BlakeNC06

The only clear thing is that he's Muslim

funkfresh01 — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:09:12 EDT

GARNER - About 10 years ago, I interviewed a Southern Baptist seminary-educated minister who was pastor of a Carrboro church. A strong proponent of the Second Amendment, that pastor told me the day might come when American Christians might have to take up arms against the state.His comments, published in The Chapel Hill News, didn't as much as raise an eyebrow at the time. No federal agents asked to listen to the tape recording of my interview with the pastor. Times have changed. Two of the Raleigh U.S. Attorney's claims against alleged terror suspect Daniel Patrick Boyd are that he made "radical statements" and that "he urged the group of young Muslims to raise money and learn how to handle weapons to prepare for a violent jihad by insurgents and fighters overseas." My young children got to know Boyd when he was proprietor of the Blackstone Market, a small grocery store Boyd co-owned and managed in Garner's Forest Hills Shopping Center.

My children said Boyd "was really nice and funny." He gave them discounts when they didn't have enough money to pay for a piece of baklava or a nectar drink. My children were sad when Blackstone closed. The government, however, is painting a very different picture of Boyd, calling him the mastermind of a terrorist cell bent on waging a holy war.

CAIR Seeks Sanctions Against Anti-Hijab Judge in Georgia

funkfresh01 — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:02:00 EST

State attorney general asked to protect religious, legal rights

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/17/08) A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called on Georgia Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker to bring sanctions against a judge in that state who has repeatedly barred Muslim women wearing religiously-mandated headscarves, or hijabs, from entering his courtroom.

Yesterday, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported that a Muslim woman was jailed and then released following a dispute over whether she could enter the judge’s courtroom in Douglasville, Ga., while wearing her hijab. In the past year, other Muslim women have either been jailed under similar circumstances or barred from that judge’s court.

Georgia Muslim Woman Jailed Over Head Scarf

funkfresh01 — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:36:30 EST

Judge jails Muslim woman for refusing to remove her headscarf in court
By DIONNE WALKER
The Associated Press
ATLANTA

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=6479903

A Muslim woman arrested for refusing to take off her head scarf at a courthouse security checkpoint said Wednesday that she felt her human and civil rights were violated. A judge ordered Lisa Valentine, 40, to serve 10 days in jail for contempt of court, said police in Douglasville, a city of about 20,000 people on Atlanta's west suburban outskirts.

Valentine violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing any headgear in court, police said after they arrested her Tuesday.

FOX RECEIVES OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO ‘SIMPSONS’ EPISODE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA

funkfresh01 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:46:17 EST

(LOS ANGELES, CA, 12/4/08) Following an action alert sent out yesterday by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Fox television network reported receiving an overwhelming positive response from community members about a recent episode of “The Simpsons” that challenged anti-Muslim stereotypes.

The episode, which aired Sunday evening and is titled "Mypods and Boomsticks," highlights anti-Muslim sentiment by featuring a young Muslim character named Bashir and his family who face prejudice after moving to Springfield. In the program, Homer Simpson wrongly suspects that Bashir's family is involved in a terror plot. Bart Simpson befriends Bashir and defends him from bullies.

CAIR Condemns Mumbai Attacks

funkfresh01 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:44:07 EST

Muslim civil rights group demands that hostages be ‘released immediately and unconditionally’

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/27/08) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today condemned attacks on a number of sites in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai that left at least 100 people dead and many more injured.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken during the attacks. Witnesses say the attackers sought out American and British citizens.

AYMAN ZAWAHRI DOES NOT SPEAK FOR MUSLIMS

funkfresh01 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:33:21 EST

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/19/08) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today condemned threatening rhetoric and racial slurs contained in a new video by Ayman al-Zawahri and said Al-Qaida's second-in-command does not speak for Muslims in this country or worldwide.

SEE: Al-Qaida No. 2 Insults Obama with Racial Epithet (AP)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPtm1yvXGJVcqVpQdQfpQLY8L-cwD94I51J02

Election Spurs 'Hundreds' of Race Threats, Crimes

funkfresh01 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:27:46 EST

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=6261962

From taunts to a beating, Obama election spurs "hundreds" of racist threats, crimes nationwide
By JESSE WASHINGTON
The Associated Press

Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting "Assassinate Obama." Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.

Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.

From California to Maine, police have documented a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack. Insults and taunts have been delivered by adults, college students and second-graders.

Obama has more threats than other presidents-elect

funkfresh01 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:48:33 EST

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081114/ap_on_el_pr/obama_threats

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON â€" Threats against a new president historically spike right after an election, but from Maine to Idaho law enforcement officials are seeing more against Barack Obama than ever before. The Secret Service would not comment or provide the number of cases they are investigating. But since the Nov. 4 election, law enforcement officials have seen more potentially threatening writings, Internet postings and other activity directed at Obama than has been seen with any past president-elect, said officials aware of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue of a president's security is so sensitive.

