Posted by
Michael on Saturday, December 30, 2006 8:53:58 PM
A little bit of warning. You are sitll living on planet earth. You are not dreaming while you read this
article:Dec. 29, 2006 - In a highly unusual move, Sen. Barbara Boxer of
California has rescinded an award to an Islamic activist in her home
state because of the man’s connections to a major American Muslim
organization that recently has been courted by leading political
figures and even the FBI.
Boxer’s office confirmed to NEWSWEEK that she
has withdrawn a “certificate of accomplishment” to Sacramento activist
Basim Elkarra after learning that he serves as an official with the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
After directing her staff to look into CAIR, Boxer “expressed concern”
about some past statements and actions by the group, as well as
assertions by some law enforcement officials that it “gives aid to
international terrorist groups,” according to Natalie Ravitz, the
senator’s press spokeswoman.
Of course, CAIR did not react too kindly to this move by Sen. Boxer:
The move outraged CAIR officials who charged that the liberal Democratic senator was responding to the writings of
Joe Kaufman,
a blogger who has expressed sympathy for slain Jewish extremist Meir
Kahane in the past , and whose columns regularly appear on the Web site
of conservative activist David Horowitz. CAIR has formally asked for a
meeting with Boxer and demanded that she withdraw the action—which one
top CAIR official said smacks of “Islamophobia.”
“This is an attempt to marginalize the largest and most mainstream
Muslim organization in the country,” says Hussam Ayloush, executive
director of CAIR’s office in southern California. “This is absolutely
unacceptable.”