C.A.I.R. Chair Quits - Who CAIRS?
Claims, it is "Not open or proactive enough - not going the right way.."
Parvez Ahmed quit his post as chairman of Council on American Islamic Relations (
CAIR) this week, saying he's frustrated concerning the organization's short comings in being more positive toward proactive promotion of Muslim's civil rights. Does he mean, that CAIR hasn't been proactive or open and transparent enough?
The most recognized of Muslim advocacy groups in the nation, C.A.I.R. has been headed up by Ahmed since he took his position in 2005.
Ahmed spoke to Times-Union this Monday after resigning stating he felt the organization needed to be more . . .
. . . inclusive of the younger, less-religious Muslims and encourage a regular turnover in leadership ranks to make sure there would be an infusion of new ideas.
These and other goals have been agreed to in principle by the organization’s board and professional leadership, Ahmed said, but “an old guard mentality” among some of those leaders has kept elements of the strategic plan from being realized.
“And I got a little bit burned out pushing so hard” for the organization to be more open and transparent, he said.
The Washington, D.C.-based council declined to answer specific questions about Ahmed’s comments. Instead, it e-mailed a four-sentence statement thanking Ahmed, 44, for his contributions and acknowledging differences in vision.
“Ultimately, the majority of organizational stakeholders supported a vision for implementing change and growth that differed from that of Dr. Ahmed,” the statement said.
Two board members did not return phone calls seeking comment Monday.
An outspoken critic of the group said Ahmed did not capitalize on a golden opportunity to transform the organization.
The council was the only Muslim agency in the United States experiencing growth when Ahmed assumed its leadership, said Muqtedar Khan, director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware. But its continued foray into political and foreign-policy matters - such as seeking rights for foreign combatants held at Guantanamo Bay - has detracted from its mission of promoting Muslim-American rights, he said.
“He had an opportunity to take it to the next level and I think he failed,” Khan said.
Ahmed said one of his unrealized goals was to transform the council into an organization that doesn’t sound anti-American when it’s criticizing government policies.