Earlier this week, the Secret Service looked into the case of a sign posted on a tree in Vay, Idaho, with Obama's name and the offer of a "free public hanging." In North Carolina, civil rights officials complained of threatening racist graffiti targeting Obama found in a tunnel near the North Carolina State University campus.

And in a Maine convenience store, an Associated Press reporter saw a sign inviting customers to join a betting pool on when Obama might fall victim to an assassin. The sign solicited $1 entries into "The Osama Obama Shotgun Pool," saying the money would go to the person picking the date closest to when Obama was attacked. "Let's hope we have a winner," said the sign, since taken down.

ELECTIONS OFFICIALS DENY ILLEGALLY PURGING VOTERS

funkfresh01 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:52:12 EDT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_purges

Associated Press

NEW YORK - A newspaper report Thursday said tens of thousands of eligible voters have been removed from rolls or blocked from registering in at least six swing states, but election officials quickly lined up to defend their registration procedures and said they had done nothing wrong.

The New York Times based its findings on reviews of state records and Social Security data, and said it had identified apparent problems in Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina.

The Times said voters appear to have been purged by mistake and not because of any intentional violations by election officials or coordinated efforts by any party. It says that some states are improperly using Social Security data to verify new voters' registration applications, and that others might have broken rules that govern removing voters from the rolls within 90 days of a federal election.

‘Obsession’ Interviewee Calls Film ‘Vile Piece of Propaganda’

funkfresh01 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:05:13 EDT

Dr. Khaleel Mohammed: ‘Film demonizes an entire community. I have allowed myself to be used.'

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/27/08) â€" The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today said that a participant in an anti-Muslim film that is being distributed to 28 million homes in presidential election swing states CALLED the production a “vile piece of propaganda” in a statement sent to www.obsessionwithhate.com/

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/27/08) â€" The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today said that a participant in an anti-Muslim film that is being distributed to 28 million homes in presidential election swing states has issued a statement calling the production a “vile piece of propaganda.”

GOP DIRTY TRICKS IN THE SWING STATES

funkfresh01 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:20:05 EDT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/sep/22/uselections2008.republicans
Republican operatives are using an anti-Muslim film and push polling to raise fears of terrorism and smear Barack Obama
Richard Silverstein, Guardian, 9/22/08

We are now entering the closing weeks of what promises to be yet another close and contentious presidential election contest. As each side seeks to maximise its advantages and minimise its weaknesses, the Republican party has chosen the lowest of low roads, engaging in two sleazy political marketing campaigns over the past week.

First, DVDs of an anti-Muslim documentary film are being distributed to 28 million voters in swing states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Colorado and Wisconsin. Second, Republican telemarketers have begun push polling aimed at scaring Jewish voters in swing states from voting for Barack Obama…

The mass distribution of Obsession is an obvious Republican scare-tactic, right out of the Rovian playbook. Party operatives believe that scaring Americans into believing there's a jihadist under every bed will play to Republican strengths and Democratic weaknesses on national security. They swiftboated John Kerry in 2004. Now they're jihadising Barack Obama.

ANTI-ISLAM FILM TARGETS "SWING STATE" VOTERS

funkfresh01 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:15:54 EDT

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=43940
Ali Gharib, Inter Press Service, 9/19/08

WASHINGTON, Sep 19 (IPS) - Millions of voters in U.S. states crucial to this fall's presidential election received DVD copies of a controversial documentary film as advertising inserts in their morning newspapers over the past week, with more expected to be sent out over the upcoming weekend.

The 2006 film, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West", which has been accused by critics of encouraging Islamophobia, was reportedly delivered, or slated for delivery this weekend, into tens of millions of households in states such as Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Missouri and other "swing states" that don't vote consistently for either party and usually decide elections.

Republicans and their candidate, Sen. John McCain, have made the battling the threat posed by radical Islamists a central platform of their campaign, while presenting their Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, as being weak on the issue. Obama has also fought off persistent "smear" campaigns, particularly among Jewish voters, that he is a closet Muslim.

‘OBSESSION,’ THE RADICAL RIGHT’S WAR ON ISLAM

funkfresh01 — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:26:54 EDT

By Ahmed Rehab

Word count: 830

[Ahmed Rehab is strategic communications director for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties group. He may be contacted at arehab@cair.com]

You have to wonder about a film that could muster no better an endorsement to adorn its poster than that of CNN’s resident right-wing extremist Glenn Beck. "Obsession is without exaggeration one of the most important films of our time," says Beck. (Who would accuse Glenn Beck of exaggerating?)

The film Beck is lauding, “Obsession: Islam’s Radical War against the West,” is a 2005 work of anti-Muslim propaganda that has recently been widely distributed via an unprecedented campaign.

HATE DVDS SPREAD ANTI-ISLAM MESSAGE IN FLORIDA

funkfresh01 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:34:35 EDT

Millions of propaganda DVDs distributed with Florida newspapers promote Islamophobia ahead of US elections.
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=27925

The mass mailing of a controversial DVD "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" has sparked anger among many in South Florida.

