When it comes to national controversies, Sarah Palin has been wronged — but she has also been wrong.
She was libeled last week as an instigator of the Tucson massacre, but she has spread libel herself about the Ground Zero Mosque imam, Feisal Rauf. “Rauf refuses to recognize that Hamas is a terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of our ally, Israel,” she wrote on her Facebook page last year in protest against Rauf’s Park 51 Project.
But as Rauf repeated — again — on Frank Beckmann’s conservative radio show last Friday, he strongly opposes Hamas and terrorism. “Hamas is a terrorist organization. They have committed terrorist acts,” he told Beckmann in an impassioned denunciation of Islamic extremists who “pose more of a threat, in fact, to Muslim-majority societies,” where bombings have killed thousands of innocent people.
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Rauf was in Metro Detroit over the Martin Luther King weekend to promote his lower-Manhattan “YMCA” and participate in a diversity forum sponsored by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. (Metro Detroit has one of the United States’ largest Muslim communities.) In prepared remarks before a private audience of 400 on Saturday, Rauf urged his listeners to “create a unity umbrella” in bringing a global message of peace and healing, and to isolate religious extremists. “We do not want our faith to be a wedge issue between Republicans and Democrats in this country,” he said. “It must be a unifying aspect.”
In his more extensive, wide-ranging interview with Beckmann, Rauf made clear that he bears no resemblance to Mrs. Palin’s caricature.
Rauf’s denunciation of Hamas this weekend is not the first time he has addressed the issue, despite widespread misconceptions that he is a Hamas apologist. His own website, CordobaInitiative.org, states: “Hamas is both a political movement and a terrorist organization. When Hamas commits atrocious acts of terror, those actions should be condemned. Imam Feisal has forcefully and consistently condemned all forms of terrorism, including those committed by Hamas, as un-Islamic.”
In an interview last September on Larry King Live, Rauf told guest host Soledad O’Brien, “I condemn everyone and anyone who commits acts of terrorism. And Hamas has committed acts of terrorism.” In a separate radio interview in June he said, “Targeting of civilians is wrong. I am a supporter of the State of Israel.”
Palin concluded: “[I] feel it would be an intolerable and tragic mistake to allow such a project sponsored by such an individual to go forward on such hallowed ground.”
But “such an individual” told Beckmann that he has had a mosque on this “hallowed ground” in lower Manhattan “for 27 years. My mosque is just a few blocks north of [Ground Zero]. Nine-one-one was our tragedy too. Members of my mosque were among those who were victims.”
Taking Rauf’s words out of context (as Democrats have done with Palin in denouncing her “targeting” of Democrats), Palin quotes Rauf as saying: “Osama bin Laden is made in the U.S.A.” But listen to Rauf at length and you might mistake him for a Tea Partier. Like most American Muslims who have fled the horrors of Mideastern religious intolerance for America’s shores, Rauf is passionate about our liberties, our Founding Fathers, and heroes of freedom like Ronald Reagan.
“The reason we were supported by many of the masses of the ex-Soviet countries is because publicly we called their leadership — Reagan called them — an ‘Evil Empire,’” Rauf told Beckmann in urging American leaders to denounce corruption in Muslim nations. “This had great appreciation among the masses. We called their leadership for what they were.”
Does this sound like a man insensitive to American democracy?
“What the vast majority of people in the Muslim world want is what we have here,” he continued in explaining his “dream” (a deliberate allusion to MLK) of Park 51–like community centers all over the world to showcase religious tolerance. “Look at our Declaration [of Independence]. The American formulation of how to structure a system of rights . . . is the ideal form for Muslim countries to follow. I want Muslim states to become America-like states.”
Hardened minds on the right will say that Rauf is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To them, Rauf cries: “Then fleece my wool and see if there is a wolf there! Open my teeth and see. Perform the operation and see.”
Park 51 critics like Palin who take Rauf’s words out of context are using the community center for political gain. Just like the Democrats last week who could not point to a single example of Tea Partiers exhorting violence of the type we saw in Tucson.
