It seems that American Jews have become the go-to-guys for politicians taking on–or playing up–the threat of radical Islam. Ten days ago the Times Magazine published a fine piece of reporting from Kenya about Joseph Lekuton, an M.P. from a rural district who faced a stiff challenge from a young passionate Muslim leader. The article said that Lekuton was reaching out to American Jews for money with the message that the Muslim, whose name is Godana Harugura, is the tool of Islamists.
Kathleen Colson… director of a U.S.-based nonprofit that does
microenterprise development [in Kenya]… says that U.S. fund-raisers
encouraged Lekuton to focus on his opponent’s Islamic identity in order
to appeal to Jewish communities, among other potential donors. “He has
been hesitant,” she added, “but now he says, ‘Bring it on.’ ” Whitney
Tilson, a New York money manager who… introduced Lekuton to friends and colleagues in
Manhattan, says that Lekuton, while not at all hostile to Islam, was
quite specific about the threat posed by Harugura. “He said: ‘Here’s
what I know. [Harugura’s] pretty hard-core. He won’t shake hands with women.
I’ve seen food trucks going up to my district saying, ‘Gift from the
Embassy of Saudi Arabia.’ "
The story said that Lekuton had lately gone on a 2-week fundraising trip here, meeting "wealthy businessmen." But Harugura denies that he has anything to do with radical Islam.
Harugura and his supporters insist that he is a victim of the post-9/11
syndrome: the fear that anyone with a beard who wears a skullcap and
prays five times a day is a potential terrorist. They deny that he has
raised any money from Middle Eastern Islamic organizations, say he has
put together a strong plan for economic development in the constituency
and point out that a large number of Christians support him.
Author Josh Hammer offers this wise comment on the situation:
Both Harugura and Lekuton gave the impression of being caught up, not
unlike Kenya itself, in a political narrative that didn’t entirely make
sense to them or fit their reality but that they were nonetheless
unable to escape.
Beautiful work. But so very far away from the people who are writing that narrative. Isn’t it time the Times did this story close to home, looked into the Israel lobby and the wider political interests of that wealthy "Jewish community"?
