Two very different people. Exactly the same experience with MPACUK

Two people, of quite different persuasions (incidentally both are also converts), but two identitical experiences and thoughts on MPACUK, the self-styled "public affairs committee" which tries to challenge the media image of Muslims.

Yusuf Smith: "Last night I discovered that three comments had been left here by a guy [...] attacking me for my behaviour vis-a-vis the MPAC UK campaigning group to which he clearly belongs [Some on the MPACUK forum] are annoyed that I seem able to have civil conversations with "Zionist" and "Islamophobic" bloggers like those at Harry's Place, Pickled Politics and Adloyada, and that I criticise MPAC UK there in similar terms to those I use here."

Outrageously, some on the MPAC forum accuse Yusuf of being a 'spy for the other side'.

Yakoub Islam: "I am not anti-MPACUK. No one else is doing what they do. But how they do it is another matter. It's hard to take them seriously as an organisation [...] Their lack of professionalism is obvious in many ways. They are not open enough, they respond badly to criticism and they engage in negative campaigning towards Muslims who they don't agree with their outlook. Smart arsed twerps like David Aaronovitch can visit the MPACUK site and dismiss them, convincingly, as "intellectually challenged". One UK Muslim academic told me he found them "ignorant and arrogant"."

I'm not sure if MPAC are in a position to help Muslims if they're unable -- or unwilling -- to help themselves.