New Anti-Islam Group, Same Old Faces

Apparently there are not enough organisations of right-wing pundits dedicated to revealing the awful truth about Islam and Muslims in America; step forward “Stop Islamization of America”:

WASHINGTON – Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) will hold an organizational launch and press conference with speakers and panel discussion on September 25th, to coincide with Islam on Capitol Hill Day and the 220th anniversary of the passage of the Bill of Rights.

SIOA is an educational and human rights organization with two foundational principles: Love and Compassion.

SIOA’s mission is to educate the American people about the political doctrine of Islam, its history, Sharia (Islamic Law), and Jihad. SIOA believes that Sharia Law is incompatible with our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Seven experts are scheduled to speak on the subjects of Islam, terrorism and civic responsibility.

Rabbi Jon Hausman – Conservative political moderator
Rebecca Bynum – Publisher, Senior Managing Editor – New English Review
Dave Gaubatz – Veteran counter-terrorism investigator, author
Catherine Martin – Veteran grass roots activist, Northern Virginia
John Cosgrove – Counter-terrorism consultant
Martin Mawyer – Founder, Christian Action Network
Jerry Gordon – Senior Editor – New English Review

Attendees will be asked to speak with their Congressmen about Sharia Law, two acts before Congress (the Free Speech Protection Act and the Act to Protect First Responders Fighting Terrorism) and the effort to help protect those who leave Islam from reprisals.

The founder is a slightly mysterious “DL Adams”, but some of the other names are familiar; it looks to me that these outfits simply shuffle the pack of usual characters and get some publicity by announcing a launch. Dave Gaubatz is responsible for a risibly-conceived “Mapping Shari’a in America” project, which I discussed here; Mawyer was best-known for virulent anti-gay rhetoric in the 1990s before he jumped on the anti-Islam bandwagon, and just recently – as I blogged here – he was in the UK interviewing balaclava-clad English Defence League activists. Hausman is a Rabbi in the Conservative tradition, and Geert Wilders has addressed his synagogue; according to a profile in the New English Review, on the day Wilders came,

That afternoon, Rabbi Jon Hausman spiritual leader of Ahavath Torah, was feted, called a ‘hero’ and given an ovation at a Republican Jewish Coalition New England Chapter luncheon. Many anti-Jihad activists were in the audience, among them, Charles Jacobs, founder of the David Project, Andrew Bostom, author of The Legacy of Jihad and The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism, and Professor Dennis Hale of Boston College.

Martin, meanwhile, is with Brigitte Gabriel’s “ACT for America”. Bynam, writing in the New English Review, has an authoritarian perspective, believing that Islam should be banned as “seditious” and that American Muslims who are convicted of criminal activity “that is prompted by or connected specifically to beliefs that are part of their mental makeup and cannot be shed as long as they are loyal to Islam” should be deported. Like the group I noted yesterday, she also commends the views of a certain Bill Warner,   who purports to be an expert on “Political Islam” (he has a PhD). Bynum also dabbles in theology.

Cosgrove is with Jesse Petrilla’s “United America Committee” (which in turn is linked to the “United British Alliance”), and he was one of yesterday’s protestors in Washington; according to Fox:

…John Cosgrove, who identified himself as a counterterrorism consultant, called on “American males” to “stand shoulder to shoulder” in the battle to save America from the imposition of Sharia on American law. Sharia is a body of Islamic law used, with varying degrees of severity and harshness toward women, in many Muslim societies. At one point, Cosgrove brandished a book called The Quranic Concept of War to demonstrate the supposedly aggressive and confrontational nature of ancient and modern Islam.

Noting the arguments of some that Thomas Jefferson possessed a copy of the Koran, Cosgrove conceded this was true and added: “He had it so that he could know his enemy, so he could confront them, know them, kill them, and vanquish the Islamic pirates, the scourge of the seas and spreading tyranny abroad. After reading the Koran, founding the Marines and expanding the Navy to go kill them, I think he laid the Koran down thinking perhaps he was done. Sadly, it was not the case.”

Cosgrove has probably got this from Christian Right pseudo-historian David Barton – in fact, Jefferson acquired his Koran in 1765, twenty years before he confronted the pirates (1). It’s a small point, but symptomatic of a sloppy and opportunistic attitude. What exactly his qualifications are for being a “counter-terrorism consultant” remain obscure.

