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CAIR Honors Democrat For Anti-Israel Statement
EFL: One overt political note was sounded as U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, was introduced and given CAIR's public-official-of-the-year award for his support of the Muslim community. Before giving McDermott his plaque, Samia El-Moslimany, CAIR vice chair, announced "tremendous news." She told the crowd that the King County Democratic Party, meeting earlier in the day elsewhere within the Convention Center, had voted into its platform a commitment to "withhold U.S. tax dollars from Israel while it is in violation of international law." "This is a memorable day," said El-Moslimany. The anti-Israel statement was one of 235 amendments to the party's platform, according to Greg Rodriguez, King County party chairman. Reached at home last night, Rodriguez could not recall the exact wording, but said, "I would imagine that probably did get in."
Following El-Moslimany to the podium, McDermott said that passage of the platform commitment should encourage all American Muslims to get involved in the political process. Afterward, Naseem Tuffaha, local director of the Seattle chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee who introduced the anti-Israel proposal at the Democratic party meeting, said that, though the platform is not binding, "it's a source of influence."
On the way in, many paused in the lobby to watch video footage of Capt. James Yee, the U.S. Army Muslim chaplain who spent 76 days in prison on allegations of spying at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, before all charges against him were dropped in April. Yee, who had not spoken publicly since his release, gave a short speech at the dinner. Having joined three other men for Muslim prayers in a quiet corner just before he addressed the crowd, Yee made a point of stating at the outset that he was not speaking in any official capacity or as a member of the military. His lawyer has said that Yee received orders since his return to duty at Fort Lewis restricting what he may say publicly.
Yee declined to speak with the press, and confined his remarks from the stage to thanking all who had supported him, and thanking CAIR in particular for its organized efforts. "I encourage you to stand for justice and to support (CAIR)," he concluded, "My name is Yusuf Yee, your brother in Islam."
Posted by: Steve 2004-05-11 |
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