Free Republic

... Either Muslims have the right to practice their religion or they do not. Raising questions about the "appropriateness" of the project or its "wisdom" are indirect ways to infringe on the freedom of religion. Is the First Amendment sacrosanct or is it subject to a popularity contest? Our Founding Fathers anticipated this conundrum and laid out clear markers that we should use to guide our views. George Washington, ... "a government which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance - but generously affording to all liberty of conscience, and immunities of citizenship." In 1784, Washington ... "If...

The City Council of Jacksonville, has lent a hand in the slow suicide of America. They have voted the ex-chairman of the Cancer of American Islamic Relations, onto their Human Rights Commission. Back in 2008 when Parvez Ahmed left CAIR, he said he wanted the group to be even more pro-active in promoting the civil rights of Muslims. Like they had not done enough damage already. He is also another Islamic liar, as he made the following ridiculous statement. “The values of Islam and the values of America are complimentary.” The City Council was warned, but they still voted him...

Jacksonville resident Parvez Ahmed has resigned as chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, saying he's frustrated about the national organization's failure to be more proactive and positive in its promotion of Muslim civil rights. The nation's most well-known Muslim advocacy group, which he has led as board chairman since 2005, also needs to be more inclusive of younger, less-religious Muslims and encourage regular turnover of leadership ranks to ensure an infusion of new ideas, he told the Times-Union on Monday, a day after resigning. These and other goals have been agreed to in principle by the organization's board and...

Shortly after 9/11, President Bush described and later retracted our fight against terrorism as a "crusade." In his first news conference after last week's thwarted terrorist plot to blow up several aircrafts the president said, " This nation is at war with Islamic fascists." The use of the phrase "Islamic fascists" has drawn the ire of the American Muslim community. As Muslims, we use "Islamic ethics" to mean ethics based on Islamic teachings that guide our behavior. Similarly, "Islamic art" draws its inspiration from Islamic teachings that discourage certain types of art (immodest imagery or certain life forms). When the...

I have pointed out several times in the past that CAIR is an organization that claims to be concerned only with the rights of Muslims here in the U.S., but which supports world-wide terrorism in many ways. Right after the discovery of a plot by Muslims to blow up American jets on their way from Great Britain to the U.S., CAIR had this to say: (WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/10/06) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today expressed concern over President Bush's use of the term "Islamic fascists" in a news conference about the arrest of 21 suspects...

In his first response to the major terror airline scare in London, President Bush said on August 10, “The recent arrests that our fellow citizens are now learning about are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation.” His use of the term “Islamic fascists” spurred attention and controversy, especially among Islamists. At a pro-Hezbollah rally in front of the White House, on Aug. 12, the crowd (in the Washington Post’s description) “grew most agitated when speakers denounced President...

 Once every year, CAIR or the Council on American-Islamic Relations gathers its followers in various ‘hot spots’ around the nation to raise money and flaunt its homemade status as a “civil liberties group,” in an attempt to convince the world that they are something which they are not.  This year’s annual banquet in Florida will fall fittingly on April 1st or April Fools.  The title of the event is ‘Partners for Peace & Justice.’The keynote speaker for this weekend’s event will be David Cole.  Cole is a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, a board member of the Center for...

Another American has been beheaded in Iraq. While we hope it is the last, our fear is that many more may follow. Each round of beheadings brings with it condemnations from Muslim groups, both in America and abroad. Islam does not teach wanton violence, no matter what the level of grievance. Legitimate grievances do not justify the illegitimate acts of beheading innocent souls and planting bombs in schools. An insidious Naziesque propaganda is under way, perpetuating a myth that the American-Muslim community has not condemned acts of terror and brutality. Facts suggest otherwise. All major American-Muslim groups condemned Sept. 11,...