Almontaser - an American Muslim of Yemeni descent who is well-respected in both interfaith and education circles in New York City – was hand-chosen to lead the city’s first Arabic-English school, the Khalil Gibran International Academy.

By his own admission, Pipes, a professor and commentator, didn’t know much about Khalil Gibran International Academy. But that didn’t stop him from stating his bias in an OpEd published by The New York Sun: “Arabic-language instruction is inevitably laden with Pan-Arabist and Islamist baggage.” He referred to the school as a “madrasa”, a term meant to conjure up the image of suicide bombers, not kids learning algebra.

I bet Pipes did not point out that this school was one of sixty-seven innovative dual-language programs in New York. Or that the school’s brochure expressly says that it is about building bridges between cultures, citing Gibran’s words, “In understanding, all walls shall fall down.”

In fact, Mr. Pipes, an adviser to Rudy Giuiliani's failed presidential campaign, was interested in building higher walls, not better understanding.

The focus of his strategy was going after Debbie Almontaser. Pipes referred to her by her birth name, Dhabah, even though she had gone by “Debbie” since she was a child. He called her views “extremist”. What was his evidence? There were young people selling t-shirts that said “Intifada NYC” at a festival that Almontaser attended.

Imagine if you were held responsible for the t shirts young people wore at every event you went to.

Long story short, Daniel Pipes got his way. Debbie Almontaser is not the principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy. You can read the whole sad, scary tale in Andrea Elliott’s illuminating New York Times piece.

Elliott puts this incident in a larger context, and states explicitly something that American Muslims have known for a long time: “(there is) a growing and organized movement to stop Muslim citizens who are seeking an expanded role in American public life.”

Mr. Pipes and his supporters have many names for this group: “soft jihad”, “law-abiding Islamists”, “political cover for ideological support of the jihadi movement.”

The activities of these “law-abiding Islamists” include requesting meals that meet Muslim dietary requirements in cafeterias.

I have worked with students from all faith backgrounds who are requesting food that they can eat at universities. We generally call such efforts reasonable accommodation for minorities in a diverse society. Why, when Muslims do it, is it called “soft jihad”?

Daniel Pipes told The New York Times, referring to Muslims: “… are they on our side or are they on the other side?”

Since Mr. Pipes has a history of wondering aloud about where Muslims stand, let me make my definition of the side I am on very clear: I am for a world where people from all backgrounds – Muslim and Jewish, American and Arab, black and white, men and women, gay and straight – live in equal dignity and mutual loyalty.

On this side, no one gets smeared for their ethnicity or language or religion.

I believe I stand with Debbie Almontaser, Nelson Mandela and the vast majority of humanity.

What side are you on, Mr. Pipes?