UPDATE: Whoops. Emerson’s talk was last night. Here is a story about it (thanks to Rick). I apologize for the confusion — it’s the digitalis.
Steven Emerson exposes the activities of jihad groups in the U.S. For this, American Muslim groups and all other groups that profess to oppose that jihad activity should hail him as a hero. Instead, MPAC, for one, has singled him out for particular vilification. And now this piece, “Ex-CNN reporter’s lecture here will bring protest as some call him anti-Muslim” by Stephanie Innes in the Arizona Daily Star (thanks to Davida), is an invitation to the kind of fascist disruption tactics that Muslim groups plotted against Brigitte Gabriel in Michigan recently.
Some community members are angry about an upcoming lecture by controversial author and former CNN reporter Steven Emerson, claiming Emerson is anti-Muslim.
Emerson, who wrote the 2002 bestseller “American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us,” is scheduled to speak at Tucson’s Jewish Community Center Monday evening as part of the University of Arizona’s Shaol Pozez Memorial Lectureship Series.
“The organizations that sponsored this man are not helping peace between the Muslim and Jewish faiths,” said Muhammad As’ad, a Muslim who plans to protest the talk Monday. “This is going to be a very upsetting scene.”
UA officials say they are aware of the opposition, but the talk is part of the series’ goal of rigorous discussion resulting in a better understanding of important issues.
According to literature promoting his talk, Emerson is expected to speak about how militant Islamic individuals and groups have insinuated themselves into Western society. He contends that Islamist extremists living in the U.S. often pretend to be moderate while secretly carrying out a terrorist agenda in funding, organizing and coordinating the activities of radical Islamic groups.
Emerson’s critics say the UA’s Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, which is sponsoring Emerson’s talk, should not be sanctioning “anti-Muslim rhetoric.”
“I think he’s a racist. … He runs around and scapegoats Muslims,” said Racheli Gai, a member of the local Women in Black group, which is an international peace network. She’s also a co-founder of the Tucson Peace Walk “” an annual walk and gathering of Muslims and Jews.
As a Jew, Gai said she’s very angry that the Jewish community is supporting Emerson. Co-sponsors of the lectureship series include the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Gai said she expects a group of Christians, Jews and Muslims will be protesting outside the center….
Emerson is the founder and executive director of The Investigative Project, which keeps a database of intelligence on Islamic and Middle Eastern terrorist groups.
Emerson has been told of the controversy surrounding his visit and is not surprised.
He’s accustomed [to] opposition, having faced accusations of being anti-Islamic, and has even received death threats in the past, Wright said.
If you go: Terrorism and national-security expert Steven Emerson is scheduled to give a lecture titled “The Grand Deception: Militant Islam, the Media and the West,” at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road.
Go, if you’re in the area — particularly if you have law enforcement experience. Don’t let the bullies win the day.