How Do We Encourage a Moderate Islam in America?

Regularly I hear people ask: why don't American Muslims condemn terrorism? Now I've heard on many occasions, just that, but for some reason these efforts fall on deaf ears. I read in the LA Times this morning, with much disappointment, that Senator Barbara Boxer, one of my two senatorial representatives has rescinded an award to Basim Elkarra, the head of the Sacramento office of the Council of Arab-Islamic Relations. CAIR is a kind of Arab-Islamic version of the ADL. But while CAIR renounces terrorism and violence, because it hasn't declared Hamas and Hezbollah to be terrorist groups, it's labeled a friend to terrorists and an extremist entity. But if you read the descriptions of terrorist groups in academic circles, you'll find that there is considerable disagreement as to the status of these two groups that operate within a country and not beyond borders. CAIR is also highly critical of Israel, but should we expect anything else from a group that is Arab and Islamic. Rarely do we see the ADL criticize Israel, but then that's to be expected.

Anyway, it will be difficult to improve the status of Arabs and Muslims in America as long as non-Muslims continue to define what moderation is and in doing so essentially makes a "moderate Muslim" a non-Muslim. Do I agree with CAIR all the time, no, but neither do I always agree with the ADL or the National Council of Churches or the Democratic Party (and in this case, it's a Democratic representative that's at the center of things). But let's try to listen and not let extremists determine the truth!

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