“The organizations that convened Thursday on City Hall Plaza — including the Council on American-Islamic Relations Massachusetts Chapter, the Muslim Justice League, and other social justice organizations — said the federal program is pocked with shortcomings.” Chief among those shortcomings is this: “It’s a federal program that singles out Muslim communities and reinforces false notions of the link between Islam and terrorism.”
These people’s balloon never lands. In the first place, the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program bears that name precisely so as to distance Islam from terrorism and pretend that Islam is no more likely to incite its followers to violence than any other belief system. And secondly, there have been 26,617 jihad terror attacks carried out worldwide since 9/11 in the name of Islam and in accord with its teachings; no other belief system has inspired any remotely comparable number of acts of violence.
But even the watered-down, toothless counter-terrorism of the CVE is too much for the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has never seen a counter-terror program that it liked.
“Civil rights groups protest federal program to combat extremism, saying it targets Muslims,” by Rosa Nguyen, Boston Globe, August 7, 2015 (thanks to Lookmann):
Islamic and civil rights groups in Boston and two other cities spoke out Thursday against a federal government initiative to counter violent extremism, saying it unfairly targets the nation’s Muslim communities.
Boston, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis were chosen last fall as sites for the program known as Countering Violent Extremism, which is designed to reduce the risk of young people being recruited by extremist groups. The organizations that convened Thursday on City Hall Plaza — including the Council on American-Islamic Relations Massachusetts Chapter, the Muslim Justice League, and other social justice organizations — said the federal program is pocked with shortcomings.
“There’s no evidence programs like this are effective,” said Liza Behrendt, organizing consultant for Jewish Voice for Peace, an antidiscrimination group. “It’s a federal program that singles out Muslim communities and reinforces false notions of the link between Islam and terrorism.”
Nadeem A. Mazen, a Cambridge city councilor, called the program “authoritarian.” He urged an alternative approach that would increase community engagement and community policing, rather than using “violent practices like surveillance and racial profiling.”
Shannon Erwin, cofounder of the Muslim Justice League, said the program could rely on false indicators to identify potential at-risk youths, targeting people who grow beards, express interest in foreign policy, and adhere to strict religious beliefs.
But community organizations participating in the campaign to combat extremism denied that the initiative engages in discriminatory practices.
“I’m not aware of a checklist of indicators people are supposed to follow,” said Robert Trestan, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League in Boston. The initiative to counter extremism “is relatively new in this country. It’s not fair to judge it yet and be overly critical.”
According to Trestan, the Boston program is inclusive, “informed by all segments of society,” and incorporates the voices of community organizations, faith-based groups, neighborhood associations, Muslim organizations, and law enforcement officials.
Said Ahmed, founder of United Somali Youth, disagrees, saying the conversation between the government program and members of the community has been limited. The initiative, he said, “is not open to all people. Our community cannot give feedback,” said Ahmed, whose group aims to empower immigrant youths.
The office of US Attorney Carmen Ortiz rejected assertions that the Boston program is singling out groups.
“The local effort does not focus on any one form of violent extremism, and does not identify a particular community as being more vulnerable or at risk of engaging in violent extremism,” said Brandy Donini-Melanson, a spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office, in an e-mail….
Of course it doesn’t. Everyone knows that Amish are just as likely to become suicide bombers as Muslims, and deserve just as much law enforcement scrutiny as Muslims get.
Andrew P. Cohen, a board member of the Jewish cultural and social justice group Boston Workmen’s Circle, said the federal program to counter extremism is reminiscent of the discrimination Jewish communities encountered in the past.
“Any program where Muslims are being targeted as having a propensity to violence is problematic,” Cohen said.
Yes, who ever heard of Muslims committing acts of violence in the name of their religion and in accord with its teachings? It’s unheard of!
somehistory says
“violent practices like surveillance and racial profiling.”
*************************************
Of course, these are very *violent.* Me’ thinks they doth protest too much….way, way, too much.
Huck Folder says
Beat me to it.
But that will be good to throw back in his teeth.
And if surveillance had saved the Chattanooga five…?
BTW, what ‘race’ was he referring to?
“Shannon Erwin, cofounder of the Muslim Justice League…”
Covert or groveling water-carrier?
MJ 101 how to teach gays flying, in one easy lesson.
“Andrew P. Cohen, a board member of the Jewish cultural and social justice group Boston Workmen’s Circle, said the federal program to COUNTER EXTREMISM is reminiscent of the discrimination Jewish communities encountered in the past.”
Really? Citations? What Jewish ‘extremism’ is this ‘cohen’ (no less!) mindlessly flapping his gums about?
“Any program where Muslims are being targeted as having a propensity to violence is problematic,” Cohen said.”
The ‘propensity to violence’ is a canard. ACTUAL violence has been CLEARLY demonstrated on over 26,000 occasions, of which 9/11 was by no means the first, just the worst in modern history.
I hope SOMEONE with a high public profile goes after these self-deluded IDIOTS and CHALLENGES the many lies and half truths.
Trump, maybe?
