By Angie Emara
I am writing this as an opportunity to clarify the misconceptions, misreporting, and misunderstanding surrounding the #MyJihad Campaign, of which, I am the Project Coordinator and essentially lead- day in and day out. And night. And in my dreams. So really, not many others can give you the straight deal on this campaign like I can, save a few others who work tirelessly on this brilliant, groundbreaking movement.
I am writing in response to an opinion piece published in AltMuslim by Davi Barker, who writes for The Examiner and is a member of Muslims for Liberty. Davi writes about Pamela Geller’s appearance on KQED Radio’s Forum with Michael Krasny opposite David Chiu, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Jess Ghannam, a professor from UCSF, and director of the Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of San Francisco. Barker thinks MyJihad or CAIR should have debated Gellar.
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First, there are several incorrect statements Davi Barker makes regarding our campaign. Each of our official ads was carefully selected and feature real, personal jihads. My ad highlights how I lost my son before his 5th birthday. So the nonsense quotes Barker says are examples of our official ads are wrong. While he does make clear that #MyJihad is not a CAIR project, most of all, it is especially not a national CAIR project. #MyJihad is an entirely grass roots project, conceived by Ahmed Rehab (who is Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago) and then carried out by everyday regular citizens like myself. In fact, three of our most active volunteers of the “core team” are mothers.
Why #MyJihad?
Let me back up and explain this idea of grass roots even further. My son, Amir, 11, is growing up in a time and place where he is asked every so often if he is a terrorist like Osama bin Laden, because he is Muslim. Our children are growing up in a time unlike any of us, having to defend themselves and explain things that they have nothing to do with simply because they are of a particular faith. This is one of the catalysts for the #MyJihad campaign. Ahmed Rehab will tell you that he came up with this campaign because of the reaction Muslims were having to being called ‘savages,’ rather than being outraged at the misuse of the word Jihad. Thus, was born the #MyJihad campaign.
Finally we have a platform for the average Muslim that isn’t affiliated with anything political or overtly religious. Just a place where we can present ourselves as we are, how we live daily, and finally be heard. So that I, my son, Sadaf’s kids, Yasmina’s kids, and so on, don’t have to continually repeat ourselves over and over trying to be heard over the loud sounds and seen over the images plastered on buses and in selective media.
Mr. Barker thinks we should respond to people who are purposely hijacking and misusing our words and our faith. Well, Mr. Barker, that is precisely what our #MyJihad campaign is doing; however, we owe no one any proof as to who we are and what we believe. He tries to make the argument that since a radio station offered the platform for a hate group to speak, #MyJihad volunteers must address it.
Let’s be real. Media loves controversy. They love a good fight. Is Barker really insisting that we entertain that? Just because you throw two guys into a ring and tell them to fight, are they obligated to fight? To properly debate a topic, the two sides must be opposing yes, but equal in credibility. They need to both have some kind of valid platform or grounds to stand on.
By these standards, Geller is and never will be qualified to debate us or our campaign. She and her clan are no authority on Islam, Muslims, or even people of faith for that matter. She pulls quotes out of context, uses extremists for her examples, and flat out lies in many cases (which we have investigated and proven, by the way.) Her motives are completely political. #MyJihad is a social platform. You can’t equate the two. So of all people, we certainly owe people like Geller no explanations.
MyJihad Does Not Have a Relationship with CAIR
Barker writes, “The fact is CAIR was the right opponent for this debate, if for no other reason than because it’s being misreported that #MyJihad was CAIR’s campaign.”
Wrong. CAIR and even CAIR-Chicago, have no ownership over #MyJihad. Just because some media and people like Geller purposely misreport that it’s a CAIR campaign then we need to perpetuate this false idea by having them play the role? I’m sorry, there is no logic in such a statement. Additionally, #MyJihad is a global, grassroots campaign meaning anyone, anywhere can take part in their own way. CAIR-SF choosing to refuse the radio show with Geller was their own choice and independent of the #MyJihad campaign.
Barker writes, “The role of someone debating Geller is to get her to expose her true intentions in her own words, because she will never answer that question outright.”
Bingo. So why on Earth, Mr. Barker, would we ever entertain the idea of debating such a person one on one if she will never answer outright? Clearly, addressing Geller or any of the Islamophobes, would be fruitless. They aren’t out to debate. They aren’t out to understand nor are they even open to the possibility of hearing reality or facts. Such people are hate mongers, with a narrow agenda, part of which is to be heard and paid for it. #MyJihad will never contribute to that.
