1. Muslims would support sober and objective hearings on the subject of countering violent extremists because we know that a fair series of hearings would let our community shine. Given the facts, a reasonable person cannot be blamed for concluding that so far the hearings have more of an air of angry villagers with torches and pitchforks than objectivity and sobriety.
• Rep. King’s irresponsible decision to put out information that has no factual support, such as saying “85 percent” of Muslim leadership are “an enemy living amongst us” and implying that Muslims are not American does not inspire confidence that his hearing will be sober and objective.
• America needs less political theatrics such as King’s posturing. Fear-mongering does nothing to improve security.



2. Muslims believe in constitutionally-informed cooperation with law enforcement.
• Sadly, it is commonplace for minority groups and their leaders to be painted as a threat and be vilified, even by the government. Even Martin Luther King—a non-violent, shining example of the civil rights movement who now has a federal holiday named after him and who won a Nobel Peace Prize—was branded "the most dangerous and effective Negro leader in the country" in an FBI memo. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover labeled King a “degenerate.”



3. Instead of engaging in and promoting counterproductive and alienating rhetoric, King should engage mainstream American Muslim leaders and organizations on issues related to terrorism and national security.
• King will find American Muslims ready and able to protect and preserve America and its longstanding traditions of freedom and tolerance.

CAIR’s Toolkit to counter this perceived offensive against American Muslims
http://lansingislam.com/dl/teachable_moment_toolkit.pdf

Video: CAIR Rep debates issue on FoxNews : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcEo7fmxqqQ

Media Reports decry bigoted hearings against American Muslims:

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/135262/civil-rights-groups-protest-upcoming-congressional-hearing-on-terrorism

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/03/cair-muslim-groups-label-kings-hearing-a-political-stunt-say-king-is-unfit-to-lead-homeland-sec-cmte.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/09/radicalization.hearings/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/us/politics/09king.html

http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201103030012

http://www.theroot.com/blogs/al-queda/us-rep-andre-carson-muslims-are-wrong-focus-radicalization-hearings?wpisrc=xs_0004

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/john_esposito/2011/03/islamophobia_draped_in_the_american_flag.html