Letter to BBC, World Service, "World Have Your Say":
BBC world service in Asia is running a special program on domestic terrorism in the US.
A representative of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) made several claims during the program that are misleading at best, disingenuous at worst. [and, by the way: CAIR are unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism trial and are linked to Hamas, which is a terrorist organisation according to the US and the EU. Why did the BBC not mention this, when they introduced him?]
1. CAIR claim: Congressman Peter King made an “anti-Muslim statement” before his hearings on radicalism in the Muslim community.
Reality: The CAIR spokesman is probably referring to King’s remark that 80% of mosques in the US are promoting extremist ideologies (quoting research by a Muslim cleric). This statement of King’s was attacked by some in the media. But is supported by a total of five studies since 1998, the latest in June 2011.[fn1]
2. CAIR claim: the US is trying to pass anti-Muslim legislation.
Reality: this refers to moves in a number of US states to pass legislation outlawing the use of the laws of any religion (not just Islam) to supersede domestic US law. This is called “American laws for American Courts”. [fn2]
The fact that CAIR takes this as being targetted at Islam is revealing. It reflects that fact that Islam is the only religion in the world that has a complete system of religious jurisprudence, which it tries to promote in any country in which it is resident. The UK has over 80 Sharia courts which routinely discriminate against women and children. [fn3] At least 23 US states have used Sharia law in appellate cases. [fn4]
3. CAIR claim: Demonising Islam: “people say things about Islam that they would not say about any other religion”.
Reality: True, but.... people say things about Islam that they would not about any other religion because Islam is not like any other religion. We would not say that, for example, Buddhists want to impose misogynist buddhist laws on society: because they don’t. Or that Baptists want to fight non-Baptists, because the don’t. Islam is unique among the religions of the world in having a developed doctrine, theology and legal system that mandates warfare against unbelievers.
The CAIR spokesman said that the first impression many people had of Islam was the planes flying into the the Twin Towers. They did not understand Islam, if that’s all they knew. They needed to become educated in Islam.
The problem with that statement is that the more one learns about Islam, the more one understands that the 911 hijackers were acting in accordance with basic Islamic doctrine. That is: the more one learns about Islam, the more one realises that it is indeed doctrinally violent and specifically teaches the killing of infidels. That’s uncomfortable: but it’s unarguably true.
[fn2]: http://www.davidyerushalmilaw.com/CLE-Course-on-Draft-Uniform-Act--American-Laws-for-American-Courts-b25-p0.html. “The essence of this draft legislation is to provide a baseline law that provides a statutory framework for precluding constitutionally objectionable foreign laws and legal systems from finding their way into the state judicial system.”
[fn3]: http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/new-report-sharia-law-in-britain-a-threat-to-one-law-for-all-and-equal-rights/
[fn4]: http://shariahinamericancourts.com/
BBC world service in Asia is running a special program on domestic terrorism in the US.
A representative of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) made several claims during the program that are misleading at best, disingenuous at worst. [and, by the way: CAIR are unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism trial and are linked to Hamas, which is a terrorist organisation according to the US and the EU. Why did the BBC not mention this, when they introduced him?]
1. CAIR claim: Congressman Peter King made an “anti-Muslim statement” before his hearings on radicalism in the Muslim community.
Reality: The CAIR spokesman is probably referring to King’s remark that 80% of mosques in the US are promoting extremist ideologies (quoting research by a Muslim cleric). This statement of King’s was attacked by some in the media. But is supported by a total of five studies since 1998, the latest in June 2011.[fn1]
2. CAIR claim: the US is trying to pass anti-Muslim legislation.
Reality: this refers to moves in a number of US states to pass legislation outlawing the use of the laws of any religion (not just Islam) to supersede domestic US law. This is called “American laws for American Courts”. [fn2]
The fact that CAIR takes this as being targetted at Islam is revealing. It reflects that fact that Islam is the only religion in the world that has a complete system of religious jurisprudence, which it tries to promote in any country in which it is resident. The UK has over 80 Sharia courts which routinely discriminate against women and children. [fn3] At least 23 US states have used Sharia law in appellate cases. [fn4]
3. CAIR claim: Demonising Islam: “people say things about Islam that they would not say about any other religion”.
Reality: True, but.... people say things about Islam that they would not about any other religion because Islam is not like any other religion. We would not say that, for example, Buddhists want to impose misogynist buddhist laws on society: because they don’t. Or that Baptists want to fight non-Baptists, because the don’t. Islam is unique among the religions of the world in having a developed doctrine, theology and legal system that mandates warfare against unbelievers.
The CAIR spokesman said that the first impression many people had of Islam was the planes flying into the the Twin Towers. They did not understand Islam, if that’s all they knew. They needed to become educated in Islam.
The problem with that statement is that the more one learns about Islam, the more one understands that the 911 hijackers were acting in accordance with basic Islamic doctrine. That is: the more one learns about Islam, the more one realises that it is indeed doctrinally violent and specifically teaches the killing of infidels. That’s uncomfortable: but it’s unarguably true.
*******************
[fn1]: http://thebattleoftours.blogspot.com/2011/06/mosques-in-us-really-do-promote-hate.html[fn2]: http://www.davidyerushalmilaw.com/CLE-Course-on-Draft-Uniform-Act--American-Laws-for-American-Courts-b25-p0.html. “The essence of this draft legislation is to provide a baseline law that provides a statutory framework for precluding constitutionally objectionable foreign laws and legal systems from finding their way into the state judicial system.”
[fn3]: http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/new-report-sharia-law-in-britain-a-threat-to-one-law-for-all-and-equal-rights/
[fn4]: http://shariahinamericancourts.com/
