Keith Ellison Speaks Against Terror in the Name of Islam
A reader in the previous comments brought to my attention the following very balanced speech by Keith Ellison condemning terror attacks and stating that these attacks have nothing to do with Islam
This is the kind of balance that I am speaking of. NEVER condone the insanity of the indiscriminate blowing up and killing people in the name of Islam, while acknowledging that the plight of the Gazans is bad. You can do both. Condemnation of terror does not equal support of oppression. Keep repeating that until it is understood
The text of the speech is below:
Mr. Speaker, today I voted in favor of House Resolution 951 to condemn rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and the death and fear those attacks have caused. These rocket attacks must be condemned, and they must be stopped. I’ve been to Sderot, and I have seen how these rocket attacks cause fear and suffering among the people there, where it is extremely difficult to carry on anything approaching a normal life. The residents of Sderot and now Ashkelon face a daily barrage of rockets, and that is intolerable. Terrorists are bombing citizens, not soldiers. There is nothing in Islam to justify hurting innocent civilians. Bombers cannot use religion to justify what they’re doing, and I condemn it.
But this resolution is not enough. If we want to be morally consistent, we must condemn rocket attacks on Israel and also condemn the humanitarian crisis in Gaza too. The 1.4 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip exist in a state of dreadful isolation, quite literally cut off from the world. Basic supplies and necessities are at a minimum. Ninety percent of the industry has closed down. Unemployment is rampant, and poverty and disease are endemic. Only a few weeks ago, the people of Gaza broke through walls to buy groceries in Egypt. I regret the resolution we voted on today did not devote adequate attention, in my view, to the plight of the people of Gaza.
To suggest that this is the Gazans’ just desserts for voting the wrong way in the Palestinian legislative elections in January 2006 does nothing to improve the quality or alleviate the human suffering on either side of the border. We in Congress need to show compassion for the people of Gaza, Sderot, and Ashkelon and the tremendous human suffering they are undergoing. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he does not want the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to continue, and the Bush administration should do all it can to help him meet that commitment.
This resolution criticizes one of the leading advocates for stability and peace in the region: Egypt. The Egyptian Government has made it clear that it is doing all it can to close off smuggling. What’s needed is a greater degree of cooperation with Egypt. This resolution does nothing to advance that cooperation. We need to engage Egypt, not pass resolutions that publicly offend or diminish our relations with them. Absent strong evidence that Egypt is complicit in allowing weapons smuggling to occur, I am not in favor of Egypt bashing.
I understand Egypt is doing what it can to control the border despite restrictions on its security forces imposed by Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. If Egypt had direct contact or diplomatic channels with all parties involved in the conflict, the United States should prevail upon Egypt to help effect a prisoner exchange, stop the rocket attacks on Israeli citizens, and improve the humanitarian conditions for citizens of Gaza.
It’s a fortunate coincidence that the Secretary of State is in the region right now, and I am supportive of her taking an active role in resolving this conflict. Beyond resolutions and expressions of sympathy, we need real actions from the Bush administration to solidify and advance the commitments of leaders in the Middle East to a lasting peace through the two-state solution envisioned well before Annapolis. I ask my colleagues here in the House to join me in urging the Secretary of State to highlight the humanitarian needs of ordinary citizens of Gaza alongside the fear and death among ordinary Israelis as she seeks to mediate the situation so tragic for all involved.
Finally, as a Member of Congress, I am concerned about the resolution’s references to Iran. Now, I agree that Iran is playing a negative role in the region, but we have seen what the Bush administration has done with past congressional resolutions. I want to repeat that there is nothing in the resolution that should be construed as a justification for military action. I remain opposed to military action against Iran. We need to start a bilateral dialogue. That has been and will continue to be my position. The most effective way to stop Iran’s harmful activities is to engage them directly.
Mr. Speaker, though I wholeheartedly condemn the rocket attacks on Israel, I urge my colleagues to consider the suffering of all of the people, including the people of Sderot, Ashkelon, and Gaza.”
Filed under: Black American Muslims
First, in American politics there is a dishonorable tradition in which
politicians vote against the wishes of their constituents and later make a
statement supporting both sides of an issue. With the advent of C-SPAN,
politicians get on the floor of the House of Representatives and deliver
their speeches to a near empty audience. This speech becomes part of the
congressional record and is meant to appease naive constituents in order to
cover up their real vote. This clip of Rep. Keith Ellison giving support to
Palestinians is being used in this same way-to pacify the masses.
