In Defense of the Constitution
Anti-CAIR Press Release 007/03
May 02, 2003
ACAIR Questions CAIR-CANADA's Attack on Canadian Politician
On 25 April, 2003, the Canadian office of the Council
on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) issued a press release (http://www.caircan.ca/itn_more.php?id=302_0_2_0_C)
attacking Mr. Stephen Leach, a politician affiliated with the Progressive
Conservative Party (PCP) of Canada. According to CAIR-CAN, Mr. Leach
authored an e-mail that was Islamophobic in nature.
ACAIR questions the motives
of CAIR-CAN in making public Mr. Leach's e-mail. Mr. Leach, a member
of Canada's Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) wrote the e-mail in response
to comments the Ameriphobic CAIR spokesperson, Ibrahim Hooper made regarding
the work of Rev. Franklin Graham in relieving suffering in Iraq. Mr.
Leach sent his e-mail to CAIR headquarters in Washington, D.C. as a private
citizen and did not mention his association with the PCP. When questioned,
Mr. Leach made it clear that his comments were private in nature and were
in no way connected to the PCP.
CAIR, a self-proclaimed "civil rights" organization,
did a background check on Mr. Leach and discovered that he was an executive
with the PCP and contacted their Canadian affiliate (CAIR-CAN) which issued
the press release. It should be noted that CAIR consistently checks
the backgrounds of e-mail senders looking for leading personalities who positions
can be exploited to advance their fundamentalist Islamic cause. In addition,
employees of companies that have used corporate e-mail accounts to send complaining
e-mail to CAIR have found themselves fired when CAIR contacts their employers
and complains of "Islamophobia."
ACAIR notes that the PCP
had initially refused to become involved in this matter, believing it to be
a private matter. It was only after CAIR-CAN had pressed the matter
to PCP Party leader, Mr. Joe Clark, that the PCP agreed to co-release
a press statement condemning Mr. Leach's comments. It was confirmed
by Mr. Thomas O'Brien, of the Oshawa Federal PC Riding Association,
that Mr. Leach had been suspended indefinitely. ACAIR's source indicates
that he negotiated a definite suspension period and that he will return.
Mr. Leach was non-committal when queried as to whether he intends to run for
office in November. Mr. Leach further stated that he stands by his
comments and will not retract them.
ACAIR finds it frustrating
that not one of the articles published in the local newspapers defended Mr.
Leach's right to freedom of speech. Both the Ottawa Citizen
(http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/archives/story.asp?id=B9DE3332-6451-4C85-A81D-5CF7E9B99B36)
and the Durham Region.com (http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/regions/oshawa/story/1038282p-1239656c.html)
noted the comments of CAIR-CAN but failed to adequately carry Mr. Leach's
response. Neither paper defended Mr. Leach's right to hold a private
opinion, separate from his public life.
ACAIR (http://www.anti-cair-net.org)
is a union of concerned Americans dedicated to shutting down the CAIR organization
in the United States. We believe CAIR supports terrorism and is an insult
to the American way of life.
For more information:
Andrew Whitehead
ajwhitehead@anti-cair-net.org
ACAIR