Dear Mr. Barker, #MyJihad is not (and never will be) out to oppose Geller or the likes of her. #MyJihad is out to reclaim the use and meaning of the term Jihad to its proper form, as practiced by millions of Muslims around the world from both Muslim and anti-Muslim extremists who have misused it. We aren’t going to do this one by one. No. We are tackling our goal as a movement. A grassroots movement where we rise above those who attack us and misrepresent us- not battle them head on- much like the meaning of Jihad itself actually. We don’t stoop to these extremists’ levels. We present ourselves proudly, and with conviction, and thankfully, we ARE succeeding. Join us.
Angie Emara is the Project Coordinator of MyJihad Inc.
Announcements2 weeks ago
Siraaj
April 12, 2013 at 9:11 PM
Salaam alaykum Angie,
Was reading your piece and Davi Barker’s piece and wanted your thoughts on a few questions that came to mind.
For example, you state the following:
“Barker thinks MyJihad or CAIR should have debated Gellar.”
He does state CAIR should have been at the debate; however, I failed to see any mention that MyJihad should debate Gellar – could you please point that out, maybe I missed it.
Your piece also states:
“Let’s be real. Media loves controversy. They love a good fight. Is Barker really insisting that we entertain that? Just because you throw two guys into a ring and tell them to fight, are they obligated to fight? To properly debate a topic, the two sides must be opposing yes, but equal in credibility. They need to both have some kind of valid platform or grounds to stand on.
By these standards, Geller is and never will be qualified to debate us or our campaign. She and her clan are no authority on Islam, Muslims, or even people of faith for that matter. She pulls quotes out of context, uses extremists for her examples, and flat out lies in many cases (which we have investigated and proven, by the way.) Her motives are completely political. #MyJihad is a social platform. You can’t equate the two. So of all people, we certainly owe people like Geller no explanations.”
However, if I did a youtube search on Ahmed Rehab’s name, the founder of MyJihad, I’d find he does exactly that – he debates all sorts of anti-Muslim bigots regularly on Fox News and other outlets. In fact, here he is debating Geller on Fox News during the Ground Zero debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AbPNHYBbBk
So while I agree she’s essentially a steaming pile of waste, I don’t see why CAIR (I still don’t see an invitation for your campaign) shouldn’t address her and shut her down on this issue – if Muslims had not been invited to respond, I’m sure someone would be saying right now, “See how the media provides platforms for bigots but not for us to respond.”
I think Barker also mentions debate doesn’t necessarily presuppose rational premises, which I think makes sense, and the purpose is to expose irrational premises (often masquerading as rational in the form of, as you mention, out-of-context quotes and so on).
“Bingo. So why on Earth, Mr. Barker, would we ever entertain the idea of debating such a person one on one if she will never answer outright? Clearly, addressing Geller or any of the Islamophobes, would be fruitless. They aren’t out to debate. They aren’t out to understand nor are they even open to the possibility of hearing reality or facts. Such people are hate mongers, with a narrow agenda, part of which is to be heard and paid for it. #MyJihad will never contribute to that.”
Her bigotry is not yet at a recognized critical mass like it is for us involved in the Muslim community and I think it’s important to recognize the difference between debating to influence her vs debating to influence the audience. As she shows up and profiteers on different issues, I believe groups such as CAIR should be ready to shut her down on any issue at a moment’s notice. She will profiteer irrespective if CAIR shows or not, but CAIR can influence intellectually honest fence sitters.
Siraaj
Angie Emara
April 13, 2013 at 4:48 PM
Salam Siraj and thank you for your comments.
I’m not sure how you don’t see that Barker thinks #MyJihad should debate Geller. He said it at least twice, 1) in his title by saying in the war of billboards she’s winning…he’s talking about us and our ads- is he not? And 2), he equates CAIR and us even though he tries to clarify that we are separate. He wrote: “The fact is CAIR was the right opponent for this debate, if for no other reason than because it’s being misreported that #MyJihad was CAIR’s campaign”.
This was my issue with his logic. Why is he attaching what CAIR did or didn’t do, to our campaign and its success? No connection there. Much like with your example about Ahmed Rehab. What Ahmed does for his day job as exec dir. Of CAIR-Chicago has no bearing on our campaign either.
