CAIR Demonstration Phoenix

Coming to you from the Holy City of Tempe Arizona.

With original slogans drawn on placards, Arizona Muslims gathered anemically on the corner of University and Mill Avenue in Tempe Arizona yesterday evening. They were there to “stand for human rights and dignity.” This demonstration was organized by CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. This Washington DC based organization boasts 26 affiliated state chapters.

The group gathered slowly on the northwest corner of University and Mill Avenues and at their peak I counted between fifty and 100 participants, with three anti-bush, anti-war protesters gathered on the southwest corner. The three anti-bush, anti-war protesters are somewhat regular fixtures who can be found there routinely every Friday between 5 PM and 7 PM.

The Muslim group brought with them a large variety of signs and placards. I observed that a small minority of the group produced the majority of the placards. Many were taken directly from the CAIR website:

        Stop the cycle of Violence!

        Say NO to terrorism!

        Say NO to murder!

        Say NO to mutilation! (wonder if this includes clitorectomys?)

        Say No to torture!

        Say NO to all forms of human rights violations!

        Not in my name!

I observed that initially the signs and placards seemed to support and condemn the killing of nick Berg and the “torture” of Iraqi prisoners.

The sign in the middle says "Justice for Nick Berg"

More on this later.

As I said the demonstration started rather slowly and I spent a degree of time roasting on the hot concrete slab/bench waiting to see what was to transpire. Having been caught in the middle of a riot years ago I was somewhat apprehensive to become enmeshed with the participants.

While watching from a distance I noticed an Asian looking young gentleman watching from an even greater distance. I approached him and struck up a conversation. Though not word for word, I’ll try to reproduce it here.

Are you part of the demonstration?

No. (he giggled)

You seem very interested in what is happening, are you Muslim also?

(more giggling)

No, I just think it’s neat. As a person of color I know what it’s like to be discriminated against.

Uh, ok. What kind of work do you do?

I’m a lawyer, a tax lawyer.

Are you from the US originally?

I’m from Vietnam, but I’ve lived here almost my whole life.

(I gesture to the crowd) So this is a good thing?

Ya, it’s really neat. (not much of a conversationalist for a lawyer I thought)

I’m curious, do you know who this people are?

No.

They’re from the Council on American-Is…

Oh, CAIR!

You know them then?

Uh, oh, emm, Uh, I read a lot. (sure you do bud I thought, BS meter needle starting to rise)

(he gets quiet)

Something I don’t quite understand? You’re a lawyer right?

Ya.

So you understand the power of using words, or more importantly the power of NOT using certain words- right?

Ya.

Have you read their website?

(Hems, haws, eyes blink rapidly and look everywhere except at me) No.

(One thing I have developed after working with tens of thousands of people is a very sensitive bullshit meter, and mine was pegged at this point. I just happened to print off CAIR’s statements about “Not in the name of Islam” before leaving the house.)

In CAIR’s statement “Not In The Name Of Islam” they never actually condemn terrorism. They use words like “repudiate” and “dissociate ourselves… from any Muslim… commits such brutal and unIslamic acts.” This is different from using words like DENOUNCE, CONDEMN, ABHOR, or WRONG, EVIL, DISPICABLE, UNGODLY etc. To be fair CAIR does use the word condemn in their press release concerning the killing of Mr. Berg, but they never actually condemn terrorism. This is an important point.

(The conversation with the lawyer ended here as he did not want to respond)

On CAIR’s “CAIR Condemns Murder of American in Iraq” webpage they state:

        “We condemn this cold-blooded murder and repudiate all those who commit such acts of mindless violence in the name of religion…”

Lets stop right here and address this.

“Name of Religion”

Which religion specifically are we talking about here? Is it the Catholics who are sawing the heads off of Americans? Do I need to worry if I travel to London that a radical group of Protestants are going to kidnap me, cut off my head and scream God is Great? What about the Lutherans? How many heads have they cut off recently? Then there are the Jews, but they don’t have time to cut off heads because they are busy cleaning up the skin, bones and blood of innocent women and children blown up by ROP.

No, the only animals currently sawing off heads are Muslims but you wouldn’t know that by reading the press release. No, they lump ALL Religions into the brutal category of the ROP. This statement is as genuine as me telling my dear wife how great her dress looks and how it is just wonderful what they can do with burlap these days.