— Henry Payne is editor of TheMichiganView.com and editorial cartoonist for the Detroit News. His email is hpayne@detnews.com.
We can read. And we can parse. WHEN Hamas commits a terrorist act, Rauf condemns it. When it stops the attack Rauf quits condemning it. Then, it is just a 'political organization', and Rauf can rationalize that, and apparently so can Henry Payne.
What makes Henry and NRO think America is up for word games? And what is this YMCA business? It is quite a spectacle here - NRO iffering Payne a forum to apologize for Rauf
@tflavin: I want you to pay very, very close attention - "Hamas is both a political movement and a terrorist organization. WHEN (emphasis mine) Hamas commits ATROCIOUS (emphasis mine) acts of terror, those actions SHOULD BE (emphasis mine) condemned." He is clear like a fox and you are either naive or playing at it. I know it's difficult, but you can do it. Read, analyze, discuss. Look for the phrase "I unilaterally and unequivocally condemn Hamas and will do everything in my power as a devout Muslim to see that it is rooted out and destroyed whereever it is." When you see that phrase, copy and paste it here, please.
This is the most uninformed piece I have ever read on the National Review. Mr. Payne's commentary is a literal mix of 'Let's Do the Time Warp Again' and left out information. When Sarah Palin (and many addtional credible persons) said Rauf refused to denounce Hamas as a terrorist organization, she was correct based upon what Rauf would not say on with Aaron Klein back in June and all evidence at that time.
Rauf has since slowly begun singing a different tune. The Cordoba Initiatve's web site has been scrubbed and updated since he first called it a mosque (we have thr screen shots yet any tech smart searcher can cache search and see it from May 2010).
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has promoted the spread of sharia law and the idea of peace through the creation of a worldwide caliphite for three decades. His Cordoba Initiative is largely funded by the Malaysian government. His sharia index project is funded by Saudia Arabia. He has openly advocated for the creation of religious courts here in the U.S. independent of federal court review for the purpose of Muslims litigation using sharia law. Mr. Payne might try reading both of Rauf's books.
Just prior to the purchase of the former Burlington Coat Factory on Park Place in Manhattan, the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA) received nearly a $500,000 donation from sharia banks in Qatar (per their 990 tax forms). ASMA co-mingles funds with the Cordoba Initiative (a minority investor in the building bought for $4.85 in cash), Rauf founded ASMA, and his wife Daisy Khan is ASMA's excutive director.
I could go on and on (and have at 911familesforamerica.org and stopthe911mosque.com) but why bother when Mr. Payne will not use search engines or bother to check who knew what when and instead libels Sarah Palin either out of ignorance or deliberate malice..
You need to read Daniel Pipes' artickles. Simply put, these guys say one thing and do another. (Misspelled a word but can't change it fron Black berry). Actions, not words, matter.
Yes, opposing the triumphalist Ground Zero mosque is a just like blood libeling Sarah Palin last week. Just so. Good Lord, is this is what passes for analysis on NRO these days? I mean, I understand you don't like Palin (didn't go to the right school, outdoorsy type, not into nerdy beltway insiders, etc.), but this attempted slam is just weak.
When listening to a Muslim, one must understand several basic facts that condition the validity of the statements he makes:
· Taqiyya – Muslim doctrine permits, indeed requires, that a Muslim lie to an infidel, whenever it benefits or supports Islam. Therefore, when a Muslim makes a statement, any statement, the only safe and logical assumption is that he is lying.
· Under Sharia, violent actions against infidels are jihad, are therefore justified as actions that support Islam, and are therefore not terrorism. Why do you suppose that most Muslims deny that al Queda are terrorists – to them, they are righteous jihadists -- mujihadeen?
· Under Sharia, it is wrong to “slander” another Muslim, even if what you say is true! That is why Muslims deny that Islamists were responsible for 9/11, even when al Queda boasts about it.
· Imam Rauf was until very recently unwilling to condemn Hamas, when directly asked. Now you say he is condemning Hamas, and interestingly, he has just been dumped as the spokesman for the Ground Zero Mosque. Whazzat all about?
