Over the years Commissioner Raymond Kelly's leadership of the New York Police Department has demonstrated a record of inclusion and outreach towards the Muslim community; that is why recent revelations about training videos offensive to Muslims comes as such a surprise. Commissioner Kelly now has a choice to make -- he can take clear and decisive action that is consistent with his track record, or; he can allow speculation to eat away at his years of hard work and outreach towards the Muslim community.
The Muslim community in New York and around the country has been shocked to learn that the NYPD screened the derogatory film "The Third Jihad" for well over a 1000 New York City police officers. The fact that Commissioner Kelly contributed an interview to this film, which depicts Muslims as violent fanatics bent on overthrowing the American government, and then attempted to conceal this from the public, adds insult to injury at a time when relations are already frayed by NYPD's aggressive policy of spying on American citizens. It frightens me that an institution such as the NYPD could be influenced by a small hate group's agenda.
While no one is perfect, true leadership requires the acknowledgement of errors -- even those unintended -- and a swift corrective course of action to immediately rebuild relations with the Muslim community. It was disheartening when the New York Police Department commissioned a report on Islamic terrorism without consulting Muslim experts. As Muslims, we are well aware of the challenges faced by our faith, and many of us are willing and eager to help resolve them with a range of law enforcement agencies. The fact is that simple errors and omissions can easily spiral out of control; this is what happened when the report was issued and this is what will likely occur if the NYPD continues to white-wash the training video incident.
While many are calling for Commissioner Kelly's resignation, I believe that what is most needed now is a process of reconciliation and reparation, bringing New York Muslims back to the table as full and equal partners in the fight against extremism. We must address the root cause of this incident, the anti-Muslim hate groups who use their influence to brainwash the public and undermine the credibility of the NYPD. Commissioner Kelly's own actions have proven that he is deeply committed to reaching out to Muslims, and I know that the NYPD is capable of turning the tide from animosity and suspicion to respect and cooperation.
Under Commissioner Kelly's leadership, the police department has made great strides to attract Muslim recruits. Now there are almost 1500 Muslims serving in NYPD with police officers patrolling the streets in all boroughs, 350 of them belong to a NYPD Muslim officers Society formed in 2008, with their very own Muslim chaplain, Khalid Latif, who ministers to the need of NYPD's uniform and civilian members. If Commissioner Kelly is forced to resign, it could have a demoralizing effect on those who work so hard to keep our city safe.
Every year the Commissioner hosts an annual luncheon prior to Ramadan for hundreds of Muslim leaders from the five boroughs. These gatherings give Muslim leaders a chance to communicate directly with the Commissioner and his department about everything from radicalization to complaints about alternate-side parking regulations.
Commissioner Kelly began a series of sporting contests between police officers and the city's Muslim immigrant community. By meeting on the soccer field and the cricket pitch, officers and residents have been able to build bonds of friendship in a non-threatening environment. All too often, minorities have no interaction with the police until they are frisked, arrested, or interrogated. The department's efforts have helped to change this unfortunate reality, ensuring that members of the force have concrete social ties to the communities they are sworn to protect. That is why now is the time to call for collaboration and understanding -- not resignations.
The Department has demonstrated that Muslims stand equal to other citizens of New York City, cracking down on reports of hate crimes targeting Muslims. Because of the work of the Hate Crimes division, Muslims in New York City are able to sleep more soundly at night, secure in the knowledge that the authorities are dedicated to protecting them from bigots and hate mongers.
During 2009-10, we had the opportunity to experience firsthand the NYPD's commitment to the Muslim community. At the height of the controversy surrounding our proposal to build a Community Center near Ground Zero, when we were regularly receiving threats, Commissioner Kelly took a personal interest in our protection. Police detectives provided our staff with training and taught us how to identify people who might intend to do us harm. We were taught how to safely open suspicious packages, and the department conducted a thorough investigation of every threatening email, phone or snail mail message we received.
During this time, the police department maintained a vigilant oversight of our situation. We received personal phone numbers of key individuals and were asked to contact them at any time. I wish we had not had to go through this, but the police department proved exemplary at ensuring our safety and giving us the tools we needed to protect ourselves.
All of these efforts have been well received and widely appreciated, and they have gone a long way to integrate Muslims into the city. The recent furor over the training video threatens all the progress that has been made, and already much of the goodwill Commissioner Kelly has helped to foster seems to have gone down the drain.