I just want to add, because somehow it’s not registering with some people: This radio discussion about jihad was about our campaign. Even Geller herself is purposely mixing and connecting the two so she can bring up unrelated things against us. So even for CAIR to have gone on and speak on our behalf would’ve added to the confusion. I already explained this in my piece.
#MyJihad is a platform. It operates as a movement yet made up of individuals. Barker thinks CAIR should’ve debated to support #MyJihad. He also by the way did comment to us on Facebook too explicitly that “it woulda been nice if a MyJihad rep could’ve gone on”. As far as it seems to most of us reading, he wanted and believes we (CAIR, MyJihad) should debate this hate monger. He thinks it’s simple to “set the record straight” with her and that would somehow end her attacks on us.
I’m saying it wouldn’t and it will never make her stop because she doesn’t listen to reason or facts, period.
Siraaj
April 13, 2013 at 5:50 PM
Walaykum as salaam Angie, thanks for the response.
Before I respond, it’s important to note I’m an outsider looking in and not the reverse – my perspective is formed on your piece which is a response to his piece, with no reference to facebook discussions =)
Re: billboard wars, it appears he’s referring to your group as well as the Ground Zero mosque “billboard wars” and others. I think his piece is speaking not only of your billboards, but all billboard campaigns, and your group’s is one example.
Re: equating your group and CAIR – I think Pam Geller may try to do that because Ahmed Rehab is a prominent figure involved with both, but I think Barker’s statements that the two groups are separate are fairly equivocal:
“Recently Geller rolled out an ad (hominem) campaign on San Francisco Muni buses designed to mimic the #MyJihad campaign. The #MyJihad campaign has been falsely reported as a CAIR project. CAIR was a big supporter, but MyJihad.org is its own organization.”
I would say fair reading of those statements is that MyJihad is not a CAIR project and a separate org and that’s he’s not equating the two.
Re: Why is he attaching CAIR, because they were invited to the discussion. You also mention that the radio discussion was about your campaign, but from what I heard from the link provided, it was actually about Pam Geller’s anti-jihad muslim bigotry ads which happen to make to be done in a mock #MyJihad design motif. I don’t believe CAIR’s primary role in that discussion was to defend the #MyJihad campaign (though they could certainly clarify who they are in relation as Davies says), but to continue the role which they often perform on fox news and other media outlets, taking advantage of the platform to defend against her attacks.
Re: CAIR showing up and confusing the issue, I think CAIR is intelligent enough to properly delineate between the two organizations in a radio dialogue =D
Re: Geller will go away if only we’d explain things to her nicely, I agree with you that she will never do so, but getting on these programs is less about convincing her and more about explaining to the listening public why she is wrong, to win over the fence-sitters and other audience members rather than letting her spew her propaganda unchecked.
Re: #MyJihad joining the discussion, seems like an afterthought on his part, but like I said, if that’s what he meant, that’s certainly not what I read from his piece. Maybe there’s some insider information flying back and forth that outsiders like myself aren’t seeing =)
Anyway, despite all this, I wish you guys well. It just seems like he supports your efforts and hard work, and there may be disagreement on how to approach bigots like Geller, but I hate to see people who support one another go at it, so to speak. My role in pointing this out is simply to have you consider perhaps he didn’t say what you thought and there’s no hard feelings =) And then you can get back to concentrating that limited time (which I completely understand, have the same issue myself) that Yasmina mentions below on pushing back on the bigots as you guys are =D
Siraaj
Angie Emara
April 13, 2013 at 10:59 PM
Salam again,
I could still respond to everything you said, but for the sake of your intentions, I’m going stop and say that I understand what you’re trying to tell us. Perhaps I did take his article as a critique on the #MyJihad campaign and he never meant it as such. (I will say many others read it the same way.) But in any case I appreciate and AGREE that it’s a shame to have people who are fighting for the same cause “go at it”. I will say however, that the only reason I even took the time to write a formal response was BECAUSE we value Davi’s feelings and opinions on this topic. He and his views are worth responding to. He probably represents what a number of people are thinking too.
Anyway, THANK YOU for caring and trying to explain on his behalf. I would say all of this discussion has been very beneficial, elhamdulilah.
