"National Security" as an Excuse for Islamophobia

In a new National Review article, Andrew C. McCarthy expresses his outrage at a new program which educates Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials, FBI agents, and police regarding the Muslim tradition of hajj, or pilgrimmage to Mecca. The program, which outlined the practice as well as items that are taken on the trip and common prayers, was administered by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in order to facilitate understanding and prevent unnecessary intrusions on the rights of American Muslims.

To McCarthy and doubtless many other Islamophobic conservatives, this perfectly reasonable and helpful program constitutes a grave threat to airline security. McCarthy describes "aghast" as being a proper response to the existence of this program, and repeatedly implies that the program all but gives the controls of a plane to terrorists:

Americans will no doubt be thrilled to learn, through TSA’s good offices, about CAIR’s delight that our travel-safety agency “has provided special training about Islamic traditions related to the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, to some 45,000 airport security officers[,]” and that this “cultural sensitivity training includes details about the timing of Hajj travel, about items pilgrims may be carrying and about Islamic prayers that may be observed by security personnel.”

Most striking is McCarthy's response to the TSA's statement that, "This proactive effort on the part of the Transportation Security Administration demonstrates that there is no contradiction between the need to maintain airline safety and security and the duty to protect the religious and civil rights of airline passengers." To this McCarthy responds with an incredulity that betrays his belief that violating the civil liberties of American Muslims is not only a necessary measure, but also a desirable one: "Oh, really?" This support for measures that violate the civil rights of Muslims is further reflected in his condemnation of CAIR for their opposition to the Patriot Act and to "all sensible national-security measures," although McCarthy would doubtless regard the Patriot Act as not going far enough in its violation of civil rights.

McCarthy also falsely implies that the program will result in the compromising of airline security measures: "Why shouldn’t it spend your tax dollars to school agents on what “pilgrims” may be toting along for Hajj travel at a time when you’re forbidden from carrying a four-ounce bottle of shampoo through airport security?" In fact, the education programs did not attempt in any way to replace or repeal existant airline regulations -- everyone will still be subject to the same security measures as always. McCarthy's distain for Muslims is betrayed most obviously by the subtle degradations of Islam and Muslims that permeate the article -- constant implications that Muslims are dangerous and unAmerican, as well as the unnecessary and degrading placing of the word 'pilgrims' in quotes when talking of those undertaking the hajj.

McCarthy proceeds to repeatedly attack CAIR, alleging numerous (indirect) ties to Hamas and charities that have funded what McCarthy sees as "Islamic extremism." While it is far from clear whether or not any of these allegations have any basis in reality, many of the alleged "connections" with terrorist groups are hardly connections at all, but rather indirect ties over numerous degrees of separation. Furthermore, it is hardly believable that connections as obvious as those alleged by McCarthy would go unnoticed by the numerous government agencies responsible for detecting and shutting down groups who provide even indirect support to terrorism. These things considered, McCarthy's extensive attempt to smear CAIR and associate it with terrorists only succeeds at further revealing his deep-seated prejudice against Muslims. It is hard to understand why someone would go to such lengths to discredit a peaceful, pro-American Muslim group like CAIR unless motivated by anti-Muslim beliefs.

In an atmosphere of growing Islamophobia and increasingly intolerant rhetoric, it is more and more important that the ridiculousness of such thinly veiled bigotry be openly declared. In conservative Bush-supporting circles it has become increasingly common and acceptable to lace one's writing with attacks on Islam and Muslims and to make illogical, hateful statements about all Muslim people, so long as these attacks are minimally concealed behind claims of concern with "security" and opposition to "Islamofascism." These attacks are far from subtle; it does not take much sensitivity to realize the real message being sent by these writers. Reasonable, tolerant people on the left and right should come together in condemning this growing intolerance, just as they condemn anti-Semitism and racism and prejudice of every other kind.