There is a disastrous precedent being set here: Do you want CAIR or any similar group dictating who is allowed to teach in American colleges and universities? Do you want their opinion to have a bearing on hiring and firing and on course offerings, assuming a sort of informal veto power over academic freedom? The very idea is beyond disturbing, and it has already happened.

Barry Sommer writes:

Dear All Concerned, my name is Barry Sommer and as a result of my appearance on KEZI News,, the local ABC affiliate here in Eugene, Oregon, which was subsequently re-broadcast nationally, I have been threatened by CAIR and Ibrahim Hooper. Due to my course at Lane Community College titled “What is Islam” and my connection with Act!4america, CAIR deems me unfit to teach a class. They pressured the college to drop me as an instructor. As of this statement the class has been cancelled with no explanation. The opponents to my teaching appointment are growing by the minute in the Muslim community and my quotes are now posted on the CAIR website.This is a free speech issue, and CAIR must not be allowed to gain the upper hand. I am asking for help and support in this fight [.] What can be done?

CAIR’s press release: Note the usual tactics: all criticism of Islam is “hate,” and potentially “incitement.” And we’re to take CAIR’s word for what is true about Islam, rather than believe our lyin’ eyes.

The college itself has likely bought into the fears of “backlash” that CAIR and similar groups play up after every attempted jihadist attack on American soil, most notably the recent failed bombing by a Somali Muslim at a holiday lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. “CAIR: Anti-Muslim Hate Group Leader to Teach Islam at Oregon College,” from PRNewswire, December 3:

SEATTLE, Dec. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) today called on an Oregon community college to replace a leader of an anti-Muslim hate group who is scheduled to begin teaching a course on Islam in January.

CAIR-WA reported that Barry Sommer, president of an Oregon chapter of the hate group ACT! for America, will teach a course called “What is Islam” at Lane Community College in Eugene, Ore. Sommer also produces a weekly local cable access program “Islam Today” on Comcast’s CTV29. The contact e-mail for the program is “act4americaor@yahoo.com.” His personal blog features one of the infamous Danish cartoons mocking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

It is his First Amendment right to mock Muhammad or anyone he pleases. But the double standard is immense: if Sommer had the Piss Christ on his site, we’d hear nary a peep from CAIR. If he were conducting a class about Christianity with a critical view, he’d be virtually untouchable no matter what he said.

SEE: LCC Offers “What is Islam” Class

http://kezi.com/news/local/196712

CTV29: Islam Today Oregon

http://tinyurl.com/39c7t9e

Lane Community College: What is Islam

http://tinyurl.com/35km7rv

(Scroll down to “What is Islam.”)

Sommer has a history of making false and misleading statements about Islam.

The preface to Sommer’s online book, “From the Mouths of Our Enemies,” states: “Our enemies want us destroyed not because of our riches, or our liberties, although they say that is so. No, they want us gone because Allah told them so. Foundational Islam demands that ALL citizens of planet earth convert to Islam, pay a tax (jizya) or die. It is now demanded of us that we make a stand, draw the line and decide who wins this clash once and for all. If it means war, so be it.”…

The press release and character assassination continue. But the threefold options of conversion, subjugation and tribute (jizya), or war for unbelievers are from Qur’an 9:29.

Does CAIR repudiate this command?

Yes or no?