Salam alaikum :)
Siraaj
April 15, 2013 at 1:44 AM
Agreed, I think the discussion has been beneficial as well, jazakallah khayr for the time and keep fighting the good fight, insha’Allah =)
Siraaj
Yasmina
April 13, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Angie is acknowledging that “MyJihad” and “CAIR” have been confused as one and the same. And Geller clearly using the #MyJihad colors and look/feel for her SF ads — c’mon. You seriously want to nit pick Angie’s comments about what Barker meant on who he believes should debate with Geller? Okay- wasting time on this … next …
What Ahmed has done in the past has nothing to do with what Angie or I or any other #MyJihad vounteer are doing NOW. Every day and night in this campaign. (I also am aware that networks would bring her on without his prior knowledge at times- but I digress and its neither here nor there.) What is that supposed to even mean?
Sir- if you feel it is important for a group to formally debate hate groups like Geller- then you should form one. That is your freedom and right. #MyJihad is a campaign where anyone on the planet can express themselves. And be themselves. Period.
As a Board Member- I LOVE critique, criticisms and suggestions from people- when they also come with bona fide solutions. We hear A LOT of, ‘You should be doing this ….. You need to be doing that ….. you should…you could.” Thanks- appreciate the suggestions. But not sure how much more ME I can be. How much more ANGIE Angie can be. That is the essence of #MyJihad. Join us and express your truths. (Which might be, #MyJihad is to create a debate group to argue with bigots. What’s yours?) And if that is your jihad— God bless you.
Siraaj
April 13, 2013 at 2:35 PM
You asked me if I wanted to nitpick the conversation – yes, I do. Your group and Davi Barker are in complete agreement on #MyJihad role wrt Pam Geller – none. He clearly differentiates in his piece (and Angie notes in her piece) that CAIR should have taken her on during that debate.
So the suggestion that anyone is asking the #MyJihad folks to get in a debate with Geller is false. The question was never about whether #MyJihad should debate her, but if CAIR, who was invited to the discussion, should have shown up. They decided not to, Barker argued (intelligently) that they should have. I agree with his reasoning, but I also respect CAIR’s decision-making as I’m sure they have other considerations beyond what was publicly stated.
#MyJihad – reasonable, intelligent discussion with Muslims where asking intellectually honest questions and taking differing points of view doesn’t result in being talked down to – what’s yours? ;)
Siraaj
Angie Emara
April 13, 2013 at 4:58 PM
Just want to add, I hope no one, including Davi, feels talked down to. I simply responded to his editorial piece and I took no offense to his either. In fact I respect that he weighed in on the topic. I think it’s just a little frustrating to have fellow Muslims criticizing our efforts when it seems they don’t have the full understanding of the work. Additionally, as far as #MyJihad goes, we strongly invite and urge ANYONE to act in the way they see fit. If Barker or you feel it is beneficial to debate such people, we invite you to come on board and do so. #MyJihad would love that in fact.
Siraaj
April 13, 2013 at 6:03 PM
I understand what it means to put in a lot of effort into building a new org and having it flourish, I have experience in the Chicago community doing so myself, and I know exactly what you mean that it hurts to receive criticism from other Muslims based on misunderstandings of who you and are and what you do.
I just didn’t see any criticism from his piece towards your org, and that’s really the essence of what I wanted to point out.
Ramy
April 14, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Thank you Siraaj for stating the obvious. The MyJihad people misunderstood what his piece was about.
Yasmina
April 13, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Sorry if you felt “talked down to.” Not my intention. I am bold, blunt and passionate. The only man that ever could beat me in an “argument” was my father, rest his soul. Thanks for the discussion, brother- salams.
Siraaj
April 13, 2013 at 6:04 PM
Were we arguing? I think I was just sharing my point of view =D
Yasmina
April 13, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Ok, “you win.” :-)
Tariq Nisar Ahmed
April 13, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Sister Angie, I can empathize with your kids. While I was in elementary school the Iranian revolution took place and US hostages were held at the US Embassy in Iran.
I had encountered some discrimination before that, including a kid whose family had raised him to glorify the crusades, and another kid who told me that I had to accept Jesus, then gave her interpretation of Jesus’s teachings by slapping and spitting on me. But none of that abuse lasted as long or was as widespread as the insults and bullying I got during the Iran hostage crisis.
At the same time, I know it must be harder for youth today, especially the ones attending public school. The US government has turned the tragedy of 9/11 into an excuse for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for domestic witch-hunts where the FBI supplies all the boogey-men and Muslim Americans are further vilified and made the objects of suspicion. And this poisonous atmosphere has blanketed America for almost a dozen years — so many Muslim American children have never known a world where they and their parents were free from unjustified suspicion, taunting, and abuse!
