Members of the Democratic party from Philadelphia have joined a large number of Muslims and a number of congressional leaders in opposing the nomination of Daniel Pipes, a controversial critic of Islam, to the governing board of the US Institute of Peace, a federally funded body. They have described him as an inappropriate pick for a group dedicated to promoting peaceful solutions to world conflicts. Pipes advocates scrutiny of American Muslims and military strikes against Islamic states that threaten American interests.
| Oh, horrors! Uhhh... Why shouldn't we do both of those things? |
A vote on the Pipes nomination by the US Senateâs Health, Education, Labour and Pensions Committee was postponed indefinitely on July 23 after several senators, led by Tom Harkin and Edward Kennedy attacked his nomination in strong terms. Muslim rights organisations across the nation have joined hands to persuade President Bush to withdraw the nomination. Hundreds of faxes and e-mail messages have flowed into the White House containing the demand. Only one Muslim academic, a Pakistani, has expressed guarded support for Pipesâ nomination.
| That indicates either a pretty rigid definition of a "Muslim academic" or an unlikely degree of unanimity. Ask a random sampling of a hundred people if they'd vote for Mussolini and there are always some who'll say "yes, of course," and a certain proportion whose response is to ask if that sweater makes them look fat. Only in Iraqi or North Korean elections do you get a 100 percent vote... |
Pipes, an academic, has written often in US and foreign papers, including the New York Post and the Jerusalem Post, warning of the dangers of immigration by arguing that a majority of Denmarkâs convicted rapists are Muslims.
He has also defended racial profiling by saying that one in 10 Muslims in America is a militant, and as such a potential terrorist. âThis is an individual that is a lightning rod, highly controversial,â Senator Harkin has said. âWhen he talks about Muslims being funny looking, bringing different customs, I am sorry, this is not the person that ought to be on the US Institute of Peace board.â
| "We need somebody with a turban, or that nice fellow from CAIR who wears a brassiere cup on his head..." |
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