The Minnesota Muslim American Society is a state chapter of a national organization, the Muslim American Society (MAS). Last week the Minnesota chapter held its annual convention in Minneapolis, part of which was a gubernatorial debate attended by several Democrats and one Republican. The event, from what I’ve been able to tell, received virtually no media coverage.
What is MAS? It’s bad news, I’m afraid. MAS is at its core a front for the terrorist group Muslim Brotherhood which attempts to pass itself off as some sort of Rotary Club. The Weekly Standard said as long ago as 2005 that the Muslim Brotherhood operates in America as the Muslim American Society. The founder said that Islam “has encompassed all aspects of human life, for all peoples and nations, for all times and ages.” Twelve years ago MAS had 53 chapters nationwide and about 10,000 members. I’m unable to find current numbers if they exist.
Correctly thinking that “MAS’s outlook is best reflected in its curriculum,” The Weekly Standard looked, of all places, at the Minnesota chapter’s website and concluded that it “discusses the MAS curriculum in general terms that suggest that it is presenting the national organization’s curriculum and objectives.” In other words, there is no substantial difference between a chapter and the national organization. You can see the Minnesota Muslim American Society’s website for yourself.
Media in Minnesota will never accurately report on what MAS is, in the same way that it dishonestly pretends that CAIR is some neutral Muslim support group that somehow is entitled to speak for each and every Muslim in America. Both groups have well defined and strong links to terrorist and Islamist supremacy groups. Of course, Dar al-Farooq in Bloomington is a radical, Islamist mosque but that too is hidden from Minnesotans by our press. Instead, we get cringe-inducing pieces about how wonderful it is that a young woman in St. Cloud is forced to wear the misogynist burkini in order to compete in swim meets, written by people who describe themselves as “feminists.”
Where are the detailed, warm profiles of Somali FGM survivors Fadumo Abdinur and Farhio Khalif, who stood next to Rep. Mary Franson as she fought for girls in Minnesota? Nowhere, of course. The Regressive Left aligns only with regressive influences in the name of progress.
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CAIR’s Barbie doll for Islamism, Rep. Ilhan Omar, moderated the gubernatorial candidate forum, with Democrats Chris Coleman, Erin Murphy, Rebecca Otto, Tim Walz, Tina Leibling and Republican Keith Downey attending. Downey’s appearance drew a scolding from Power Line’s Scott Johnson, who measuredly called him an “idiot.”
We know this because he emailed Star Tribune reporter Patrick Coolican to complain of the latter’s favorable comments about Downey’s appearance in his daily newsletter “Morning Hot Dish.” Coolican quoted Johnson’s “idiot” comment. That got me thinking.
I publicly tweeted Howard Root, asking him if he wondered whether Coolican had quoted Johnson without permission, as Coolican had done to Root in a series of DM’s, or direct messages, between them earlier this year. Grossly selectively edited by Coolican, Root allowed for the entire conservation to be published. No surprise, Coolican was left looking the fool. Johnson quickly responded that he had given permission, to which I replied “Thanks. Had to be asked.”
Johnson, in his usual thorough way, blogged about this late yesterday, although it takes him until the seventh paragraph to get to the issue at hand. He wrote to the Star Tribune “as a core Republican voter.” He doesn’t say what that means although it put me in mind of Mitt Romney bleating he was “fiercely conservative” during his sad and pathetic campaign of 2012. While Johnson states he gave permission to be quoted, he doesn’t mention my calling out a Star Tribune reporter for his previous dishonesty. He then later proceeds to complain about the Star Tribune. Go figure.
He says “I would revise my comment to say that Downey was on a fool’s errand rather than that he is an idiot.” Though he suggests there’s not much of a difference, I rather think the opposite. So too, I believe, would most people of good faith.
But, if Johnson’s account of a subsequent telephone conversation between himself and Downey is correct, then Downey is simply mistaken if he think MAS has disavowed its Muslim Brotherhood roots and goals. Like Johnson, I see no evidence for that, anywhere, and much to the contrary.
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What is it, then, that we are talking about? Simply put, in a state where Islamist organizations have the media & publicity upper hand, should Republicans engage in any forums sponsored or organized by them? I used to think no. Now I think I was wrong.
And I was wrong up until very recently. I couldn’t write this column without disclosing that when I learned Downey was speaking at a MAS event I reached out to some in his kitchen cabinet and expressed concern. They were polite, duly noted and all that. (I’m in random contact with most every GOP gubernatorial campaign; like Scott Johnson, I’m not supporting any particular one but want a Republican governor elected)
Now, after the fact of Downey haven spoken, I’ve changed my mind. Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do after acquiring new information? After rethinking what we once thought? Dare I eat a peach?
Johnson wrote “I think Downey misfired in this case by treating MAS-MN as a sectarian interest group like any other rather than by taking a pass or calling it out.” Are those really our only choices? When you read Downey’s public comments, which to Johnson’s credit he posts in full, perhaps another approach is possible, even necessary.
That would be our participation in events to which we foundationally object.
We’ve already lost the battle to discredit them, though Johnson attempts to reverse that, mostly to an audience that V.S. Naipaul wrote about in “Among The Believers,” with the polarities reversed. There comes a time, however, when lost causes should be left for lost.
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Islamists in Minnesota should be challenged at every opportunity. That’s why I suggest Power Line and The Center of the American Experiment have regular public forums which draws together in reality that which they write about hypothetically.
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In addition to Alpha News, John Gilmore is also a contributor to The Hill. He is the founder and executive director of Minnesota Media Monitor.™ He blogs at MinnesotaConservatives.org and is on Twitter under @Shabbosgoy. He can be reached at Wbua@nycunarjfza.pbz
Photo credit: CounterJihadReport.com
John Gilmore
John Gilmore is an author, freelance writer & former opinion columnist for Alpha News. He blogs at minnesotaconservatives.org & is @Shabbosgoy on Twitter