Back in February, a number of these persons came to together to promote a documentary by Mawyer. Jeffrey Imm of the wonderfully-named “Anti-Jihad League of America” [UPDATE: who rejects the right-wing views of the likes of Mawyer, see below] explained in Family Security Matters that:

The Washington D.C. audience was invited to attend the premiere screening by the Christian Action Network through e-mails, promotion of the event by anti-jihad web sites and organizations, and local radio promotion by Washington D.C. area’s WAVA-FM radio host Don Kroah. Local activist groups also promoted the anti-jihad event, with attendance by DC area activist leaders Catherine Martin (ACT!For America – Northern Virginia & DC Metro Chapter), John Cosgrove (United American Committee, Virginia Chapter), and Jeffrey Imm (Anti-Jihad League of America), among others.

I sometimes get irritated comments from people (particularly a certain “June” of late) who think my blog entries on this kind of thing mean that I must be wishing to minimise or ignore the threat of Islamic extremism. That’s not actually the case, and for a every right-wing demagogue who wants to whip up anti-Islamic feeling, it should be remembered there are Muslim extremists who are perhaps even more effective in causing people to fear the religion (and I have written about those, too). But as with the 1950s “Red Scare” (and other situations), the existence of a real security threat does not mean that one should uncritically embrace anyone who comes along with some posturing rhetoric and self-proclaimed expertise offering easy answers.

UPDATE: Jeffrey Imm writes to clarify:

You have referenced an out-of-context excerpt from an article that I wrote in February 2009 to suggest that I support the SIOA.  I do not, and I have specifically written as to how we do not support the SIOA at:
http://www.realcourage.org/2009/09/we-are-not-afraid/

I would like to clarify your posting where you make reference to an article that I posted for the long-since defunct “Anti-Jihad League of America” in February 2009.  Your excerpt, taken out of context, will inaccurately make individuals to believe that I share Mr. Mawyer’s organization’s views on issues other than Jihad.  For you and your readers, I would like to provide the context on this that is not in your article.

First, I did not know of Mr. Mawyer’s 1990s “anti-gay” views that you mention in your article when I was invited to their documentary covering what has been widely reported as a report on Islamic supremacist groups in the U.S. that seek both separatist and violent agendas.  I addressed this strictly from an anti-jihad perspective – that is not an anti-Islam view, nor is it a bigoted or right-wing attack on Muslims.  It was and remains a challenge to Islamic supremacists, just as Americans once challenged (and need to continue to challenge) white supremacism.  Therefore, it seemed reasonable at the time for me to attend, and given the attendance from the local area to report on this.  Shortly thereafter, I disbanded the “Anti-Jihad League of America” as a group because the goal to find a cross-section of those in the Counterterrorism community and the public was not working, as the Counterterrorism community has long since given up in challenging the ideology of Islamic supremacism.  Moreover, while I once shared my articles with “Family Security Matters,” if you look you will see that I am no longer a contributor to “Family Security Matters” as well.

In fact, the reference that you make to the February article is not a valid web link.  However, in the interests of open communication, I wanted to set the record straight on this.

In March 2009, I created a new human rights group called “Responsible for Equality And Liberty,” (R.E.A.L.) which you can find atrealcourage.org.  In fact, defense of homosexual human rights is a key part of our focus, and will remain so.  Our focus at Responsible for Equality And Liberty remains the basic defense of universal human rights, which requires us to challenge those groups that would deny such human rights.  If you can provide more information on Mr. Mawyer’s 1990s “anti-gay” positions,  I would appreciate it.  Your assumption that everyone is aware of every individual’s positions from a decade ago is not realistic.  Speaking for myself and R.E.A.L., we will challenge anti-homosexual groups in defense of their human rights as we have publicly written and have spoken out against similar groups such as the Traditional Values Coalition.

This is documented at:
http://www.realcourage.org/2009/05/keep-hope-alive/
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/blog/imm-articles/138.html#4.3

R.E.A.L. has a specific focus on defying those who spread hate and violence against homosexuals as documented at:
http://www.realcourage.org/category/war-on-gay-humanity/

In retrospect, it was a mistake to not have researched Mr. Mawyer’s CAN group views on homosexuality before writing my article about their documentary on Jamaat Al-Fuqra-led facilities that seek to spread Islamic supremacism and documented violence in the United States.  I apologize for that mistake and will be certain not to repeat it.  

