The Smoking Gun has scanned the first few pages of the affidavit of a Boston FBI agent testifying against Tareq Mehanna. If true, it’s not a pretty picture…
Islam News @ NYT- Women’s Rights in Mideast:
- Driving Miss Saudi: Young women in Riyadh try to balance Islam and modernity as the stunted desert kingdom makes progress in “Saudi Time.”
- Swedish Artist Says Sketch of Prophet Aimed to Mock All Religions: A man who prosecutors say was the target of a murder plot says his caricature of the Prophet Muhammad was intended to poke fun at all sacred symbols.
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Buzz 12:30 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
John, it is my impression that you think Muslims need to support anyone who claims to be muslim regardless of their politics or conduct. And only after complete and compelling evidence of misconduct should the theoretical Muslim “Ummah” remove their complete support from any muslim individual or group.
Would that be a valid characterization of your position?
johnpi 1:33 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
No.
More than half of what I post is as a blog “aggregator” of news and perspective about Muslims and Islam. That means that not everything I post is an “angle” or represents an opinion. Some of it is recontextualizing: taking information that someone judged to be unimportant and giving it the prominence I think it deserves.
There are topics that I do have a perspective or fascination with – or that I’m advocating for or against – and you can probably figure them out as a regular reader.
Regarding Mehanna: Like Daniel Patrick Boyd and others recently accused, they face the overwhelming power and influence of the US government and the mainstream media. To whatever extent blogs can push back to balance the coverage, let’s do it. A ‘kangaroo court’ of pubic opinion is as bad as a ‘kangaroo court’ in the judiciary, so even if they turn out to be ‘guilty as sin,’ it’s important that we advocate for scepticism to ensure fair treatment in both the courtroom and the media.
However, I’m not advocating to lie or misrepresent. The link I provided above does not favor Mehanna, so I’m not sure how you concluded from this post that my position is “my fellow Muslim, right or wrong.”
Rabiya 7:21 am on October 27, 2009 Permalink |
Daniel Patrick Boyd? Every story I read about him included copious quotes from his (no doubt) white, Christian, America lovin’ neighbours talking about what a swell guy he is, what a hard worker, and how his family has overcome tragedy and they don’t believe for a second that he could be involved in the alleged activities. Is that the negative press that Muslims investigated for involvement in terror have to put up with?
Buzz 1:39 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
Of the myriad postings you put up, occassionally, there is the hedge, or the assertion or hint that “the system” or “the man” or “what-have-you”is against the great Muslim hordes and needs to be resisted.
I think back to the CAIR, Hooper statement that one should not be “politically tone-deaf” as an example which, to me, means that CAIR is above reproach in a situation where congress is attacking.
I did not understand that attitude, nor some posts commentary prior or since. This particular post is certainly not an inflammatory example. I only noticed that you hedged on the report, reserving the possibility that the US is framing this guy (if true).
Buzz 2:05 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
And actually, on this Mehanna issue, I got yours and Abu Noor’s postings confused. His post is even more suspicious of US government intentions and reporting of support for the presumably falsely accused and entraped Mehanna.
I don’t sympathize. I know of a few loud mouthed immigrant jihadis or wannabes and I really think they should be shut down. Domestic terrorism has been overplayed in the media but it is very serious and can undermine civil society quickly. I am not a big fan of Patriot Act intrusions into privacy and civil liberty but I am aware of the threat that requires it. These threats should be rooted from American soil with extreme vigor.
Buzz 2:11 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
But this post of yours is hardly balanced.
I come from the other position. I don’t believe the US government is out to get the average Muslim as yours and Abu Noors posts suggest. In fact, I think that is total BS. This is a common attitude which is counter productive to the results everyone seeks.
pi.info 8:18 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink |
I don’t believe the US gov. is out to get Muslims; rather, the FBI and the prosecutor are out to get convictions once they bring charges. It’s nothing personal necessarily, but they tend not to advance in their careers if they spend alot of time and money on investigations and trials but don’t convict anyone.
Buzz 11:00 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink
Don’t know whether that is true or not. Certainly could be, but imagine the repercussions if false accusations and prosecution was made public. It would be a very damning delegitimization for the whole government.
It is not like these people go to secret prisons and disappear. They are on the media radar constantly unlike what might go on in foreign countries.
johnpi 11:31 pm on October 25, 2009 Permalink
The whole US judicial system is based on the idea of advocates, one for the government and one for the accused, and the jury is supposed to sort it out and arrive at the best determination of justice to be made from the available evidence, and the strivings of the defense and prosecution.
The pre-trial media coverage has become another forum, one where a conviction can be obtained prematurely by priming the jury pool for a rush to judgment. To the extent that it can at all, alternative media – including us Muslim bloggers – should attempt to hold back the rush to judgment.
On your other point, if false accusations or prosecution were going on, it would be our responsibility as good citizens to out it and end it. The government is actually legitimized when we participate like that if it can be forced to correct itself.
Buzz 2:20 am on October 26, 2009 Permalink
So the recipe for justice in your mind is to answer the possibility of prejudice against a so called Muslim in “pre-trial” court of public opinion with a conspiracy theory and a prejudice for said so called muslim.
Odd prescription.
Abu Noor 8:37 am on October 26, 2009 Permalink |
It should be pointed out that prosecutors in the American justice system are not supposed to be mere advocates for one side. They are supposed to be committed to justice being done more so than committed to obtaining convictions. To the extent that they are motivated primarily to obtain convictions, they are perverting, not serving, their proper functions.
From the commentary to the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct