(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 10/28/13) – The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today called on the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) to drop several anti-Muslim extremists who are scheduled to train law enforcement officers during a November 1 seminar at the Oklahoma legislature.
CAIR-OK said the Counterterrorism Caucus of the Oklahoma legislature will host a CLEET seminar, called “Iran, Hezbollah and the Drug Cartels: Counterterrorism Considerations,” on Friday in the Oklahoma House of Representatives chamber.
Speakers include notorious Islamophobe Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. “Jerry” Boykin, who asserts that “[Islam] should not be protected under the First Amendment,” that there should be “no mosques in America” and that there can be no interfaith dialogue or cooperation between Muslims and Christians. In 2003, President Bush rebuked Boykin for his anti-Muslim stance.
Another speaker at the seminar is Frank Gaffney, who is named in a recent CAIR Islamophobia report as a member of the “inner core” of those promoting anti-Muslim bigotry. CAIR’s report, “Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States,” notes that Gaffney has been called “one of the country’s leading anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists.”
Gaffney was recently a key promoter of the bizarre conspiracy theory that Muslims in public service are infiltrating the government on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Clare M. Lopez, who is employed by Gaffney, will also help train the officers.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:
(As always, be POLITE and RESPECTFUL.)
1. Send a POLITE email to CLEET Executive Director Steve Emmons requesting CLEET to drop Anti-Muslim Trainers
• Email: steve.emmons@cleet.state.ok.us
• Please include the following in the cc line:
o charles.gerhart@cleet.state.ok.us
o asoltani@cair.com
o info@ok.cair.com
2. TALKING POINTS:
• Our state’s law enforcement personnel should be trained by credible and objective subject matter experts, not extremists with an Islamophobic agenda to promote.
• Using anti-Muslim speakers would violate CLEET’s “Values and Behaviors” policy, which states that the council must conduct itself and its training “with the highest of standards and instill this value in all administrators and officers” and “provide programs, courses and services that enhance justice and public safety.”
3. INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY by forwarding this alert. Tell them you took action and ask them to do the same.
For more information, contact:
CAIR Oklahoma Executive Director
Adam Soltani, 405-248-5853, asoltani@cair.com