The date of the recording by Rep. Keith Ellison was March 5, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Eastern Standard Time. I very much doubt that Congress was in session at
that time. This is supported by the late time and the scarcity of visible
membership. These sessions are for the benefit of those wanting to get
their un-voted position into the record book.
The duty of every Muslim is to listen but not to believe everything they
hear and read without critical analysis. Repeating the spin provided by the
elected officials and their cronies does no one any good and is a disservice
to the Ummah.
salam
Very nice Br. Keith.
But this is exactly what we are asking you to do Br. Tariq: To be balanced, because your first critique did not even mention the suffering of the people of Gaza. Br. Keith has provided an example, in much more eloquent terms, of what I think I and many other brothers were requesting of you in the previous post of “Certainly not heroic”.
If I may, I’d like to point your readers to a poignant and powerful poem by Sr. Irum:
The World I Live In : Reflections on Gaza
jazakallahkhair.
Amad,
Salaam,
The difference in Mr Ellison’s statement was that it was unequivical and did not excuse the violence in the name of Islam. He made is perfectly crystal clear that there is nothing in Islam for this and SEPARATED the terrorists from the common people. The maniacs who write to me and post comments (not you of course) try to argue that these attacks ARE from Islam and that I am a Kaafir for disagreeing with them. This is where my major problem lies.
If I were you, I’d moderate out the maniacs. There is enough misinformation and propaganda against Islam, that we don’t need to feed LGF-types with some lies from our own geniuses!
ASA,
Unfortunately, many in the community misunderstood Rep Ellison’s vote as unilateral support of Israeli aggression. I’m glad that at least the readers of this blog were able to seen and hear his full comments.
All I can say is kudos to Rep. Ron Paul for voting against this clearly politically-motived bill:
http://www.antiwar.com/paul/?articleid=12474
He said nothing wrong…….The true scholars have refuted the palestinians and their HARAAM suicide bombings and that they need to establish a ISLAMIC program in the name of ALLAH…..not in the name of palestine….make the message more distinct…..as for the iran I dont see how the govt of IRAN has anything to do with islam……ron paul hahahaha(what a waste of time)……Unlissted2008
@Unlissted,
Your post reads like a rant. The bill, as I understand it, was not about condemning suicide bombings, but the firing of rockets. There is a big distinction between the two. (Note: I’m not justifying the latter, but just making a point.)
As for the term “true scholars,” this smells of sectarianism: only a select elite group of scholars and their most partisan adherents are upon Truth, and everyone else is upon misguidance.
As for you attitude toward the Muslim of Palestine, why speak of them as if you have no brotherly connection with them? These are our dear and close Muslim brothers and sisters and their pain should be our pain. Need I bring up the hadith of the umma being like a body?
As for Rep. Keith Ellison, I understand the position that he is in and that he cannot, for political reasons, directly challenge the Israel lobby. But an important question to ask is, when Rep. Ellison mentions the immense suffering of the Palestinians, who brought this suffering upon them?
As for Rep. Ron Paul, I must say that I am glad we have someone in Congress who has more compassion toward the Palestinians then many self-absorbed Muslims, who would rather stand in arrogant condemnation of those in a situation of intense suffering.
Yes there is a hadeeth which mentions the ruwaybidaa….(sahih bukhaaree) So yes the prophet mentions ones who arent true to the game….anyway whatever you smell is your business…..The Saved Sect is the only sect !!!!…The Prophet mentioned not to kill the women and children(bukhari,abu dawud etc)……We see you highlighted the word muslim if only the Palestinians would do that…….lool…..We care about the muslims in palestine and pray for them….but we dont go to extremes and not refute their errors,,, by the way have they stopped suicide bombing in palestine??????? Of course not…….The fatawa of the true scholars still is applicable….Oh..Ron paul the mushrik is your man the one who voted against the marriage protection act.( which bans gay marriage)……yes he has compassion for some other things too……. like them body boyz……looooooooooooool Unlissted2008
@unlissted,
The saved sect is the only sect? But what of the 73 sects?
Yes, the prophet (s.a.w) said not to kill women and children, yes. Was that ever in contention?
I would engage you in further discussion, but you don’t seem interested in rational discourse, but just childish ranting. If you want to have a reasonable discussion you know where to find me. Until that time, wa ‘alaikum as-Salam.
Tariq,
I know the Palestinian issue is multifaceted but i use this ‘info’ as the individual quoted is a respected Islamic scholar.