Commissioner Kelly has already apologized for his bad judgment and departmental oversight associated with allowing the screening of the video and in granting an interview to its producers, and I have no doubt that he rejects its sensationalistic, racist claims. Commissioner Kelly must not allow this video and the NYPD report to define his record towards Muslims. The Department should recharge its policy of engagement and dialogue, and make the outcome of the current crisis a catalyst for true reconciliation rather than an abrupt resignation that will obscure and overshadow all of the positive initiatives that have been developed and demoralize many dedicated NYPD officials who have done their job with integrity.
Muslims want nothing more than to be treated as equal citizens. We want law enforcement agencies to recognize that we have valid concerns and valuable advice to offer, and we ask that our law enforcement agencies and politicians respect us and understand that we are a valuable asset ready to play a role if and when asked. Time and time again, the Muslim community is held responsible for the actions of a few and many feel wounded and marginalized, but well-designed outreach programs such as those the department has created in the past can restore trust and good will between NYPD and members of the Muslim community.
NYC is the cultural, artistic and religious Mecca of the world whose Muslim population is the most diverse in the entire world. New York City should be a model of cooperation the world over. Mayor Bloomberg said at an Iftar dinner once "when New York adopts a new policy, every other major city follows suit." There is no better time than now to set an example for the world by demonstrating how ordinary Muslim citizens hand in hand with their local law enforcement can eliminate their common enemy, extremism, once and for all
Raymond Kelly - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mayor Bloomberg says anti-Muslim flick hurt NYPD's credibility but ...
NYPD - Official New York City Police Department Web Site
The AILC says it has "viewed The Third Jihad, and regard the information presented therein to be both factually accurate, and important for our fellow Muslim and non-Muslim citizens to understand, debate and address." ...
"Islamist groups and their allies are, predictably, now seeking to exploit the opportunity presented by the current controversy to call for 'oversight,' 'corrective training' and 'participation' by the "Muslim community" (i.e., Islamists!) in all counter-terrorist programs initiated by the NYPD."
"Islamist opposition to The Third Jihad, a film narrated by Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, clearly demonstrates this point. The Islamists' uproar is driven by a desire to stifle alternative and truly moderate voices such as that of Dr. Jasser, a member of this coalition whom we know to be a devout Muslim committed to the highest values of Islam, and to our nation's founding principles. [NYT's] decision to embrace the Islamist "party line" on this matter hinders sincere efforts to identify and address the ideological source of Muslim radicalization, and to promote true reform within Islam, consistent with its primary message of universal love, compassion and mercy for all God's creatures."
http://www.peopleofshambhala.com/2012/02/american-muslim-leaders-speak-in.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/auction-2012-energy-lobby_n_1242134.html
Compare the damage the energy lobby is doing to the well-being of Americans to that by terrorism. Food for thought.
Here is a link from HF which deals with one such major issue that is impacting adversely on American lives in a huge way. It should help you put things in perspective.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/auction-2012-banks-lobby-washington_n_1240762.html
Please do offer your comments here after reading the above post.
The Fed Reserve is a private corporation;
It is not an agency of the US Government;
It loans money to the US Government for interest;
The money it loans to the US Government does not belong to it;
It gets the money printed by the U S Bureau of Engraving and Printing;
The Fed pays a certain amount of charges for each note they get printed;
They then loan the money to the Government at interest which fetches them more than they pay for it;
The US Government issues a bond for the loan as security;
The Government goes on borrowing from the Fed in this fashion, running up an un-repayable national debt.
People get real. Terrorism is a deflection. Do not get side-tracked by misinformation and disinformation. Focus on the real issues.
Of films and fear
The Times buys Islamist lies
by M. Zuhdi Jasser
The New York Post
January 29, 2012
http://www.mzuhdijasser.com/11087/third-jihad-new-york-times
I don't feel the need to "wait" until those agencies somehow meet my individual definitions. I do hold them to standards of professionalism, but I don't make the mistake of defining the group by the few. It's called choosing to be a citizen. You might try it sometime.
This is an example of the "broad brush" argument that we saw a lot of during the Peter King hearings last year; the idea that calling attention to the extreme\violent\anti-western segements of the Muslim population is a condemnation of the group as a whole.