However, as you no doubt are aware, it is impossible to research every individual thoroughly enough, which is why you were unaware of my positions when you provided an except of my article.

I wanted to write you to clarify this to you and to set the record straight on this issue.  Regarding the SIOA, our group has solidly come out AGAINST what they are doing and we have publicly stated this at:
http://www.realcourage.org/2009/09/we-are-not-afraid/

As we have written publicly, we do not agree with the SIOA, what they believe, and what they stand for.  Our challenge to Islamic supremacism is not an attack on “Islam” or on “Muslims,” in fact we believe that those who will most benefit from our human rights defiance are other Muslims who are oppressed by Islamic supremacists.

By the way, the assumption that many who are concerned about Islamic supremacism are “right-wing” is incorrect.  The human rights threat of Islamic supremacism remains a threat to people of all political persuasions, all religions, all genders, and all ethnic backgrounds.

Since you have taken this small excerpt out of an article to give an impression about what my positions are, I would appreciate if you would update this with the additional information to tell the rest of the story.Jeffrey Imm
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
http://www.realcourage.org 

Thank you very much.

****

(1) See Douglas A. Hicks, With God on All Sides: Leadership in a Devout and Diverse America, Oxford University Press, pp. 111-112. This blog has further details:

We do not know for certain why he purchased it…The only substantial scholarly treatment of this specific topic that I’m aware of is Kevin Hayes’ 2004 article in Early American Literature, “How Thomas Jefferson Read the Qur’an.”  Hayes suggests that Jefferson’s primary motivation in purchasing the Qur’an was his interest in it as a legal text.  This seems highly plausible to me.  What does not seem plausible is that, 21 years before he encountered a representative of an Islamic country in a professional capacity, he 1) decided that he considered Muslims his “enemy” and 2) conceived of a need to study their main religious text so as to be better equipped for conflict with them.

27 Responses

  1. I’m waiting for somebody to rewrite the Protocols to make it appear that they were originally written by Muslims. Then I’ll know that these anti-Islamic loons ignore history.

  2. History, what’s that? The only history I need is what FOX News tells me. :)

    Looks like the Muslims are too late in getting that Sharia law. The USA has already been put under the rule of Judeofascists, some of whom are tricking the gullible into fighting endless wars for Israel.

    The U.S. Congress officially recognized the Noahide Laws in legislation which was passed by both houses. Congress and the President of the United States, George Bush, indicated in Public Law 102-14, 102nd Congress, that the United States of America was founded upon the Seven Universal Laws of Noah, and that these Laws have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization. They also acknowledged that the Seven Laws of Noah are the foundation upon which civilization stands and that recent weakening of these principles threaten the fabric of civilized society, and that justified preoccupation in educating the Citizens of the United States of America and future generations is needed. For this purpose, this Public Law designated March 26, 1991 as Education Day, U.S.A.

    http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/7laws.html

    Have we already forgotten the horrible lessons of Europe’s Religious Wars?

    Lucky for them, they didn’t have nukes or the human race wouldn’t be here today.

  3. If you haven’t read “Top Ten Ways to Convince the Muslims We’re On a Crusade” at Alternet, it’s well worth the time. Here’s parts:

    7. Paint crosses and Christian messages on military vehicles and drive them through Iraq.

    The title of Jeff Sharlet’s May 2009 Harper’s magazine cover story, “Jesus Killed Mohammed: The Crusade for a Christian military,” actually comes from one such vehicular message. “Jesus killed Mohammed” was painted in large red Arabic lettering on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, drawing fire from nearly every doorway as it was driven through Samarra.

    Other vehicles have sported everything from the Islamic crescent overlaid with the internationally recognized red circle and slash “No” sign to crosses hanging from gun barrels. The photo of the tank named “New Testament” was actually released by a military public relations office.

    6. Make sure that our Christian soldiers and chaplains see the war as a way to fulfill the ‘great commission.’

    5. Post on the Internet photos of U.S. soldiers with their rifles and Bibles.

    The indoctrination of basic trainees at Fort Jackson, the Army’s largest basic-training installation, is a program called “God’s Basic Training,” in which the recruits are taught that “The Military = ‘God’s Ministers’ ” and that one of their responsibilities is “To punish those who do evil” as “God’s servant, an angel of wrath.”

