Remember when JDL Chairman Irv Rubin begged the University of Judaism to stop an appearance there of Jew-hater Maher Hathout (see below)? Now Hathout is speaking out again -- this time against the United States for retaliating against Muslim terrorists for the bombings of U.S. embassies in eastern Africa. Here's an article in the Saturday, August 22, 1998, L.A. Times by Religion Writer Larry B. Stammer:

In a stinging condemnation of U.S. military strikes against suspected terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan, a leading Southern California Muslim accused the Clinton administration Friday of "hate crimes" and "terrorism."

While declaring that terrorist attacks on civilians -- such as those that killed more than 260 in the recent East Africa bombings that precipitated Thursday's strikes -- are a violation of Islam's teachings, Maher Hathout strongly denounced the U.S. action.

"Our country is committing an act of terrorism. What we did is illegal, immoral, unhuman, unacceptable, stupid and un-American," the religious leader declared in a sermon at the Islamic Center of Souhern California, where he is a spokesman.

At the same time, Hathout voiced fears that Muslims in the U.S. will become targets of the "deranged, the hypnotized, the uneducated and the gullible" -- all misled by the false impression that Muslims and their faith support terrorism.

"If our country commits hate crimes, why should we not expect the uneducated to do the same?" he asked.

After the sermon, Hathout declared that the American attacks were "worse" than the Aug. 7 bombings of the U.S. embassies because the missiles killed "innocent" people asleep in their homes.

He was not the only religious leader to speak out against the U.S. strikes. Officials of the National Council of churches; the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker group; and Pax Christi, USA, an unofficial Roman Catholic peace group, all voiced opposition to the U.S. military action.

Hathout also said he and all Muslims appreciated President Clinton's efforts to draw a clear distinction between Islam, with its millions of "peace-loving" adherents, and "killers who wrap murder in the cloak of righteousness."

Your job, Armchair Activist, is to make sure that everyone gets a copy of the L.A. Times article above. You should write to your local newspapers and call up talk radio shows to express the viewpoint that there is no moderate Islam. People in America should express righteous indignation against the anti-American, barbaric mindset of Maher Hathout and Muslims he speaks for. For example, Irv Rubin fired off this letter to the editor of the L.A. Times. You can copy any part of his letter if you wish. You might even want to send Hathout a copy of your own letter to the editor. His address is 931 Buena Vista St., Duarte, CA 91010.

During a sermon at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Maher Hathout, the center's spokesman, condemned our government for retaliating against Arab terrorists for bombing U.S. embassies in eastern Africa ("Local Muslim Assails U.S., Aug. 23). He also said the "American attacks were 'worse' than the Aug. 7 bombings of the U.S. embassies because the missiles killed 'innocent' people asleep in their homes." How can this person compare two cowardly attacks on American and African people and property with swift retribution against the perpetrators of those acts and the planners of more? If this is the official position of so-called moderate Muslims in America, then we should take note that the attitudes of these people toward our country are disloyal and indeed come very close to seditious. (Signed) Irv Rubin

Maher Hathout, an Arab American leader who has called for not only a resumption of the intifada in Israel but also the initiation of a "global intifada," has been invited to appear at a panel discussion at a Jewish university.

Jewish Defense League Chairman Irv Rubin decried the decision of the University of Judaism to invite Hathout and vowed that Hathout would not take part in the program at the West Los Angeles campus. Rubin said he is looking to the community to put pressure on the Conservative-affiliated university to rescind its invitation to Hathout.

Said Rubin, "I have a tape of Hathout describing the murderers of Israelis as 'martyrs' and 'tranquil people.' And on this tape he sounds the call to Muslims to start a 'global intifada' against Jews." Hathout made these statements on Sept. 27, 1996, during a speech at the Islamic Center of Southern California, located on Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, where he serves as the center's spokesperson. Rubin declined to state how he came into possession of the tape.

(For your information. . . Besides his duties at the Islamic Center, Hathout is a medical doctor who specializes in internal medicine and cardio-vascular diseases. His office address is 931 Buena Vista St., Duarte, CA 91010. His office telephone number is 626/303-1975.)

The JDL leader is more upset with the University of Judaism than he is with Hathout. Rubin said, "The University of Judaism is anything but its name. This is the same place that consistently refuses me a platform to speak to the Jewish community, just as it always refused Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory, a chance to speak. But now it welcomes with open arms a filthy Jew-hater who wants to see every Jew in Israel murdered. Moreover, Hathout's calling for a global intifada would seem to any reasonable person that he seeks the destruction of the entire Jewish people."

Hathout was asked to participate in a discussion of the death penalty by the UJ's Department of Continuing Education, headed by Dean Schechter.

Please help JDL convince the university to cancel the appearance of Hathout. Call, write or fax Dean Schechter right away. Here is the address: The University of Judaism, Department of Continuing Education, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air, CA 90077. The university's telephone number is 310/476-9777 and the fax number is 310/471-6527.

If you are in the Southern California area and wish to attend any demonstrations regarding this matter, please e-mail JDL today with your name and phone number!