Court Document Submitted
in Support of Islamic Society of Boston's Libel Lawsuit
Islamic
Society of Boston Cultural Center |
Washington, DC: The
Muslim Public Affairs Council has filed a "friend of
the court" memo in a lawsuit filed by the Islamic Society
of Boston claiming that the Boston Herald, TV station Fox
25 and 15 other individuals -- including Islamophobe Steve
Emerson -- created a media conspiracy to prevent it from
building a new mosque and cultural center.
SEE: MPAC "Friend of the Court" Brief for Islamic
Society of Boston
"Scare tactics used by the defendants against the Islamic
Society of Boston and its constituents only serve to further
endorse the ongoing erosion of Americans' civil liberties,"
the amicus ("friend of the court") brief states.
"MPAC believes that the Islamic Society of Boston has
been the target of a smear campaign which strives to undermine
and disrupt their Constitutional rights to assemble freely
to worship as they choose. This effort on behalf of the
defendants is a challenge to American Muslims in a campaign
to hinder the integration of the American Muslim community
into mainstream American society."
The Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) is building a 70,000-square-foot
mosque -- the largest in New England -- on a property it
purchased from the city in May 2003. After the groundbreaking,
a series of investigative articles appeared in the Boston
Herald and a number of broadcast new stories appeared on
Fox 25 asserting that members of the ISB had links to terrorist
groups. The ISB denounced all the claims, calling them false
and defamatory.
The lawsuit claims that the 17 defendants waged a media
war against the project by releasing information that connected
current and former members of the Islamic Society of Boston
to fundamentalist terror organizations. These allegations,
the Islamic Society of Boston claims, resulted in a substantial
decrease in donations for the cultural center, which remains
unfinished. Eight of the defendants in the lawsuit are news
media organizations or individuals.
The amicus brief submitted by MPAC reads, in part:
"In order to enhance the security of our country, it
is necessary to expose the vocal minority of Americans who
continue to exploit the tragedy of September 11 to advance
their pre-existing anti-Muslim agenda. Among that group
is defendant in this case, Steven Emerson. MPAC believes
it is important for this court to be aware of Emerson's
long and vitriolic track record of hate and bias against
American Muslims. MPAC has presented a case study on Emerson
entitled 'Counterproductive Counterterrorism: How Anti-Islamic
Rhetoric Impedes America's Homeland Security' with the purpose
of arguing on behalf of the vital voice of American Muslims
to be included within counter-terrorism discourse. Emerson's
approach may perhaps best be summarized in his own words:
'Are they all terrorists? No, but the odds are they would
participate in a terrorist activity if called upon'...."
"Emerson's analysis is reminiscent of many groups in
America's past that have worked for the exclusion of one
minority group or another. It is a simple goal of disallowing
American Muslims the inalienable rights of self-definition
and participation in normal American public affairs. In
the same historically relevant tone of hate that others
accused Jews and Catholics of disloyalty to America, Emerson
accuses American Muslims of being duplicitous. While they
may publicly denounce terrorism, Emerson asserts, American
Muslim leaders simultaneously support international terrorist
groups. Emerson's agenda to discredit active Muslim organizations
that are successfully integrating their constituencies into
the American pluralism is not helping defend America. His
campaign was created to frighten away both the Muslim community
from supporting its organizations, as well as public officials
from recognizing them...."
The Islamic Society of Boston offered to stop the lawsuit
if the defendants would agree to private mediation in March
2006. The defense counsel refused this option.
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