I agree with your assessment of Mr. El Fadl

Submitted by Nonie Darwish (United States), May 30, 2004 at 11:36

Dear Mr. Pipes,

Your evaluation of Mr. Khaled Abou El Fadl is right. I was invited to hear him by a friend of mine at the Simon Weisenthal Ctr. in LA about two years ago. I was happy to hear that a Moslem figure was speaking there since I am always looking forward to hear from moderate Moslems who will reform Islam and take it away from being dominated by Islamists.

While he was speaking I kept waiting for something that would make me trust him but I could not find one sentense that made sense. I was very dissapointed. He was extremely cautious, deceitful and evasive. More than one person who attended the event said they were unable to understand his position or honestly define where he stands. After his speech he refused to take questions and said he had another appointment!

I went home feeling dissapointed and I believe that my friends and the rest of the audience learned NOTHING from what he had to say.

Your evaluation of Mr. Khalid Abou El Fadl is correct. I come from Egypt, like Mr. El Fadl, and I know a moderate when I see one. If a person is unable to state his position honestly in the USA then his or her loyalty is not in the USA.

Nonie Darwish

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