Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Alan MacHett" <machett AT ibiblio.org>]

>
>> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123274,00.html
>>
>> "Say I show up at U.C. Irvine graduation, I'm a student.  I've got a
>> swastika on my arm..."
>>
>> "...No, no, it would be me and I'd be giving you the big con to get
>> the swastika up there."
>
> Did you even read the article?
>

Hmmmm...  again, there are so many more important things to worry about. 
But for anyone who cares, here's one article of many:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucigrad20jun20,1,2757153.story
THE REGION
A Political Yet Peaceful Graduation at UC Irvine
About 30 Muslim students wear green garments that carry Arabic writing
praising God. They show unity with Hamas, critics say.
By Stanley Allison
Times Staff Writer

June 20, 2004

Students, friends and family members celebrated graduation at UC Irvine on
Saturday amid heightened security and moments of disagreement about the
meaning of stoles worn over the robes of a handful of Muslim graduates.

The broad strips of green cloth have been the focus of a heated debate
between Muslim and Jewish students for several days.

Muslim student leaders said about 30 graduates wore the stoles — double
the number predicted on Friday — as an expression of their faith.

Each stole bore Arabic lettering on one side reading, "There is no God but
Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger," and on the other was a symbol
meaning, "God, increase my knowledge."

Critics say the stoles signify support for the militant Hamas movement and
are part of a campus campaign to intimidate Jewish students.

On Saturday, five members of the American Jewish Congress from off campus
spent part of the day at UC Irvine to show support for the Jewish
students. They accused the university's administration of ignoring Muslim
students' threats and speeches that incite violence toward Jews.

"We acknowledge it [lettering on the stoles] is a call to God," said
Allyson Rowen Taylor, associate director of the group. "However, we also
acknowledge that the symbol and expression has been used to glorify the
act of suicide bombing."

At the graduation ceremony Saturday for the School of Social Ecology, one
of seven commencement exercises held during the day, she and several
others in the group confronted members of the Muslim Student Union.

"Just as other organizations wear sashes for honors awards or clubs, so
the same way [Muslim students] show their club and religious affiliation
by wearing" the stoles, said Osman Umarji, president of the group. "It's
completely a nonissue," he said.

Student Omar Sharif, who was wearing one of the stoles, said it was merely
an expression of his faith and suggested that critics are appealing to
unfair stereotypes.

"The Muslim community here is nothing but doctors and lawyers and
engineers. They're living the American dream," said Sharif, who said he
was qualified to participate in the ceremony although he will not complete
his course work until this summer.

Security was tight Saturday as police prepared to head off any clashes
over the stoles.

Campus Police Sgt. Steve Monsanto said nearly every campus officer was on
duty, reinforced by the Irvine Police Department and some private security
guards.

The day passed without incident, he said.

copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times