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Thursday, Nov 26, 2009
Hooper claims I somehow have twisted his words over his inability to offer an unqualified condemnation of Osama bin Laden. He does so by -- again -- refusing to offer an unqualified condemnation of bin Laden. Hooper also never even mentions Hamas and Hezbollah, despite the fact that a major part of the story -- and point of serious concern among Muslim critics of CAIR -- is that CAIR and the AMC tacitly support these groups, which the U.S. State Department classifies as "terrorist" for killing Israeli civilians in terrorist acts and, in the case of Hezbollah, American soldiers.
Also notice that Hooper continues to refuse to clarify CAIR's position on the "innocence" of the civilian victims of terrorism. Fundamentalist supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah are known to consider Jews and Israelis evil, and therefore justify murdering them, even children. They do not consider it to be terrorism. But instead of clarifying that that is not the position of CAIR, Hooper writes that that the group does not believe in a "hierarchy in which some civilian victims of terrorism are 'innocent' and others are not." Again, why the obfuscation? If CAIR believes killing civilians -- including Jewish and Israeli civilians -- is terrorism, and wrong, why not just say so? Surely most American Muslims would have no problem condemning bin Laden with no qualifications. Why can't Hooper?
Hooper denies that Imam Siraj Wahhaj "is a CAIR board member." Maybe it depends on what the definition of "board member" is; Hooper himself has previously confirmed that Wahhaj "is a member of our advisory board."
Hooper asks: "Are the more than 600 anti-Muslim incidents reported to CAIR not worthy of the status of true 'hate crimes?'" He's claiming that by placing the term "hate crimes," in quotes, I've somehow suggested they don't exist. Not true; there is no question of the accuracy of these horrific reports. The term was in quotes because it refers to a specific type of crime. There simply was no judgment being passed by using quotation marks. He asks "Who are these 'many Muslims?'" unlikely to want to be represented by groups like CAIR. I'd suggest a reader return to my original story for examples, including Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani (who Hooper makes no mention of in his letter) of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, who in 1999, gave a speech to the U.S. State Department warning of the growing power of Osama bin Laden's organization, and deploring the extremism of American Muslim organizations. Does Hooper believe Shaykh Kabbani -- or, for that matter, the numerous Muslim and Arab-Americans I interviewed for this story -- also is "anti-Muslim" for deeming CAIR and the AMC extreme?
Hooper also argues extensively that the hidden force behind my story is Steven Emerson, a man he clearly has much contempt for. I didn't mention Emerson in the story, nor did I ever even communicate with the man for this story. I don't even know Emerson. Hooper's continued criticisms of Emerson in his letter seem, at the very least, odd.
He claims I never asked about Bassam Alamoush. In fact, I did and was cut off because Hooper said he had already given me enough time. Still, even here Hooper does not express any regret for CAIR's coordination of a series of lectures in the U.S. for Alamoush, who has called the killing of Jews "a good deed."
Finally, I never quoted Hooper using the term "Zionist conspiracy." I used it to characterize his own description of how criticisms of CAIR tend to be orchestrated by "the pro-Israel lobby," a characterization that, even more now, seems completely apt.
If I were Hooper and someone had written a story illustrating how and why American Muslims were concerned that CAIR was too extreme in its views , I might devote my time and energy towards clearing up any misunderstandings. But Hooper's letter poses more questions that it answers. Which seems to be its point. And in the end, that's why I wrote the story about the numerous Muslims and Arab-Americans who have grave concerns about CAIR's speaking on their behalf during this very difficult time.
