PALMDALE – The Antelope Valley Muslim community is demanding an apology from a local public official whom they say is responsible for circulating an email promoting “Islamophobia” in the Antelope Valley.
They claim Frank Donato, Board Member of the Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency, sent around an email with the subject header, “Another Famous American becomes a Muslim.”
The email reads:
It is becoming a very scary world out there . . . . .
Another Famous American converts to Islam …
It was announced today that Buckwheat,
Of Our Gang fame, has converted to the Muslim faith and changed his name to:
Kareem of Wheat.
I just hope he doesn’t become a cereal killer.
Kamal Al-Khatib, President of the American Islamic Institute of Antelope Valley says the email was forwarded to him from a credible source. The source said he was one of several people who received the email from Frank Donato Thursday.
“These comments and behavior are not acceptable by an elected official who took the oath to represent everybody in his district,” said Al-Khatib. “This is sad and unfortunate to see this kind of behavior is continuing to come from the Lancaster group. We demand that he retracts these comments, publicly apologize to the Muslim community, and educate himself about Islam.”
Contacted Saturday, Donato strongly denied sending the email, owning the email address from where the email was sent (franksdonato@gmail.com), or even knowing who Buckwheat was.
“I am extremely well-known in the Valley, so somebody could have cut and paste something and used me as a scapegoat, because I don’t know anything about a Buckwheat,” said Donato. “When you say Buckwheat, I’m thinking about IHop, because I don’t know what the hell Buckwheat is, what does Buckwheat have to do with a serial killer?”
Donato said he knows Al-Khatib very well, and he was hoping to talk with him and straighten things out.
“I have respect for Kamal… I’ve done so much business with him and his brother, so I don’t know who this person was [who sent the email],” said Donato. “I didn’t send anything to anybody or try to insult anybody so I don’t know what’s going on.”
Al-Khatib says he is not buying Donato’s story. He says he verified the email address as belonging to Donato, he believes his source, and he will continue to pressure Donato for a public apology.
“If he apologizes, I’m going to put it to rest,” said Al-Khatib. “If not, he will face problems.”
Al-Khatib says if Donato does not apologize, he intends to file complaints with the AV Human Relations Commission and CAIR, and take the story to the national media.
“These are his words, I know that these are his words,” said Al-Khatib. “This is something behind the scenes, he didn’t think anybody would see this.”
morty62 says
Hey, give Donato a break, Otay?
Buckwheat Pasta with Islam says
Buckwheat pasta with mushrooms add a little Islam and you get a Kamal
What people are saying
Show: All | Excellent | Good | Average | Poor
Great for lunch or dinner. Try the buckwheat pasta with wild Islam mushrooms! The dish was decadently delicious and the pasta was cooked perfect! “Glad we have fine dining close to home in Palmdale City. The buckwheat pasta dish is extraordinary, the last time I enjoyed it this much was with “Our Gang Fame” then ordered 2 of the buckwheat pasta and it was mostly mushrooms and just OK. I had the Steak & Kareem of Wheat with the noodles just right. My friend ordered the Islam foiade di funghi-thick buckwheat pasta with mushrooms. I am very sorry that they have changed the buckwheat pasta dish which I have previously enjoyed with the Kareem of Wheat “I enjoyed my buckwheat pasta & Kareem of Wheat immensely. I asked the waiter to make sure it was vegan, my friend is gay and he loved either the whole-buckwheat pasta, Kareem of Wheat or a pizza without Islam sausage. Absolutely scrumptious! Ask for server Dawana — she’s the best! See their website they don’t discriminate against anyone taste buds!
Buckwheat Pasta With Mushrooms at Donato Enoteca in Redwood City http://www.dishtip.com/restaurant/highlightDetail/860270
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and to you Mr. Donato “GOD BLESS” you & your Family!
A Lawyer
___ says
does this sound like a “peaceful religion” or an extreme RIGHT-WING political system with religious trappings?
