Organization's founder warns community about radical Islamists
Battle lines are being drawn across the Inland Empire and America -- you can't seem them on a map, but they exist.
The enemies: radical Islamists versus Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Mormons, gays and everyone else.
And yes -- this battle even pits Muslim against fellow Muslim.
That's what Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America, said during an interview before giving a speech to Los Angeles-area residents and ACT members at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills on Friday night.
The enemies: radical Islamists versus Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Mormons, gays and everyone else.
And yes -- this battle even pits Muslim against fellow Muslim.
That's what Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America, said during an interview before giving a speech to Los Angeles-area residents and ACT members at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills on Friday night.
Sure, radical Islamists and "Islamofascism" are major threats to American society.
But a failure to recognize how radical Muslims are "infiltrating" the social and educational fabric of America -- and hiding behind the mask of civil rights in doing so -- could pose an even bigger threat, she says. America's own worst enemy could be its inaction.
"Islam oppresses people, but we want to liberate people," Gabriel said about the Pensacola, Fla.-based organization's 60,000-plus member base, which has sparked 275 nationwide chapters since late 2007. "We welcome any Muslims to come to our country as long as they love the United States and honor the constitution."
Critics argue Gabriel is off her rocker in painting a broad brush over all Muslims, but the Lebanese native might know a thing or two about Islam's relationship with terrorism and feminine suppression.
Radical Islamists bombed her family's house when she was 10 years old because her hometown was predominately Christian, she says. Living in a bomb shelter with limited food and water became the norm.
Could it ever happen in America? Ludicrous, you may say.
Gabriel isn't ruling it out.
Her horrible experience paints a stark contrast to the community she spoke in -- a city sporting all the green lawns and plush shopping centers any suburban resident could ever ask for.
It isn't just affluent Chino Hills that needs a wake-up call -- all of America needs one, Gabriel says.
That's because initiatives crafted by Islamic organizations across the United States are battling for the hearts and minds of Americans, she says.
The nation's financial system, its educational communities, its civil rights movements -- they're all spheres that radical Islamists are trying to penetrate by using neutral-sounding messages. In some cases, the radicals are succeeding, Gabriel says.
You wouldn't know it unless you've been paying attention. Mainstream-media news reports of Islamic teachings seeping into American culture are few and far in between.
And Gabriel wouldn't know it if she didn't have connections. She sources her knowledge based on key people and political figures stationed across the nation, and she speaks frequently with Pentagon and other U.S. intelligence officials, she says.
Gabriel's wake-up call theme permeates her message.
"What are people doing instead? They're watching American Idol and Dancing With the Stars," she said. "We Americans need to rise up now and start organizing. It's not too late."
Still, ACT for America's literature is similar to the "lies" being spread about Islam, according to one local Muslim.
Kansas City, Mo., native David Williams -- or Dawud in Arabic, as he calls himself -- said he had never heard of Gabriel until a Thursday interview, but a brief look at her organization's material spurred the chairman of Rancho Cucamonga-based Islamic Center of the Inland Empire to comment.
"Unfortunately we're seeing the same Islamophobic rhetoric of the Bush administration starting to creep back up again," Williams said. "She's going to... a lot of Mid-Western states that don't have the large diversity like large cities do. She's talking to areas where the demographic is basically either Caucasian or Jewish, her fan base."
Williams agrees that not all Muslims are angels. Some of them murder, rape and steal, which are the same crimes people of other religions commit, he points out.
"They get the media spotlight," Williams said about Muslims who commit terrorist acts.
"(People) take those few examples and say, 'This is what Islam is bringing to America,' which is definitely not what the Quran or prophet Mohammad teaches."
It's not uncommon for people like Gabriel to take Quran passages out of context, Williams says.
"You can make anyone seem like they're saying something crazy," he said. "They'll find something they think says, 'Kill them wherever you find them' -- but they won't read the entire part that says, 'The people who wish to... kill you, it's acceptable for you to defend yourself and fight'."
"It's really unfortunate what she's doing, because she's spreading lies," he added.
While attendees of the event will have to decide for themselves, Robert Spencer said speeches like Gabriel's are what Americans need to hear, because they bring the radical Islamic issue to the forefront of people's minds.
"Brigitte is doing us a service," said the director of JihadWatch.org, a Web site connected with Sherman Oaks-based David Horowitz Freedom Center, a so-called advocate for limited government and individual freedom.
He stressed that several Muslims shouldn't be grouped with the ones linked to terrorism.
Plenty of members abhor those atrocities.
But the terrorism link cannot bet ignored, he said.
