do not see the relevance when it is about Black Muslims in California and the population of Muslims in Dearborn is the minority. Islam in Dearborn is significantly different from other places where Islam exists. There have been unity gatherings and the sunni and shiaa community get along very well within the city.

The DU does not understand the religion well. They understand what the media tells them instead of driving down from west dearborn where they live to the eastside. I think if they communicated with Muslims in the city they would be extremely surprised that their thoughts do not coincide with the extremists views along with the media.

I have been to the mosque and have taken courses on Islam so I know the facts of Islam. I think your ignorance of the religion, culture and people should put your head in my ass.

Michael said...

Anonymous:
I think this just another stand against Islam by people who still do not understand the religion and who continue to see the negative aspects of the religion instead of what positive outcomes come from it.

Name some. Other than airline hijackings and suicide bombings, what have muslims invented in the last century or two?

The footbaths is a different issue, and should have been a non-starter. There should be no problem with the footbaths, as they do represent an improvement in restroom safety and hygiene (I know, I attended UM-D 10 years ago).

Paying for them is a different issue, and the Univ should have requested that the Muslim Student Assoc secure private donations, or build a private religious facility on campus (like the Gabriel Richard Center; is that still there?).

As for "Unity Gatherings" by the Dearborn muslims, I remember last summer very well, thank you very much. The 10,000 strong march through the streets of Dearborn and Detroit, screaming "Death to Israel" was quite a show of unity...

Anonymous said...

ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!

i love the anger and frustration that you and your reader-commentators exprss!!

it makes me laugh!!!

Anonymous said...

Michael-

Inventions are not what show the positive outcomes from Islam. Here in Dearborn, there have been no murders, rapes, robberies, sexual predation, etc. committed by Muslims. Rather, many lead modest lives. There have been no attempts for a call of prayer as in other Muslim cities in the United States and the only attempt at anything Islamic was the food in schools because the children would not be able to eat anything that is not halal. It is the same as many Jewish communities in Michigan who have receive Kosher in their schools.

The marches last year comprised of cease fire now and israel out of lebanon now. Many were chants supporting hezbollah. There were no death to israel chants, although i know that is what many were feeling. I really hope you understand that Dearborn Muslims are moving forward and showing that they can live in a democracy while also following their faith.

Anonymous said...

this is regarding my prior statement. I meant cities with heavy populated Muslims within them.

Michael said...

Here in Dearborn, there have been no murders, rapes, robberies, sexual predation, etc. committed by Muslims.

Do you have social data to back that up? Just curious...

There is no kosher food in Michigan public schools, not even in heavily Jewish districts such as W Bloomfield or Farmington. I know; I am a product of such a district.

There is kosher food in Jewish private schools, but my question is: Why can't muslim kids do what the Jewish kids did, and pack lunch? It worked for me and my friends for 12 years... (and watching what came out of school kitchens, I'm sure we were better off...)

Regarding the marches last year:
http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=5862

From the Arab American News:

As the crowd continued down the road, thundering cries of "Israel out of Lebanon!" "Down, down Israel!" and "Death to Israel!" rang out.

I have been told by witnesses that this report is mild; other chants included, "Kill the Jews" and "Jews Die." Sounds like a very interesting way to "support Lebanon."

And since the march as also in support of Hezbollah, a known terrorist organization, I have another question:
Do the good muslim residents of Dearborn (most of whom are US citizens) know what Hezbollah's first "operation" was? Do you?

I have another question for you. I can understand why, when muslims are attacked, muslim groups will shout "injustice," but I am confused by something: Why is that, when muslims do the attacking, in the name of religion, do their advocates bend over backwards to justify or deny the involvement of Islam?

Anonymous said...

Hey anonymous

"I think your ignorance of the religion, culture and people should put your head in my ass."

I have lived in both sides of Dearborn and happen to be of Arab ancestry. I work with several Muslims and communicate frequently with many of my Muslim neighbors. I have also been to the mosques and many Muslim gatherings so I understand Islam very well. I don't use the media to form my opinions....so as far as opinions and asses go, you can kiss mine.


"Here in Dearborn, there have been no murders, rapes, robberies, sexual predation, etc. committed by Muslims."

Have you read the newspaper lately? Are you aware of the rampant mortgage fraud and money laundering going on in our city that is carried on in the name of the 'Religion of Peace'? Have you missed the news stories about some of the likely honor killings that have been committed in Dearborn the past few years?

Wake up and smell the hummous ignoramus.