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Posted on 04/09/2003 10:12:08 PM PDT by TLBSHOW
Same Pipes, Different Tune
More Than Two Cents
As a columnist, I've tried to refrain from being the token Muslim "Sunnie" (no pun intended.) Through the convincing of friends and those on the editorial board, however, I've been encouraged to write on issues on which I can provide a different perspective on; this is one such issue.
Stepping away from the war in Iraq, another conflict brews here at home. Last week, President Bush nominated Daniel Pipes to the board of the United States Institute of Peace, a federal think-tank created by Congress. The institute's board of directors are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
This nomination is objectionable; Daniel Pipes has for many years antagonized Muslims and has taken every opportunity to question the credibility of American-Muslims participating in government. This isn't to say that criticism against Muslims should be censured -- however, to black-list the entire group of people that identify themselves as Muslims is unjust.
The Washington Post published a story "Muslims Protest Bush Nominee" this past Monday on the dispute over Pipes' nomination. In the piece he states, "For reasons of its own, CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) has been trying for years to place me in the category of those who consider Islam the enemy, which is not where I belong," he said. "My position is that militant Islam is the problem, and moderate Islam is the solution." I concur with that statement and condemn militants. Extremists harm the religion and ignore one of the guiding measures of the faith, moderation. While Pipes is able to make such eloquent remarks his actions contradict his statements.
During Pipes' speech here at Cornell in 2001, he advocated racial profiling, which prompted hissing and booing from the audience. When I approached him and asked him to explain his previous bigoted statements, Pipe's responded they were taken out of context. Fortunately, with Pipes there is never a shortage of offensive statements. He made a few comments to the Washington Post in regards to Muslim government employees in law enforcement, the military and the diplomatic corps, stating that these people "need to be watched for connections to terrorism." He also contends that "mosques require a scrutiny beyond that applied to churches and temples."
Pipes' has even attempted to stifle academic freedom. Last year, he created Campus Watch, whose purpose is to "expose professors across America who justify terrorism, denigrate Israel and support radical Islam." Cornell's very own Ali Mazrui, professor in Africana, was added to this fabled list just last week. Asma Barlas, associate professor and chairwoman of the Department of Politics at Ithaca College expressed her concern with Pipes' group, "This kind of fear mongering is basically meant to create an environment on campuses where there can be no free speech. How do I know that voicing my opinions will not put me on this group? It's precisely this kind of McCarthyism that is most detrimental to being a good citizen of America." Professor Barlas is not alone in her concern. In a show of solidarity and expression of contention, more than a 100 professors from across the country asked to be placed on Mr. Pipe's list.
In spite of all these facts, Pipes' nomination, is a small part of a larger conflict; whether or not to allow Muslims to participate in American politics. I witnessed the first-hand effects of this while interning for the Mark Green's campaign for Mayor of New York in 2001. Mark Green was labeled as a terrorist sympathizer after receiving an endorsement from Muslims. As a result, Green withdrew his acceptance from an endorsement he happily received just days earlier. Coincidentally, the New York Post broke the news, the same paper which on Monday endorsed Pipes. It should be noted that Pipes publishes a weekly column for the Post, creating a clear conflict of interest.
During the presidential election of 2000, then Gov. Bush was criticized for having spoken against the un-constitutional Secret Evidence Act and condemnation racial profiling. Since becoming president, Bush attempted to bring Muslim/Arab groups to the White House to the chagrin of critics like Pipes. However, since Sept 11, those who opposed Muslim involvement have become more aggressive and outspoken in their criticism. There is a national debate between Grover Norquist, well-respected Republican strategist and advisor to the President and Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy and columnist for Washington Times. Norquist has attempted to bring moderate Muslims into the GOP. He asserts in a June 2001 article in The American Spectator, that Muslims are "a faith-based, naturally conservative community," noting, for example, that the majority of Muslims oppose abortion and support school choice. He foresees a growth within the Muslim population in the U.S. and is keen on getting their votes.
Pipes and Gaffney are creating the argument of a "fifth-column," in an attempt to isolate the American Muslim community and thereby prevent them from serving and participating in government. This isn't an issue of terrorism or radical Muslims, it's about empowerment. This is a growing pain every new community has faced since 1776. In fact, this is reminiscent of Mark Green's speech to the audience assembled when he accepted the endorsement of the Muslim community. He spoke of the difficulties his parents faced, having survived anti-Semitism in Europe and then discrimination here in America in the early part of twentieth century. I was encouraged by his words as he emphasized the importance of being involved in one's community and overcoming adversity. He challenged the audience, advocating that they could make life better for their children as his parents and he had done for his. Green attempts to incorporate moderate Muslims into the political process by words and action. Pipes does so rhetorically -- but in reality, he seeks to prevent the empowerment of American Muslims.
Umair Khan is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and an Undergraduate Representative on the University Assembly. He can be contacted at muk2@cornell.edu. More than Two Cents appears Wednesdays
When the Wahhabi mosques in this country are defunded, and the Muslim schools cease using books that teach hatred of Jews and Christians, then we'll talk.
But not until then.
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