Karen Lugo
Congressman King’s hearings on home-grown radicalization must result in more than politically correct pronouncements if we are to encourage moderate Muslims to take an active role in checking agents of political Islam. It only makes sense that liberal Muslims will watch the government to see if there is political will to identify the agents of radicalization and expose the process. Ten years after 9/11 -- with 34 subsequent, and foiled, terror attacks in the interim – this Homeland Security congressional committee has a fiduciary duty to tackle the multicultural smokescreen that shrouds serious inquiry into dangerous Islamism. After all, why should moderate Muslims risk raising the challenge in an effort to defend American constitutional culture if Congress cannot take a courageous lead? Toronto moderate Muslim leader, Terek Fatah warns of the result when politically correct paralysis infects government response to Muslim radicalization: “Muslims like myself, who do their best to promote the equality and respect that the police claim to cherish, are left without legal protection when radicals explicitly and publicly threaten us with violence.” This plea for support and protection came after a recent Twitter message that warned, “this is an open threat. I know where you live/work @TarekFatah.” This is the second threat incident that Fatah has brought to police attention and he fears nothing is being done. Fatah faults Toronto police "in their wish to promote an image of diversity and outreach, [who] have dedicated themselves to serving and protecting the radical Islamist elements within our city.”
American moderate Muslim, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser testified at the King hearing. Jasser blames the theo-politically driven Islamists for “indoctrinating” young Muslims and “fostering a climate of non-cooperation” by pounding a message that America is “against Islam and against Muslims.” He says that the solution will come from internal reform and programs like his Muslim Liberty Project. Dr. Jasser is risking much to get America’s attention. He knows that America has the unique ability to succeed where Europe has failed if we create a safe place for patriotic, moderate and reform-minded Muslims. Jasser understands that the enemy is political Islam, not American liberty, free speech, and individual rights.
The toxic radicalization influence comes from activists like Hamas-sympathizer Amir Abdel Malik (Malik Ali) who frequents America’s university campuses. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Ali said this about Jews to a crowd at UC Irvine, "The truth of the matter is your days are numbered. We will fight you until we are either martyred or we are victorious…It's about time that they [Israelis] live in fear." Ali recently spoke to a UCLA audience of over 700 and closed with an invitation to say the “pledge,” a Muslim Brotherhood-based credo including: “Jihad is my spirit” and “I will die to establish Islam.”
The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim Brotherhood front posing as a civil rights organization (FBI agent has testified that CAIR was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee), works to promote the sense of Muslim victimization that Dr. Jasser says “uses the concept of minority status to anesthetize America to the real problems” of radical Islam. Recently CAIR reacted in standard fashion when citizens protested a Yorba Linda (California) Islamic Circle of North America fundraiser and the two featured extremist speakers, imams Abdel Malik Ali and Sirhaj Wajjaj. Two weeks after the fundraiser and protest, CAIR created a deliberately misleading video that interspersed clips from the peaceful protest with video footage from a separate group of hecklers, smearing the protestors at the planned rally as "bigots" and "Islamophobes." This kind of campaign to intimidate defenders of American constitutional culture while providing cover for radical Islamists is designed to frame the public debate and further alienate the Muslim community. It is instructive to note that the FBI cut ties with CAIR in 2009 due to CAIR’s linkage with Hamas and that CAIR is named an un-indicted co-conspirator -- as also affirmed by the DOJ and federal district court Judge Solis -- in the Holy Land Foundation terror financing trial.
Much credit goes to Congressman King and his committee for standing resolute against pressure to cancel the hearings. It is important to not only support Congressman King’s hearings, but to also hold this process accountable for identifying the agents of radicalization at work in America. Moderate Muslims are hoping that America can meet this challenge.
Family Security Matters Contributing Editor Karen Lugo is a Constitutional Law Attorney and is the founder of the Libertas-West Project, Co-Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence and President of the Orange County Federalist Society.
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