Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) STILL Barred From Entering U.S.

[tucsonlib]

Because he has the same name as a "suspected terrorist", Yusuf's visa was denied. He was scheduled to perform at a number of venues here for the first time in years.

http://www.film.com/tv/late-show-with-david-letterman/story/music-tv-week-animal-collective/27955278
(Scroll Down)


OH FER CHRISSAKE!!!


:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[spanone]

1. this country can appear mighty dumb at times

[ShortnFiery]

2. What a shame. Idiot screening process or outright prejudice? :( nt

[Jim Sagle]

3. Good. He's a piece of shit who called for the murder of Salman Rushdie.

[Stephanie]

4. Jim!

Where you been? :hi:

[Jim Sagle]

24. Here on DU...and some other sites too.

:hi:

[riderinthestorm]

5. I had actually heard that Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam was barred for that reason

not the name confusion. I don't think he's repudiated that position either yet has he? In which case, I'm standing with the Admin on this - anyone still supporting that despicable fatwa bears scrutiny.

[tucsonlib]

6. In His Defense

In a 2000 Rolling Stone magazine interview:

I'm very sad that this seems to be the No. 1 question people want to discuss. I had nothing to do with the issue other than what the media created. I was innocently drawn into the whole controversy. So, after many years, I'm glad at least now that I have been given the opportunity to explain to the public and fans my side of the story in my own words. At a lecture, back in 1989, I was asked a question about blasphemy according to Islamic Law, I simply repeated the legal view according to my limited knowledge of the Scriptural texts, based directly on historical commentaries of the Qur'an. The next day the newspaper headlines read, "Cat Says, Kill Rushdie." I was abhorred, but what could I do? I was a new Muslim. If you ask a Bible student to quote the legal punishment of a person who commits blasphemy in the Bible, he would be dishonest if he didn't mention Leviticus 24:16.

On his personal spiritual website he wrote:

I never called for the death of Salman Rushdie; nor backed the Fatwa issued by the Ayatollah Khomeini--and still don’t. The book itself destroyed the harmony between peoples and created an unnecessary international crisis.

When asked about my opinion regarding blasphemy, I could not tell a lie and confirmed that--like both the Torah and the Gospel--the Qur’an considers it, without repentance, as a capital offense. The Bible is full of similar harsh laws if you’re looking for them. However, the application of such Biblical and Qur’anic injunctions is not to be outside of due process of law, in a place or land where such law is accepted and applied by the society as a whole...

[msongs]

7. yeah better not criticize Islam cauz he's against it - btw he doesnt use his last name ISlam on his

new CD. marketing and all that. there was an article interviewing him recently in the LA Times. Seems the guy still preaches peach and love yet thinks people who criticize Islam oughta get harsh penalties.

peace train indeed.

Msongs

[riderinthestorm]

9. Thanks for the link

I will say, he seems to be trying to straddle the fence.... he doesn't "call for Rushdie's death" or "back that fatwa" but agrees with the fatwa's premise and would endorse the death penalty enforcement for blasphemy. You do know there are plenty of Islamic countries that have full Sharia law, and would carry out a death penalty charge against Rushdie? Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam knows that. Knew that when he made the statement I'm guessing.

Sounds pretty crappy.

[LWolf]

28. Thanks for the link. nt

[UndertheOcean]

11. I guess they are making strides in AI research

But is it apparent much more work still needs to be done

[ColbertWatcher]

8. He's scheduled to be on The Colbert Report next week (May 14)! n/t

[saltpoint]

10. Politics aside, I am eternally grateful to this man for writing "How

Can I Tell You?"

He doesn't owe me another note.

[Codeine]

12. Good. Fuck him.

Useless pile of fundie shit.

[tucsonlib]

13. nice

Yusuf Islam may indeed be a misguided adherent to Islamic fundamentalism. Or, he might just be one of many in his (my) generation who rejected the values of modern society and went searching for a higher truth. While I think he mistakingly chose to follow a belief system just as corrupt, if not more so, than the one he shunned - That is beside the point.


"An artist should be judged only by the quality and cultural impact of his/her creations...."


Cat Stevens created music of singular beauty, celebrating a timeless message of love and peace. That's all that really matters.


Your comments are distressingly similar to those from modern-day McCarthy-ites, who dismiss the works of Seeger, Guthrie, Baez, Robeson, Fonda, etc. because, after all, they're just "useless piles of Commie shit".

Shame on you.


:thumbsdown:

[midnight]

14. Nice response to the twisted information about this man.

[SidDithers]

15. He performed in New York in December 2006...

and was "admitted without incident". :shrug:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/arts/20yusuf.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

Sid

[Holly_Hobby]

18. I just saw him on the Chris Isaak Hour

...

The Biography Channel will air The Chris Isaak Hour, a music interview and performance show. The series premiere will feature Trisha Yearwood, and will include the first ever performance of "Breaking Apart", a duet from Isaak's new album, Mr. Lucky. Additional guests include Stevie Nicks, Smashing Pumpkins, Chicago, Glen Campbell, Michael Buble, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), and Jewel.

...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Isaak

[marshall]

16. Considering our president is name Hussein, this is bullshit!

Obama needs to step in a revise the rules about this "list".

[AngryOldDem]

17. Gee, I feel SO much safer.

:sarcasm:

[ailsagirl]

27. rofl!!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. It's nice to see that the "..home of the brave" is still afraid of singers. Eeek!!

[slackmaster]

20. He's being followed by a po-lice car

PO-lice car, police car.

[maury is the daddy]

21. Are you SURE the real reason he's been banned isn't

that he wrote "Bad Apple Gas?!":shrug:

[dem629]

22. "Because his music kinda sucks" (official legal finding)

[ailsagirl]

26. That's right-- he wrote "Peace Train"-- off with his head!!!

Idiots :puke:

[Joe Fields]

23. Cat Stevens is harmless. Let him in.

Fuck this stuff about many years ago, when he had just converted to Islam. He is a great entertainer and his quotes were misinterpreted.

Yes, I am biased. I've never stopped being a Cat Stevens fan.

[ailsagirl]

25. Whaaa??

I thought all that nonsense had been cleared up.