CAIR (COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS) OFFENDED AGAIN
By Katie Pavlich
8/31/2011
Another day, another thing CAIR is offended about. When CAIR isn’t busy being named a terrorism co-conspirator, the group spends its time being offended about historically factual politically incorrect coloring books.
A colouring book about the events of 9/11, complete with pictures of the burning twin towers and the execution of a cowering Osama bin Laden for children to fill in, has provoked outrage among American Muslims.
We Shall Never Forget 9/11: The Kids’ Book of Freedom has just been released by the Missouri-based publisher Really Big Coloring Books, which says it is “designed to be a tool that parents can use to help teach children about the facts surrounding 9/11”. Showing scenes from 9/11 for children to colour in and telling the story of the attacks and the subsequent hunt for Osama bin Laden, “the book was created with honesty, integrity, reverence, respect and does not shy away from the truth”, according to its publisher, which says that it has sold out of its first print run of 10,000 copies.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has condemned the book as “disgusting”, saying that it characterises all Muslims as linked to extremism, terrorism and radicalism, which could lead children reading the book to believe that all Muslims are responsible for 9/11, and that followers of the Islamic faith are their enemies.
Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the organisation, told the Toronto Star that “America is full of these individuals and groups seeking to demonise Islam and marginalise Muslims and it’s just a fact of life in the post-9/11 era”. Nonetheless, he expressed his hope that “parents would recognise the agenda behind this book and not expose their children to intolerance or religious hatred”.
Publisher Wayne Bell told American television that the book does not portray Muslims “in a negative light at all. That is incorrect. This is about 19 terrorist hijackers that came over here under the leadership of a devil worshipper, Osama bin Laden, to murder our people,” Bell said. “He [Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR] calls the book disgusting … but he should call the people in the book, the 19 terrorists, Osama bin Laden, he should call him disgusting. This is history. It is absolutely factual.”
CAIR and political correctness have been held partially responsible for the radicalization of Americans in the American-Muslim Community.
Rep. Frank Wolf represents Virginia’s 10th District and has dealt with multiple situations involving radicalized American Muslims in his district, including the recently foiled DC-metro system bomb plot Farooque Ahmed planned to carry out. Wolf slammed CAIR, saying they are responsible for a large portion of the radicalization in America. He testified that his concern is not limited to CAIR’s disturbing origin and involvement with terrorist organizations, but with CAIR’s attempts to attack the reputations of those who dare to question their motives and those who call for investigations about the dangers of violent and radical Islam. Wolf also accused CAIR of driving a wedge between the American Muslim community and the FBI by encouraging Muslims not to corporate with terrorist investigations.
“CAIR is counterproductive and is hurting the American Muslim community,” Wolf said.
Katie Pavlich
Katie Pavlich the News Editor at Townhall.com.