The vast majority of Muslims do not fit the description given in that quote from the article, but there are some who do, and pointing that out is not the same as calling all Muslims terrorists any more than calling out the KKK is an indictment of the entire white population of America.
Here’s my idea to get to the bottom of this entire terrorism and anti-terrorism business. Let us re-create the 911 incident by building a replica of the erstwhile world trade center in exact detail as it existed, with all the offices, restaurants, etc, as they functioned on different floors and centers, except for the people. Then let us slam 4 unmanned planes (same type) into this building, in the same fashion, as it was done on that day. And let us compare the results from this experiment with the official version. That will bring us nearest to the truth about this incident as is possible.
For this purpose, I propose to set up a peoples’ committee to work in co-operation with the other such organizations that do not buy the official theory of this incident. Hopefully, we can make a early start in the matter.
However, should Kelly indicate that he believes there is a serious problem within the Muslim community, as Dr. Jasser points out, he can expect we will demand his resignation.
If the Muslim community had no serious problems within it--if it were a uniquely perfect ethnic/religious community in America--she might have a point.
But that is far from an accurate description of the Muslim American community in New York and has not been since the 1983 bombing of the WTC uncovered the first jihadist ring in the city. For the full details of the extent of the community's involvement on both sides of that terrorist attack, see Andrew McCarthy's "Willful Blindness". It shows beyond a doubt why the NYPD is doing the right thing in protecting our citizens.
Unfortunately, the willful blindness of official America largely continues, even after 9/11.
This witch hunt against officials doing their job of keeping the jihadist threat contained is proof of that fact.
Muslim denunciations of terrorism and denial of responsibility for it ring hollow when those dealing with the difficult problem of finding jihadists who appear to be ordinary citizens within a religious/ethnic community are attacked like this.
Shame.
That startling flash of insight is not the point here.
The point is whether or not surveillance of the NY Muslim community is one of those wrong things.
I say there is more than enough reason to warrant surveillance which leads to what you call entrapment and I call apprehension of wannabe terrorists. Anything on that?
What do you say to the widows and orphans when surveillance and apprehension fails, as in the case of Major Hasan, 9/11 and the 1993 bombing of the WTC—and all the others? Anything at all?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/nyregion/in-police-training-a-dark-film-on-us-muslims.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2
And for people who have been asking for citation of errors and falsehoods in the film, here's a big one -- and it's a quote from Zuhdi Jasser, the Muslim "star" of The Third Jihad:
==
“Americans are being told that many of the mainstream Muslim groups are also moderate,” Mr. Jasser states. “When in fact if you look a little closer, you’ll see a very different reality. One of their primary tactics is deception.”
==
That's an utter, factual error on both counts:
1. The truth is, the vast majority of American Muslim groups are observably moderate, as evidenced by essentially everything they say and/or do.
2. The idea that Muslims engage in "deception" is very convenient, if your purpose is to craft conspiracy theories about Muslims. Factually --- it's ridiculously non-factual. The teaching within Islam that people are referring to, when they say "deception" is Taqiyya - and the reality of Taqiyya is this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiyya
I am taking exception to Zuhdi Jasser's specific phrasing, which is highly misleading.
Many of the mainstream Muslim groups in the U.S. are moderate -- in fact, it's fair to say that most are moderate.
And so, again, Zuhdi Jasser's statement is potentially inflammatory, clearly defamatory, and quite misleading.
You don't have a problem with that?
Some people who seemingly support the film seem confused regarding its degree of bias.
http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/zuhdi_jasser
Now, let's see the 2011 Pew study data, that I linked in a comment on this blog:
"Page 1 describes how 60% of American Muslims are concerned about a possible rise of Islamic extremism in the U.S.
On the same page, 48% of American Muslims are reported as holding the view that their leaders have not done enough to speak out against Islamic extremism."
*** So, I ask you... why should it be said that Jasser is out of step with the Muslim community in the US. It seems to me that his leadership ought to be welcome. What's the problem here?
Zuhdi Jasser isn't any kind of leader or authority, in a religious sense, in Islam -- he's just a guy who happens to be Muslim.
He also parrots the anti-Islam party line *exactly*, which most American Muslims, and many American non-Muslims such as myself, feel is full of non-factual assertions and defamatory rhetoric against Muslims in general.
