i merely applying the idea of no true scotsman.
and heres perspective.
Brigitte Gabriel, who suffered through civil war in Lebanon as a Christian youth, has become so much of an outspoken critic of radical Islam since Sept. 11, 2001, that she has been labeled a "radical Islamophobe."
Now an author and activist, her ACT! for America (actforamerica.org), which has a chapter in Stuart, calls itself the "nation's largest national security movement." It hopes to mobilize a grass-toos citizens network to "lead to public policies that promote America's national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam."
Gabriel will speak to the chapter Thursday night in Stuart. She recently e-mailed a few questions I e-mailed her.
Q. Do you see any similarities as to what occurred in Egypt with what happened in Iran when the Shah was overthrown? What is the most significant difference or similarity?
A. We see glaring similarities. America betrayed (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak, an American ally who stood with America for 30 years.
After Mubarak was out of office, two major things happened in Egypt and none of them was about the revolution or democracy. Imam Al-Qardawi one of the most notorious radicals who was expelled by the Egyptian government for his radicalism gave the Friday prayers at Tahrir square and two Iranian ships were allowed to go through the Suez canal on their way to Syria.
Both events ushered in a new era of Islamic radicalism and a weakened America in a very unstable part of the world. Both were done by a democratic American president who betrayed an ally and lacked foreign policy understanding. President (Barack) Obama failed to realize what was taking place and who is going to fill the power vacuum.
Q. Do you see the protests for democratic reform in the Middle East as changing it over time? If not, why? If so, how?
A. Unfortunately not. You have to prepare a society for democracy and they have to have democratic value system that supports what democracy stands for. Islam, the religion that dominates the Middle East, is a political system cloaked in religion, that does not acknowledge men made laws and follows only the Sharia legal system, where it considers women as second-class citizens.
Q. What are the prospects for a peaceful, democratic Lebanon?
A. Lebanon used to be peaceful, democratic, multicultural society until the radical Islamists took control of it. They did it democratically, as Lebanon is a republic very much like the United States. The radical Islamic groups now all melted into Hezbollah were elected into the government democratically after given initial representation in the parliament because they did a lot of charitable and good work in the communities. Hezbollah just dissolved the government and took control of it all in the last few weeks.
Q. Zbiegniew Brzenzski, a Middle East expert, recently wrote, "I think eventually the terrorist groups will fade for terrorism is a temporary phenomenon, reflecting social hatreds, tensions and periodic rise and then eventually the fall of fanatical beliefs."
What do you think?
A. Based on what facts? The fact that Islam conquered, through the sword, most nations from the 600s all the way to 1924 when President Attaturk in Turkey abolished the Caliphate? At one point Islam covered more of the Earth's surface than the Roman Empire did at its peak! All that happened through jihad. Thinking and hoping is one thing, studying history and learning facts and reflecting on them is another.
Q. What do you see happening in Israel over the next 10 to 15 years? Is there any hope for lasting agreement between the various sides in that conflict?
A. Unfortunately I do not think so. If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there will be peace in the Middle East. If Israelis put down their weapons today, there will no longer be an Israel. The world will see another holocaust. When Muslim people had a chance to vote democratically for people to represent them, they elected Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and if elections were held in Egypt and Jordan today, the Muslim Brotherhood would win hands down.
Q. Just how serious is the threat to the United States from radical Islam? What are the odds that we will someday face Sharia law?
A. The threat of radical Islam has become a major threat to western societies whether here or in Europe. As I am speaking with you right now there are 85 sharia courts operating in Britain alone parallel to British Law. The first Sharia Islamic court was established in Texas in the 1990s before Sept. 11, 2001, and before people even started asking questions about Islam. Right now Islamic law is being sited in many courtrooms across America. They are calling it Pakistani law, Egyptian law, Indonesian law but they are not calling it by its name, Sharia law.
Q. You've been called a "radical Islamophobe"? Accurate? How would you desribe yourself?
A. I am a terrorism analyst who infiltrates Islamic chat rooms and listens to what they are saying in Arabic, something most Americans cannot do and have no interest in doing. When I speak about terrorist cells in our country or as a threat to our nation, I am speaking based on information I collected, I studied, I worked on dealing with groups from the FBI to other intelligence agencies throughout the world. I speak about facts not fiction.
In the last two years alone we have arrested over 75 home-grown terrorists, all Muslims either born to the Islamic faith or who have converted to Islam, plotting to either blow up Times Square, or the subway system, or the lighting of a Christmas tree in Oregon, or blowing the Fountain building in Texas, etc. The list goes on and on. These are facts not fiction.
Can you point to other 75 people from a single religion trying to kill Americans within the span of two years such as Hindus, Jews, Sikhs, Bahais, Maronites, Mormons, Evangelical Christians, Amish etc? Since Sept. 11, 2001, there have been more than 16,000 Islamic terrorist attacks around the world. Can you show me any other single group from a single religion trying to commit terrorist acts like this in the name of their religion?
Q. It's been reported that at one of your speeches in Florida a few years ago, you labeled then-presidential hopeful Barack Obama an "anti-Semite." True? If so, has your assessment changed?
A. I labeled president Obama anti Israel. I am a Semite, an Arab from Lebanon. What we were talking about was Israel and this is what I meant and what I referred to when I was asked if he was anti-Semite. Just watch how he has treated Israel and its leaders since he has been in office. I think his actions in the last two years proved my point.
Q. Given your outspokenness about radical Islam, do you ever fear for your safety?
A. When you are sounding the alarm about people who are threatening to kill others or harm others because of their religious supremacy, you usually create a lot of enemies from the evil camp who want to silence you. However I believe it is our duty as freedom-loving citizens of the world, to make sure we never allow evil to go unchecked.
BRIGITTE GABRIEL
The Martin County Tea Party presents Brigitte Gabriel, ACT! for America president.
Where: First Baptist Church of Stuart, 201 W. Ocean Blvd., Stuart, (772) 287-7422
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Admission: Free
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