Zawahiri adds racism to his crimes

by Sheila Musaji

Ayman Zawahiri the al Qaeda second in command stated in a recent rant:  “And in you [Obama] and in Colin Powell, Rice and your likes, the words of Malcolm X (may Allah have mercy on him) concerning “House Negroes” are confirmed.”

Khaled Hamed points out that the Arabic text actually translates as “house slaves” not “House Negroes”.

At least two national Muslim organizations immediately condemned this statement.  The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) whose statement said in part:  Al-Zarahwi’s exploitation of religion and race in his derogatory remarks against Obama, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell is deplorable.  In the video, Al-Zawahri is heard calling Obama a “house negro” who is “the direct opposite of honorable black Americans” like Malcolm X.  Malcolm X would roll over in his grave at the way his name and his words have been abused by Al-Qaeda.  Al-Zawahri and his fellow Al-Qaeda thugs do not speak for Muslims, who have celebrated around the world at the election of Barack Obama.”

“To Al-Qaeda, we say clearly: Stop using our name as Muslims and our religion to spread your suicidal, hateful and un-Islamic propaganda. We condemn you, your terrorist actions and everything that you stand for. Islam serves as a unifying force bringing people of diverse backgrounds together, and we are committed to working with the Muslim majority who seek to work constructively to confront the problems being faced by our country and around the world.”

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) whose statement said in part: “As Muslims and as Americans, we will never let terrorist groups or terror leaders falsely claim to represent us or our faith. The legitimate grievances of Muslims in many areas of the world can never serve as an excuse or a justification for attacks on civilian populations. We once again repudiate Al-Qaida’s actions, rhetoric and worldview and re-state our condemnation of all forms of terrorism and religious extremism.” ...  ” CAIR took particular offense to al-Zawahri’s use of the offensive term “house Negro” in reference to President-elect Barack Obama. “Islam rejects racism and seeks universal peace and brotherhood. We repudiate any and all use of racial slurs or insults.”

We may be beginning to see the death spasms of American racism, but al Qaeda has now added the crime of racism to their long list of crimes.

To quote Khaled Hamed again: “If there are still any brain-dead Muslims anywhere who see any redeemable value in criminals like Zawahiri, Bin Laden and their gang: please wake up. These so-called Muslims betrayed us and betrayed Islam before they betrayed anybody else.”

As an American Muslim I hope that the first change the Obama administration brings about is to get us out of all the military entanglements around the world and focus the “war on terror” on the only actual source of the terror, al Qaeda and it’s leaders.  After that we have a lot of work to do rebuilding our economy, reinstating our civil rights, fixing our educational system, getting a universal health plan in place, improving public transportation, reducing our environmental impact, reducing the size of the federal government, fixing social security, reversing President Bush’s “executive orders”, improving America’s tattered image abroad, and helping other countries with humanitarian not military aid.