California Conservative

Don’t take my word on it. That’s th word according to this CAIR statement:

On Tuesday, July 17, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will host a panel discussion at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., entitled “Attacking Islam: Implications for Social Cohesion and U.S. Relations with the Muslim World.”

The panel will address the increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric within the conservative movement in the United States, focusing on the negative impact of such views on religious tolerance in America and on relations with the Muslim world.

Presenters:

• David Keene, Chairman, American Conservative Union
• Parvez Ahmed, Chairman, Council on American-Islamic Relations

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 9:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
WHERE: Holeman Lounge, National Press Club, Washington, D.C.

Refreshments will be served. Admission is free but seating is limited and reservations are required. Please RSVP via e-mail to events@cair.com or call 202-742-6409.

David Keene is part of the realist school within the Republican Party along with Brett Scowcroft, William F. Buckley and Jim Baker. As you see, he’s got plenty of company. What sets Mr. Keene apart is that he’s the chairman of the ACU, which was prominently listed as participating in the Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice event. Here’s what should’ve tipped Mr. Keene off that the groups assembled didn’t like conservatives:

National Groups

Alliance for Justice
American Friends Service Committee National Criminal Justice Program
American Humanist Association
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Americans for Democratic Action
Arab American Institute
Asian American Justice Center
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Campaign for America’s Future
Center for American Progress Action Fund
Center for Constitutional Rights
CODEPINK
Education for Peace in Iraq Center
Episcopal Church
Equal Justice Society
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Global Rights
Hip Hop Caucus
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
Immigration Equality
Institute for Policy Studies
Islamic Society of North America
JALSA - the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Japanese American Citizens League
League of Women Voters US
LULAC
MoveOn.org
NAACP
National Association of Social Workers
National Organization for Women
NETWORK
No2Torture
Peace Action
People For the American Way
Physicians for Human Rights
Progressive Democrats of America
Public Citizen
Religious Action Center
Rural Organizing Project
Stop Torture Permanently
TASSC International
The Shalom Center
TrueMajority.org
United for Peace and Justice
United States Student Association
US Action
Veterans for Peace
Working Assets Wireless
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Young Democrats of America
Velvet Revolution

Regional Groups

Amnesty International USA - Greater
Philadelphia Area
Amnesty International USA - Puget Sound
Arab American Community Coalition (WA)
Asian Bar Association of Washington
Brandywine Peace Community
CASA Latina (WA)
CAUSA, Oregon’s Immigrant Rights Coalition
Community Alliance of Lane County (Oregon)
Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR) - PA
Hate Free Zone of Washington
Japanese American Citizens League - Seattle Chapter
King County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition
Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice
League of Women Voters - PA
Liberty Center for Survivors of Torture
National Organization for Women - New York State
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
October 22 Coalition
Oregon Peace Works
Peace Action of Central NY
Peace Action WI
Pittsburgh/Western PA Irish American Unity
Conference
Philadelphia Physicians for Social
Responsibility
Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War
Syracuse Peace Council
Thomas Merton Center
Washington Peace Center
Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation

If you think that’s bad, you’re right. It’s worse than bad. It’s awful. Other organizations advertising the event include such ‘centrist’ groups as After Downing Street.org, CivilRights.org, an offshoot of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), The Twin Cities Anti-War Committee and on the website for the Declaration of Peace.

The event information on Declaration of Peace’s website is particularly revealing:

Local co-sponsors include the ACLU of Pennsylvania, Amnesty International USA-Greater Philadelphia Area, Brandywine Peace Community, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-PA, Irish American Unity Conference-Pittsburgh Chapter, League of Women Voters-PA, the Liberty Center for Survivors of Torture, the Shalom Center, the Thomas Merton Center, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)-U.S. Section.

It isn’t shocking to find out that the ACLU, CAIR or Amnesty International supports taking action that would blind our intelligence agencies by gutting the Patriot Act. That’s old news to most people reading this blog. What’s disconcerting is that I didn’t expect to find out that the ACU would be a co-sponsor of an event with such America-hating groups like that.

What’s also bothersome is something else I found on Amnesty USA’s blog:

Sign the America I Believe In pledge to let officials know that the America we believe in does not torture or use cruel, inhumane treatment, does not hold people without charge, without trial, and without hope, and does not rob people of their basic dignity. Here’s what the pledge says:

The America I Believe In doesn’t torture people or use cruel, inhumane treatment, doesn’t hold people without charge, without fair trials, without hope, and without end, doesn’t kidnap people off the street and ship them to nations known for their brutality, doesn’t condone prisoner abuse and excuse high-ranking government officials from responsibility for that abuse, doesn’t justify the use of secret prisons and does not rob people of their basic dignity.

I’m joining with Amnesty International USA to restore The America I Believe In. The America I Believe In leads the world on human rights.

I’m committing to tell friends and family about the campaign. I’m also committing to contacting my members of Congress and my local media to tell them that the America I Believe In defends human rights and justice for all.

In light of Amnesty International’s promoting “The America I Believe In” petition, please explain to me why the ACU should be co-sponsoring an event with Amnesty International. In light of the list of participating organizations listed in the ACLU’s press release, please explain why the ACU co-sponsored an event with so many liberal, America-hating groups.

Check back later today for more posts on this subject. I’ve just begun to dig into this and I’m already swimming in pertinent data.

Technorati Tags: David Keene, American Conservative Union, ACLU, UFPJ, PFAW, Code Pink, Declaration Of Peace, CAIR, MoveOn.org, NOW

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at 2:49 am and is filed under ACLU, Activism, Author: Gary Gross, CAIR, Election 2008, Intel, Liberals, Special Interests, Subversives. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.