Controversies

From time to time, some statements or positions F&J officials might take find a hostile audience in the blogosphere. In this section of our website we tackle those controversies as laid out by our detractors and state our clear policy positions.

Our public speaking policy:

The Freedom and Justice Foundation (F&J) is an educational nonprofit, so it is our policy to never turn down a speaking engagement, schedule permitting and so long as we are guaranteed the ability to deliver our remarks in keeping with our standing organizational perspectives on public policy. This independent policy has gained F&J some detractors for:

1.  agreeing to speak about the state of Interfaith Relations in America Post 9/11 on Saudi national satellite television in a favorable manner

2.  agreeing to train Iraqi media executives on a State Department sponsored visit to America while the Iraq War is so unpopular amongst Muslims

3. or for speaking at a local Shia Mosque on Civic Engagement and Political Activism as part of a Sunni-Shia Reconciliation (Muslim Unity) Forum.

It shall remain the policy of our independent educational organization to continue speaking out publicly on the need for more inter-religious cooperation and civic engagement to tackle many of the policy challenges humanity faces today. If a fellow citizen committed to finding and building on the middle ground necessary today between various faith communities wishes to ask any more questions, then please direct your questions to F&J's President, Mohamed Elibiary, at me@freeandjust.org.

Major Controversies since our founding in 2002:

1.  Ayatolapaloza-December 2004: F&J's President was invited as a leader from the Dallas Area Muslim community along with the senior Sunni Scholar from the region to the largest area Shia Mosque as part of a Muslim Unity Forum. Some media reports, nearly all right-wing blogs, choose to paint this Sunni-Shia Reconciliation Event as a tribute to Ayatollah Khomeini and the 1979 hostage crisis, facts being of not much relevance to these folks. ---Click here to read more<---

2.  Imam Opening Prayer at the Texas Senate-April 2007: F&J has organized a Texas Muslims Legislative Days (TMLD) event since 2003 in the Texas State Capitol. Each time when the State Legislature is in session, we have coordinated the delivery by an Imam of an Islamic Prayer either on the House of Representatives or Senate side of the Capitol. During the 2007 TMLD, a Freshman State Senator and conservative talk show host attempted unsuccessfully to use his Far-Right connections in the media, Republican Party and evangelical community to try and keep the Islamic prayer from being delivered. --->Click here to read more<---