My commentary in response:
Links, videos, and books for your research:
Ibn Warraq's review of a book by Caroline Fourest on Tariq, a book entitled Brother Tariq: The Doublespeak of Tariq Ramadan. Book review: http://www.city-journal.org/2008/bc0229iw.html
Ibn Warraq speaking at the Secular Islam Summit:
In the book Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Christopher Hitchens wrote the forward. On page xviii Hitchens states the following about Tariq Ramadan:
...end of quote.
Here are links to views & videos critical of Ramadan's views & history:
Article including an interview with Fourest:
http://www.newcultureforum.org.uk/home/?q=node/236
Tariq Ramadan’s Arab Winter by Samuel Helfont
http://www.newrepublic.com/book/review/tariq-ramadan-islam-arab-awakening#
The Flight of the Intellectuals: The Controversy Over Islamism and the Press by Paul Berman
http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Intellectuals-Controversy-Islamism-Press/dp/1935554441
Terror and Liberalism by Paul Berman
http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Liberalism-Paul-Berman/dp/0393325555
Panel discussion: Independent Voices on the Middle East, which includes Paul Berman and Ibn Warraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4MXr-wEzU
Ibn Warraq and Paul Berman talk about "Is the West Best?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOO2-yflku0
Ibn Warraq's review of Fourest's book on Ramadan:
Brother Tariq and the Muslim Hoods: Towards a Taxonomy of Islamic Subterfuges
http://www.newenglishreview.org/Ibn_Warraq/Brother_Tariq_and_the_Muslim_Hoods%3A_Towards_a_Taxonomy_of_Islamic_Subterfuges/
NER Interview with Ibn Warraq - The Albatross of Liberal Guilt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yQc9yx519M
Christopher Hitchens and Tariq Ramadan Debate: Is Islam a Religion of Peace?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA5CXjS05pU
Ayaan Hirsi Ali has debated Ramadan in the past on more than one program. Hirsi Ali worked on the film Submission (a film critical of Islam) for which Theo Van Gogh was killed. Thus Hirsi Ali's views are a counterweight to that of Ramadan's.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali speaking at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. Has a lot of great background & research info which is critical of the apporach of people like Ramadan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKv2CRreXI4
Hirsi Ali responding to questions at Ohio State University - further background info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIBFTEUqz4
Additional background info from Hirsi Ali on Islam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe_cuzsmmHU
Irshad Manji debates Ramadan about cartoons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLDNPgg-Uw
part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjrBYYLhU30
My own blog post on all these issues:
Liberal Socialist Democrats against Islam - yes we are here too
http://jonathanshome.blogspot.com/2013/02/liberal-socialist-democrats-against.html
I frankly feel like all the groups who are sponsoring Ramadan's Salt Lake visit have been hoodwinked by his charms, charisma, and slick presentational style. Your own presuppositions have allowed you to be sucked in. But, the City Library is a public institution, and as such they're subject to public comment about events and about how public money is spent.
So, how about having Ayaan Hirsi Ali or Sam Harris in to speak about "Islam & World Peace" and how to achieve it? Hiding the truth & facts about Islam & it's founding prophet is not a path toward peace. Neither is forcibly sticking our heads in the sand. Honesty, and being willing to state that the emporer has no clothes is perhaps the most important thing we can do in this case, and in the case of all religiouns founded by charismatic charlotans.