    2. Make sure Bibles and evangelizing materials sent to Muslim lands have official U.S. military emblems on them.

    1. Send lots of Bibles in Arabic, Dari and Pashtu languages to convert the Muslims.

    http://www.alternet.org/world/142839/10_ways_the_u.s._military_has_shoved_christianity_down_muslims'_throats_/?comments=view&cID=1329604#c1329604

    That the immoral and illegal invasion of Iraq was based on a pack of lies, told by con men, thieves and murderers was bad enough.

    To send American combat troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, with an M-16 in one hand and the bible in the other doesn’t bode well for sanity or humanity.

    These Christian extremists, mostly Evangelical and Pentecostal types, are infiltrating the US Armed Forces, mostly the Army and Air Force and turning our kids into “Killers for Christ.”

  4. These Christian extremists, mostly Evangelical and Pentecostal types, are infiltrating the US Armed Forces, mostly the Army and Air Force and turning our kids into “Killers for Christ.”

    I heard they’re flying airplanes into tall buildings too!

    • “I heard they’re flying airplanes into tall buildings too!”

      They don’t need to, since they have smart bombs and cruise missiles to kill from afar.

      But ofcourse to a nut like you, the hundreds of thousands killed in Iraq and Afghanistan deserved it, unlike the 3,000 killed on Sept. 2001, right?

      • Of course these crusader wannabees don’t believe that 1.3 million Iraqis matter. June to me is the typical wannabe American terrorist, hiding her criminal agenda behind religion. Note also the 9/11 reference when in fact Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. These primitive violent christofascists simply don’t care…it’s all about spreading their sick culture of death on innocent people.
        It’s also interesting to note that virtually all anti-Islam groups have some of the most virulent Zionist Jews around in them. Not surprising given that they were instrumental in pushing America to fight Israel’s dirty wars.

  5. […] Anti-Islam Group, Same Old Faces September 28th, 2009 // New Anti-Islam Group, Same Old Faces – Richard Bartholomew – Apparently there are not enough organisations of right-wing pundits […]

  6. Scumwatch: No need for anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, thank you.

    • @Bartholomew,

      Thanks for the response, but I am not pushing an “anti-jewish” conspiracy theory. It’s no coincidence that Zionists are at the forefront of promoting anti-Muslim propaganda, just like it’s no coincidence that they were screaming day and night that Iraq did 9/11.
      If we can identify Christian and Muslim extremists, why not Jewish extremists who’re running rampant with this racist nonsense?

  7. Also applies to Greg Bacon.

  8. So Mr Bart attracts various Jew-haters and zionist-conspiracy types. One civilisational pathology will alway attract another.

    Every member cited in your ‘rogues gallery’ Mr Bart, is far smarter and insightful than you ever could be. You are far to riddled with soft bigotry and prejudices to recognise and extract the salient points of a fascist ideology and mind set when those with it are neither White, Western nor Christian.

    In just the past week or so, the FBI have nabbed people in New York, Dallas, Chigaco and elsewhere and more arrests are to be announced and most arrested will be charged with plotting and planning mass murder. In light of that, you brain kicks in and in a brilliant flash of genius decides that Rebecca Bynum is the REAL danger.

    You’re obviously a very deep thinker. Are you wearing Rosa Luxemberg’s bloomers?

    Were this 1930s Britian and a group of intelligent and concerned citizens had formed an organisation to stop the nazification of England, that same genius would’ve kicked in and you’d have been right there, front and centre, to denounce them as fascists.

    • “So Mr Bart attracts various Jew-haters and zionist-conspiracy types. One civilisational pathology will alway attract another.”

      As opposed to the various Islamophobes and “Caliphate”-conspiracy types like you, right?

  9. As opposed to the various Islamophobes and “Caliphate”-conspiracy types like you, right?

    You should get informed. Islamists and caliphate fans make no secret of their ambitions…or hatreds. If you wish to defend such an odious and bigoted constituency, and in the process have your reputation ruined for having colluded with clerical-fascists, then that’s you problem.

