The poster features “the faces that are always talking about terrorism”: Osama bin Laden, Daniel Pipes, Pat Robertson, Donald Rumsfeld, and Steve Emerson. A motley cast of characters, to be sure, and already a smear in putting them together, with the obvious implication that each in his own way is misrepresenting Islam. The poster continues: “Now it’s our turn.” To talk about terrorism or misrepresent Islam? From the looks of the program and the speakers, there will be quite a bit of the latter. The introductory note reads in part:
The current vicious cycle of political and religious extremism not only hurts Islam and Muslims but also threatens peace and stability all over the world. Political extremists are using the actions of religious extremists to justify their attempts to trample civil liberties. It is our duty as American Muslims to break the cycle by exposing it and by contributing to public discourse that will clear the name of our religion, secure the safety of our country, and preserve the integrity of our democracy.
In other words, the conference’s focus will be on attacking anti-terror efforts, not on contributing anything positive on how actually to eradicate violent jihadism from the American Muslim community.
Speakers indicate the dimensions of the taqiyya fest that this is likely to be: John Esposito, Jamal Badawi, James Yee, Maher Hathout, Hussein Ibish, and others — including Tariq Ramadan.
Tariq Ramadan? So he will be allowed into the country? Was this item, then, indeed accurate?
UPDATE: Daniel Pipes saw this post and wrote to let me know that Ramadan will most likely be speaking by video, as he does a lot these days to US groups. He said that beginning with the University of Notre Dame, where Ramadan had been scheduled to teach, various institutions are regarding bringing him in via satellite as taking a stand, and are exceedingly proud of themselves for doing so.
Of course, what else would you expect from Saidist-dominated academia?