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American Muslim Groups Respond To Hillary Clinton Rebuke
By Jamshed Bokhari
WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - In response to Democratic New York senatorial candidate Hillary Clinton's announcement that she would return $50,000 in campaign contributions made to her from the American Muslim Alliance (AMA) and private Muslim individuals brought to her attention by news reports in New York papers, Muslim American groups responded with both surprise and pride.
The New York Daily News first ran a story on Wednesday that was picked by the wire services and the New York Times Thursday claiming that the AMA - who sponsored a fund raising dinner in Massachusetts - advocated the right of Palestinians to resist Israeli violence utilizing any means, including armed confrontation; enough of a claim to have Mrs. Clinton disassociate herself from the contributions and the AMA.
The story also claimed that an individual, Abdurahman Alamoudi, a member of the American Muslim Council (AMC), had boasted at the White House of "defended what is called Hamas." The Daily News ran the quote without having talked to Alamoudi.
Abdulwahab Aljebsi, Deputy Director of the AMC, before addressing the Daily News handling of the quotation by Alamoudi clarified the organization's position, "The American Muslim Council, as an organization, does not endorse any organization outside the United States. The AMC is an American organization with a mission of the political empowerment of the American Muslim participation in the American political process."
Specifically addressing Alamoudi's statement, Aljebsi asked, "Does Mr. Alamoudi have the right to say this? Of course. He has the right to say it, whether he said it or not. It's not against the law to do that."
The Daily News had run the story with the quote about Hamas from Alamoudi and then virtually immediately stated that Hamas is currently now on the United States' list of terrorist organizations. Aljebsi clarified this misrepresentation.
"The position [Alamoudi] took about this was in the White House in 1993 in conversation with Martin Indyk," in which he called, "for an American dialogue with Hamas.
"This advice was given and this position was taken in the White House prior to Hamas being classified as a 'terrorist' organization," Aljebsi added.
The Daily News also mentioned Steve Emerson, a self-styled Middle East "expert" who has a history of bashing Muslims and their organizations in the United States, as a source for their "facts".
Emerson has had his "expert" credibility questioned several times by the U.S. government, who has dismissed him as a non-legitimate source of expertise on the Middle East.
Aljebsi informed IslamOnline that in a United States House of Representatives hearing, Representative John Conyers (D-MI) confronted Emerson about statements Emerson made blaming Muslims for the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the tragedy of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
Conyers said to Emerson that he was wrong about Oklahoma City, that he was wrong about TWA Flight 800 and that Emeroson's credibility was at stake and that Emerson's credibility was not good enough for the United States Congress.
The AMA, along with the AMC under the banner of the American Muslim Political Coordinating Council Political Action Committee (AMPCC-PAC), was one of the principal organizations that endorsed presidential candidate George W. Bush in a press conference held in Washington DC on Monday.
Faroque Khan, Chairman of the New York chapter of the AMA, believes that Mrs. Clinton's reaction was forced upon her by other parties and interests in New York City, explaining that, "Some groups are feeling a bit threatened by the emerging empowerment and unity in the Muslim community.
"The timing of this, it was soon after the Coordinating Council [AMPCC-PAC] made the announcement for the endorsement of a single candidate, Governor Bush.
"The fundraiser was held three-four months ago and its interesting that the news broke the day after the endorsement," Khan commented.
Aljebsi echoes the same sentiment concerning Mrs. Clinton's announcement to return the campaign contributions when he says, "This is a response to what the American Muslim community, the American Muslim political leadership, has been able to accomplish recently.
"It's obvious the Monday endorsement of the AMPCC for Governor Bush in the presidential race…the pro-Israeli lobby and pro-Israeli media felt threatened for the first time, and this is an attempt at political marginalazation by the pro-Israeli lobby," Aljebsi stated.
Commenting on recent events in the Occupied Territories and Mrs. Clinton's rebuke, Khan further stated, "I think in this election, many, many of them [American Muslims] will vote more than before.
Khan stressed the importance of Muslims using the power of political involvement and voting by providing a historical example.
"When [President] Harry Truman recognized the state of Israel, he said, 'The Jews vote for me, the Muslims are not here.'"
"I think this should energize the Muslims rather than disappoint them," Khan commented, adding that because of the story, "Now millions of people throughout the country will realize that there is an organized unit, such as the American Muslim Alliance, American Muslim Council, who have the political savvy to take on the politicians and deal with them.
"We are encouraged by this."
IslamOnline contacted Mrs. Clinton's New York campaign office for comments on the issue, but they did not return any calls.
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