We have to admire the American Jewish Committee

Jeff Siddiqui

Posted Oct 1, 2009      •Permalink      • Printer-Friendly Version
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We have to admire the American Jewish Committee

by Jeff Siddiqui


Recently, I read a news update from the American Jewish Committee (AJC), that they are getting heavily into persuasion and influence…of American Jews and of international political leaders.

In their anti-Iran awareness efforts, they have had “75 private meetings to advance the AJC’s agenda with Presidents, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of nations sitting on the sidelines in the UN (on the action against Iran issue)”. The AJC has also produced a video called “This is the button” regarding “Iran’s nuclear ambitions”, a video that capitalizes on fear and fantasy about how brutal Iran is and how Iran will destroy the world if they develop the nuclear bomb. The AJC and similar-thinking organizations have been wildly successful among Jews and non-Jews alike; AJC’s latest poll reveals that 56% America Jews polled, would support the US taking military action against Iran while a whopping 66% would support ISRAEL taking military action against Iran.

The more I read about AJC’s activities, the more convinced I become that the AJC is getting deeper and deeper into the field of hate- and fear-promotion against Islam, Muslims and anything that barely looks like it COULD be a “threat to Israel” at any time in the future.

Even though this is revolting, one has to admire any organization that leaps to protect “its people” like the AJC and so many other Jewish organizations do; their tenacity, ferocity and loyalty, is as fearsome as their ability to join forces towards a common goal in spite of the many political and sectarian differences that they otherwise have.

Whenever I compare Jewish organizations and the single-mindedness with which so many Jews rally to defend Israel and other Jews, to Muslims and I go into deep depression…there is no comparison! Muslims are quite satisfied to sit on their behinds and grump while they declare all other Muslims who do not belong to their club, to be “kuffar” (unbelievers).

When I look at the actions of so many of my Muslim brothers, I see a lot of Deen (religion) and I hear a lot of “Allah” and “Islam”, but I see stingy amounts of the Amal…the Iman that is, the action and the faith, without which religion is an empty vessel.

My Muslim brothers and sisters are busy talking about “Dawa” and I have to confess with some embarrassment, that I have no idea what they are talking about.

Are they talking about talking about Islam to non-Muslims? If so, their efforts will take a while to bear fruit. ACTION is where people see what Muslims and Islam are…ACTION!
When people see dozens or hundreds of Muslims come to some meeting in order to communincate their desires…again and again; when they see Muslims vote together by the thousands in order to make sure we are not targeted by opportunistic politicians; when they see Muslims work together to create community centers for their youth, or nursing homes for their elderly; when they see leaders so impressed by Muslims that bigots have no platform. THAT is when non-Muslims will become impressed enough to respect Islam and to seek to understand it better.

A few evenings ago, I attended the Pakistan Association Eid dinner and I had the occasion to refresh my senses as to how we act when nobody else is watching.

I was sitting next to a young fellow and we got into a conversation, I asked him what his hobbies or extra-curricular activities were and he said he had no hobbies. Then I asked him what drove his passion, what fired him up. At first he felt too shy to share with me, then he hesitantly told me that he went to a local Mussalah (place for worship other than a Mosque) and that his passion was to see Islam all over America. I asked him what he was doing to reach that goal and he said he had not thought about that; he was too pre-occupied with “Islamic activities” and he had no idea how he would get America to a place where Islam is a common or the driving faith.

Although I did not say it, I was shocked that this young fellow had no idea how to reach the goal of seeing Islam all over the country.

What happened to our leaders, those who lead the prayers, present khutbas (sermons) and help guide the young? Do they not think far enough to help the kids understand what life…REAL LIFE is all about? Do they not think that our growing children MUST learn to become leaders in this country if they are to live here and if they are to help promote Muslims and Islam in this country?

Our leaders in faith are the role models for our youth; if our leaders have failed to understand or communicate what life is all about, then how can we expect our youth to grow up with anything resembling the leadership abilities of the great Muslims of old?

Then the announcement came for dinner. The announcer asked people to go in orderly groups; the hall very nearly stampeded towards the food tables. Here the responsibility lies in part with the organizers who should have numbered the tables and announced table numbers as they could proceed to the serving tables, instead, they issued vague requests which probably made the attendees think they would lose out on the food if they hesitated. Stampede.

After some time, I decided it was time to move towards the food tables, I took my place in the line only to see that within minutes a group of people came to the line, passed the line and started grabbing the plates and the food. They appeared surprised when I told them there was a line and they should actually get in line along with the rest of us, they said they did not see a line and then asked me to step in front of them. I told them that was not the point and that they should take their place in line which they did.
That chaos was pretty much the order of the day for the food tables.

It is not what we do when we are being monitored, it is what we do when we are not being watched and what we choose to do when we can do whatever we like, THAT is what makes us successful or keeps us from success.

As I said, you’ve got to admire the American Jewish Committee and WISH we could be more like them when we grow up…

SEE ALSO:
AJC releases annual survey of American Jews AJC Annual Survey of American Jews
AJC weekly update for 9/19/09 http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=3121957&ct=4482609

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