Heritage Panel on Benghazi a Discussion of Passion and Purpose

Dignitas News Service ^ | June 18, 2014 | Paul M Winters

[dignitasnews]

At a Monday afternoon panel discussion at the conservative Heritage Foundation on Washington's Select Committee investigating the deadly events of the September 11, 2012 Benghazi incident, an exchange during the Q&A period provided the left-wing press to once again obscure the fundamental issues related to the incident and undermine the efforts of those who seek answers to a national tragedy and embarrassment. What was in fact a frank and adult discussion filled with passion and purpose by the panel and the young woman in question has become the latest cause célèbre for the Progressive-left in their ongoing effort to besmirch the work of the Heritage Foundation and to protect Democratic leaders from any potential Benghazi fallout.

During the post conference question and answer period, American University Law Student Saba Ahmed asked the following question to the panel, "We portray Islam and all Muslims as bad, but there are 1.8 billion followers of Islam," she stated, continuing with a question she has traveled to various conservative gathering to pose before, "we have 8 million plus Muslim-American in this country and I don't see them represented here."

The panel consisted of Frank Gaffney, the founder and president of the Center for Security Policy, Bridgette Gabriel, a Libyan-American member of the group ACT! for America, Clare Lopez of the Citizens Commission on Benghazi and moderator Chris Plante, a conservative radio host. It was the response, primarily of Mr. Gaffney and Ms. Gabriel that has the left-wing engaging in an outpouring of self-righteousness and faux concern for Ms. Ahmed. In a classic example of yellow-journalism, Dana Milbank of the Washington Post coined the exchange an "ugly taunting" of a woman wearing an Islamic head-piece while Salon's Joan Walsh dubbed it the "right's hateful freak show." Unlike Milbank and Walsh, before I comment I will afford you the opportunity to view the exchange and first come to your own conclusions.

TheHeritageFoundation (via YouTube)

Upon viewing this, I charge that Milbank, Walsh and the rest of the intellectually-lazy left frothing at the mouth on this are absolute frauds. Did they actually listen to the content of video or simply make a typical knee-jerk reaction to seeing a "poor little Muslim" girl being challenged in a forum she attended specifically to ask a baiting question of which she obviously composed beforehand?

Had they watched the video attentively they wold have ADULTS participating in a discussion about a very serious issue with passion and purpose, something the little children of the left are apparently unable to comprehend. Much as they do as they determine their foreign policy, they choose sides based first on whose goals are counter to American hegemony, followed by which reaction would satisfy Democratic Party political interests and in the case of a tie make their determination based on who carries the darker hue, so that they may score points for their tolerance and benevolent virtue. Had they watched with open minds and ears they would have also noted that the both the panel and the largely conservative audience gave Ms. Ahmed a round of applaud at the conclusion of her participation.

Of course Ms. Gabriel was the most heated and passionate during the discourse, because as she saw it Ms. Ahmed veered off topic to satisfy a left-wing talking point on a discussion of vital interest to her, as this occurred in the land of her birth. They challenged Ms. Ahmed, but did so in an intellectually legitimate matter, and challenged her on that basis. She drew the strongest applause when, in her frustration she bellowed something the vast majority of Americans can appreciate, "It is time we took political correctness and throw it in the garbage where it belongs and start calling a spade a spade."

None of this is of concern to the Progressive-left, whose sole purpose in life has degenerated to participating in the political discussion the way one pursues athletic completion, simply to score points and defeat their opponents. In their naive and irresponsible world-view, matters of substance as well as right and wrong hold no importance when there are votes and political allies to be made by pandering to the most common and baseless of motivators. They simply see an opportunity to further their rhetorical demagoguery to paint conservatives as intolerant and war-mongering.

To her credit, Saba Ahmed seemed to take the whole matter in stride. As any intelligent and thinking person would, her body language and demeanor seemed to indicate that she had in fact been caught trying to "spin" and divert the discussion to achieve her goal. Her conciliatory final response seemed to indicate that she understood that Ms. Gabriel's reproach was warranted and well-delivered. Her point hat the fight against radical Islam need be rightfully fought not solely from a military but also ideological front was acknowledged by the panel as correct and her use of self-deprecating humor to acknowledge the validity and purpose of the Heritage Benghazi panel's passionate reproach was answered with applause from the audience. From what I gathered Ms. Ahmed has indeed been infected by a radical and very dangerous ideology and perpetrators whose goal is to disrupt civil society, cause division and ultimately the destruction of America. And this group is far worse than Sharia Islamists, far more insidious. They go by the name of American Progressives.

Commentary by Paul M Winters Editor in Chief, Dignitas News Service

Sources:

TheHeritageFoundation (via YouTube) Salon WashingtonPost Image Courtesy of YoungConservatives

[kingattax]

there is only one relevant question that needs to be answered truthfully and factually : who gave the order for rapid response forces that were being assembled to “stand down” with the result of that order being the death of four brave Americans ?

[dignitasnews]

Agreed. But we already know the answer to that question..and those responsible are in the business of burying those truths.

[kingattax]

the shovels need to be passed out and let the digging begin.

[Steven Tyler]

I note Peter Boyles, KNUS, wants to hold a forum of 0bama birth narrative experts to discuss their reasearch.

I hope Mr. Boyles takes notice of how Progressives would spin his conference.

Personally, we need to allow current events to further destroy 0bama’s credibility before Arpaio and Zullo arrest the 0bama enablers

[don-o]

Chris Plante devoted most of his show yesterday demolishing Dana Milbank. It’s really a shame this became THE story from the panel because there is much good content that is getting ignored.

[dignitasnews]

Exactly. And hence Gabriel’s frustration. Ive seen that happen at conservative panel discussions so many times. The liberal troll comes in and tries to get their talking point in that generally has nothing to do with the matter at hand.