Repudiate is used several times by CAIR and I think they are using this to try and deflect criticism and hide their true agenda. Repudiate can be used in the same way as renounce, but both of these words are weak in meaning and fall far short of other words like revile, rebuke, condemn, despise. I think CAIR is using repudiate in the same sense as one uses divorce. As in divorce oneself from another. Separate oneself from the actions of others. This is far different from denouncing and condemning ones actions. In fact, if you can’t denounce and condemn actions then you could be considered to be condoning the actions. If you are not with us you are against us. When speaking of torture, death, terrorism, or domestic abuse you are either for it or against it. There is no middle ground.

The un-stand CAIR has taken is disingenuous and is intended to obfuscate their true position and mislead the American people. A genuine statement would condemn terrorist actions and call for the application of justice. CAIR does neither to any effect.

If CAIR was concerned about human rights they would condemn the abysmal treatment given to females trapped in misogynistic backward Muslim countries. CAIR would call for equal rights for women and demand that women be allowed to leave the house without a male escort. They would demand that women be allowed to work at the occupation of the woman’s choice. They would demand Muslim countries stop the barbaric practice of clitorectomys, spousal abuse, and rape and honor killings.

CAIR’s condemnation of terror totally ignores the horrible plight of millions of enslaved Muslim women. So far I am not impressed with the goals and actions of CAIR. To say they are disingenuous is probably far too generous.

I briefly saw the brother of one of my patients at this event. He did not see me. His sister had a stroke and can not speak, walk, move or do anything for herself. She is however alert and oriented, she just can’t communicate. She spends her days crying and in great despair. I spent two hours with her brother discussing her condition, which will never change. I discussed do not resuscitate status and the terrible suffering she is experiencing. After two hours he made it perfectly clear that they were Muslim and after all, she is only a woman.

I will believe to the day I die that he is keeping her alive because he likes the idea of keeping a woman in pain. Through the conversation I had with him he said as much. When I compared notes with the doctor and nurses they told me they had come to the same conclusion.

As I watched this guy approach the demonstration I began to wonder what he was thinking. He approached several women. He said nothing but the look on his face was priceless. He screwed his face into a scowl, grunted a few words to one of the males, and stalked off.

I snapped some more pictures and walked across the street. I noticed two middle eastern looking men standing on the corner. One had a video camera and the other was directing him what to shoot. I approached and struck up another conversation.

Are you part of this? (gesturing at the crowd across the street)

Yes, he replied in perfect English.

What can you tell me about this demonstration?

The demonstration has two components, renouncing the murder of Mr. Berg, and disassociating us regular Muslims from people who have hijacked our religion. (Talk about a canned response.)

Where are you from?

Kuwait.

Do you work here in the US or are you just visiting?

Oh, I just finished a degree in mechanical engineering. I am going back to Kuwait next week.

What do you think of the Iraqi war?

You’d have to talk to an Iraqi to find that out.

Do you think it was right to kick Saddam out of power?

He gave a vague answer I couldn’t follow. I got the impression he liked Saddam and was unsure how to respond to my questions. I got the creepy feeling he is a terrorist or terrorist in the making. I wanted a picture of him but he was very allusive and made sure he kept his back to me.

After I walked a short distance away I noticed him gesticulating wildly at me while speaking rapidly to his friend. I have no idea what it was about because it was not in English.

It was about this time in the demonstration that I noticed the tone had changed somewhat. Suddenly there were more signs protesting Bush and the war in general. Several people crossed to my corner and I they were polite enough to pose for me. I asked the kid with this sign who was lying.

He responded as he ran away, Bush and Rumsfeld.

It was not long before more anti-bush anti-war placards appeared. It seemed the rally turned from primarily “we are peaceful Muslims and condemn violence” to “we are Muslims and condemn Bush and Rumsfeld.” I snapped a few more photos and walked across to the opposite corner.

One of the middle signs reads "Bush afraid to debate Saddam Hussen."

Two young men were standing on this corner smoking cigarettes. I approached them and started asking questions.

What do you think of this? I asked the cigarette smoking slightly obese red haired albino. (gesturing again at the demonstrators)

War. That was all he said.

What do you mean?

War. I would go to war if they would take me. We need to go to war until we win.

Sounds good to me but why do you say that?

I lost an uncle to Al Qaeda.

Really, would it be ok for me to ask what happened?

He was working in the south tower of the World Trade Center when the plane hit. We think he was killed by the plane. Doesn’t matter…

Are you from New York?

No, Sicily. I moved to Chicago and then here. We just need to finish the war and get on with it.

The conversation ended and I walked around a little before taking one more picture and heading home. It was interesting. I spoke to three people and all were from other countries.

The last picture I snapped was of one of the signs held by a L³ . The sign speaks for itself.

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