COPAA Applauds Sheriff Lee Baca
From left: Dr Mansour Shah, Bob Din, Sheriff Lee Baca, Hamid Malik and Adnan Khan
The Council of Pakistan American Affairs (COPAA) has applauded Sheriff Lee Baca for his vigorous defense of his community work with Muslim community groups. In a House Committee hearing on Homeland Security, Republican Congressman Mark Souder ( Indiana) questioned Baca's relationship with Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and his attending of CAIR fundraisers.
Sheriff Baca, as per the notes shared by Sheriff Baca with COPAA President, replied that he interacts not only with CAIR but with COPAA and other Muslim community groups as well. Responding to a comment by Congressman Souder that Sheriff Baca had attended 10 CAIR fundraisers, Sheriff Baca shot back that he will attend 10 more. The Sheriff Department spokesperson later reported that Sheriff Baca had attended two CAIR fundraising events. While all this heated conversation went on it is important to note what Sheriff Baca had testified on the Hill.
Sheriff Baca testified:
"Americans, particularly elected officials, should not claim Islam supports terrorism. This is counter-productive to trust. It plays into the terrorist strategy that the West is against Islam. At this time in our history, with billions of dollars being spent on a war against terror, our nation should ask that all Americans follow President Obama's example and be the instrument of goodwill to Muslims throughout the world.
"It is my belief that the average American has the potential to be our best ambassador of goodwill. However, senators, members of congress, governors, mayors, boards of supervisors, sheriffs, police chiefs, scholars, scientists and laborer and their leaders must set the example with a desire to visit mosques and communicate with Muslims, worldwide, in the quest of better understanding Islam. Extremists are what they are, but they cannot thrive or survive in a world that is no indifferent."
COPAA appreciates the engagement and the interaction that Sheriff Baca and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department has had with the Pakistani American community. COPAA will make every effort to continue on this path with the Sheriff and the LA Sheriff Department and other law enforcement agencies and public officials.
SEE: House Committee on Homeland Security hearing
http://homeland.house.gov/SiteDocuments/20100317103429-84370.pdf
SEE: LA County Sheriff Baca in U.S. House shouting match
http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/03/17/la-county-sheriff-lee-baca
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