"There is a spectrum within Islam of belief and knowledge and fervor inasmuch there is in any other religion," Spencer said. "But the fact is, (terrorism and other acts of Jihad) are taught in Islamic sects and schools of Islamic jurisprudence."
matthew.wrye@inlandnewspapers.com
But a failure to recognize how radical Muslims are "infiltrating" the social and educational fabric of America -- and hiding behind the mask of civil rights in doing so -- could pose an even bigger threat, she says. America's own worst enemy could be its inaction.
"Islam oppresses people, but we want to liberate people," Gabriel said about the Pensacola, Fla.-based organization's 60,000-plus member base, which has sparked 275 nationwide chapters since late 2007. "We welcome any Muslims to come to our country as long as they love the United States and honor the constitution."
Critics argue Gabriel is off her rocker in painting a broad brush over all Muslims, but the Lebanese native might know a thing or two about Islam's relationship with terrorism and feminine suppression.
Radical Islamists bombed her family's house when she was 10 years old because her hometown was predominately Christian, she says. Living in a bomb shelter with limited food and water became the norm.
Could it ever happen in America? Ludicrous, you may say.
Gabriel isn't ruling it out.
Her horrible experience paints a stark contrast to the community she spoke in -- a city sporting all the green lawns and plush shopping centers any suburban resident could ever ask for.
It isn't just affluent Chino Hills that needs a wake-up call -- all of America needs one, Gabriel says.
That's because initiatives crafted by Islamic organizations across the United States are battling for the hearts and minds of Americans, she says.
The nation's financial system, its educational communities, its civil rights movements -- they're all spheres that radical Islamists are trying to penetrate by using neutral-sounding messages. In some cases, the radicals are succeeding, Gabriel says.
You wouldn't know it unless you've been paying attention. Mainstream-media news reports of Islamic teachings seeping into American culture are few and far in between.
And Gabriel wouldn't know it if she didn't have connections. She sources her knowledge based on key people and political figures stationed across the nation, and she speaks frequently with Pentagon and other U.S. intelligence officials, she says.
Gabriel's wake-up call theme permeates her message.
"What are people doing instead? They're watching American Idol and Dancing With the Stars," she said. "We Americans need to rise up now and start organizing. It's not too late."
Still, ACT for America's literature is similar to the "lies" being spread about Islam, according to one local Muslim.
Kansas City, Mo., native David Williams -- or Dawud in Arabic, as he calls himself -- said he had never heard of Gabriel until a Thursday interview, but a brief look at her organization's material spurred the chairman of Rancho Cucamonga-based Islamic Center of the Inland Empire to comment.
"Unfortunately we're seeing the same Islamophobic rhetoric of the Bush administration starting to creep back up again," Williams said. "She's going to... a lot of Mid-Western states that don't have the large diversity like large cities do. She's talking to areas where the demographic is basically either Caucasian or Jewish, her fan base."
Williams agrees that not all Muslims are angels. Some of them murder, rape and steal, which are the same crimes people of other religions commit, he points out.
"They get the media spotlight," Williams said about Muslims who commit terrorist acts.
"(People) take those few examples and say, 'This is what Islam is bringing to America,' which is definitely not what the Quran or prophet Mohammad teaches."
It's not uncommon for people like Gabriel to take Quran passages out of context, Williams says.
"You can make anyone seem like they're saying something crazy," he said. "They'll find something they think says, 'Kill them wherever you find them' -- but they won't read the entire part that says, 'The people who wish to... kill you, it's acceptable for you to defend yourself and fight'."
"It's really unfortunate what she's doing, because she's spreading lies," he added.
While attendees of the event will have to decide for themselves, Robert Spencer said speeches like Gabriel's are what Americans need to hear, because they bring the radical Islamic issue to the forefront of people's minds.
"Brigitte is doing us a service," said the director of JihadWatch.org, a Web site connected with Sherman Oaks-based David Horowitz Freedom Center, a so-called advocate for limited government and individual freedom.
He stressed that several Muslims shouldn't be grouped with the ones linked to terrorism.
Plenty of members abhor those atrocities.
But the terrorism link cannot bet ignored, he said.
"There is a spectrum within Islam of belief and knowledge and fervor inasmuch there is in any other religion," Spencer said. "But the fact is, (terrorism and other acts of Jihad) are taught in Islamic sects and schools of Islamic jurisprudence."
matthew.wrye@inlandnewspapers.com
I missed Brigitte Gabriel speak @ CCCH this past friday, but I went last year and it was extremely informative!!!