Neil MacFarquhar of the NYT offers a two-screener about unnamed sources running down CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations). That's the organization whose spokesman said in 1993 that he'd like to see the U.S. adopt sharia law; the NYT fails to include that quote, and they also fail to find any links between CAIR and terrorist organizations. I'll leave it to others to discuss the various shortcomings in the article, only pointing out this:

CAIR and its supporters say its accusers are a small band of people who hate Muslims and deal in half-truths. Ms. Boxer's decision to revoke the Sacramento commendation provoked an outcry from organizations that vouch for the group's advocacy, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the California Council of Churches.

"They have been a leading organization that has advocated for civil rights and civil liberties in the face of fear and intolerance, in the face of religious and ethnic profiling," said Maya Harris, the executive director of the A.C.L.U. of Northern California.

Well, if a far-left, frequently anti-American organization that opposes our immigration laws and has an indirect link to the Mexican government and that was founded by a Communist vouches for them, then they must be OK! But, who will vouch for the ACLU? Quick, get the SPLC on the line!

In another context, I might assume that promoting the ACLU as the bearer of truth was simply liberal propaganda. However, in this case I think it was unintentional: the NYT is so very steeped in "liberalism" that they think the ACLU is actually in a position to vouch for anyone.