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| CAIR vs. Robert Spencer |
| 2007-08-09 |
| It is one of the oddities of American politics that the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) can describe itself as a "civil-liberties group" while crusading to crush the free-speech rights of its critics. But that's exactly what happened last week when CAIR deployed its legal arsenal in a bid to stop author Robert Spencer from speaking at a conference of the Young America's Foundation (YAF). In a letter to YAF dispatched by its lawyer, former Democratic National Committee staff counsel Joseph E. Sandler, CAIR threatened to "pursue every appropriate legal remedy" if Spencer were not immediately silenced. In the event, the YAF honorably refused to yield. The moral of the story: If CAIR disagrees with what you have to say, it'll fight furiously to deny your right to say it. To heck with civil liberties. CAIR is not a first-time offender in this regard. Indeed, Spencer is only the most recent target of the organization's ongoing campaign to strangle free debate, especially when it turns on Islamic extremism. Other recipients of CAIR's wrath have included scholar Daniel Pipes, conservative columnist Cal Thomas, talk radio host Michael Graham, venerable news pundit Paul Harvey, National Review magazine, Fox's 24, and Andrew Whitehead, the proprietor of the website Anti-CAIR. In a telling example of CAIR's bullying tactics, Whitehead's dogged criticism of the organization got him slapped with a defamation suit. When CAIR's suit was decisively dismissed last year, the victory of an independent critic against the 32-chapter group, with its war chest filled by millions in petrodollars from Saudi royals and Gulf sheikdoms, had a certain David-vs.-Goliath resonance. Rest at link. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #5 in other words.. Rats.... sinking ships.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-08-09 23:54 |
| #4 Interesting fact: since 9/11--which is to say, ever since CAIR became the most prominent letterhead group openly siding with the bad guys--90% of its members have bailed. That is to say, 90% of the American Moslems who were motivated to join a "civil rights" group purporting to represent them on or before 9/10/01--presumably, those who felt the least assimilated into mainstream society, and were more likely to perceive discrimination than those who didn't join CAIR--have quit the organization. The only thing keeping CAIR alive is the Saudi money, and the tendency of the MSM to call up letterhead "civil rights" groups every time they need an interview. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-08-09 15:39 |
| #3 Getting sued by CAIR is quickly becoming a badge of honor. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2007-08-09 12:45 |
| #2 What we need are some attorneys who will side with those fighting CAIR. Attorneys that will counter sue and take that Saudi Oil money. |
| Posted by: Elmigum Gonque3914 2007-08-09 10:35 |
| #1 If they keep suing like this, RICO their asses. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-08-09 10:19 |