“I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”: Voltaire’s axiom articulates a core principle of any free society. Thus when my book The Truth About Muhammad was banned in Pakistan, I immediately thought of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
CAIR’s vision, says its website, “is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding….Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America.” CAIR officials have met with Presidents Clinton and Bush, consulted with the FBI, led sensitivity training seminars for law enforcement authorities nationwide, and are regularly consulted by the media for a moderate Islamic perspective. Since I wrote my book in order to draw attention to the elements of Islam that are being used by jihad terrorists worldwide today to recruit among peaceful Muslims, what group is better situated than CAIR to protest its banning in the name of American pluralism, free and open debate, and a Western Islam that is free of coercion, intimidation, and enforced conformity?
The government of Pakistan banned the book and confiscated all copies and translations because the book, according to the Kuwaiti News Agency, allegedly contains “objectionable material” about Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. Shahid Ahmed, counselor of community affairs at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, declared: “The book is very, very damaging — let me tell you.”
In fact, however, The Truth About Muhammad, a New York Times bestseller, contains nothing but material carefully sourced from the texts that Islamic authorities consider most reliable for the life and words of Muhammad. It presents a respectful picture of Muhammad that generally accords with what Muslims believe about what Muhammad said and did. The only difference is that I hold Muhammad to a moral standard different from the one he delineated for himself, and do not in every case consider him to be an excellent example of conduct, an honor which he is accorded in the Qur’an (33:21).
That difference, however, ought to be not an occasion for banning and confiscation, but for free and open debate – particularly when moderate Muslims are crying out to be heard. After all, the reform of Islam that is so needed today – in order to mitigate the elements of it that are giving rise to violence and extremism -- cannot possibly begin without acknowledgment of the fact that there are aspects of Islam that need reform. Thus I determined that the banning of The Truth About Muhammad in Pakistan presented CAIR with a golden opportunity to demonstrate its moderation by denouncing the banning of the book and calling for discussion of the issues raised by it, with an eye toward confronting and refuting the use jihadists worldwide make of the Qur’an and Sunnah to justify their actions.
If CAIR condemned the banning and confiscation of The Truth About Muhammad, and called upon the government of Pakistan to adopt the principles of free inquiry and free expression that are hallmarks of the prosperous, democratic societies that CAIR would no doubt like to see arising today in the Islamic world and elsewhere, doubts that have recently arisen about the group would be substantially dispelled. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) just rescinded an award she had given to a CAIR official after she learned that several former CAIR officials are now in prison for various terrorism-related activities; several nights ago CNN’s Paula Zahn tried unsuccessfully to get CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper to denounce the terror groups Hamas and Hizballah unequivocally.
Thinking that CAIR might welcome this opportunity, I contacted Hooper. He limited himself in his response to quoting a Qur’anic verse: “The (true) servants of (God) the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, reply with (words of) peace” (25:63). He didn’t respond to further inquiries.
So does CAIR approve of Pakistan’s banning of my book? Certainly the organization hasn’t condemned it, and is unlikely to do so. It is odd, and hypocritical, that a civil rights group would decline an opportunity to denounce censorship, even if the group members disagree with the material being censored – for is not freedom of inquiry a foundation of civil society? Perhaps Hooper will reconsider, and recoup some of the public relations drubbings his group has been suffering of late.
But I am not holding my breath.
how does one get Hooper's email address, perhaps we can all ask him the question on banning this book and others like it.
Pity we can't ban Parvez "the Snake" Musharaff's book here in the US.
Mind you the said book does contain some howlers and banning it would deprive us of a good laugh.
Sharia version: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death my right to stop you from saying it.”
"The government of Pakistan banned the book and confiscated all copies and translations because the book,"
I guess our occassional poster -NASEEM--will have to travel to get a copy....
"Thinking that CAIR might welcome this opportunity, I contacted Hooper. He limited himself in his response to quoting a Qur’anic verse: “The (true) servants of (God) the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, reply with (words of) peace” (25:63). He didn’t respond to further inquiries. "
You know people resort to just quoting someone else when they can't answer simple direct questions.
