Emilio Karim Dabul, an Arab-American from Syria, likes ‘24′ and explains the cold, hard truth of the show.

And this is what makes “24″ a compelling drama every week. Instead of pretending Islamic terrorists don’t exist, the show presents frighteningly real worst-case scenarios perpetrated by Osama bin Laden’s followers. So CAIR thinks it’s over the top for the terrorists in “24″ to blow up Los Angeles with a nuke? Please, if bin Laden and his crew had nukes, most of us would be way too dead to argue over such points.

There is a dangerous trend in the U.S. today that involves skirting the truth at the risk of offending any individual or group. When Bill Cosby talks to African-Americans about self-respect and responsibility, and says publicly what many have been saying privately for years, he’s branded a “reactionary,” “misinformed,” “judgmental,” and so on. When “24″ confronts America’s worst fears about al Qaeda–whose goal remains to kill as many Americans as possible whenever possible–the show is said to be guilty of fueling anti-Muslim and anti-Arab prejudice.

Well, here’s the hard, cold truth: When Islamic terrorists stop being a threat to America’s survival, viewers will lose interest in “24,” because it will have lost its relevancy. Until such time, I will continue to watch “24″–because, believe it or not, the idea that there are Jack Bauers out there in real life risking their lives to save ours does mean something to me.

Dabul notes there has been no evidence of any Muslim or Arab backlash to the show and points out the way the show seems to go out of its way to present both Muslims and Arabs in a good light.  That is ever-present this season just in previous seasons.

And besides, if any group should be upset it should be white males because in every single season, the main villain has been a white male.  I’m not upset, rather I enjoy the show and realize it’s just a television show.  By the way, what ever happened to the ‘reformed’ terrorist who was helping Jack out?

Dabul concludes:

In the meantime, the next time a journalist decides to report on Arab-American concerns about shows like “24,” maybe he could actually talk to someone other than CAIR and the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and seek out Arab-Americans with a different point of view. We actually do exist.

And maybe that same reporter could take a closer look at CAIR. Ask CAIR about the Holy Land Foundation and its support of Hamas. Ask it about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the CAIR board member who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in that case–yet still sits on CAIR’s board. Look a little closer, and maybe you’ll find that CAIR has good reason to get nervous about shows like “24.”

Because terrorists and their supporters continue to hide among us in plain sight, we need Jack Bauer, now more than ever.