This cartoon was created in December 2001 and is in our book, Black & White World. At the time it seemed to us that American Muslims were doing little to explain what differentiated them ideologically from the 9/11 terrorists. It should have been their first priority, because so heinous a crime understandably threatened to tarnish all of Islam. Unfortunately, not much has changed in two years.
Charles Johnson at Little Green Footballs had some good commentary on this issue earlier this week: ISNA Seethes, Whines. Here is Charles' post:
"The Associated Press reports that American Muslim leaders at the ISNA convention in Chicago, led by the radical Islamist front group CAIR, are expressing their seething anger over the US government's totally unwarranted scrutiny of Islamic groups. What a shock."
CHICAGO -- American Muslim leaders, stung by the government's scrutiny of their community during the domestic hunt for terrorists, have pledged to express their anger at the polls.Leaders of the Islamic Society of North America announced plans Sunday during their annual meeting to register 1 million Muslim voters and make civil rights a top issue in any endorsement of a presidential candidate.
"A defining moment of Islam in America is approaching," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group based in Washington. "We cannot surrender our future and our destiny to hate in this country."
[Charles continues:] "Never mind that the largest Islamic conference this year would be a perfect opportunity to denounce radical Islam and its totalitarian agenda. Instead they'll whine about how oppressed they are and how evil America is, and deny, deny, deny.
"This is exactly why an ever-increasing number of Americans have a negative opinion of Islam. Stand up and be counted, 'moderate Islam,' or forever hold your peace. Time is running out."
Posted by Forkum at September 4, 2003 06:16 AM
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