USA-WASHINGTON D.C.: MODERATE IMAGE IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY

U.S. Muslims seek more moderate image
[It's all about image with these people, they have no intention of altering the substance that is islam, just its image maybe they can use enough circus mirrors in order to be successful. In other word, all they are going to do is obfuscate...ed A.I.]

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- The first-ever meeting of Muslim scholars and academics from across North America starts Friday in Washington.

The goal of the three-day meeting is to develop a more moderate image of Islam in the west and to improve integration of Muslim communities in the United States.

The conference is organized and hosted by the Kuwait government`s Ministry
of Islamic Affairs, whose aim is to act as an intermediary to improve understanding and relations between the Islamic world and the West, as well as as aid better integration of Muslims into societies in which they live.

Ibrahim Hooper, director of the Council for American Islamic Relations, said: 'A large majority of Americans are neutral or sympathetic towards American Muslims. We need to work with them to build coalitions and try and marginalize extremism both in this country and in the Muslim world.'

Additional coverage of the story from Islam Online:
(updated November 17th, 2006 @ 7:29 a.m.)

US Hosts Islamic Moderation Conference

CAIRO — After a successful round in the British capital earlier this year, the Kuwaiti Islamic Affairs Ministry is organizing a conference in Washington on November 17-19 on ways to promote a moderate image of Islam in the West and improve cross-cultural understanding.
"We believe that Islam can contribute in a very positive way to US society to the benefit of both Muslims and non-Muslims," Mutlag Al-Garawi, Islamic Affairs Ministry Undersecretary, said in a statement mailed to IslamOnline.net.

"This conference is an important staging post en route to finding a way to bridge the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims in US and beyond. We are striving for positive action," he added.

The Islamic Moderation Conference will bring together more than 100 Muslim academics and community leaders from across North America.

They will compare notes on the best ways to promote better understanding of Islam and balance between the Islamic identity and US citizenship.

Participants will also discuss the relation between the Muslim world and the West as well as the integration of Muslims into their new societies.

The conference will also address the issues of education and cultural isolation among the young.
In a report presented to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Monday, November 13, a galaxy of world-renowned scholars, politicians and religious leaders blamed political conflicts rather than religious differences for a yawning divide between Muslims and the West.

The three-day conference is part of a series of planned conferences on Islam and moderation sponsored by the oil-rich Gulf emirate.

The first was held in London last May and brought together a cohort of prominent Muslim scholars and leaders including Dr. Mohamed Salim Awa, Secretary General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and Dr. Ahmed al-Rawi, president of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe.

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Read the whole thing, but I figure this is nothing more than a meeting to discuss technical matters of how better obfuscate the reality of islam while stealthily pushing for implementation of shair'ah law within the United States of America...


Pertinent Links:

1) U.S. Muslims seek more moderate image

2) US Hosts Islamic Moderation Conference