The hour-long video began turning up in mailboxes last week as a direct mailing, and also as an advertising insert in dozens of newspapers, including The Miami Herald and the South-Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The DVD is promoted by Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to "educating the public about national security threats."

PROPAGANDA FILM PLAYS TO MUSLIM STEREOTYPES

funkfresh01 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:17:55 EDT

Jeff VanDenBerg, News-Leader, 9/17/08

Like other newspapers across the country, this Sunday's News-Leader contained a glossy insert and DVD of the film "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West."

Ordinarily, such a blatant piece of anti-Muslim propaganda wouldn't merit much attention, but this "advertisement" was sent to about 28 million newspaper subscribers in key electoral swing states. It was paid for by The Clarion Fund, an opaque nonprofit organization that doesn't list its directors or staff or sources of funding on its Web site.

MASS-MAILED DVD ON 'RADICAL ISLAM' UPSETS FLORIDA MUSLIMS

funkfresh01 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:12:30 EDT

Agence France Presse, 9/16/08

The mass mailing of a controversial DVD "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" has sparked anger among South Florida Muslims who say it maligns their faith and fuels hysteria ahead of the fast-approaching US presidential vote.

The hour-long video began turning up in mailboxes last week as a direct mailing, and also as an advertising insert in dozens of newspapers, including The Miami Herald and the South-Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Promoted by Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to "educating the public about national security threats," it features scenes of young children reciting jihadi slogans, interspersed with footage of Nazi youths.

"OBSESSION" DVD RAISES CONCERNS OVER PROPAGANDA

funkfresh01 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:59:01 EDT

One Newspaper In North Carolina Refused To Circulate The DVD
CBS4, 9/17/08
http://cbs4.com/local/obsession.muslim.religion.2.818889.html

The documentary, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," a controversial DVD distributed nationally inside certain newspapers, is being alluded to as inflammatory by Muslim groups in South Florida, showing scenes encouraging children to become suicide bombers.

Altaf Ali was shocked when he opened his Sunday paper and found a copy of the DVD. He is the director of the Florida Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations. "That's not what a newspaper is about," Ali said, "A newspaper should never be about promoting propaganda."

OBSESSION: A JIHAD-HAPPY DVD DELIVERED TO A NEWSPAPER NEAR YOU

funkfresh01 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:51:04 EDT

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel blog, 9/16/08
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2008/09/obsession-a-dvd.html

The movie Obsession: Radical Islam's War With the West, whose trailer is below, was delivered with your Orlando Sentinel newspaper this AM. And, it is my understanding, the DVD was delivered to households receiving other newspapers around the country today as well. True?
Apparently, Parade Magazine isn't conservative enough for some folks. But hey, they paid to package it with our paper, so glad to be of service! Did the check clear?

Anyhoo, didya watch it? Check out the trailer if you have any questions about what it's about, and those who endorse it. Lots of Fox and Limbaugh plugs for it in that trailer. They're in lock step over its virtues. It's two-to-three years old, and the reason it's being shipped out to newspaper readers across America? Scaring the scareable before an election, apparently. Michael Moore's giving away his latest film on the Internet to do the same thing, but Obsession at least helps a paper's bottom line. More power to'em.

HATE MAIL, COURTESY OF YOUR DAILY NEWSPAPER

funkfresh01 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:40:29 EDT

Wayne Garcia, Creative Loafing, 9/15/08
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/politicalwhore/2008/09/15/hate-mail-courtesy-of-your-daily-newspaper/

Readers of the St. Petersburg Times on Sunday found a little rancid bonus in their newspapers this weekend: a DVD called Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West, which is a hate film ostensibly about Islamic terror. It’s really a thinly veiled attempt to influence the presidential election by flooding anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of the Obama-McCain balloting in November.

Nothing like infusing the voters’ minds with fresh images of terror, especially little children as jihadists, only 50 days away from the day we decide whether to put a man named Barack Hussein Obama into office

ONE NEWSPAPER REFUSES TO DISTRIBUTE 'ISLAM TERROR' DVD

funkfresh01 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:34:58 EDT

Greg Mitchell, Editor & Publisher, 9/15/08
http://www.cair.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?mid1=676&&ArticleID=25477&&name=n&&currPage=1

As explored here this past weekend, the Clarion Fund has paid dozens of newspapers across the country -- almost solely in "swing" election states -- and The New York Times to distribute the "Islam terror" DVD "Obsession" with their home delivery packages. Among the larger cities where this has taken place: Miami, Philadelphia, Denver and Pittsburgh.

An estimated 28 million copies have been distributed so far, also through the mails and other magazines. An article at the group's site, www.radicalislam.org, all but endorsed John McCain this past week, then was pulled down.

But at least one newspaper turned away the money and refused to distribute it, calling it "divisive."

It's the Greensboro News & Record in North Carolina.. The longtime editor, John Robinson, explained his reasoning in a column yesterday.