For once I have something nice to say about a mainstream media piece about the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). Rather than a gross whitewash (the usual media approach to CAIR), Tanya Weinberg’s article for the Sun-Sentinel, despite the weak headline, is actually a fair recounting of all sides in the CAIR story. Unsurprisingly, when CAIR officials like Ibrahim Hooper are quoted directly, their own defensive, evasive words make them look worse than any “basher” ever could: Islamic council defends civil rights of Muslims.

CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper blames people seeking to disenfranchise American Muslims with circulating the criticisms of his group.

“It’s always interesting these Muslim bashers can never point to something CAIR has done it in its 10-year history that is objectionable. They have to go to rumor and innuendo and guilt by association in order to destroy CAIR’s work on behalf of the American Muslim community,” Hooper said. “Somebody worked for somebody who worked for CAIR. What does that have to do with CAIR?”

He said Awad edited a newspaper for the Islamic Association of Palestine. He said he did not know and did not care in what capacity other founders may have worked for the group, which he noted has no terrorist designation.

He doesn’t care whether the founders of CAIR worked for a Hamas front. What more needs to be said?

The leader of a Miami interfaith group refuses to have anything to do with CAIR:

North Miami attorney Yigal Kahana leads local interfaith group Jews and Muslims and All, which promotes peaceful coexistence.

“CAIR? We stay away from them with a 10-foot pole,” he said. “Frankly it’s my opinion that they’re funded by the Saudis, and they have the attitude that creates the environment in which terrorist stuff is taken as normal.”

Kahana was dismayed at Ali’s response when the Miami director for the National Conference on Community and Justice asked him about Hamas at a 2003 town hall forum on post-Sept. 11 issues. Ali said he wanted to respond to accusations against CAIR in writing. “Instead of answering the question, he sidestepped it and then sent a letter,” Kahana said.

The Anti-Defamation League had declined to attend the same forum because of CAIR’s participation. Florida Regional Director Mark Medin said CAIR has failed to unequivocally condemn terrorism against Israelis. “We’re not aware of any direct ties to Hamas, but there are many instances where they have provided a platform for people who have spoken in support of Hamas,” Medin said.

Once again, from Hooper’s own mouth:

CAIR denies that. Asked about CAIR’s view on Hamas, Hooper called it a terrorist organization.

“We condemned suicide bombings in a number of statements. This is a straw man that’s put up by these people,” he said. “In our 10 years of existence we have not used the word Hamas other than to refute these scurrilous accusations.”