Keith Ellison’s terror-loving friends

For those with eyes to see, the mask has long since fallen from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Even such stalwart Democrats as Senators Dick Durbin and Charles Schumer have come to recognize CAIR’s “association with groups that are suspect,” its “ties to terrorism” and its “intimate links with Hamas.”
In fact, in the words of Anti-CAIR, since its founding in 1994, CAIR, its employees and its officials have worked with third parties including the Islamic Association for Palestine, the Holy Land Foundation, and the Global Relief Foundation to provide material support to known terrorist organizations, to advance the Hamas agenda and to propagate radical Islam. See generally “CAIR: Islamists fooling the establishment” by Daniel Pipes and Sharon Chadha and “CAIR backs down from Anti-CAIR” by Daniel Pipes.
Is CAIR still fooling the establishment? For a while after 9/11, it certainly did so. The subsequent convictions of CAIR officials and employees for terror-related activities have made it increasingly difficult for CAIR to continue its charade with the same high level of success.
No such difficulty confronts CAIR at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, which has proved itself a willing dupe. The Star Tribune’s blinkered view of CAIR was prominently on display in Sharon Schmickle’s September 17 Ellison-related story on CAIR, discussed here in “Ellison’s excuse brigade: Exposed and at work.”
Taking the direct approach, the Star Tribune today opens its pages for an op-ed column by CAIR executive director Nihad Awad and CAIR chairman of the board Parvez Ahmed. I think they’re talking about us here:

There has been much sound and fury in certain circles about the American Muslim community’s support for Keith Ellison and his campaign to represent Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District.
A handful of right-wing bloggers, agenda-driven commentators and political operatives have used scurrilous smear tactics in an attempt to derail his campaign and to marginalize American Muslim voters. These smears and distortions send an un-American message of intolerance and bigotry.
We are proud of our personal donations to Ellison’s campaign. He has proven himself to be an effective legislator and his commitment to social justice is worthy of admiration. We believe his election will send a powerful message to the world about America’s commitment to religious inclusion and tolerance.

Ellison’s election will certainly send a powerful message, as does the support of Ellison by the likes of Awad and Ahmed, though not the message that they note. Meet Nihad Awad:

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