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Islam in Conflict in Cleveland
by Stephen Schwartz at Tech Central Station; EFLAn historic series of events is taking place in the largely-hidden world of Islam in America, and in a place many people would consider unlikely: Cleveland, Ohio. The incidents in question involve Imam Fawaz Damra, 41, a Palestinian-born religious officer of the Islamic Center of Cleveland -- described as the biggest mosque in Ohio. Damra was arrested for false statements on his citizenship application, where he failed to disclose his ties to Hamas, the Holy Much of an unsavory nature about imam Damra had already been disclosed in the wake of September 11, 2001, when a video in which he threatened and insulted Jews was broadcast on television. They showed in on the 11-oâclock news on Channel 3. It was the usual descendants-of-apes-and-pigs, kill-them-all seethe-spew-spittle stuff you can get on the streets of the Gaza strip on any given Friday. (Youâd think the guy could at least come up with something original!) But Damra then apologized for his remarks, and thereafter worked mightily to cultivate an image of moderation. Heâs the Slick Willie of imams, and he nearly pulled it off. Jewish leaders nevertheless expressed shock to learn that the imam with whom they had engaged in extensive dialogue was charged with al-Qaida involvement. After seeing the video, my surprise meter was off-scale low when I heard about the al-Qaida ties. The sincerity of the Cleveland Jewish leaders in seeking interfaith civility with the cityâs Muslims cannot be doubted. But even more interesting about the Damra case is that it has brought about a significant split within the Islamic Center. Here comes the good part. Members of the mosqueâs board of trustees suspended Damra after the indictment was handed down. [It was sort of the least they could do from a PR/damage control perspective. Damra protested; lawyers were summoned; lawsuits were threatened; he was reinstated on a limited basis, yadda yadda yadda . . . .] But to emphasize, the real story in Cleveland is less the exposure of an extremist imam, than the willingness of mosque congregants to stand up and call for his removal. Islam in America suffers from the domination of radical leaders, grouped in organizations I have called "the Wahhabi lobby" -- mainly, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Authoritative sources in the Muslim community have long argued that up to 80 percent of the main mosques in America are controlled by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), which has been targeted for a tax investigation by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee as a probable recipient of funds from outside the U.S. -- i.e. from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. None of this is news to us Ranters, but go on . . . ISNA and the mosques it controls work day and night to maintain ideological dominance over Muslims in America, in the interest of Wahhabism -- the official Saudi sect, which preaches hatred and violence against non-Wahhabi Muslims, who are the vast majority in the U.S. and in the Islamic global community or ummah, [and (2) everybody else]. A similar group, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) functions among Pakistani-American Muslims to enforce conformity to jihadist ideology. This does not mean 80 percent of Muslims in America are radicals. They are not. But even after September 11th, Muslims in America were reluctant to stand up and challenge the virtual dictatorship of the Islamist ideology. This was not because of sympathy for Wahhabism, but because of more complex sociological issues. Which are really not all that complex. Immigrant Muslims come to America to escape Islamist radicalism, and are shocked and intimidated to discover the extent of extremist influence in their community. Most of them would never have believed, in the countries from which they came, that the American authorities would permit an Islamist conspiracy to take control of their faith on our shores. Further, they are naturally concerned that if they openly oppose extremist influence, their relatives in their countries of origin, as well as their families right here, will suffer threats and worse, since it is not unheard of for dissident Muslims in America be killed. Wahabbis are control freaks, in other words. But the two-and-a-half years since September 11th have begun to wear down the habits of submission and conformity that have been drilled into American Muslims. An understandable fear of government sanctions and a simple weariness with having the jihadist ideology on their backs has finally induced some Muslims to step forward. I recently obtained a letter from mosque congregants in Cleveland that plaintively, but eloquently, expressed the dilemma facing the local Muslims. The authors, whose names cannot be disclosed, wrote, "our community is being tested to its limit. May Allah help us all in this time of turmoil⊠In September of 2001 when issues surfaced with the media and Imam Damra, there was a great deal of dissent and upheaval about the retention of Imam Damra as the Imam of the Center⊠The Board decided to retain the Imam and as a result a great deal of tension and upheaval occurred within our Community⊠On Tuesday, January 13, 2004, Imam Damra was arrested at his home and indicted⊠After the presentation and discussion the joint Boards voted 10 to 4 to ask Imam Damra to take a voluntary paid leave of absence until his legal issues are resolved. Imam Damra rejected the decision and the Board was then forced to place Imam Damra on an involuntary paid leave of absence. The decision to ask the Imam to temporarily step down was a difficult one for the Board to take, and when it was defied we were left with no alternative but to seek legal recourse." Most Muslims came to America seeking economic opportunity, security, and a better education for their children. Most of them want the chance to become real Americans, to affirm their loyalty and to participate according to the rules that govern the country as a whole. They should be assured of that chance. Muslims in Cleveland have, by calling for the removal of Fawaz Damra, demonstrated that they have had enough of the politicization of their faith, and deserve the support of all Americans. What he said. Posted by: Mike 2004-02-25 |
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