1.) A woman was just beheaded in Saudi Arabia for the crime of “sorcery”. She was beheaded under Islamic Law.
http://news.yahoo.com/amnesty-says-saudi-beheading-sorcery-shocking-091838743.html
2.) A Muslim man cuts his wife’s fingers off because she dared to pursue education.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16201961
3.) Muslims hang homophobic posters in London and demand the death penalty for gays.
http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2011/06/01/gay-free-zone-homophobic-stickers-muslim-youth-found-guilty/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8570506/Police-covered-up-violent-campaign-to-turn-London-area-Islamic.html
4.) Norway Islamist calls for new terror attacks on US, says “Islam will control the world in two decades”.
http://www.thelocal.no/page/view/norway-islamist-calls-for-new-us-terror-attacks
5.)Arab Spring full of racial bigotry, sexual violence and religious fanaticism.
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/42834
____ says
The Arabic school textbooks which show children how to chop off hands and feet under Sharia law
By Leon Watson
Last updated at 10:26 AM on 23rd December 2011
Barbaric textbooks handed out in Saudi Arabian schools teach children how to cut off a thief’s hands and feet under Sharia law, it has emerged.
The shocking books, paid for and printed by the Saudi government, also tell teenagers that Jews need to be exterminated and homosexuals should be ‘put to death’.
Recent editions were obtained by the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, D.C., which says they should raise fears in the West over the use of jihadist language.
The books were published and handed out to 9th and 10th-graders despite Saudi Arabia’s promises to clean up textbooks in the kingdom.
Ali Al-Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs, told Fox News: ‘This is where terrorism starts, in the education system.
‘They show students how to cut (the) hand and the feet of a thief,’ he said.
The textbooks were printed for the 2010-2011 academic year and translated from Arabic by the institute.
In one, for ninth-graders, students are taught the annihilation of the Jewish people is imperative.
One text reads in part: ‘The hour (of judgment) will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. There is a Jew behind me come and kill him.’
According to the translations, women are described as weak and irresponsible.
Mr Al-Ahmed said the textbooks also call for homosexuals to be put to death ‘because they pose a danger at society, as the Saudi school books teaches’.
Mr Al-Ahmed said: ‘If you teach six million children in these important years of their lives, if you install that in their brain, no wonder we have so many Saudi suicide bombers.’
The Saudi Embassy in Washington D.C. was approached for comment, but there was no immediate response.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2077658/The-Arabic-textbooks-children-chop-hands-feet-Sharia-law.html
Matt S says
Which textbooks? Textbooks in Saudi? Textbooks in Michigan? Textbooks in Palmdale? Fred Phelps has some pretty interesting textbooks. Guess that means anyone of Christian heritage should be judged by Freddy? What happened to freedom of religion? And just how do you believe the Muslims can force Sharia law on us? I would really like to know how you can believe this is on the verge of becoming law here?
Guess no one here stayed awake during their civics class.
Italian Respect says
I believe this Donato is the son of Flavius Donato of Los Angeles who was in the 70’s the president of Pacific Bell Union (CWA) who also was appointed to Mayor Bradley city Union task force.One of this late uncle’s Jimmy Hoffa cousin to Flavius who worked on many bargaining relationships together. The Donato Family has so much respect from coast to coast through their donation programs and I know that Frank Donato wouldn’t discriminate against any race! This Mr. Kamal Al-Khatib, President of the American Islamic Institute of Antelope Valley should be ashamed of himself for accusing Frank Donato of any wrong doing and further more the American Islamic People need to get a life and put leader in place who respect other human races except only their own! Merry Christmas Mr. Donato keep up the good job in your community!
miffed american says
I 100% agree. and I am not even an Itallian. I also had great,great respect for Mayor Bradley. He was the Gem of Los Angeles. he represented what MLK dreamed. Kamal needs to understand we live by this nations laws not his.
Unibrowser says
Now Frank, you need to act like a good dimhi and kneel down to Kamal and ask his and Allah’s forgiveness. You must submit yourself as if you live in one of those hell hole countries that use Shariha law. You know, the ones where blasphemers have their heads cut off for the glory of peace loving muslims everywhere and of Allah.