Shane says
Islam is a religion of jihad and Muslims plot their terrorist acts in mosques. CAIR does not want our country to stop Muslims who are preaching jihad against America and the West; they are traitors and supporters of Islamic terrorism.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
I don’t know what CAIR is bellyaching about this time. Let’s take a quick survey of the facts: the Infidel taxpayer built them a big mosque in Boston to teach Jihad and spread terrorism, which results in deaths and mutilation. We’ve released hundreds of Mujahidin from Gitmo so they could return to Jihad. We allowed Mo-Bro-Hood connected Huma Abedin access to secrets regarding our so-called War on Terror, and it looks like use of an illegal secret off-the-books email system by Hillary, Huma and others resulted in the righteous and glorious anal gangrape and murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens (the Benghazi Jihadists knew where he was gonna show up and when). Not a single Republican candidate has spoken up on what Islam and Moslems really are. Some Republicans have even gone to bat for the Jihadist crowd. We continue to bring in hundreds of thousands of Moslems as legal immigrants as refugees when they are nothing of the sort. CAIR itself was given back its tax exempt status after a brief revocation because of its known links to Jihad mass murders.
Maybe on that last point we could do something that would give CAIR good reason to whine: re-revoke its tax exemption. But wait a minute, there are no Republicans willing to even talk about that idea. The circle remains unbroken; circle of hell that is.
Westman says
“Any program where Muslims are being targeted as having a propensity to violence is problematic,” Cohen said.
Now let’s change to the actuality:
“Any program where adherents to Militant Islamic Doctrines are being targeted as having a propensity to violence is problematic” For who?
The doctrine of Islam does contain a terrible baggage of violence and mayhem but the appeasers won’t address the real issues. They simply cry, “Islamophobia!”, and promptly run off to protect their lifeline to the teat of milk and honey and their privilege on the world stage. This is not their “finest hour”.
Stephanie says
EXTREMIST#1 & Love™ allah, Q5:38(-40) “AMPUTATE hands”
vs. German Constsitution Art 2, 2
http://quran.com/5/38-40
Ami tzedek says
Bh
The workmens circle is a holdout from the early
19th century communist/socialist. Classic red/green
Meaning the Jewish dhimmis speak out in favor of
A mythical Moozlem victim.
Angemon says
Of course. I mean, Jews never flew planes into buildings in the name of Yahweh (unless you buy into muslim conspiracy theories) or went into an halal supermarket and killed shoppers on the account of them being muslims. But overlooking facts and evidences, yeah, same thing, really.
mortimer says
Jihad is not terrorism according to Islam, but Allah’s legitimate destruction of the dirty kafirs who are no better than vermin (“The worst of beasts”-Koran)
Muslims are commanded by Allah to fight-and-kill (Arabic q-t-l) the dirty kafirs until they are exterminated or convert to Islam.
CAIR cannot approve any measure that stops the jihad. CAIR is a front for the Muslim Brotherhood.
mortimer says
Hamas-front CAIR says: “false notions of the link between Islam and terrorism”
Koran 8.60 says: “Turhibunna” (terrorize them)
CAIR is a bunch of professional liars.
Musthava Ram Ram says
Put a Little Hurt on the Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood group, CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), is campaigning to be named one of the “top-rated non-profit” organizations for 2015. Here’s a great opportunity to flood the website called ‘Great Nonprofits’ with the sad truth about CAIR.
Here you go… Let them know how all the “Islamophobes” in America feel about them! So far they are at 1.5 stars…
The comments are good http://greatnonprofits.org/org/council-on-american-islamic-relations-inc
I urge all Jihad Watch commenters to post a review of Cair. It will only take a few minutes and will have significant impact. I posted this a few days ago and haven’t seen any obvious JW comments since.
Jax Tolmen says
Did anyone else pick up on the fact that they used the words “community police.” They would prefer to police themselves.
Is it just me or is that a step towards demanding Sharia police.
underbed cat says
The soft and fuzzy approach to insurgency is really ingenious, the calming voices, charity work soften the targets. They can speak to community leaders and give them numbing assurances with misinformation to ease the advancement of a violent ideology that nobody can name. But when they do name or describe the words of Islam, suddenly the need for (false) correction calls upon organizations with media connections to deny. Community outreach in both directions fail because one really does not know the other. Soft and fuzzy works for Clinton, methods of exposing bad leadership will have to be a little careful since less repeating her name but calling out the name of her department, child welfare, defense, and boss….and it’s mistakes. The refugee programs are landing many into communities who have no clue who is arriving. I believe they have arrived in my community , no doubt the CVE is even here, along with the youth prepping for soft and fuzzy, bow ties and bad ideas. Robert Spencer great article…I see it.
Jack HOLAN says
Ah Mr Cohen from the Workmans Circle of Boston was at one time and probably still is a Jewish front for the Communist Party. The Jewish Voice for Peace an Anti-Discrimination organization is a ‘laugh’. What they mean is if you aren’t a Jewish Israeli. Don’t reporters investigate like Journalists used to do and some continue in that vane. I’d love to see CAIR confronted with the number of terrorist charges since 01/01/2015 and the faith they claim to represent and since the same time frame the total number of all faiths charged with terrorist charges =0 and have them explain how this is profiling or community treatment since the Muslim Organizations haven’t been successful. I’m being nice here.