Indeed, it is a jihad to maintain in the face of so much injustice one’s own dignity and to teach that dignity and the manners of the Prophet sull Allaho ‘alayhi wasallam to the next generation.
I am glad you wrote this article and that MM posted it. May Allah reward you and all the mothers and fathers who struggle to raise good Muslim children in this hostile environment. Ameen.
Angie Emara
April 13, 2013 at 10:52 PM
Salam Tariq, THANK YOU for taking the time to comment and share your own experience and for your words of support. I can’t express how much that means to all of us. I am also thankful that MM posted it. Please join us in this jihad isA- visit the website/facebook page and contribute with your own stories and jihad if you haven’t already! JAK!
Gibran
April 15, 2013 at 8:59 PM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
myJihad-being patient and waiting for modernist “Muslims” and other deviants to die off and face their punishment in the grave. Or it was my jihad. Nowadays, I just look at this nonsense as if it is normal. SubhanAllah.
Abdullah
April 13, 2013 at 9:07 PM
As Salamu ‘Alaykum- QUOTE:”#MyJihad is out to reclaim the use and meaning of the term Jihad to its proper form, as practiced by millions of Muslims around the world from both Muslim and anti-Muslim extremists who have misused it.”
Then you should utilize the proper use of Jihad and not “… is to stay fit”, “…build bridges across the aisles” “.. to be united in our diversity”, etc. as this is in essence changing what Islam is to appease westerners who already have a slighted view on Islam due to the distorted platform pushed by Geller et. al in addendum to the war propaganda propagated U.S. State Dept.
Q: What type of Jihad is discussed in the Makkan surahs of the Qur’an?
A: Not the “jihad” #myjihad is speaking of
Q: What is the fiqh regarding the Defensive Jihad of the Medinah surahs?
A: #myjihad can’t answer that b/c their campaign has nothing to do with jihad and everything to to with changing Islam-
-when it’s not Islam that is the problem, but the type of Muslims that were created by the US and Saudia to fight the commies. They are the problem so its sort of funny (along the lines of the Brittish in the 1800’s seeking to destroy the Ottoman Empire type of way funny) that we helped create the extremists and now we (i.e. teh west) are working to change what Islam is to further subjugate innocent, illiterate, farmers.
But Kudos to you for trying! Practicing, Deen literate Muslims won’t support this travesty as #myjihad and CARE are no better than Bin Laden and Kahlid Sheikh Mohammad in their utter distortions of the HAQQ
*This comment was edited by the MM Comments Team in order to comply with our Comments Policy*
Gibran
April 15, 2013 at 8:57 PM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
I have noticed that when people try to water the deen down, the life is sucked out of it. Islam becomes no more than some social identity.Rather, it is deenul Haq.
Pathetic really the amount of whining we do and watering down our deen for a few Islamophobes. What a severe punishment in the akhirah for this behavior. The companions were tortured and they don’t complain the way we do…….
BillaB
April 16, 2013 at 11:14 PM
Wsallam Gibran,
We got it the first gazillion times you posted; you(and whoever you agree with) alone represent true Islam as the Prophet PBUH imagined it to be and the rest are just trying to fit Islam to their own biases and ill-meaning ends. Now,please do desist pontificating for the sake of not de-railing what this discussion is actually about and thank you really for your genuine albeit patronising concern for everyone’s akhira.
Gibran
April 16, 2013 at 11:32 PM
Gaffarallahu lak
It’s natural to hate it when people trying to water down Islam. Although if you disagree with me, that is irrelevant. I’m not going to stop speaking against falsehood.
And what Abdullah and I had to say is connected to the subject matter of this post.
We can settle who is right on Yawm al Qiyamah between us.
BillaB
April 17, 2013 at 12:33 AM
Ironically, I don’t care for the ‘watering down of Islam’ myself either, I just happen to believe that it’s a matter of opinion based on life experiences and convictions therefore what you or I strongly believe are just as valid as the next guy’s beliefs about how to live as a Muslim. To someone,your beliefs might be ‘watered down’ to just mere semantics and codified following though he’d be wrong to assume that about you. All I suggest is taking a less accusatory/ad hominem approach than the one you’re taking to how diverse factions in our Ummah are reclaiming their deen proactively.
I fear you are doing yourself a great disservice by coining it as a clash between ‘who is right’; I don’t claim to be perfectly right as far as my opinions go and neither ought you because Allah SWT has given humanity an amazing gift in allowing for differing views and takes on how to be a righteous servant.
