To the CAIR bashers
G. Waleed Kavalec
Altaf Ali, Florida Sun-Sentinel, 5/5/03
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-28forum28may05,0,2227177.story
In his April 23 column, political writer Buddy Nevins quoted the lies and
distortions put forward by those who seek the marginalization of the
American Muslim community, while leaving out CAIR's history of working at
many levels to benefit the people of our state...
Our Florida office works closely with the FBI, Florida Department of Law
Enforcement, Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Attorney's Office,
Florida Commission on Human Relations, Center for Advancement of Human
Rights at Florida State University, Florida Immigration Advocacy Group,
American Civil Liberties Union and the governor's office.
We also understand the need to strike a balance between liberty and
security.
On March 24, CAIR-FL stood side-by-side with the state and federal officials
to call on members of the Muslim community to offer help in locating a man
on the FBI's most wanted list. Despite our concerns with the FBI's
"voluntary interviews" of Arabs and Muslim, we did not hesitate to help when
help was sought...
It is particularly disturbing that a group such as the Anti-Defamation
League, which claims to fight stereotyping, would indulge in the religious
and ethnic scare-mongering quoted by Nevins on April 23 when he cited an ADL
spokesman who said CAIR is reluctant "to condemn attacks on innocent
Israelis."...
CAIR has been consistent in its repeated condemnation of terrorism in all
its forms. We do not support, either directly or indirectly, any terrorist
group, anywhere in the world...
Altaf Ali is executive director of the Florida office of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group.
Count 1
> MISSION IS TO TEACH TOLERANCE
> Altaf Ali, Florida Sun-Sentinel, 5/5/03
I think its absolutely wonderful that the executive director of an
organization is so willing to jump to its defense.
Wonderful, if a little uninformative or unconvincing.
http://www.hvk.org/articles/0303/105.html
<I didn't take the time to bother verifying the facts in this piece. There
is an interesting number quoted regarding funding of Mosques in the US.
Pure yellow journalism and condemnation by innuendo, IMHO, I link to it as
an illustration of the kind of communication breakdowns which lead to
misunderstandings>
I've actually come around to your line of thinking on CAIR Greg. Although
there have been some 'interesting' comments coming from Mr. Hooper and a few
others, I doubt CAIR has a an agenda other than its stated one of increasing
awareness of Islam in America.