Mr. Payne, you are being duped by Muslim doublespeak from a snake oil salesman. Any journalist or media representative who pontificates about Islam, without thoroughly informing himself of the threat that Sharia and stealth jihad represent to America is committing journalistic malpractice.
Buy Willful Blindness by Andrew C. McCarthy, read it carefully, and learn from an expert.
"Hamas is both a political movement and a terrorist organization. WHEN (emphasis mine) Hamas commits ATROCIOUS (emphasis mine) acts of terror, those actions SHOULD BE (emphasis mine) condemned."
I honestly couldn't agree with that statement more (including the qualifiers). I think you're a little paranoid. If you read the worst possible intention into ANYONE'S (emphasis mine) statements you are sure to find something objectionable. None of us are immune to such cynicism.
Of course he puts greater emphasis on those actions that are obviously and egregiously rooted in hate and terrorism. As do we when we speak of such monstrous attacks. I fail to see your point.
An apologia for Islam. In the NRO? How outrageous.
Rauf is right that Muslims want what we have in America - and they are coming here in droves to take it.
Unless Rauf is NOT a true Muslim, he must believe that America (which is not yet ruled by Muslim law) is Dar Al Harb (the abode of war) where Muslims are required, as a religious duty to strive (Jihad) to bring the country into Dar Al Islam (the abode of Islam).
It would be nice if the people who interview him on American TV are knowledgeable in Islamic doctrine and the history of Islam and its will to expand by any means necessary. We have too many ignorant TV interviewers acting as stooges for Muslim “guests” to ask intelligent questions and to press for honest answers. As another example, ask Rauf what the exact cause of the end of the mythical “golden age” in Cordoba was – what, presumably, he wants to bring to America. It ended long before the Christian reconquest. In fact it was brought down by more “pious” Muslim invaders.
A cursory internet search of Rauf makes it clear Payne is either stupid, ignorant or willfully misinformed, at best, about Rauf and his "moderate" views.
What's NRO's reasoning/excuse for presenting Payne's whitewashing drivel?
We should first note that Henry Payne is editor of TheMichiganView.com and editorial cartoonist for the Detroit News. As he says himself in his article, Metro Detroit has one of the United States' largest Muslim communities. This strongly suggests an attempt to climb on the smash Sarah Palin bandwagon while it is still rolling strong while at the same time being a Muslim apologist.
Furthermore, it is a disingenuous attempt with total disregard for chronology.
- He takes a quote from Palin's Facebook page from last year with no specific date given.
However, a google search quickly brings up the page and it is dated 22 JUL 2010. External Link
Do check out her page. It has a link to the 60 minutes interview in which Rauf said: Osama bin Laden is made in the USA. You can decide for yourself if the quote is taken out of context or not.
- On 11 AUG 2010, Aaron Klein asked Imam Rauf if Hamas was a terrorist organization. And Rauf humphed and humphed and would not answer directly. External Link
- On 21 AUG 2010, Andrew McCarthy was still of the opinion that Rauf had not condemned Hamas terrorism. External Link
- On 08 SEP 2010, Soledad O'Brien interviewed Rauf. O'Brien asked: Is the State Department right in saying that Hamas is a terrorist organization?
Rauf answered: I condemn everyone and anyone who commits acts of terorism. And Hamas has committed acts of terrorism. External Link
- There are no reports of Rauf making any comments on Hamas after 08 SEP on either google or in the Wikipedia article.
- On 02 JAN 2011, it was announced that Rauf "is kicking off a nationwide speaking tour. External Link
His first appearance was scheduled for Sa 15 JAN in Detroit - the keynote address at the "Diversity Forum Banquet" of ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America). ISNA promotes Wahabi Islam in mosques throughout the US. It was named as an unindicted co-conspirator by the Justice Department in its case against the Holy Land Foundation which was found guilty of raising money for Hamas terrorism.