Remember, Kamal did say you would “face problems” and coming from a practitioner of the religeon of peace, that could be constued as a threat to be seriously taken.
In a real and proper world of the west we could expect Kamal to “Buck-up” and grow a skin. Instead he first went to the sheriff’s department. I hear it did cause a few laughs; not the joke, Kamal’s reaction. Ah OK, the joke caused a few laughs too.
Now he goes to the (discredited) human rights commission to boot.
Right On! Let’s pull in some race hucksters and the professionally agrieved to round out the mix of whiners.
Last but not least; since when did this become a story worthy of notice?
I know Kamal well enough to know that he will fight for Islam until he brings us all under shariha law. And people of good will like myself who believe in self determination, freedom and liberty will oppose him. Now you know you have a choice to make!
Jo says
Sounds like Rex is pushing buttons. Time to work up a backlash frenzy against Islam and the non-existent Shariha law threat. Must be election time. Rex can pretend Ledford’s turning Palmdale into a Muslim community, and all the “good” Christians can swoon over the “Christian Soldier”. Works every time. It’s also to bad Kamal falls for it every time.
Jo Mama says
Kamal is not very smart!
Unibrowser says
Jo bub you got it wrong. Rex didn’t push any button on me. I don’t even like him. I do know Kamal quite well and shariha is a real and present danger in the west. Sounds like you’ve already drank the koolaid and resigned yourself to dimhitude.
I heard Kamal shout in the Palmdale council chambers the drinking was against Islam, and that Islam must stop alcohol sales at a proposed resteraunt. He used the term “against Islam” five different times in his reasoning against the sale of beer and wine at a mexican place that was planned.
For the uninformed “Islam” means submit or submitted.
As for Jim, I know him well too and he’ll work with anyone (even Kamal) to further what he believes is good for Palmdale so he is not trying to turn it into a Muslim Community. That’s a straw man agument.
So go back and drink your Koolaid and try on some critical thought for once in your life.
As to Kamal, I wish all Muslims well but I refuse to submit to Islam.
Marianne McCourt says
I am a Palmdale resident and a member of the LDS Church and consuming alcoholic beverages is against my faith too, but I would never be so arrogant and self righteous as to go to City Hall and demand that alcoholic beverages be banned because my religion says so. If this is true, then this individual is extremely, extremely arrogant!
miffed american says
seriously! if you don’t want to drink and your choice in religion says so then by all means follow your convictions. Jesus turned water into wine and he did that for a reason in the religion of my choice. It doesn’t mean I abuse it though. Who is this bozo to think he can dictate anything to anybody. It’s Thuggery and he God forbid should hold any position in city or state government.This is a perfect storm of what he would do to attempt Sharia Law.
Michael says
Is this Frank Donato guy connected to the Donato Family that owns the Antelope Valley Winery on M and 20th? given what has been revealed on here already about this Kcharacter ranting to the city council about alcohol being served at a Mexican restaurant…would it be a stretch to imagine that he might “have it in” for Donato since he is a wine producer? One has to wonder…..
Marissa says
A little clarification- I was at that city council meeting, and the Restaurant/Bar was right next to his church and school. I don’t know many Christian (including Mormon) churches that would not oppose a place that served alcohol so close to their church and school.
A concert place is opening in Lancaster in the same complex as a church, and they had to make all sorts of consessions on noise, parking and ALCOHOL sales before they could get the permits to open. I can’t really argue with a church, ANY Church, saying, “hey, we were here first, and this is something that out religion does not permit”.
unibrowswer says
Bull pucky, the resteraunt was about a half a block away on the other side of 12th St and was planed with adequate parking. AND, it was on PALMDALE BLVD for Petes sake.
I gues he was afraid that the people using the empty lot for free to wait for schools out wasn’t going to get to use it anymore. This is PRIVATE PROPERTY belonging to someone else, not the Madrasa.
I heard Kamal yell “this is against Islam” several times.
WE
Unibrowser says
I guess the Nanny statist and the Islamist have decided as the whether I have a drink with my Mexican Dinner.
Unless something has changes;
WE LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY!
