The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) released a report titled “Legislating Fear – Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States” on Thursday. The report profiles and accuses several individuals, websites, organizations of being anti-Islamic and spreading so called “Islamophobia” throughout the United States.
The controversial organization, that was
named an unindicted co-conspirator in the U.S. government’s 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial and
reportedly built ties with the current administration is hitting back at its critics in this report.
Among the offenders in its report, CAIR names: Fox News, The Washington Times, The Rush Limbaugh Show, The Mark Levin Show, National Review, Eagle Forum, Christian Broadcasting Network, American Islamic Leadership Coalition, Family Security Matters, American Center for Law and Justice, Traditional Values Coalition, Donors Capital Fund.
CAIR describes the groups above as part of the “Islamophobia network’s outer core.” They list 32 in total:
Many of the listed foundations were identified by the Center for America Progress Action Fund in Fear, Inc. and are included because they funnel money to the network. Just as providing funds to white supremacist or anti-Semitic groups should be seen as anathema, these foundations must be held to socially responsible standards.Outer Core groups are noted throughout this report, but will be given a fuller examination in a subsequent document.
CAIR discusses 37 groups within “Islamophobia’s network’s inner core” :
CAIR identifies 37 groups in the Islamophobia network’s inner core. The impact of eleven of these groups is local in nature. Five of the local groups are based in Florida: Americans Against Hate, Citizens for National Security, Counter Terrorism Operations Center, Florida Family Association and The United West. ACT! For America is headquartered in Florida as well. The influence of these groups spans a full spectrum from minimal, such as the Sheepshead Bay, New York’s Bay People, to significant, such as ACT! For America, the Center for Security Policy, Jihad Watch, Atlas Shrugs and the Investigative Project on Terrorism. The Inner Core is examined at length in the next section of this report.
CAIR also goes after individuals like American businessman Foster Friess for his 2012 PAC donation support of GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum. CAIR says it is critical of Santorum for “endors[ing] profiling of Muslims during a presidential debate.”:
On his website, Friess lists among his key issues “helping peaceful Muslims … to transcend the 7th century ideology of violence, intimidation, and coercion that threatens them … and us.” 7 Leading the cause, according to Friess, are inner core groups such as Brigitte Gabriel and ACT! for America, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser and the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Frank Gaffney and the Center for Security Policy, and Jihad Watch.
CAIR claims the key factors that increased “islamophobia” in the U.S. in 2011 and 2012 include the employment of anti-Muslim trainers and training materials at the FBI, military, and other government agencies and the use of “anti-Muslim rhetoric” by Republican presidential candidates.
The organization also does not appreciate that then House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY), whom CAIR calls “anti-Muslim” held “five hearings targeting the entire Muslim community.”
CAIR and other like-minded groups
managed to convince top government law enforcement officials to purge training materials and books that were deemed offensive to Muslims as well as trainers accused of being “anti-Muslim.”
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