CAIR Attempts to Silence Raymond Ibrahim

by Baron Bodissey
Gates of Vienna

Raymond Ibrahim is already known to most readers from his excellent scholarship and anti-jihad reporting, first at Jihad Watch, and then later at the Middle East Forum and other outlets.

Mr. Ibrahim was recently invited to speak about Islam at Everett Community College in Washington State. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) objected vigorously to his presence on campus, and lobbied to have the invitation withdrawn. The college authorities stood fast, however, and Mr. Ibrahim appeared as scheduled.

The TV news report below contains some examples of very unusual behavior, especially coming from an American academic institution.

First of all, a college administrator staunchly defended the importance of free speech, even unpopular speech by someone that Muslims consider “hateful”.

Secondly, the students listened to the speaker, instead of shouting him down. One of the students — the only one quoted on camera — even described his experience as positive and informative.

Thirdly, the TV viewer was able to hear quotations from the Koran, and even a brief definition of the worddhimmi — a very unusual occurrence in an MSM news outlet.

Finally, the only response by CAIR was a simple assertion that Mr. Ibrahim was “wrong” — no counter-quotations from the Quran or other refutations. This is quite telling.

None of this could ever have happened at Yale or Harvard. The difference must be that it was a community college, rather than a bloated corrupt politically correct university. Dymphna has often said that community colleges are the only public institutions in the USA where real education still occurs, and this incident is yet more evidence that she’s right.

It also tells us that we should aim our American Counterjihad efforts at community college audiences — at least in areas that are not excessively culturally enriched.