Posted on 06/01/2005 4:53:48 AM PDT by Molly Pitcher
In the first of its kind for an event organized by a major national Muslim organization, Kamal Nawash and the Free Muslims Coalition (FMC) recently held the Free Muslims March Against Terrorism. Not surprisingly, the leaders of every other major Muslim organization shunned the march and declined to take a public stand against terrorism and extremism.
Noticeably missing from the list of over 80 sponsors Nawash rounded up was any of the Muslim groups that claim to be moderates, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). Though these groups pay lip service to opposing terrorism, they couldn’t put their money where their mouth is and bring themselves to stand side-by-side with the Free Muslim Coalition.
The reasons for the absence of the major national Muslim groups are obvious. The empirical evidence has clearly demonstrated where the true loyalties of organizations such as CAIR and MPAC lie. In this particular case, it is anathema for many Muslim groups to identify themselves with these unambiguous message of the rally. Nawash is among the few Muslim leaders—and certainly one of the very few leaders of the overtly political Muslim groups—to explicitly confront the real threat, the real root cause of terrorism: radical Islam.
Where most prominent Muslim leaders prefer ambiguity and moral equivalence, Nawash stakes out an unmistakable position not only opposing just violent jihad, but the doctrines of Wahhabism and political Islam as well. Nawash is, without exception, against the creation of Islamic states—anywhere. The other major Islamic organizations simply can’t take this position. Their refusal to back even Nawash’s message exposes their true sympathies.
See no evil
If other Muslim groups could even go as far as condemning specific acts of Islamic terror, that would be a step in Nawash’s direction. But organizations such as CAIR, for instance, have pointedly refused to condemn Islamic terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, or even specific Islamic terrorist attacks. The best example of the latter occurred after the murder, burning, stoning, and mutilation of four American contractors in Fallujah. CAIR only condemned the mutilation as contrary to Islam, but did not condemn specifically the murder, burning, or stoning of the men—a position that was also taken by a leading Fallujah cleric.
MPAC’s apologist agenda has also become transparent. In a June 1999 publication, MPAC argued that Hezbollah’s 1983 attack killing 241 Americans in Lebanon was not a terrorist attack. From its “Position Paper on U.S. Counterterrorism Policy”: “Yet this attack, for all the pain it caused, was not in a strict sense, a terrorist operation. It was a military operation, producing no civilian casualties—exactly the kind of attack that Americans might have lauded had it been directed against Washington’s enemies.”
Another of the major Islamic organizations, Muslim American Society (MAS), actively promotes the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has served as the theological inspiration for many leading terrorists. At a conference last month, a consultant to the group passed out a MAS paper called, “An American perspective on why the U.S. must engage the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Sounds of silence
It is clear why Nawash poses such a great threat to groups like CAIR, MPAC, and MAS: he is a genuine moderate Muslim leader who emphatically condemns not just Islamic terror, but also any efforts to create Islamic states. His unflinching stances make it much more difficult for these groups to engage in verbal acrobatics by issuing vague condemnations of “terrorism,” while simultaneously refusing to admit the “Islamic” influence cited by its perpetrators.
For participation in the rally, Nawash set a very low threshold: opposing terrorism. (Almost every speaker, though, was careful to condemn Islamic terrorism, and not just terrorism in the abstract.) By his own account, and by that of others, Nawash actively tried to enlist the support of other Muslim groups—but to no avail. Nawash most likely realized that no matter how low he set the bar, none of his counter-parts would endorse an event sponsored by a Muslim who unequivocally denounces Islamic terrorism and just as enthusiastically supports free societies for Muslims everywhere.
CAIR, MPAC, MAS and other Islamic leaders shown up by the real moderate Muslims who locked arms with Nawash were both testy and defensive. CAIR forwarded all calls to Hussein Ibish, the former Communications Director at the Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), an avowedly secular Muslim who nevertheless does the dirty work of Islamists and radical Muslims. MPAC did not return calls seeking comment, and did not appear to have given comment to any other media outlet regarding the rally.
Shooting the messenger
Of the two Muslim leaders who shunned the rally who were willing to give comment—Ibish and MAS Executive Director Mahdi Bray—both resorted to attacking the messenger.
In two rambling smear jobs at MuslimWakeUp.com, Ibish labeled Nawash’s FMC as “the ugly” among leading groups, and called Nawash’s invitation for other Muslim leaders to denounce radicalism a "crude ploy." Ibish went so far as to say that Nawash’s contention that other Muslim leaders don’t denounce radical Islam is an “odious lie.” While Ibish find Nawash’s message “odious,” it’s flat-out wrong to say it is a “lie”—especially when applied to Ibish himself.
Appearing on CNN in August 2002, Mr. Ibish was asked about a 1991 fund-raising letter from suspected (and now indicted) terrorist Sami al-Arian that read, in part, “Jihad is our path! Victory to Islam! Death to Israel and victory to Islam! Revolution, revolution until victory! Rolling, rolling to Jerusalem!”
Rather than criticize those plainly radical—and violent—words, Ibish played defense. “‘Death to Israel’ does not necessarily mean violence. Jihad can mean a lot of things,” he explained. Without explanation, Mr. Ibish abruptly—and bizarrely—switched the topic. “I’ll tell you who is advocating violence. It is Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who advocated torturing people.”
Ibish, of course, was not alone among Muslim leaders defending al-Arian—despite a substantial body of evidence that had already been in the public record since the mid-90's. MPAC, which had nothing to say regarding Nawash and the rally, said after al-Arian’s arrest, “Dr. Al-Arian is being punished for the non-crime of sparking dissent.”