    I also suggest you get out a little more and get to know more ex-Muslims.

    All it really takes is a little courage.

    • June:
      “You should get informed. Islamists and caliphate fans make no secret of their ambitions…or hatreds. If you wish to defend such an odious and bigoted constituency, and in the process have your reputation ruined for having colluded with clerical-fascists, then that’s you problem.”

      Well, you make no secret of your hatred either.

      As for “ex-Muslims”, it’s easy to find ex-Muslims who hate Islam, just as it is easy to find ex-Christians who hate Christianity.

      There is a saying “the fanaticism of the convert”, but I believe there is an opposed and equally real phenomenon, namely the fanaticism of the apostate.

      Finally for someone who considers Mr.Bartholomew as attracting “various Jew-haters and zionist-conspiracy types”, you sure do spend alot of time here making comments.

  10. “Every member cited in your ‘rogues gallery’ Mr Bart, is far smarter and insightful than you ever could be. You are far to riddled with soft bigotry and prejudices to recognise and extract the salient points of a fascist ideology and mind set when those with it are neither White, Western nor Christian.”

    Oh? Meet Hitler: a white, Western, Christian man. or meet Bush: a wannabe crusdaer, a white, Western, Christian man, whose religion allowed him to start a war with an incredible death toll. Meet the KKK. There are literally 100s and 1000s of groups of white, Western Christians who would love nothing more than to take over the world, kill all gays and non-Christians, ban everything but Christianity, who keep saying week in week out how Muslims and brown people are off the devil and need to kicked out of the country, and lots of whom have already carried out their religious beliefs by killing other people.

    “Were this 1930s Britian and a group of intelligent and concerned citizens had formed an organisation to stop the nazification of England, that same genius would’ve kicked in and you’d have been right there, front and centre, to denounce them as fascists.”

    Interesting to see you appeal to Godwin. That surely was an interesting time you picked. I remember a certain religious group being accused of being rats, of plotting to take over the world, of plotting to bring the West into subjugation via economic means, of being cruel to animals in how they slaughtered cows, being accused of lying for their religion, being accused of fostering a deep hatred for white, western Christians… Now, about what group have we heard this recently? If you were there are that time, I have no doubt that you would join in and denounce that religious group and join the actions taken against them. After all, this train of thought and action is symptomatic of people like you.

  11. […] regarding his absurd “Mapping Shari’a” project and his role in the new “Stop Islamization of America” organisation; Glenn Greenwald notes a history of overheated rhetoric: He previously called […]

  12. SIOE and SIOE are working together.
    Kendra from SIOA know Stepeh Gash and Anders Gravers.
    She has tried to invite Anders Gravers to US
    Kendra from SIOA are using Facebook for
    communication with SIOE .
    http://www.shansensblog.blogspot.com
    http://www.siadinfo.blogspot.com

    Best regards from Denmark
    Margrethe SHansen

  13. […] the request of Anders Gravers and Stephen Gash of Stop Evangelization of Europe; SIOA, as I blogged here, was formed in September (at the time the link to SIOE was not clear). Spencer goes on to pose a […]

  14. […] the request of Anders Gravers and Stephen Gash of Stop Islamisation of Europe; SIOA, as I blogged here, was formed in September (at the time the link to SIOE was not clear; DL Adams and Kendra Adams of […]

  15. I came across a new book called There Is Only One Hell

    Available at http://www.thereisonlyonehell.com

    It chronicles two criminals and their conversion to Islam and subsequent soldier’s of Islam

    The book teaches the basic tenets of Islam which in essence is peace through violence and the global community to Islam.

    Each christian should read this book or be at least familiar with the goals of Islam and just not rely on the news media which does not routinely address this topic.

    So, we as christians know our faith, we should learn what Islam teaches because it at first teaches peace until in power when they act in violence.

    Thank you.

  16. […] Back in 2009, I noted the claim that Jefferson owned a Koran “it so that he could know his enemy, so he could confront them, know them, kill them.[…]

  17. […] Shariah” project (alongside David Yerushalmi), and he plays a role in Pamela Geller’s Stop Islamization of America. He has also described Barack Obama as being a […]

  18. […] he is involved with Pamela Geller’s “SIOA” organisation, and in 2008 he was championed by Melanie Phillips […]

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