Gibran
April 17, 2013 at 1:00 AM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
“All I suggest is taking a less accusatory/ad hominem approach than the one you’re taking”
Point taken….inshaa Allah, jazzakAllahu khair for this advise.
“what you or I strongly believe are just as valid as the next guy’s beliefs about how to live as a Muslim. ”
This is perhaps the case sometimes but not all the time. We must look to the Quran and Sunnah to see whether an action is right or not.
Take this “myJihad” campaign. It’s totally ignoring the fact that there is war in Islam, and that Jihad is a word used quite a bit for war. It’s just a watered down approach to explaining Jihad to others. SubhanAllah, are we that afraid of explaining our deen? Some people are inevitably going to hate it like those pathetic Islamophobes that we cry over so much(they aren’t putting hot coals on us or stripping our skin by the way), but most non-Muslims who understand what it actually is will probably have little or no problems with most of it. In fact, they might even like the part about not killing innocent men, and absolutely not killing women or children. SubhanAllah, suicide is haram, that even knocks suicide bombing out of the question. Yes, I’m against terrorism, killing any innocent men, ANY women and children as much as the next guy, probably even more actually because it is a severe sin and because of the negative stuff Muslims have to deal with from law enforcement when we have done nothing wrong.
But I’m also, like Abdullah, against distortions of haqq. “myJihad”-subhanAllah, should we forget all the ayat in the Quran that DO have something to do with battle? Should we just stop reciting those ayat because of some unwanted fear of the FBI? They can’t catch us if we are innocent-and we are.
As for Islamophobes, subhanAllah, Islamophobes back in the day were far more powerful and brutal than the Islamophobes today. If they burn a mosque down, subhanAllah, we get money from disbelievers to build our mosque, may Allah have mercy on them.
We don’t need to mix haqq with batil in our jihad against Islamophobes. They are the ones astray and we are the ones with the truth. Lets not shy away from the deen Allah gave us-and with Allah is ALL honor. Lets use it against them and be proud of Islam.
Gibran
April 17, 2013 at 1:02 AM
P.S. Go get some sleep…
Amir Obeid
April 14, 2013 at 8:33 PM
The reality is, that Geller will be making her comments and driving peoples minds into anti-Islam frenzies on any platform she is able to speak upon, and I believe it is all of our duties to confront and destroy her arguments as much as is physically possible. Most people already dismiss the KKK because their arguments have already been destroyed in the past. Geller’s hatred for Islam does not have the same resentment that the KKK’s resentment for other races has. We must continue to destroy her (and others) arguments until that resentment becomes just as high in the minds of the public. I believe that Davi Barker was right in this regard. We should not waste time arguing with each other or putting each other down. We should use constructive criticism like that of Mr. Barker in order to make ourselves a better and stronger community.
Will
April 15, 2013 at 2:06 PM
Asa wrA wb
Hello my name is William Coley, I am National Director of Muslims 4 Liberty. I have to say, #MyJihad has completely misunderstood the intention of the piece. The issue at hand is the misrepresentation of the MyJihad campaign, and the fact that CAIR had an opportunity (which they declined) to state the facts for the record in a public venue. Geller’s entire premise was that MYJihad was a CAIR founded and funded campaign, an accusation that could have easily been handled with a Hooper or Awad simply stating, “#MyJihad is not a CAIR project, they are a separate grassroots organization, CAIR supports the effort of MyJihad in spirit, but are otherwise unaffiliated with the project.” Plain, simple,short and sweet. Geller is refuted, shown to be a liar to everyone but her minions, and we can move on to other issues, but instead CAIR declined. 10 years of allowing these loons to go unchecked (effectively) is why efforts like #MyJihad and M4L are needed to start with.
We don’t live in a fantasy land where Geller or minions can be reached, but we do realize that we can stifle or stop her growth of influence through actual effort. Sitting back, and allowing her and others to have their lecture events and media parties unchecked only results in their continued influence over the conversation. Through confronting her and her apostles on their own turf we (M4L) have halted the spread of her influence on the right, and alhumdulillah even pushed her back in some areas. Had we simply sat on our hands, none of that would have been possible. We simply meant to encourage CAIR to “man up”, and employ some our tactics(which unlike theirs actually work) by confronting the loons head on. Your wading into the “billboard war” does that, their opting out of clearing up that they are not affiliated with your effort does not.