South Florida's favorite anti-Islam nut bag masquerading as a Republican congressional candidate has his knickers in a twist over a recent meeting between Broward sheriff's officials and Muslim leaders.
Joe Kaufman, head of the hate-mongering group Americans Against Hate, is upset because the sheriff's office had the gall to host a meeting two weeks ago between cops and leaders representing South Florida mosques, the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and the American Muslim Association of North America (AMANA).
"I like and respect Sheriff [Al] Lamberti, but I think it is very unwise to allow radical
Muslim groups such as CAIR and AMANA to get close to the department," Kaufman told the Sunshine State News.
"Organizations connected to terrorism and bigotry should have no place
in law enforcement and no place in society, as they are a danger to
society. The sheriff's office should cease all activities with these
groups."
No one should be surprised that Kaufman believes two nonprofit organizations designed to defend civil liberties and promote understanding of Islam are "connected to terrorism." For years, right-wing groups have been harping on CAIR's status as an "unindicted co-conspirator" in a 2008 federal case accusing the Texas-based Muslim charity the Holy Land Foundation of funding terrorism. However, critics ignore the fact that more than 200 other groups and individuals were on the same unindicted co-conspirator list, and CAIR was never charged with a crime.
In fact, FBI director Robert S. Mueller III told the New York Times "that the bureau had no 'formal relationship' with CAIR, but that the organization's officials and chapters regularly worked with FBI officials on investigations and related matters."
So... the FBI can work with CAIR on investigations, but according to Joe Kaufman, the Broward Sheriff's Office should not even speak to CAIR's leaders. How's that for logic?
