Shorts: U.S.

Foxman: No moderate Muslims

atlanta (jta) | There are no moderate Muslims with whom to dialogue, Abraham Foxman said. The Anti-Defamation League’s national director made the comment on Friday, Oct. 27 at the group’s National Commission meeting in response to a call by Seymour Reich, president of the Israel Policy Forum, for the ADL to focus on dialogue with moderate Muslims.

“There’s always someone to dialogue with,” Reich, an ADL lay leader, said.

Foxman responded that since Muslim groups refuse to issue a blanket statement rejecting terrorism regardless of the cause, “I don’t know what there is to dialogue about.”

In response, Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the group repeatedly had condemned terrorism.

Judge dismisses Air Force suit

albuquerque (jta) | A U.S. judge dismissed a lawsuit charging the Air Force with violating the constitutional rights of its troops through the promotion of evangelism.

In a ruling on Friday, Oct. 27, federal Judge James Parker of the U.S. District Court in New Mexico said the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue the Air Force.

However, he left open the possibility that they could sue the Air Force secretary, Michael Wynne.

The lead plaintiff, Mikey Weinstein, a former Air Force officer who helped publicize allegations that evangelists at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., were coercing cadets into attending services, said he would refile the case.

AJC staff use bonuses to buy hybrid cars

new york | American Jewish Committee employees in Chicago and Los Angeles have become the first eligible staff to take advantage of the non-profit organization’s Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Bonus Program, which provides cash incentives to purchase new hybrid cars. The program is believed to be the first offer of its kind to employees of any non-profit organization in the United States.

“If it wasn’t for AJC’s green bonus program, I doubt I would have bought a hybrid car,” said Todd Winer, director of public relations for AJC’s Chicago Chapter. “The bonus brought the car in line with what I was willing to spend.” Winer’s 2007 Toyota Prius will replace a 1994 Nissan Sentra.

AJC recently offered its employees across the United States an incentive to purchase or lease fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles. Employees who qualify will be entitled to receive bonus payments of $2,500 or $1,500, depending on the vehicle model.