July 31, 2012

 Today, CNN.com published an op-ed by Haris Tarin, the Director of the MPAC's Washington, DC, Office. The piece, “Michele Bachmann and Muslim Witch Hunts,” confronts the Congresswoman’s dirty tactics to marginalize American Muslims in public service.

In the op-ed, Tarin describes how Bachmann’s quest to defame Huma Abedin, Sec. Hillary Clinton’s Chief of Staff, and other prominent Muslim organizations, including MPAC,  has left many with the questison, “Why should we strive to work for our country, if those in power can label us as terrorists without evidence?”

SEE: “Michele Bachmann and Muslim Witch Hunts” (CNN) 

The op-ed reads, in part: 

“This latest witch hunt comes as no surprise to those of us in public life. This is a natural next step for hate mongers. First, people who do not have mainstream political backing start the rumors. Next, if we take a page from Sen. Joseph McCarthy's 1950s playbook, the rumors become accusations leveled by the most politically privileged. It's simple -- the more accusations thrown at American Muslims trying to serve their country, the harder it is for them to be hired and the more politicians shy away from engaging them… 

These attacks are real and hurt people's lives. Public servants have been forced out of jobs, with suspicion shadowing them. Very few public officials have had the courage to publicly condemn the escalating witch hunt. Will this latest absurdity finally force our politicians and policy-makers to not only defend someone like Huma Abedin, whose public service needs no defense, but also all American Muslims who serve this country every day?

….The question is whether this incident will serve as a tipping point. Will our political and religious leaders and the media push back against Islamophobes whose clear agenda is to marginalize American Muslims? Will this wave of McCarthyism be exposed, condemned and made politically unacceptable? Will American Muslim public servants be able to serve their country without suspicion?”