After al-Arian was suspended in 2002 from his job as a University of South Florida professor—but before his February 2003 arrest—CAIR expressed outrage because he was “a respected leader in the community and a committed civil rights advocate.” Even after the 50-count indictment laid out a comprehensive case that included as evidence documents and wiretaps, CAIR wasted no time reflexively defending the alleged Islamic terrorist, calling the arrest “a fishing expedition by federal authorities using McCarthy-like tactics in a search for evidence of wrongdoing that does not exist.”
Perhaps the biggest defenders of al-Arian, though, were the folks at MAS. Immediately following the arrest, MAS’ Shaker Elsayed bellowed, “This is becoming a war on Muslim institutions.” Perhaps to stress that Elsayed’s comment was no isolated outburst, MAS sent out a press release that proclaimed: “The arrest of Professor Sami Al-Arian today conforms to a pattern of political intimidation by an attorney general who seems to be targeting the American Muslim community's leaders and institutions in a drive to erode Americans' civil liberties.”
Doublespeak
When asked about Nawash and his rally, MAS leader Bray said, “It is absolutely the right message, but Kamal is just the wrong messenger.” But if it’s “absolutely the right message,” why isn't MAS congratulating the government for prosecuting the likes of al-Arian instead of castigating them?
The game of claiming to have condemned Islamic terrorism or even radical Islam without actually doing so is one that has been mastered by many Muslim leaders. Ibish mocks the idea that Nawash is the first leader of a Muslim political organization to condemn Islamic terrorism and radical Islam, but when he was given the chance to do just that on CNN regarding al-Arian’s call to jihad, Ibish actually defended the accused terrorist. To date, Ibish has devoted more ink to attacking Nawash than all radical Muslims—combined.
Nawash has clearly taken his lumps from the supposed moderate Muslim leaders, but that’s not to say he’s without a following. But think in the mode of the “silent majority,” although in Nawash’s case, sadly, it’s almost certainly the “silent plurality”—for now.
Common are e-mails and phone calls to Nawash where Muslims tell him how important his message is, and how glad they are to finally have a Muslim leader delivering it. But most still won’t side with Nawash publicly, which partly helps explain the rally’s modest turnout of roughly 150-200. Yet the rally was attended by several respected Muslim leaders, who gained a much wider audience with the rally’s repeated airings on C-SPAN.
If there’s one thing that Nawash hopes to accomplish, it is to encourage other Muslims to speak up just as he has. Notes Nawash, “People who might want to speak out want somebody else to go first. Nobody wants to be a lone voice.” Though not exactly a lone voice, Nawash must feel like one some days—especially when he looks at his colleagues at the other national Muslim organizations.
I wonder how many of the supposedly "moderate" muslim individuals in the US turned out for this event......not many?....none?....we have a serious problem, and they're not doing a thing to help....and they're not leaving, either.
'Free Muslims Against Terrorism' march draws few in Washington Sat May 14, 7:17 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A march in the US capital organized by the Free Muslims Against Terrorism group, whose members seek to promote democracy while rejecting the use of radical Islam, drew only a few dozen supporters...snip
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050514/ts_alt_afp/usislammuslimsdemo_050514231702
There will come a day when Islam will have to be declared incompatible with western society.
... Okie dokie ...
All things considered, I'll keep my eyes on Ibish if he moves in next door more than I will Dershowitz if he moves in on the other side.
It would be great if true, but really, how 'major' are these guys? I know they have an active and interesting web site, but other than that, what?
Finally, so much for the illusion that if we fight them "over there" we're safe here. Vermin accumulate.
Excellent followup news. Thanks. BTTT.
But, it feeeeeeeeeels good to think so./sarcasm
I have been in touch with Free Muslims Against Terrorism and got to know their NY chapter leader. It is unfortunately a very lonely mission for them to undertake. This was an excellent demonstration of the true nature of the so-called "mainstream" Muslim organizations.
Is anyone here surprised?
Fewer people showed up for the rally than were aboard American Airlines flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.
I attended both presentations as both a concerned parent (the only one) and as a journalist. Afterwards, I interviewed each of the students.
One was the son of the Imam of Paterson. Another said she has attended every anti-war protest, and plans to work of "human rights" in the Middle East, after she told me that C.A.I.R. was a professional "human rights advocacy" group.
The Americans were restrained from arguing with their "guests," but one good question got through. When asked about suicide bombing, one Muslim young man replied, "Suicide bombing? What can you say? Well, suicide bombing!" (What the hell does that mean?)
He then went on to explain the suicide bombing "is very controversial in Islam." After all, he related, suicide is not permitted.
He added a story about the importance in Islam of the judge in a crime having to be from the geographic area of the dispute so the judge can "understand the circumstances." I'm not sure if all the students understood that he was saying you Americans can't judge the acts of Muslims from other areas because, essentially, you haven't walked in their moccasins.
Another girl stated that while you shouldn't attack innocent people, suicide bombing is justifiable if your home is being attacked or "to protect your life as a people." That is a loophole big enough to drive a camel through.
All in all, it was an extremely enlightening experience.
Excellent post.
Pings for another "enemy is inside the wire" story.
We all knew this, about these groups, but it's nice to have it confirmed so irrefutably. Kudos to Kamal Nawash. Hope he's well armed and alert, 24/7.
Now that your daughter's school has broken the great divide of church - state by inviting a religious presentation by the son of the iman, when are the presentations by the high school children of the local Christian & Jewish leaders scheduled?
This bears reading over again...
The real questions are, what is this telling us and why aren't we listening?
By the way, the group organizers were so thrilled by the event they wanted to do a reverse version, having Jewish high school children talk to a Muslim school. I followed up on it for weeks, planning on attending that one too to observe the event.
Funny thing happened. With over 2 months left to the school year, the Muslim school just somehow couldn't find the time for such an exchange. I guess Sha'ria study is a lot more time consuming than Torah, Gemara, Navi, etc.
Good catch.
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