Daniel Pipes calls CAIR terrorists, smears Kucinich
I first saw this nasty little meme about a month or so ago at extreme right-wing websites like Free Republic and Little Green Footballs, both of whom mentioned either me personally or the Muslims For Kucinich website to illustrate support for Dennis Kucinich among American Muslims.
Although one might think that these people would be glad to see American Muslims getting involved in the political process as a sign of integration into American society and commitment to upholding American democracy, they instead choose to label Muslims as a "fifth column", enemies working within to undermine America. Although one might think that they would be glad to see American Muslims supporting a candidate who is a strong voice for peace and non-violence, as Dennis Kucinich is, they instead choose to imagine (I can only assume) a nefarious plot in which Kucinich leaves America open to Evil Muslim Hordes, and American Muslims want to help him do this.
What it really illustrates is their own bigotry and hypocrisy as they indulge in McCarthyite tactics and witch hunting against not only Muslims but liberals in general. The rhetoric they use against both groups is disturbing, even frightening if, like me, you have been made a target of it in however small a way.
Now the "transmission belt" (dicussed extensively by David Neiwert) has taken this meme a step closer to the mainstream with Daniel Pipes's attack on Kucinich on C-SPAN. Follow the extended entry link to read an email alert I received from my local Kucinich campaign office urging supporters to not only defend Kucinich against the smear, but to defend Muslims as well.
MEDIA ALERT
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October 1, 2003
DENNIS KUCINICH FALSELY ACCUSED ON C-SPAN OF BEING IN LEAGUE WITH TERRORISTS
Dennis Kucinich, 2003 recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award, was recently accused by Daniel Pipes on C-Span of being in league with Muslim Islamists.
Pipes made this recent allegation because of Dennis's upcoming address to the Southern Californian chapter of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) on Oct 4th. Pipes disingenuously implies that CAIR is a hotbed of Islamists -- militant radical Muslims -- when he knows that CAIR is a coalition of everyday Muslims, people of the Islamic faith.
Daniel Pipes, who believes that the only path to Middle East Peace will come through a total Israeli military victory, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace.
The United States Institute of Peace calls itself "an independent, nonpartisan federal institution created by Congress to promote the prevention, management, and peaceful resolution of international conflicts." Its Board of Directors is "appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate."
Except in this instance, the Senate wasn't asked. When Pipes's nomination died in committee, President Bush made the recess appointment good until Jan 2005.
Accusing Dennis of allying himself with terrorist Islamists simply because he will address a group of Muslims at a CAIR banquet is a deliberate misrepresentation of facts and must not be tolerated.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
1. Please contact the following. Let them know your disgust at Daniel Pipes's attempt to subvert the truth and to paint Dennis as a traitor. Make clear your disappointment in Pipes's appointment to the U.S. Institute of Peace Board of Directors.
i. Sen. Patty Murray -- (phone) 206.553.5545, (fax) 206.553.0891, email
form http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
ii. Sen. Maria Cantwell -- (phone) 206.220.6400, (fax) 206.220.2404,
email form http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
iii.Rep. Jim McDermott - (phone) 206.553.7170, (fax) 206.553.7175, email
form http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/contact2.html
iv. U.S. Institute of Peace - email form
http://www.usip.org/aboutus/contactus/emailform.html
2. After you've completed this, please tell us what you've done -- who you contacted, how, what you said, etc--by sending us an email at: media-response@kucinich-washington.org
3. If you've liked receiving this alert, consider becoming a member of our Media Corps. Be part of an elite state-wide network of supporters who respond to media alerts sent by the Washington State Kucinich for President Campaign.
For more information go to: http://www.kucinich-washington.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=11
4. Forward this email alert on to three friends. Thank you!
KUCINICH in 2004!!!
The Washington State Kucinich for President Campaign
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Washington for Kucinich Campaign
http://www.kucinich-washington.org/
Media Alert 003
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For information about Daniel Pipes, go to: http://www.danielpipes.org
For more information about Daniel Pipes, go to:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2003/22/we_420_01.html
For more about The U.S. Institute of Peace, go to: http://www.usip.org/
For more information about the Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR), go to: http://www.cair-net.org/
For information about the CAIR invitation for Dennis to speak at its Oct 4
banquet, go to: http://www.cair-california.org/scabanquetinfo.htm
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