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Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a press
release today denouncing what it describes as an "Islamophobic
smear campaign" against "American Muslims and the groups
that represent them." The formulation is typical of CAIR, which
makes no distinction between criticism of itself as an organization,
on the one hand, and criticism of the American Muslim population
for which it purports to speak or of Islam as a religion.
The representational claims of "civil rights groups"-CAIR
presents itself as one-are frequently dubious (who elected CAIR?)
and illiberal (why should a diverse group of people be taken to
speak with one voice?). But CAIR's claim to represent American Muslims
is especially troubling. If that claim is true, it is worrisome.
If false, it is a slander against American Muslims. CAIR's softness
on terrorism, and political Islamism in general, is notorious.
Two weeks after the attacks, Jake Tapper of Salon tried to pin
down CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper's position on the attacks; he
was unable to get him to condemn Osama bin Laden (he said he would
do so "if" he were behind the attacks), previous acts
of terror linked to bin Laden, or bin Laden's call for Muslims to
attack Americans. Hooper said he resented the question rather than
answer it. Tapper also noted that CAIR refuses to condemn Hamas
or Hezbollah. Hooper wrote a thuggish and evasive response, accusing
Tapper of writing a "hit piece on American Muslims"-a
"McCarthyite" hit piece, no less. Today's press release
is in keeping with CAIR's m.o.
A particularly nice touch is the release's reference to Daniel
Pipes (an expert on the Mideast and a frequent contributor to conservative
publications including NR) as "one of the foremost proponents
of the smear campaign" against Muslims. Pipes is, in fact,
himself the victim of a CAIR smear campaign. If you go to danielpipes.com
you will be redirected to a CAIR write-up that systematically distorts
Pipes's writings; you have to go to danielpipes.org
to get a clearer view.
We would be remiss if we did not mention that CAIR, although increasingly
notorious in journalistic circles, still retains some credibility
among public officials who ought to know better. CAIR's website
boasts that on October 26 it was represented at a meeting with Transportation
Secretary Norm Mineta.
Beyond
the Pale
Twice in the last month, DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe has criticized
fellow Democrats involved in the New York City mayoral race. When
Al Sharpton's alliance with one of the Democratic candidates was
used against that candidate, McAuliffe said that the Democrats who
made Sharpton an issue should leave the party. Now he's denouncing
Democratic consultants who worked for the winning Republican candidate,
Mark Bloomberg. So, to review, Democrats will be drummed out of
the party if they 1) criticize a demagogue with a history of inciting
racist violence or 2) work for a Republican. Nice.
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