Counterterrorism Study: Could It Be That Domestic Islamic Orgs Are Staging Discrimination Controversies?
Could be, could be:
There are some cases where witnesses describe actors' behavior as "odd" yet very overt--behavior apparently designed to attract attention. Viewed under differing prisms, the behavior could be classified as either benign or as some type of terrorist activity. Decision makers and practitioners should consider the possibility that certain incidents are staged or that they are escalated by manipulation of the media and the legal system to create controversy and to provoke a response to serve strategic purposes. It is very difficult to prove ulterior intentions behind what we are referring to as "acts of staged controversy." Perhaps these acts are deliberately provocative. Or, it is possible these are innocent events that may be seized upon by advocacy groups for political gain.
The report is by Madeleine Gruen and Edward Sloan, under the auspices of the Investigative Project On Terrorism. They discuss two case studies: the flying imams and the Giants Stadium thing. Since both of those cases resulted in political sympathy and concessions, I'm thinking that maybe - just maybe - there could be something deliberate going on.
In the meantime an Islamic school in Rhode Island has converted parish buildings for their own use. Crescents are being added to Christmas displays in New York. The Mall of America in Minnesota has been "persuaded" to install Muslim accommodations. Even that insane pro-Hamas riot didn't draw particularly vociferous condemnation:
So I'm not sure that "Islamophobia" is exactly sweeping the country:
The long view for homeland security, however, cannot be compromised by hasty responses to ambiguous situations. It is possible that some Islamist groups may exaggerate the occurrence of anti-Islamic discrimination in order to validate the premise that "Islamophobia" is rampant. According to FBI statistics, out of a total 7,624 hate crimes reported in the United States in 2007, 115 were motivated by anti-Islamic bias.[27] By contrast, 2,658 were motivated by bias against blacks, 749 were anti-white, 1,265 targeted people based on sexual orientation and 969 of the hate crimes reported were motivated by bias against Jews.[28]
An academic version of NBC's NASCAR stunt from a few years ago. They went looking for prejudice -- and darned if they didn't find it. "Hailey Woldt put on the traditional black abaya, expecting the worst... Instead, Woldt's experiment in social anthropology opened her own eyes. Apart from the initial glances reserved for any outsider who might venture through a small-town restaurant's doors, her experience was a pleasant one.
And it's not like they have any reason to quibble with Americans' electoral choices. Even the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee - which gets attention precisely to the extent that it can highlight anti-Arab animus - can't paint a compelling picture of widespread Islamophobia.
Luckily CAIR and its allies have stumbled upon the "make shit up" approach, which seems to be working pretty well for them
References:
* Are Acts of Staged Controversy an Islamist Strategic Tactic? [IPT]
* Prayer Rooms and Pigskins [LGF]
* Pelosi To Take Stance On The Side Of Airline Imams? [MR]
* First Islamic school in R.I. buys parish buildings [Projo]
* NY Town Adds Islamic Crescent to Christmas Tree Display..... [Weasel Zippers]
* Mall of America moves to accommodate Minnesota Muslims [Jihad Watch]
* Hamas in Minnesota [LGF]
* Muslim study group surprised to find Alabamans don't hate Muslims [Hot Air]
* Shocker! CAIR Overjoyed Obama Groveled for Forgiveness From the Muslim World..... [Weasel Zippers]
* Arab-American hate crimes down since 9/11 [Reuters]
Previously:
* The Mysterious "1 Percent" Number That CAIR Keeps Quoting From the Pew Study - Unsurprisingly, Not Exactly Honest [Video]
* Northwest Airlines Caves To CAIR Boycott Threat And Apologizes, MR Caves To Our Worst Instincts And Publishes Conspiracy Theory Bait
* What? No Snark About Imams Calling For Muslims To Boycott Airlines?
