Alternate Universe or World Gone Crazy

Have you ever woke up and thought that maybe you were in an alternate universe, very close to the one you've always known but just a little bit more crazy?

Me neither..until this morning.

Washington Times

A House Democrat has arranged for a conference room in the Capitol building to be used tomorrow by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group criticized for its persistent refusal to disavow terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

It has also refused to denounce terrorist acts committed against Israel. Even Chuck Schumer has criticized CAIR for its ties to terrorism.

The District-based group also is singled out by other Democratic lawmakers and some law-enforcement officials because of financial ties to terrorists.
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., New Jersey Democrat, reserved the basement conference room for CAIR's panel discussion Tuesday titled "Global Attitudes on Islam-West Relations: U.S. Policy Implications."

Why has this group decided that it needed space from the US Capitol? Aren't there enough forums or mosques for this type of event, or why isn't CAIR using its own headquarters in Chicago....is CAIR using the Capitol to legitimize itself and its conclusions? The last thing we need is to allow groups associated with terrorism to use the Capitol building as a soapbox.

"We just see it as a simple room request," Pascrell spokesman Caley Gray said. "We did receive a room request and evaluated it and approved it."
He said the forum "opens up an important dialogue about global public opinion concerning the United States."

Concerning the US? Are there US Representatives at this meeting or is this another media trumped event to legitimize CAIR?

Still, the event's sponsor raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill, even if all sorts of groups routinely hold receptions and meetings in the Capitol.
"It does happen all the time but usually it is the United Way or some constituent group or Mothers Against Drunk Driving, not a group with supposed ties to terrorism -- in the Capitol no less," a Hill staffer said.
CAIR officials did not return a call seeking comment.
The room -- H-137 -- is controlled by the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. Pascrell is a committee member and can reserve the room for any guest provided he "vouch it complies with House rules," said committee spokesman Matthew Beck.
CAIR, which is country's largest Islamic civil liberties group with 31 chapters nationwide, has never been charged with terrorism crimes and the organization is known to cooperate with the FBI and the Justice Department.
However, CAIR officials have been charged with -- and some convicted of -- offenses related to the support of terrorism, including CAIR fundraiser Rabih Haddad, founding board member Ghassan Elashi and former CAIR civil rights coordinator Randall Royer.

Let's keep this group out of our Capitol unless it is there to testify on its own terrorist ties and activities.