It is quite interesting that whenever there is any form of prejudicial attack on an organization or an event, you will always find bigots closing ranks and joining the party. That itself is an indication of the less than pristine motivations of such groups.
As we have been talking about the attacks on the Arabic school in New York and the resignation-under-pressure of Debbie AlMontaser, a new twist has come about. Apparently, one of the main coalitions opposing the school, the so-called "Stop the Madrassa" (the fact that they don’t know that a Madrassa simply means school shows how much the school for Arabic language is needed! What irony!) has among its ranks, the inSANE leader David Yerushalmi.
Also, an excellent report appeared in the NY Times, which brings to life another side of Debbie that the haters do not want everyday people to see.
- DIGG the story here
First, the NY Times Story:
The title is very appropriate: Critics Ignored Record of a Muslim Principal.
Then it talks about the defamation and propaganda campaign to smear the school and its principal, all with an alarmist edge (reminds me of Rove's "scare 'em into voting Bush" campaign):
A contributor identified as Dave responded, "Now Muslims will be able to learn how to become terrorists without leaving New York City."
The article talks about Debbie's contributions in promoting interfaith tolerance in New York, to the point of being charged as being "too close" to Zionists! :
Ms. Almontaser left a clear, public record of interfaith activism and outreach across the boundaries of race, ethnicity and religion...She has collaborated so often with Jewish organizations that an Arab-American newspaper, Aramica, castigated her earlier this summer for being too close to a "Zionist organization," meaning the Anti-Defamation League.
The list of the attackers on Debbie includes the familiar Islamophobes Daniel Pipes, not to be left behind whenever there is an opportunity to smear Muslims. The Times article then points out poignantly:
What all the attacks lacked was a single solid example of Ms. Almontaser having espoused Islamic extremism, much less jihad, during her 15 years as an educator. They have described her as a "9/11 denier" on the basis of one statement that "I don’t recognize the people who committed the attacks as either Arabs or Muslims."
And fair-minded Jewish voices are in full support:
"There’s zero correspondence between the caricature and the actual person," said Rabbi Andy Bachman of Beth Elohim...
Another rabbi who has worked with Ms. Almontaser on interfaith efforts, Michael Feinberg of the Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, said: "...The viciousness and the vileness of this case surpass anything I’ve seen before."
The article closes with a dramatic punch-line, that all those who were rejoicing in seeing Debbie go and engaged in smear campaigns right here on my previous post the issue, should think about:
As another victim of a different smear campaign put it once: "Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?"
As for Mr. Yerushalmi, one of the "Stop the Madrassa" folks and founder of SANE, here are quotes that define this organization that refers to itself as SANE, though it is quite inSANE and dangerous in its stated objectives and views (more can be found in this previous post on inSANE):
America was the handiwork of faithful Christians, mostly men, and almost entirely white, who ventured from Europe to create a nation in their image of a country existing as free men under G-d.
Muslim civilization is at war with Judeo-Christian civilization. The Muslim peoples, those committed to Islam as we know it today, are our enemies.
Isn’t it amazing that Debbie gets crucified for an Arabic definition that some didn’t like, yet David’s words all over his website are not a cause of concern for the other board members of "Stop the Madrassa" (see article in Jewish Week)? As I stated, when bigots get together for a party, all other bigots are welcome! Some more info below*:
The Jewish Week newspaper reports that David Yerushalmi, an advisory board member and counsel of the "Stop the Madrassa" group, has condemned democracy in the United States and, "in comments that evoke classical anti-Semitic stereotypes, says he finds truth in the view that Jews ‘destroy their host nations like a fatal parasite.’" ("Stop the Madrassa" is fighting to keep the Khalil Gibran International Academy from opening September 4.)
SEE: Tables Turn On Arab School Critics (The Jewish Week)
Yerushalmi, the president and founder of the Society of Americans for National Existence (SANE), published an online article in which he claims to be the attorney for Frank Gaffney, Alex Alexiev and Martyn Burke, the producers of the controversial PBS documentary "Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center" currently airing on more than 20 PBS stations nationwide.