I hear you and know you to be truthful but I constantly see/hear respected Islamic scholars supporting mass killing.
How do you interpret these words? Am I missing something?
“Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Dr. Walid Al-Rashudi, head of the Department of Islamic Studies at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on February 29, 2008.
Walid Al-Rashudi: One of the important things that we must tell people is that what is going on in Palestine today is a real holocaust. This is the real holocaust. A holocaust is not the burning of 50-60 Jews in Germany or Switzerland, but the Jews continue to call it the Holocaust. In case you don’t know, let me tell you that more than 90% of the Muslims in the world do not know that the Jews receive reparations from Germany and Switzerland for the so-called Holocaust affair. We believe that there was indeed a holocaust, but how many died? 50-60 people? Afterwards, they used it to blackmail these two countries.
So what are we supposed to say in the face of the Gaza holocaust? What compensation will satisfy us? By Allah, we will not be satisfied even if all the Jews are killed.”
The only legitimate sect….as the prophet legitimized it….in many ahadeeth……Yes it was in contention as it went from suicide bombings to fire rockets….It obvious some of us support terrorism and mayhem and dont know it…..killing muslim women and children….but with a picture of ali tami-mi then we know what type of dawah your on…….Unlissted2008 wont debate takfirees we’ll just call the police on ya!!!!!!!!!!! ..Enough is enough….destruction of islam for your nationalistic desires and homelands and self declared jihad’s all of them false…..The Khawarij of the era will be defeated bi-idth-ne-laah..Unlissted2008 Rant that
So now we wanna imitate the kufaar ” the real holocaust” Are the palestinians calling to a islamic solution????? Why dont they signal out the religion and cause which is for islam…..not a homeland……The somalians had similar problems and still do……but they want islam and make it very clear and had a islamic situation set up…..Mashallah We dont hear much about that……..Let the Palestinians lift up islam and disassociate themselves with the iranian shee’aa as well and suicide bombings, and the killing of innocent people……This deen is not based on somebody’s color or nationality.!!!!!!!!!! Unlissted2008
Where is the wisdom of the Muslims in Palestine trying to fight with weapons which date back to the roman empire….stones,brooms,slingshots and other homemade devices the technology that israel possesses is far more advanced then palestine and it’s surrounding neighbors and they control the electric and water ….They are in a no win situation so they must negotiate a peace plan and stick to it…whether it be acknowledging israel ….or simply make hijrah from palestine….Wa Laahu Alim…….Unlissted2008End of the road….
As-Salaamu `Alaykum,
Abu Omar, part of the problem that our community has in regards to the Palestinian issue is that we suffer from historical cherry-picking.
Of course, the Israelis have been the more violent, overt hand in regards to the suffering of the Palestinians. However, what’s the history of how that land was handed over to them? Did not the Arabs make a pact with the British to fight against the khilaafa, which led to the British Protectorate of Palestine that was turned over to Zionists?
And did not the strategic errors of the Palestinian leaders assist in this suffering? Arab Nationalism with Marxist leanings to the exclusion of Islamic ethics? PLO corruption and embezzlement while the masses were without proper resources? Abu Mazen’s pandering and fighting between Fatah and H*mas?
We are taught in Islam that for the most part, the harm that comes to us is from our own hands. Salahudeen Al-Ayoobi said that we didn’t loose Jerusalem because the Crusaders were strong but because we had become weak.
With all due respect, I’m so tired of us blaming Israel for all of the problems of the Palestinians. How can they expect the help of ALLAH when we all know that firing rockets at civilian targets and suicide bombings in markets is haraam? Isn’t ALLAH enough of a Helper if we act in accordance with the Qur’an?
What Rep Ellison said was right on the money. Actually, he could have been even stronger.
Wassalaam
The following is a statement from a Hamas official about the intentional use by Hamas of old people and children to act as human shields.
Hamas MP Fathi Hammad: We Used Women and Children as Human Shields
Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Hamas MP Fathi Hammad, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on February 29, 2008.
To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1710.htm
Fathi Hammad: [The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people
has developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking. For the Palestinian
people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all thepeople living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideenand the children. This is why they have formed human shields of the women,the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionistbombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: “We desire death like you desire life.”
This evidence from the Hamas MP above puts “Case closed” to the issue of whether Hamas intentionally uses old people and children as shields from among whom they fire hundreds of rockets at civilians; the purpose is either to prevent the Israelis from retaliating, or to make big propaganda about “civilian casualites” or even “genocide” when they do retailate.
