We should explore every means of encouraging moderate Muslims to speak out against the radicals. There are many who want to, and do — such as Sheikh (Muhammad Hisham) Kabbani (of the Islamic Supreme Council of America) and Zainab al-Suwaij (of the American Islamic Congress) and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser (of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy). But they do not get the media attention...
...We need to shed the veil of political correctness that shields government officials from speaking out against them... groups like [Council on Arab-Islamic Relations] CAIR seek to silence the debate. The American people deserve to see and hear the debate, but most people in positions of influence are afraid to say anything...
In that regard, Blogcritics' Selwyn Duke is one of only a handful of folks covering an important First Amendment case. CAIR has organized an advertiser boycott against controversial radio announcer Michael Savage and the stakes couldn't be higher. I say that no matter what you might think of Savage's diatribes: love 'em or hate 'em, he's got every right to express his opinion.
[CAIR has ] carried out campaigns against National Review magazine, radio personality Paul Harvey, the producers of the television program 24, and many others...
[Now] CAIR has been pressuring Savage's advertisers to pull their spots from his show, and I'm dismayed to learn that some businesses have capitulated to their demands. Among these cowardly companies are AutoZone, TrustedID, OfficeMax, Citrix Systems Inc., [Wal-Mart] and JCPenney...
Trade rag Radio Ink reports that a group called Act for America is taking its First Amendment message to consumers.
...Act for America, which says it "was created to provide American citizens a means to be a collective voice for the democratic values of Western civilization," is asking consumers to contact OfficeMax and tell the company they won't shop at OfficeMax stores until the ad boycott is lifted. The group plans to launch similar efforts targeted at other advertisers boycotting Savage Nation.
William Mayer reports that CAIR's "press conference" at San Francisco's AM 910 (Savage's flagship station) was attended by all of about seven people.
...Basim Elkarra, Executive Director of CAIR's Sacramento branch..., refused to condemn the terrorist group HAMAS, specifically and by name, when challenged to do so... though he was given ample opportunity.
CAIR carries some heavy baggage in this regard. Last summer, it was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation [HLF] prosecution and the founder of CAIR's Texas chapter, Ghassan Elashi, was found guilty and sentenced in the Infocom terror case. Elashi remains a key defendant in the HLF trial...
There's only one word for a group that refuses to condemn Hamas, is an unindicted co-conspirator in a major terrorism trial, and has had a variety of its members and executives run afoul of the law, all while pillorying Savage. It's chutzpah.First they came for Savage. Who's next, Rush? And then Hannity? Then Colmes?
If Americans don't act now -- and I mean all Americans -- there's no telling where this might end. Someday, liberals might dominate talk radio. And they would be at risk as well.
Contact Information and Sample Letter
As for AutoZone, TrustedID, OfficeMax, Citrix Systems, [Wal-Mart] and JCPenney: my recommendation is to tell them why you're steering clear. I've linked each of the company's names to go directly to a contact form or customer email address - just click, paste, and send the following message or your own equivalent.
The advertisers' boycott of the Michael Savage Radio Show at the behest of unindicted co-conspirator CAIR is misguided at best. Multiple federal officials (including current members of Congress) have stated "we know [CAIR] has ties to terrorism."
A swarm of bloggers are jumping on this issue.
I ask, respectfully, that you reconsider this misguided political correctness.
Sincerely, _____________
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