Representatives of MPAC, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said at a June 20 forum on Capitol Hill, that they are concerned with what they see as Islamophobia sweeping the country. And they choose to vilify a certain group within the country as the primary perpetrators of this perceived hatred or fear of their religion: conservatives.
MPAC is, to put it mildly, concerned about the anti-Sharia bills drafted in various state legislatures. They also argue that many Muslims are oppressed in America.
Many Americans are concerned that people who claim to be moderate Muslims are unwilling or fearful to condemn radical Islam and various terrorist organizations and individuals who plan or carry out acts of terror in the name of Islam. Most Americans are for freedom of religion, and would like to see the moderate Muslims stand up to and challenge the radicals among them.
MPAC and others claiming to be moderate Muslims need to be very clear about their message: They should condemn human rights abuses, suppression of women, and the killing of Americans. Instead of looking to find an enemy on the outside, for example—the right—they need to look within. They need to look to the radicals in their midst and call them out, and condemn every act of terrorism committed by them. And they should stop defending groups in this country that represent themselves as charities or civil rights groups, when in fact they are front groups for terrorist groups such as Hamas.
The Muslim leaders in America as well as those leaders of organized Muslims need to speak out against radical Islamic terrorism.
Anna Corley is an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia.
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