CAIR Does Important Work?

According to this official CAIR statement, Gov. Ed Rendell, (D-PA), showed up at CAIR-PA's fundraiser in Philadelphia last night. Before he arrived, freshman Rep. Joe Sestak, (D-PA), told CAIR that they did "important and necessary work in a difficult environment."

CAIR-PA thanked Rep. Sestak for refusing to back out of speaking at the dinner after facing rhetorical attacks from Islamophobic Internet bloggers who objected to his decision to address hundreds of local Muslims.

SEE: Sensitive Political Test for Sestak (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Sestak told dinner attendees: "CAIR does such important and necessary work in a difficult environment to change such perceptions and wrongs, from racial profiling and civil rights to promoting justice and mutual understanding, at a time when it is challenging to be an American-Muslim."

"We need to claim our values, not betray them, by ensuring there is not a psychology that pulls out of the rich fabric of our American community those who look like 'one of them.' We are better than that," said Sestak.

CAIR indeed does do important and necessary work. If not for CAIR, terrorists like Sami al-Arian wouldn't have spokespeople:

And yes, Ahmed Bedier has acted as Sami Al-Arian’s spokesman. One Google search on the internet of both their names provides over 200 results…mostly news stories containing quotes from Bedier about Al-Arian and his legal troubles. He was even the motivating force in trying to get Al-Arian’s trial moved out of Tampa! According to The Tampa Tribune, Bedier "said he was disappointed to learn a jury had been chosen. While most people in Tampa are nice, he said, they have seen years of media coverage portraying Al-Arian in a bad light."

If not for CAIR, 'charities' like the Holy Land Foundation wouldn't have been able to raise funds for Hamas in the aftermath of 9/11:

In September of 2001, just following the worst terrorist attack ever suffered in modern history, CAIR placed on its website, under a picture of the World Trade Center in flames, a plea for donations. It read, "Donate to the NY/DC Emergency Relief Fund."

Yet, when people clicked on the link, it did not take them to any NY/DC Emergency Relief Fund. No, it took them straight to the website of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, an Islamic ‘charity’ that was soon to be shut down by the United States for "raising millions of dollars annually for HAMAS."

What type of organization would play on the emotions of people wanting to contribute to the victims of the biggest terrorist attack in history? Here's the content of the Treasury Department's official statement:

ROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
December 4, 2001
PO-837

Statement of Secretary Paul O'Neill on the Blocking of Hamas Financiers' Assets

When the President declared war on terrorist financing in September, we made al Qaida our primary focus of attention, and have since blocked $61 million worldwide in assets of the Taliban and al Qaida. In October, we broadened our pursuit of terrorist assets to include all Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including Hamas. We stated very clearly our intent to pursue the bankers who finance these terrorists. Today, we are advancing on those financiers of terror.

The Hamas terrorist organization has taken the lives of scores of individuals, including American citizens. They have proudly claimed credit for their acts of evil, including the horrific attacks this past Sunday. They raise money in the United States and around the world. Clearly, Hamas is a terrorist organization of global reach.

Today we are shutting down three Hamas-controlled organizations that finance terror. The Holy Land Foundation masquerades as a charity, while its primary purpose is to fund Hamas. This is not a case of one bad actor stealing from the petty cash drawer and giving those stolen monies to terrorists. This organization exists to raise money in the United States to promote terror.

Last year, Holy Land raised $13 million. Government agents today shut down 4 offices of the Holy Land Foundation in the United States. Innocent donors who thought they were helping someone in need deserve protection from these scam artists who prey on their benevolence.

Similarly, the al Aqsa bank and the Beit al Mal bank aren't just banks that unknowingly administer accounts for terrorists. They are direct arms of Hamas, established and used to do Hamas business.

We will continue to name the financiers of terrorism to ensure that Hamas and other terrorist organizations have no ability to finance their acts of evil. We will work with every civilized nation around the globe to ensure there is no safe haven for terrorist money. Just as in a ground war, we will win by taking one hill at a time, advancing tirelessly every day, until terrorists and their money have nowhere to hide.

If not for CAIR, who'd work with Democrats to "limit the reach of the Patriot Act" and to end racial and religious profiling?

The point to my sarcasm is to raise questions. Is Rep. Sestak pandering to his audience? Or does he actually think that "CAIR does such important and necessary work"? I can't prove it but I'm betting that he actually believes that. According to this Militant Islam Monitor post, one of Sestak's staffers is a former CAIR-PA communications director by the name of Adeeba Al Zaman. That personnel decision alone makes me question how committed Rep. Sestak is to defeating terrorists.

Here's how CAIR was founded:

In 1994 by Ibrahim Hooper, Nihad Awad, and Omar Ahmad, all of whom had close ties to the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which was established by senior Hamas operative Mousa Abu Marzook and functioned as Hamas' public relations and recruitment arm in the United States."

Isn't it time that we said that cozying up to terrorist-sympathizing groups like CAIR is unacceptable, especially in a post 9/11 world?

Technorati: Joe Sestak, Ed Rendell, Homeland Security, 9/11, CAIR, Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzook, Ibrahim Hooper, Nihad Awad, Holy Land Foundation, Ahmed Bedier, Sami al-Arian, Patriot Act

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog