Readers Question Columns By CAIR Officials

by Union-Tribune  |  SignOnSanDiego.com  |  September 17, 2011

 

Why would the U-T (Union Tribune) publish “Muslims and religious freedom in post-9/11America” (Opinion, Sept. 9), written by Nihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)?

CAIR claims that some 20 states have introduced legislation that could have resulted in government-sanctioned discrimination against Muslims. The claim is deceitful. The truth is that these states are attempting to preserve our constitution from the influence of foreign laws. Their goal is to legislate American laws for American courts. They are in direct response to the onslaught of legal efforts by CAIR and affiliate organizations to make Islamic law/sharia law acceptable in U.S. courts.

Islam is more than just a religion. It is a political ideology whose founding principles represent the antithesis of a constitutional democracy. In Islam, there is no separation of church and state. Nor is there freedom of speech, religion, artistic expression or equal treatment under the law. Nonbelievers are governed by an entirely different set of rules.

If CAIR is concerned about religious freedom, it should use its safe harbor in the U.S. to speak out against the total absence of such freedom throughout the Islamic world. To do otherwise is sheer hypocrisy. -- Jim Fontana, San Diego

One week ago the nation stopped to remember and memorialize the most deadly attack on our soil in our history. That weekend marked an extended moment of solemnity. It was a sacred time for Americans. To my dismay, the U-T printed two articles, one an opinion piece by Nihad Awad and one a 9/11 reflection by Edgar Hopida (“Planting the seeds of understanding,” Sept. 10). Both men are officials for the Council on American Islamic Relations. The common theme in both pieces was American religious bigotry toward Muslims. Once published, the issue of inappropriate timing was moot.

It was in very poor taste for any Muslims to use that time to promote their victimhood. The real victims were the 3,000 incinerated by the proponents of radical Islam. Awad, Hopida and the U-T should be embarrassed. -- Michael Hayutin, San Diego chapter leader, ACT! for America

If Edgar Hopida or any other prominent leader of the American Muslimcommunity is really serious about improving “the image of Islam and Muslims in the United States,” I suggest they issue an official statement condemning the actions of the 9/11 hijackers, al-Qaeda and radical Islam in general. This is the best “seed of understanding” they can plant.

Sadly in the 10 years since 9/11, I have never heard or read such a statement from any Muslim leader in the United States or elsewhere. The Union-Tribune granted Hopida the perfect opportunity and forum to do so and he didn’t. Even his statement of “total disgust … these guys obviously don’t have a correct understanding of Islam” falls way short.

I certainly do not consider myself part of a “marginal voice trying to demonize Muslims.” Like most Americans, I understand and respect religious freedom as a tenet of our society. However, we expect our religious leaders to hold accountable those from their flock who stray from established rules of right and wrong. Until CAIR does this, the vast majority of Americans will always wonder if the Muslim community feels a distorted empathy, alliance or acceptance of the perverted actions of al-Qaeda and the 9/11 hijackers. -- David Leingang, San Marcos

Source:  http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/17/readers-question-columns-cair-officials/

Comments

[T.L. Winslow (@historyscoper)]

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http://go.to/islamhistory

http://tinyurl.com/muslimscope

http://tinyurl.com/islamwatch