January 18, 2007
Clergy abuse—the cover and the story; Anti-Semitic road rage—do the right thing?
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Nurit GreengerLos Angeles
CAIR Deceptions
For 12 years since its inception, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been involved in one of the biggest political deceptions in recent memory. It originated from Hamas front groups in the United States and now masquerades as a human rights organization.
Although CAIR claims to be anti-terrorist, it has consistently defended terrorists and their front groups in the United States, refused to condemn Islamic terrorist groups by name and sponsored rabid anti-Semitic speakers and jihadists.
When confronted with allegations of its support for Hamas and other radical Islamic movements, CAIR simply resorts to the big lie technique: It denies the charge and then smears its opponents with the brush of Islamophobia.
CAIR has employed this technique for years, fooling journalists (wittingly and unwittingly) and government officials, including members of the FBI and local law enforcement, such as Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who has consistently embraced CAIR.
One notable instance, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) recently revoked an award her office had given to a CAIR official in the belated recognition of CAIR's association with terrorists. Boxer deserves much praise for her intellectual honesty and political courage in taking this step, leaving CAIR sputtering that the only reason it is being criticized is because it won't support Israel.
Steven Emerson
Executive Director
Investigative Project on Terrorism
Editor's Note: The complete text of this letter with CAIR's response is on the JewishJournal.com Reader Forums. CAIR and Emerson are invited to continue their debate online, where readers can take part.
A Cause for Celebration
I am writing this after having read through the Jan. 5 edition of The Journal. I have not noticed as yet any mention of the arrest, trial or execution of former Iraqi leader Sadam Hussein in your paper. Nor, frankly, have I heard it mentioned at my synagogue or from any other Jewish establishment.
For a people that considers itself to be sensitive to matters regarding genocide, I find this silence very puzzling.
We have often shouted, "Never Again," every time a new outrage against humanity occurs, and I'd think that bringing a mass murderer to justice would be a cause for celebration. Certainly the removal of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic some years ago and the end of his "ethnic cleansing" was such a cause. Yet, nowhere do I hear the slightest sound of joy at the removal of this current tyrant.
Could it be that politics is rearing its ugly head? Is the community so upset at our present involvement in Iraq and so angry at the president that we can't bear to admit that something positive did come from our invasion of Iraq? Israelis remember Hussein's bombing of their land during the first Gulf War, and I'm sure that they are still very glad that we invaded.
Les Amer
Los Angeles
Moral Eating
I'm writing in response to Editor-in-Chief Rob Eshman's wonderful op-ed, "Moral Diet" (Jan. 5). Through my work at Hazon (the "cutting-edge Jewish organization" Eshman mentions), I have the privilege of watching the development of what we call The "New Jewish Food Movement." I applaud Eshman for bringing these issues to the forefront of the Jewish community.
I offer only one clarification. As of 2007, Hazon's community-supported agriculture project, Tuv Ha'Aretz, will bring locally grown, organic produce to 10 communities across the country and Israel.
More information can be found about Tuv Ha'Aretz at www.hazon.org.
Leah Koenig
Tuv Ha'Aretz Coordinator at Hazon
New York, N.Y.
Read the Book
I recently read an overtly opinioned letter written by a Roz Rothstein concerning Norman Finkelstein. I would like to advise this person that in order to make educated and informed commentary, it is obligatory to read the book in question before making uninformed opinions. It was depressing to see how little scholarly attention is given and how "below-the-belt" the article was.
Karl Wiget
Via E-mail
THE JEWISH JOURNAL welcomes letters from all readers. Letters should be no more than 200 words and must include a valid name, address and phone number. Letters sent via e-mail must not contain attachments. Pseudonyms and initials will not be used, but names will be withheld on request. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Mail: The Jewish Journal, Letters, 3580 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1510, Los Angeles, CA 90010; e-mail: letters@jewishjournal.com; or fax: (213) 368-1684
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