Despite all the questions that swirl unanswered around the Council on American Islamic Relations, it is still generally accepted by the media and the public as a neutral, mainstream civil rights organization. From Daniel Pipes, with thanks to Bruce Gordon:
CAIR Accepted as “Mainstream.” I will intermittently post items here to document how, despite its terrorist associations and other legal tribulations, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is gaining acceptance among the gullible, the ignorant, or the foolish as a legitimate “civil liberties group.”
Elderhostel (“a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing extraordinary learning adventures for people 55 and over”) is pleased to announce a new series of programs titled “Building Bridges to Islam” in March and April 2004. So far so good. But the first one, to be held four times in Santa Clara, California, will be held in collaboration with CAIR. Elderhostel’s publicity incorrectly describes CAIR as “a mainstream organization that regularly works with national law enforcement authorities, elected officials, media and other civil liberties and minority groups.” Responding to a protest about the Elderhostel-CAIR connection, Jay Rittenberg of Elderhostel’s Customer Service Group wrote this drivel: “Please note that CAIR is America’s largest not profit organization that promotes civil rights for Muslims in America. Its aims are to promote a better understanding of Islam and the American Muslim community. The CAIR chapters that Elderhostel is currently working with to provide programming have worked with the Federal Government to educate and train US troops and federal law enforcement officials on the Islamic community and culture.”
KERA (“public TV and radio for North Texas”) announces that it and CAIR together are presenting an advance screening of the PBS series “The New Americans” on March 18 in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas. KERA informs readers that the screening will feature two items: an episode from “The New Americans” about a Palestinian immigrant and a segment from “The Islam Project.”