In Defense of the Constitution
 
News & Analysis
041/04  December 21, 2004 



- CAIR: Defending Your Right to Free Speech?   

   On the Anti-CAIR web site, you will find the following warning posted on the bottom of each archived Press Release and News & Analysis: 

“ADVISORY:
Subscribers are warned that the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) may contact your employer if CAIR believes you are using a work address to receive any material that CAIR believes may be offensive.  CAIR has been known to shame employers into firing employees CAIR finds disagreeable.  For that reason, we strongly suggest that corporate e-mail users NOT use a corporate e-mail account/address when communicating with ACAIR or CAIR.  We make every reasonable effort to protect our mailing list, but we cannot guarantee confidentiality. ACAIR does not share, loan, sell, rent or otherwise publicize our mailing list.  We respect your privacy!”

    ACAIR placed that advisory on our postings because CAIR has contacted businesses and corporate e-mail hosts in an effort to silence employees who exercise their First Amendment rights from work, use company e-mail addresses to comment on CAIR's statements and activities. 

    ACAIR has been contacted by several people whom claimed to be subjected to CAIR harassment. One writer has agreed to allow us to show you how this self-described "Muslim Civil Rights Group" goes about trying to impose the Iranian or Saudi view of free speech (i.e., there is none) on those Americans who dare to express their views.  


  In August, 2004, the following e-mail was sent to CAIR:

<Begin Quote>

Subject:     Imam Ali Shrine

From Your Web Site:

U.S. Muslims Urge End to Fighting Near Iraqi Shrine
CAIR says attack would harm America’s image in Islamic world

A prominent national civil rights and advocacy group today said a U.S. attack on the Imam Ali Shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf would harm America’s image in the Muslim world and called for negotiations to end the fighting.

RESPONSE

The unprovoked Muslim attack on America the killed 3,000+ people harmed the Islamic image in the CIVILIZED world.

The Islamic radicals must be destroyed.  Their leader has an arrest warrant issued by Iraqi courts.  He is a criminal that is using “holy” sites as protection…clear violation of Geneva Conventions.  Any attacks from “holy” sites or storage of weapons in such makes them “fair game” for attacks or retaliation.

Negotiations????  Surely you jest.  You people called for a cease fire, which we honored, BUT the radicals did not.  They used the respite to rearm and reorganize.

It is hard to conceive of a so-called “religion of peace” being filled with such hatred.

<End Quote>

     In the above, do we see any evidence of insulting Islam? Imputing of criminal or terrorist intent onto the US/Canadian Muslim community?  Gratuitous name-calling or ethnic/religious insults? 

     No? 

     Then why did CAIR send the following e-mail to the writer’s employer?

Subject:  is this e-mail representative of your company?

Peace.

CAIR receive the following hostile e-mail apparently from a (company name) employee.  Does its content reflect your company’s views?

Ibrahim Hooper
National Communications Director
www.cair-net.org
202-488-8787

(The writers e-mail was inserted here)

    On August 16, 2004, CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper called the writer’s employer and left a message on his voice mail…Hooper wanted to know if the writer’s e-mail reflected company policy and asked the employer to call Hooper.  The boss asked the writer about the e-mail and the mix-up in the e-mail address was explained.  The writer then explained a little about CAIR’s activities and shared his personal opinions regarding CAIR.  The boss listened, agreed with the employee and said he had no intention of calling “this guy” back.  He finished by saying he did not want some terrorist blowing up the building.


    The employee then responded to CAIR:   

<Begin Quote>

Subject:  Attn: Ibrahim Hooper

Peace.

I was speaking for myself…  just forgot to change to email account to my personal account.  And no it did not get me “into trouble” as I am sure you hoped it would.  You have the audacity to call my email hostile?

I notice you did not respond to my comments.  This is so typical.  As “Communications Director”, I would expect a high profile NATIONAL response to the evil that is being perpetrated by Muslims world wide.  If CAIR does not accept this evil, why are PROMINENT members of your faith not getting out the “truth”.  Silence sometimes speaks louder than words.

Do you deny that the cleric that has set up his battle station in the Holy site is not wanted as a criminal under Iraqi law?
Do you deny that is trying to upset the move to democracy in Iraq?
Do you deny that the Geneva Convention forbids using churches, mosques, temples, etc as a haven for battle sites and storage of weaponry?
Do you deny that Imams the world over are teaching hatred on non-muslims, expecially Americans?
Do you deny that is was muslims that attacked us on 911?
Do you deny that is was muslims that attacked the USS Cole?
What about the Kobar Towers?

Speaking “Peace” is on thing and easy to do…  living a life of peace is quite another.  Do you have the courage to answer my questions?  Do you have the courage to LIVE a life of peace and acceptance of those other than muslims?

<End Quote>

    Hooper did not, or could not, answer. 

    It seems to ACAIR that Hooper is a "free speech bully".

    He threatens and tries to intimidate Americans into silence, but is actually absolutely terrified of a free exchange of ideas or facts.  Why are you so afraid, Doug? Is it because the philosophy of Muslim extremism, as practiced by those who in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere who fund CAIR simply can't stand the sunlight of public debate and objective scrutiny?  Why are you afraid of the truth?    

    CAIR claims it supports civil rights…but its actions, in ACAIR's opinion, demonstrate that it is hostile to the First Amendment guarantee of free speech that is the bedrock for the United States Constitution, and to many of the Judeo-Christian values that have made the U.S. what it is today.  ACAIR believes the facts show CAIR hates free expression and free speech, and that if it had the power of the mullahs and autocrats in Iran/Saudi/Gaza, it would treat its critics, and critics of Muslim violence, in the same way.  ACAIR asks what next, CAIR?  Are you going to decree that anyone who criticizes you or Muslims should be treated just like the writer Salomon Rushdie, who had a death sentence placed on his head?  

    ACAIR wonders why CAIR is so allergic to criticism, and afraid of free speech and open debate? 

    ACAIR asks why does CAIR try to impose the oppression common in Saudi Arabia or Syria on Americans, here in the U.S.? 

        And ACAIR asks:    

    …why isn’t this question being asked by the “mainstream” media? 




Andrew Whitehead
Director
Anti-CAIR (ACAIR)
ajwhitehead@anti-cair-net.org
www.anti-cair-net.org





 
ADVISORY:
Subscribers are warned that the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) may contact your employer if CAIR believes you are using a work address to receive any material that CAIR believes may be offensive.  CAIR has been known to shame employers into firing employees CAIR finds disagreeable.  For that reason, we strongly suggest that corporate e-mail users NOT use a corporate e-mail account/address when communicating with ACAIR or CAIR.  We make every reasonable effort to protect our mailing list, but we cannot guarantee confidentiality. ACAIR does not share, loan, sell, rent or otherwise publicize our mailing list.  We respect your privacy!

TIPS:
All persons are invited to submit tips and leads.  ACAIR will acknowledge receipt of all tips/leads, but we will NOT acknowledge the source of ANY tip or lead in our Press Releases or on our web site. Exceptions are made for leading media personalities at the discretion of ACAIR and only on request of the person(s) submitting the tip or lead.