Tancredo and the Moderate Muslims

Dean Esmay received this pertinent information via email:

(Washington, DC July 26) The Free Muslims Coalition (FMC), a national Muslim organization with 15 chapters, will meet this Wednesday with Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado about a recent comment in which he suggested that the United States should [sic] bomb Islamic Holy sites in Mecca as a deterrent against the terrorists.

Following the congressman’s statements, he was immediately criticized by the White House and the Muslim leadership world wide. In response to the criticism, Spokesman Will Adams stated "We have an enemy with no uniform, no state, who looks like you and me and only emerges right before an attack. How do we go after someone like that?"

The Free Muslim Coalition (FMC) is not interested in joining the chorus of Muslim organizations who attacked Congressman Tancredo. Instead, we intend on having an honest discussion about resolving this controversy. FMC understands that Congressman Tancredo represents the frustration of millions of Americans who on a daily basis watch in horror as dozens of innocent people are murdered in the name of Islam.

FMC will convey to Congressman Tancredo that many Muslims share his frustration about the senseless killing of innocent people in the name of our beloved religion. The Free Muslims have said time and time again that the war on terror is more than a military battle, it is also an ideological battle and only Muslims can defeat the cancer of terrorism and extremism that is spreading throughout the Muslim world. The Free Muslims recognize that the Muslim leadership in America and abroad has failed in challenging and discrediting the ideology that leads to extremism and terrorism but we are now trying to reverse our past mistakes by aggressively challenging the terrorists and their evil ideology.

FMC understands that Congressman Tancredo was only speaking hypothetically based on the theory that America must threaten the terrorists with what matters to them most. However, what congressman Tancredo does not understand is that the terrorists don’t care if the United States destroys their holy places. The terrorists are heartless criminals and as far as they are concerned the holy places are just buildings that can be rebuilt. In fact, they will use Congressman Tancredo’s comments as more ammunition for their arsenal. Most likely, the terrorists will take Congressman Tancredo’s words out of context to gain more recruits by convincing gullible Muslims that they are defending them from "crusaders" who want to "destroy Islam." [Ed. note: Does anyone know of the words of Mr. Tancredo being used by Islamists propagandists or any Arab/Muslim organization, for that matter?]

FMC president Kamal Nawash will ask Congressman Tancredo to join Muslims who want nothing more that to eliminate the terrorists and the ideology that leads to extremism and terrorism. Nawash said that “Jews, Christians, Muslims and the entire civilized world must join forces to defeat this evil that hides behind religion to justify the murder of innocent people.”

For more information, please visit www.freemuslims.org.

(Emphasis mine.)

Here's hoping that they had a productive meeting.