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Responsible Research

Reader comment on item: Islamist Paintball, Anyone?
in response to reader comment: Embry-Riddle MSA and Paintball

Submitted by Mahmoud Khatib (United States), Mar 5, 2007 at 12:08

Mr. Pipes,

I find it humorous that you attempted to deflect your readers' attention from the baseless claims about our MSA by focusing on a Facebook group I made about Shariah Law and the Caliphate. If you disagree with the idea of a peaceful theocratic democracy based upon Islamic morals, you are quite welcome to join the Facebook group and debate us there.

However, the issue here is the Embry-Riddle MSA and its paintball trips. It is your responsibility to check the credibility of your sources. If Front Page Magazine didn't do its homework, you shouldn't use it as a source. ...

In college, most people are taught to use a number of sources in their research so they don't get skewed information. In this case, you could have easily contacted our MSA, the Embry-Riddle Campus Ministry, or Embry-Riddle's administration to check Front Page Magazine's claims about "Jihad paintball."

I have read Front Page Magazine's article and the only "proof" they offer is that we have a photograph of an MSA paintball trip on our old MSA website. Implying that we may be conducting terrorist training based upon a photograph of a paintball trip is a very far leap indeed. It certainly makes Front Page Magazine look like an Islamophobic source if Muslims who play paintball (like hundreds of thousands of other Americans) are automatically viewed with suspicion. Can Muslims join a Karate or Fencing class or are these more suspicious activities that the FBI should look into?

Mahmoud Khatib
Former Embry-Riddle MSA President

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

I find it humorous that you are instructing me on research methods.

This is a blog, not a book. By its nature, a blog relies on the work of others. If ever I do a book on Islamists and paintball, I will go back and do original research. Right now, I am merely compiling instances that come to my attention - without checking them out.

I proved that you, a paintball player, are also an Islamist. That justifies my including the Embry-Riddle MSA example.

Oh, and note that I did not say anything about your organization being connected to terrorism.

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Reader comments (17) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Embry Riddle MSA [121 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Brian AsburyApr 2, 2007 08:2388410
Slander indeed - although for a blog, I would suggest the proper term is "libel." If that seems too specific, try "defamation." [79 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Tomas J. McInteeApr 19, 2007 19:1388410
corporate team building [65 words]alexaDec 4, 2006 09:5768219
Why wait !!! [279 words]dfwhiteDec 2, 2006 17:2868060
Wake Up World! [26 words]Ajay KaurDec 2, 2006 15:1768048
MSA [171 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
SumOct 16, 2006 07:3460534
Embry-Riddle MSA and Paintball [170 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Mahmoud KhatibOct 15, 2006 22:1960504
Responsible Research [253 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Mahmoud KhatibMar 5, 2007 12:0860504
taqiya [97 words]J.Mar 24, 2007 11:5360504
"Islamist" Paintball [248 words]Mahmoud KhatibApr 17, 2007 17:5160504
Funny Comment [163 words]IegunAug 8, 2008 00:2460504
just a question, Dr. Pipes... [132 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
zAug 29, 2006 22:2754333
You do tolerance a disservice. [139 words]A. LabryDec 16, 2006 02:5054333
tolerance = caving in [71 words]yaseminAug 11, 2008 14:2554333
Muslims have the right to play too [21 words]NoonMay 18, 2006 07:1845874
questions about paintball [36 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Peggy UppianoMar 9, 2006 23:5639584
UK: Radical Islam And The Paintball Jihad [127 words]Jeff BJun 27, 2008 11:0539584

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