I have exchanged a series of what turned out to be fruitless emails with Mr. Ibrahim Hooper, the Director of Communications for the Council on American Islamic Relations. If you listen to WFTW 1260 AM “The Wake Up Call” with Ken Walsh from 6 to 9AM, we have been talking about this for weeks now.
I started by asking if he had asked that had his organization asked the Emerald Coast Tea Party Patriots and the FWB Tea Party to drop Ms. Brigette Gabriel as a guest speaker at a Constitution Day Rally on August 21, 2010 from 1 to 5PM at the Emerald Coast Conference Center. Tickets are $20 and proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project and the Destin Charter Fishing Fleet to assist both groups. You can contact Geoff Ross at 850-313-1893 or purchase them at www.passionatepatriot.com Tee Shirt shop on Racetrack Road.
The facts are this – CAIR did not contact Geoff or me to cancel the speaker, they just sent the press release. Mr. Hooper’s response to my email?
“Peace. Do you support Ms. Gabriel’s views on Islam and Muslims, such as her statement that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office?”
I responded I would read her book and determine what she actually said. I also asked Mr. Hooper if he believed Muslims placed Sharia Law about US Constitutional law. As yet, that question remains puzzlingly unanswered.
After I completed her book, Because They Hate, in which she references CAIR and Mr. Hooper in particular, I asked had she factually misrepresented anything. I still haven’t gotten a direct answer to that question.
We requested CAIR send a speaker, from the speaker’s bureau listed prominently on their website, and as yet, we have not received a response. Interestingly, Geoff and I were interviewed earlier this week by BBC America because of their interest in this story.
The FWB Tea Party has as a core principle to support and defend the US Constitution. This issue is simply this – no group can silence a speaker unless we as Americans sit by and let it happen. Not this time, not this place. While our airmen, soldiers, sailors and marines are deployed in combat, we will not sit by when a group attempts to threaten our First Amendment rights.
Our next meeting is August 10th, 7PM at the American Legion on Hollywood. We will be discussing several pending tax increases in our community and other issues. We might even bring this up as well! All are welcome to attend our meetings and speak out!
“The facts are this – CAIR did not contact Geoff or me to cancel the speaker, they just sent the press release.” Apparently nobody is trying to silence any speaker.
It seems that each side is taking the views of one individual and projecting them onto a group as a whole. Politics and religion are far too complicated for that kind of approach.
So did Ms. Gabriel actually write in her book that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office?
Thank you for taking this stand! Their arrogance is insufferable!
I encourage you to read her book, or google various sources to determine for yourself her words. I have not been able to get a direct answer from CAIR as to whether practicing Muslims place Sharia law above US Constitution law.
Apparently, Henry, she said something worse:
‘Brigitte Gabriel, author of “Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America,” spoke at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va. “[I]f a Muslim who is a practicing Muslim, who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day — this practicing Muslim who believes in the teaching of the Koran cannot be a loyal citizen of the United States of America” ‘
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jul/03/us-through-islamic-lens/
This is the ideology that fuels our enemy – they want a war that divides people on the basis of religion, and Ms. Gabriel seems more than happy to give it to them.
Thank you for bringing such an informative speaker to our town. I was inspired, revived,and so much more!! WHY can’t americans see what is happening to our country?? GET your heads out of the sand people and lets ACT !!!!