It is interesting that Payne says the sponsor of the banquet was another organization - Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan (CIOM). According to its own website, CIOM was a cosponsor of the forum with ISNA. It is another example of the disingenuous of Payne to omit mention of ISNA.
- On Fr 14 JAN, Rauf was interviewed by Frank Beckman of WJR New York, a 20 minute interview in which he came out quite clearly against terrorism. External Link
Rauf is a Sufi. And he really does sound like a sincere man. He is articulate and he has thought carefully about the issues he discusses. You can read the preface to his 2004 book on Amazon.
He is no fool and neither is he without understanding of social and political issues – but he is a utopian. I would challenge some of the statements he made during the interview and I think he should be so challenged by competent interviewers - not general purpose ones.
I would also challenge his belief that his approach would have any success at this time in the Muslim world. Maybe they will bear fruit 50, 70 or 80 years from now - but certainly not now.
But, as I see it, the real problem with Rauf is that he is naive strategically. For one thing, he has to make his bed with people and organizations (1) who openly support Hamas and other terrorist groups, (2) who want to impose Sharia law in the US, and (3) who want to make jihad on all non-Muslims, as it is these people and organizations who control the political Islamic world in the US today. And if he wants an audience, he has to associate with them. For another thing, because of his Utopianism, he does not see that he is being used by these organizations to provide a moderate front to hide their reactionary purposes
Closing in on 8 a.m. here on the East Coast, and NR is still silent on Palin's Hannity appearance. None of that "instant analysis" we'll see every time Obama speaks.
NR is frantically polling itself, developing a unified response. "What should we think?" they ask themselves. Forget about honest analysis. This is opinion with an objective, and I'll leave it to you to consider what the objective might be.
Lebanese Liberal: Cordoba Initiative Chairman Abdul Rauf Is Not Truly Moderate
In a September 19, 2010 article on the liberal website Elaph, Lebanese journalist Joseph Bishara wrote that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, does not really believe in tolerance. He stated that Rauf is deceiving the public based on the Islamic principle of taqiyya (concealing one's true beliefs) – that is, he is hiding his real intentions, which are to spread Islam in the U.S. while exploiting the liberties granted him by the U.S. Constitution.
Nice try, a day late and dollar short. Weak attempt to disparage Palin. The truth about Rauf has already been chronicled. I am glad though he has gotten smart enough to say the right things to fool the likes of you.
Cry Imamophobia? - Incomprehensible to me why this article is selected for publication on NRO. It is a twofer: wrong on Imam Rauf and the GZ Mosque, and wrong on Sarah Palin. (If you wanted to highlight the polemics surrounding Palin, Rauf and the GZ Mosque from a perspective not articulated on or associated with NRO, you could have linked to it without featuring it.)
Mr. Rauf has equivocated on Hamas when pressed about its terrorist ties, as he has on other things, and as demonstrated in excruciating detail by...none other than Andrew McCarthy in several articles on NRO. (I can only hope Mr. McCarthy will have a go at responding to this piece.)
And however you see Palin--here I'm sure opinion varies--to highlight an opinion that equates the systematic character assassination directed at her with criticism of the (at best) disingenuous and manipulative Rauf by way of this apologia is mind-boggling. Rauf has been a dissembler on matters relating to militant Islam in general, and the intentions behind the mosque and its financing in particular.
Perhaps you're testing your readers. Yes, we do read McCarthy and Pipes and May, et al. I'll quote from Clifford May's September 16, 2010 article, Cry Islamophobia: "Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf wants to build a $100 million, 15-story Islamic center a stone’s throw from where self-proclaimed Islamic “martyrs” murdered thousands. Is it really so clear that those who question Rauf’s goals and financing are motivated by “racism” and “anti-Muslim bigotry” — as signs carried by demonstrators in New York...charged?"
Along comes Mr. Payne to answer in the affirmative, at least as far as Palin is concerned. And along comes NRO to amplify Mr. Payne's voice in a forum that has meticulously documented and analyzed Imam Rauf's unsavory Islamist associations and his deceptive tactics in the matter of the mosque.