As Michael Walzer, the eminent political philosopher and a man of the left, has said:
When terrorists intentionally shoot hundreds of rockets at enemy civilians, while hiding among their own civilians and using them intentionally as human shields, the responsibility for what occurs from the counterfire lies with the terrorists–AND ONLY WITH THEM. They–and ONLY THEY–are responsible for the casualties among the civilians whom they intentionally hide among while shooting rockets at civilians.
Since the LOBBY’s foot-soldier Eckstein is spamming Br. Tariq’s blog, see the response to this propaganda here:
http://tariqnelson.com/2008/03/07/certainly-not-heroic/#comment-27242
The aforementioned comment is in moderation at the time of placing this comment due to the link, but it should be visible soon.
I do not believe that the response to an argument should be personal vilification. I’m not a footsoldier for anyone, I don’t belong to any LOBBY. It would be better for Amad to deal with the hideous implications of, e.g., the hideously proud admission from Fathi Hammad.
Your reply was pretty ridiculous amad and I don’t even agree with Art. Since when is it spamming to post a differing point of view than the majority opinion. YOu need to lighten up a bit
I’m afraid I’m gonna have to provoke Amad again. I’d like to see Amad reply also to the statement below. I note, in terms of the struggle for a progressive Islam (which I support), that this amazing statement comes not from some streetcorner maniac, but from the Head of the Dept of Islamic Studies at a major university in Saudi Arabia:
Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Dr. Walid Al-Rashudi, head of the Department of Islamic Studies at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on February 29, 2008:
Walid Al-Rashudi: One of the important things that we must tell people is that what is going on in Palestine today is a real holocaust. This is the real holocaust. A holocaust is not the burning of 50-60 Jews in Germany or Switzerland, but the Jews continue to call it the Holocaust. In case you don’t know, let me tell you that more than 90% of the Muslims in the world do not know that the Jews receive reparations from Germany and Switzerland for the so-called Holocaust affair. We believe that there was indeed a holocaust, but how many died? 50-60 people? Afterwards, they used it to blackmail these two countries.
So what are we supposed to say in the face of the Gaza holocaust? What compensation will satisfy us? By Allah, we will not be satisfied even if all the Jews are killed.”
I think this is the sort of thing that Tariq Nelson and Keith Ellison object to. Yet both Tariq and Congr. Ellison need to face the scale of their task. The fact is that not only are these statements being made explicitly in the name of Islam, but they are coming from people with a lot of authority within the worldwide Muslim community. I repeat: Professor Al-Rashudi is not some streetcorner maniac. He supposedly holds a Ph.D., and is the HEAD of the Department of Islamic Studies at King Saud University. Can you imagine what the rest of that Department is like? And Al-Rashudi spoke on a tv network with a large audience in the Muslim world.
I want to add, I’m not seeking to provoke: it’s the uncomfortable facts I cite that provoke. But because I am not seeking to provoke, whatever Amad or anyone else now replies, having provided these facts, these statements both from Mr. Hammad of Hamas and from Professor Al-Rashudi, I will now be silent. I don’t want to jam up Tariq’s good blog.
Yes that Memri-tv trap is nothing but spying from a jew named yigal who worked for intelligence for israel…….basically it is composed of mistranslations and purposely exposing trifling mistakes of terrorists and extremists and then leaving the watcher clueless to what is correct or incorrect…..snatching newsclips…form here and there….Memritv is nothing but a bunch of camera tricks and spying only to hurt islam…..Unlissted2008
Art, your desire to appear “unbiased” on a “moral high” falls flat on its face when you continue to use biased and widely refuted sources. Despite all your attempts, you cannot hide your LOBBY credentials, and zio-con ideals. You are not giving us facts, you are giving us LOBBY talking-points. You don’t have to be a card-carrying member of the LOBBY, all you have to do is to parrot their propaganda.
“Anon”: it is spamming when you post the same comment at more than one location. If you had cared to look at the “recent comments” list, you would have seen it right away. It is sufficient to add one comment at one location.
Unfortunately, I’ll have to repeat my comment because of this spamming, as it seems that it may have been missed:
MemriTV= Israeli propaganda machine passed off as an “objective” eye into the Middle East.
Check this article, only one of many articles exposing MEMRI for the Zio-Con propaganda machine it is. Eckstein, you can pass of this BS to gullible Muslims, but the Muslims in the know we will keep catching up on your lies and propaganda.
The case is only closed on your prejudiced Islamophobic mind.