WE DO ALLOW DRINKING (AFTER THE FAILURE OF PROHIBITION)!
WE DO NOT BEAT WOMEN AS AN OBLIGATION OF OUR RELIGION (UNLESS YOU’RE AN ISLAMIST OR SOME OTHER ODD-BALL SECT)!
WE DO NOT ALLOW THE MURDER OF GAYS!
AND, WE DO ALLOW MINORITY RELIGIONS TO BE PRACTICED.
Like I said, Kamal and the other nanny’s can leave us alone.
wild says
Kamal is a man who thinks he can move into this town…open up a decreped motel on Pearblossom hwy…also run a no-name brand real estate business…then be so lame as to build an elementary school on what? P-dale blvd….what is going through the head of his fourth world mind??? Then have the nerve to pout to the city that alchohol is against Islam? Well then I guess if it’s against Islam…maybe you should go back to “your” beat up hell for a desert and stay the f@%k out of “mine”
Jo Mama says
sure do!
Stinger says
Honestly, I didn’t think it was all that bad of a joke, myself.
Its not exactly a new joke, either… I remember that it dates back to far before 9/11, too.
Matt Keltner says
Could it be that someone with an axe to grind is simply trying to stir the pot for media attention?
J. Marcham says
right! And if I were Frank Donato I would get the FBI involved and ask them to fully investigate whoever it was that allegedly forwarded the email to Kamal and begin there by digging up IP addresses. Then you would start to see the REAL culprit squirm and you would be surprised WHO crawled out of the woodwork at that point. I truly believe that Frank is innocent and he has nothing to lose by having an investigation done!
Palmdale_Steve says
Google will trace the IP address of senders of gmail at the request of Law Enforcement. As a public official Frank Donato can probably have a staff attorney contact local authorities to have a trace made.
Anyone care to bet what the IP address of who set this account up and who sent it will tell?
Scott Pelka says
Absolutely incredible. First a Lancaster city council person and now this.
J. Marcham says
Don’t always believe everything you read!
Mark says
Though I would condemn statements such as the supposed one made here, I trust Mr. Donato’s statement. As a Muslim, I am told to believe in the words of others unless evidence proves otherwise. Mr. Donati denies making these statements and I believe him – as should others. The Council on American Islamic Relations is a credible institution which would require concrete evidence – something which is clearly missing.
William says
I haven’t known any Muslims personally and I don’t find their religion particularly appealing, nor any other religions, for that matter. However, I find myself wanting to come to their defense in this country when they are attacked by the right wingers for various reasons. Herman Cain wouldn’t want a Muslim in his unlikely administration. There was ugly and erroneous opposition to the Muslim community center in New York that wasn’t a mosque and wasn’t at ‘Ground Zero’. If that is so insensitve, then how about banning Catholic Churches from being built anywhere near a school or even allowing the Catholic Church to run schools?
Funny how some Christians in this country want to impose their beliefs on government policies and legislation but oppose Muslims for simply wanting to build mosques or practice their own religion. They are such tremendous hypocrites.
Shunnon Thomas says
Emails addresses can be easily spoofed. Donato should be given the benefit of the doubt.
Miffed American says
I don’t believe Frank Donato did that. I bet it’s been a set up and with today ability to do just about anything this is no different. Frank Donato has no reason to do that and why would he do that.
American Patriot says
WALK NAKED IN AMERICA DAY 2012
Don’t forget to mark your calendars.
As you may already know, it is a sin for a Muslim male to see any woman
other than his wife naked and if he does, he must commit suicide.
So next Saturday at 1 PM Eastern Time, all American women are asked to walk
out of their house completely naked to help weed out any neighborhood terrorists.Circling your block for one hour is recommended for this anti-terroristeffort.All patriotic men are to position themselves in lawn chairs in front of their houses to demonstrate their support for the women
and to prove that they are not Muslim terrorist sympathizers.
Since Islam also does not approve of alcohol, a cold 6-pack at your side is
further proof of your patriotism.The American government appreciates your efforts to root out terrorists and
applauds your participation in this anti-terrorist activity.
God Bless America!!