"reply with the (words of peace)" yeah right...and respond with lies, death, and mahem....what part of "we will dominate and enslave you" is he afraid of saying.....
"Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America.""
....and done little to promote religious plurality or denounce the insane Muslim violence against just about everybody....
Robert-
I think you have been genuinely surprised at the lack of authenticity of people such as the CAIR deceivers. You were also surprised at Esmay (the John Wiles Booth-Lee Oswald of character assassination). However, somehow I think you now fully get it re both-all. CAIR is at Ground Zero in the land of deception. "Hell is a place without reason". It's a place of deception. Give'em hell-they deserve it.
I think...
"My enemy's enemy is my friend." (anon.)
...is more applicable in this case.
Ibby Hooper cannot be seen to be on the same side as that 'notorious' 'Islamophobe', Sir Robert Spencer.
The light of truth,reason,compassion and inquiry must be kept at bay, lest the cockroaches be forced to scatter.
In Islam, the lowest rung of hell is reserved for hypocrites. the Christians are in the next rung up, and the Jews the rung above them.
CAIR officials might want to consider who they'll looking up at if they don't get right with God.
Just what does he accuse you being ignorant of?
That verse he used would give the impression of someone feeling vastly superior over another.
Ask Mr. Hooper someday why such an ignorant man such as yourself can recite the Koran chapter and verse, Fully grasping the meaning of it context. While you, Who know more than me, are unable to recite scripture to prove me wrong. Please, show the ignorant where scripture has led them falsely.
Does CAIR support censorship?
Is the Pope Catholic?
Once again, CAIR shows its true colors and also demonstrates the gulf that exists between Western Democracies and Sharia governments. The one promoting free and open debate. The other, blind acceptance that must not be questioned. Often on penalty of death.
"Since its establishment in 1994, cair has worked to promote a positive image of islam and muslims in America"
Yes, they have worked very hard to prove to the ummah that such things as 9/11 is possible and that the installation of sharia law is not impossible.
You see, cair is promoting a positive image of America to fellow muslims worldwide.
Basically cair is saying "see, we can beat them, you just gotta have faith in us".
Taqiyya is all that is, say one thing to us, and the truth to the ummah.(because the ummah knows the difference)
Heh, reminds me of the "civilian" fatwa issued by cair.
You ain't fooling all of us thuggie pooper!
Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America.""
Yeah, they sure have but how does one "promote a postive image" of something as despicable and malevolent as islam and muslims? Filth is filth; you can call it whatever you want and you can try to disguise it, but evil cannot remain concealed for long.
If islam and muslims are so wonderful and harmless, why would CAIR or anyone else have to "work" so hard to convince people of their pristine goodness? Goodness is an obvious quality and requires no promotion. CAIR promotes lies and deceit, which exemplify islam.
I always felt that CAIR exists solely as an instrument of censorship. Their only goal is to censor, through bullying and threats, anyone who dares to point out the link between Islam and violence, or who dares warn the infidels about what the Qur'an actually teaches.
The only mystery, and it's not much of a mystery, is who funds them?
Robert, How do you chew your food with your tongue so firmly placed in your cheek?
LOL
We can never thank you enough for being a light unto us all. Thanks
CAIR WILL promote anything that is beneficial to the jihadists' takeover of America. They will work to suppress anything that undermines the jihadists' takeover of America--a clue as to the real goal of the anti-Jihad Watch campaign CAIR has waged.
CAIR will be in favor of censorship if the material getting to the American people will hinder jihad takeover of the United States in some way; it will oppose censorship of other material that is more beneficial to jihadists in the US if it confuses the American public about jihad. The more misleading the material about Islam the more CAIR will like it being circulated. The more informative about the nature of Islam, the more CAIR will try to have it eliminated or censored (like this website).
So it will depend on what the material being censored is.
"Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America."
The real definition:
"Since it's establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to keep those dirty infidels in the dark about the real nature of Islam and how Muslims wish to inflict the curse of Mohammed (Pigs Are Better Than Him) on America and the World."
CAIR SUPPORTS CAIR