And if everyone hasn’t seen this video yet, then you have not recognized how the message is controlled in “news” and the media by the Zionist lobby. I didn’t make this video, neither did any Muslim or Arab. In fact, many of the commentators in this documentary are Jews! Sorry, you can’t call it anti-semitic. Try again.
A Must-See Documentary in the Inner Workings of “Message Control”
I just wish to say to brother Amad, jazak ullah khayr for your defense of your Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine and your commitment to the truth when so many others would give into political correctness and intimidation.
For those still interested, and especially for those who want to believe with some of the crazies here that the al-Rashudi quote is simply all a Jewish lie, one can find the actual clip of al-Rashudi saying these vile things about the Holocaust, from Arab TV: http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1711.htm. Some of you speak Arabic. It’s in Arabic, not dubbed.
Abu Omar, wa iyakum. We have to be always just as Muslims, and we cannot forget our ties to all Muslims, wherever they may be.
“we cannot forget our ties to all Muslims, wherever they may be.”
I love when people make statements like this. As if it has any basis in reality. The reality of muslim attitudes towards other muslims is that “all muslims, wherever they may be” are apparently based in Palestine
@anon 3:42PM
The reality is also that because of the politics, Palestinians get a free pass to violate tenets of Islam from far too many Muslims.
“we cannot forget our ties to all Muslims, wherever they may be.”
That’s strange. What about 250,000 dead Muslims and 2 million homeless Muslims in Darfur? What about Muslims suffering in Niger and oppression of Muslims in Thailand?
Excuse me, I never heard a khutbah about the exploitation of Muslims during the mass killings of Muslims during the “Blood Diamond” wars or how Pakistani & Sri Lankan Muslims get treated like slaves in the Gulf Nations.
Bi hawlillah!
We need to start being real and admit that our concern for all Muslims isn’t universal. It’s pseudo-unity.
@anon:
I love when people make statements like this. As if it has any basis in reality. The reality of muslim attitudes towards other muslims is that “all muslims, wherever they may be” are apparently based in Palestine
I’m sorry, but that is just not true. It is certainly true that Palestine is at the forefront on many Muslims minds because it is the location of masjid al-Aqsa, the third holiest location in Islam. We should not lose sight of that.
That being noted, I know that I personally have a special place in my heart for the Muslims of Chechnya, and I have been quite vocal with educating Muslims about the plight of our brothers and sisters in Burma, Thailand, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Ogaden, and elsewhere. I know brother Amad has done the same on the MuslimMatters.org blog.
I really feel that some brothers, and Allah knows best, hide a secret contempt for the Palestinians and speak about them in the most condescending manner.
Excuse me Dawud?
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Welcome Kosova!
If you have some posts on the subjects you mentioned, I would be more than glad to help with raising awareness on those subjects inshallah. I try to stick to what I know or have gotten to know.
And as Abu Omar mentioned, Allah has made Aqsa (Jerusalem) special. Not Arafat, not Hamas, not the Palestinians, not you, not me. So, we are concerned universally, but we have a special spot for Aqsa no doubt.
May Allah release it from the oppressors and the state-terrorists.
P.S. If any Muslims (that includes you Dawud) want to highlight sufferings in any part of the world, and have a good understanding of the situation, feel free to email us at info at muslimmatters dot// org
Strange how no one cares when Muslims are oppressing other Muslims, especially with the case of the Taliban oppressing Shi’a Hazaras. It seems that as long as a government considers itself Islamic, they get a free pass to commit genocide against another group of people they deem unfit. The slaughter of Hazaras by the Taliban exceeds anything Israel has ever done to Palestinians. How did the Muslim world respond? By endorsing the Taliban and even flocking to fight for the Taliban. Every Islamic message board I’ve been on endorses the Taliban while ignoring or even justifying their brutality.
What does everyone have to say about that??
Abu Omar, your site obviously is one of those message boards I’ve mentioned above where posters endorse the Taliban’s brutality against Hazaras simply because they are Shi’a and not Pashtun.
I haven’t heard anything from Muslims about what is going on in Iraq (between Iraqi Sunnis and Shi’a). I’m sure something must be out there - any referrals?
It is high time that Muslims denounce the violence going on in Islam’s name
@Danial, on the message board people speak for themselves. If you think people are wrong, sign up and try to educate them.
As for myself, I have never justified or defended the oppression of anyone, no matter who the oppressors are and who the oppressed are. Unfortunately in Afghanistan there is hardly any group there with clean hands.