CAIR Condemns Terrorism
Many, myself included, have long been critical of Muslim groups in the West for their muted response to various and sundry atrocities committed by Islamic extremists. Whatever messages may have been circulated within the Muslim community, the ones that made it through to much of non-Islamic America were the following:
- Islam means “peace.” It’s got nothing to do with Islam. Leave me alone.
- OK, OK, so it really means “submission.” You got me there. My bad! Now leave me alone.
- Yeah, it’s awful what those guys did, but America is just as bad.
- Yeah, it’s awful what those guys did, but Israel does worse things than that every day.
- Yeah, it’s awful, but the worst part is that Muslims’ civil liberties may get violated in the future.
- Yippee! That’s great! Um, I mean, that’s really, like, terrible. Now stop giving tax money to Israel, and maybe it won’t happen again. Whatever.
- We condemn terrorism in all of its forms. Oh, by the way, the very existence of an Israeli state is one of those forms.
The common thread between the above statements is that where an unequivocal condemnation was in order, we got a cagey, “I’m against terrorism, BUT….” response instead. Many, myself included, have complained early and often about this. One group which has borne the a lot of this criticism, some of it deserved, is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”). CAIR appears to have gotten the message, and is circulating an online petition condemning all terrorism in the name of Islam. Unlike the usual, mealy-mouthed semi-condemnations we’ve heard in the past, this one takes the terror issue head-on, without bringing up Israel, Abu Ghraib, heightened airline security, or any other red herrings. Here’s the text, in full:
NOT IN THE NAME OF ISLAM
“We, the undersigned Muslims, wish to state clearly that those who commit acts of terror, murder and cruelty in the name of Islam are not only destroying innocent lives, but are also betraying the values of the faith they claim to represent. No injustice done to Muslims can ever justify the massacre of innocent people, and no act of terror will ever serve the case of Islam. We repudiate and dissociate ourseves from any Muslim group or individual who commits such brutal and un-Islamic acts. We refuse to allow our faith to be held hostage by the criminal actions of a tiny minority acting outside the teachings of both the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
“As it states in the Quran: ‘Oh you who believe, stand up firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be against rich or poor; for God can best protect both. Do not follow any passion, lest you not be just. And if you distort or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that you do.” (Quran 4:135)
If you are a Muslim who agrees with this statement, be sure tosign it.
June 25th, 2004 at 12:45 pm
There’s the possibility – perhaps not too great, but it still needs to be considered – that their petition is this.
Also, does “acts of terror, murder and cruelty” include trying to repel invaders from your sovereign homeland, etc. etc.
And, “the massacre of innocent people.” OBL says no American is innocent because we’re taxpayers supporting the Infidel Crusading U.S. Military Oppression Machine, etc. etc.
I’m not saying CAIR is lying, but I’d suggest reading this like you were reading a contract from, say, a lawyer. Not that there’s anything wrong with lawyers, mind you.
June 25th, 2004 at 1:28 pm
I am a lawyer, and I read contracts revised by other lawyers all the time. So I’m pretty good at spotting loopholes, twisty-turns, etc. I just don’t think a fair reading of this particular petition contains any.
I do appreciate the Wikipedia link, however. I guess my plan of carpet bombing the area until the survivors admit their allahu isn’t akbar won’t work after all.
June 25th, 2004 at 3:45 pm
Given the various statements made by terrorist groups that use some of the phrases used by CAIR (such as “innocents”) I think that if they really mean this they should define exactly who is and who isn’t an innocent. You’d miss such a definition in a contract and given the fact that OBL and others have said such things as “no American is innocent” and CAIR has in the past refused to condemn OBL by name, I’d suggest they include lots and lots of footnotes in future editions of this petition.