There are plenty of moderate, peaceful Muslim leaders in the U.S. -- they're just not given credibility by the anti-Islam contingent, because they don't parrot the anti-Islam party line, as Zuhdi Jasser does. They do, however, have credibility with mainstream Muslims that Jasser does not have.
Examples Include:
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
http://vimeo.com/21171413
Sheik Hamza Yusuf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GOXmiGCNsU
Imam Hussein Qazwini (debating Terry Jones, of Quran-burning infamy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQyBvT66lPM
I'm not even religious.
I respect your opinion about Jasser - I just don't share it.
I'm not saying he's a bad person --- I'm just saying that if he's sincere in trying to stop radicalism, he's going about it in a way that seems very misguided, in my opinion.
Many of us have an informed opinion about the movie that is still quite negative.
The group that produced the movie, Clarion Fund, is comprised of people who promote a specific, very negative view of Islam and Muslims in general (despite their claim that they don't do this).
Radical Muslims are a serious threat --- and movies such as The Third Jihad, promoted by dedicated anti-Islam groups (and yes, I know Zuhdi Jasser is Muslim .... everything about the Clarion Fund is still anti-Islam) are not helpful to eliminating the threat of radical Muslims. Because of the fabrication-based spin they put on Islam and Muslims, material from groups such as Clarion Fund actually do far more harm than good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarion_Fund
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2011/summer/the-anti-muslim-inner-circle
"The largest and most insidious single contribution cited by the CAP report was an $18 million donation in 2008 by the Donors Capital Fund to the Clarion Fund, which distributed copies of the controversial propaganda film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” to 28 million swing-state voters in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election."
Source: http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/08/26/new-report-details-funding-sources-behind-anti-muslim-fearmongers/
CAP Report:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/08/pdf/islamophobia.pdf
After 9/11 when I volunteered to help mothers take children to school despite people yelling "terrorist" at them, I met many Muslim New Yorkers from many countries who had spent life savings just to come to America to get fair treatment under the law and an equal opportunity for jobs and education. ... some of them believing in America's values more strongly than many other Americans who take our country's attempt to treat all people fairly for granted. We do not succeed (just read Michele Alexander's "The New Jim Crow"), but at least we try. I met hundreds of Muslim New Yorkers from other countries around the world support our country's valuing of each human life. The worst thing we can do is let McCarthy-style politicians and Wahhabi-style non-Muslim religious groups divide and terrify the rest of us against Muslim Americans. I hope the NYPD's next film introduces us to the majority of Muslim New Yorkers.
My wife and I have recently become more aware than we were of the vulnerability of the new immigrant that you describe so well--by sponsoring a family from Albania immigrating here. The experience of our friends in setting up their new home here has been so positive, so many complete strangers helping in serious ways, that I am even more proud to be American than I was before.
This experience prompts me to re emphasize the importance of avoiding the careless use of the too-broad brush when criticizing the problematic part of Islam--Islamism or political Islam--which the film focuses on.
Being specific and discriminating in our criticisms of Islam is truly important because there are American Muslims who do not deserve suspicion but rather admiration for their courage--like Dr. Jasser. As he says, there is a serious problem in the American Muslim community that must be openly discussed. I'm glad the film has started that debate.
I hope the NYPD produces a new documentary - interviews with Muslim New Yorkers - Arab, South Asian, African, Asian, European, American - on why they came to America and what they think of this country. Until March of 2001, I worked on the 105th floor of One World Trade and could have been with the many who died on 9/11. A few days later, I got an email from a center that cares for impoverished or new immigrant Arab-American children and their families, asking for volunteers to help women get their children to school and shop when people were yelling "Terrorist" at them. I volunteered, thinking this would help me avoid stereotyping and be a way to reach out to people who sacrificed and saved to come to America. The center hoped to get 2 volunteers at most. Hundreds of New Yorkers volunteered. At a first meeting, New Yorkers of every shape, size, color and background volunteered. Over the three years I volunteered there, I met people who were concerned, as I was, about the collateral damage of our bombing in Afghanistan and about pre-emtive war in Iraq (even when they were volunteering for the military to support this country)...
...but I also heard one person after another talk about their love of America's believe in equal opportunity for all. People who came to make sure they or the women in their families were treated with fairness, that their children got a good education.