Dem Convention Minister: 9/11 Attacks Caused by 'Hopeless Degradation'

NewsMax.com ^ | July 28, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

The minister chosen by the Kerry-Edwards campaign to deliver Monday night's closing benediction at the Democratic convention blames the Sept. 11 attacks on the "hopeless degradation" suffered by Muslims.

Speaking at a religious convention in Canada less than two months after the 9/11 attacks, the Rev. Roberta Hestenes, Minister-at-Large with World Vision International, contended, "With so many people living in hopeless degradation, how can we wonder why things like that would happen?"

It's not clear why the Kerry-Edwards campaign selected Hestenes to give the convention benediction. A transcript of her Monday night remarks was not immediately available.

For Tuesday's benediction, the Kerry-Edwards campaign selected Imam Yahya Hendi, the Muslim Chaplin of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

While published reports indicate that Imam Hendi's message over the years has largely been one of religious tolerance, he protested loudly when counterterrorism probers raided Virgina's International Institute of Islamic Thought in March 2002.

Telling the Washington Post he was "outraged" by the search at the institute, Imam Hendi complained: "It is a positive landmark. It introduces America to Muslims ... and introduces Islam to America, to help America understand us."

A few months earlier Imam Hendi had been critical of President Bush for not emphasizing religious tolerance in his Sept. 20, 2001, speech to Congress.

"I need to hear him more clear in terms of his message to the American people," he complained to ABC News. "Because there are 240 cases so far of Muslims being attacked, being discriminated against. I needed more - a clear message to the American people from him."

The Democratic National Convention Committee, which publishes the speakers schedule on a daily basis, was unable to provide NewsMax with the names of benediction speakers for Wednesday and Thursday nights.

[hope]

"Rev. Roberta Hestenes, Minister-at-Large with World Vision International, contended, "With so many people living in hopeless degradation, how can we wonder why things like that would happen?"

The more revelation that comes from the Boston freak show the better.

[Ben Chad]

Boston freak show

Roger that!

[MonroeDNA]

They are calling on all the world's anti-freedom loves to show up at one point in history: Election this year.

It is that serious.

[plain talk]

If I were in the DNC I'd use this lunatic "minister" in a spot ad illustrating how radical the dems have grown. They are extremists and radicals. I'd make it a mantra.

[Diogenesis]

Degradation? No. They are evil, as are those that tolerate such evil.

---

PARTIAL LIST OF ISLAMIC TERRORIST ACTIVITIES

1968 Robert Kennedy assassinated
1972 Munich Olympics Sep-5,1972 (Black September)
1976 Entebbe Hostage Crisis, June 27, 1976
1979 Iran Hostage Crisis, Nov. 4, 1979 444 days
1979 Grand Mosque Seizure, Nov 20,1979
1981 Assassination of Egyptian President, Oct 6,1981
1982 Assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister, Sept 14, 1982
1983 Bombing of US Embassy in Beirut6, April 18,1983
1983 Bombing of Maring Barricks, Beruit, Oct 23,1983
1984 Hizballah Restaurant Bombing, April 12,1984
1985 Egyptian Airliner Hijacking, Nov 23,1985
1985 Rome Airport murders
1985 TWA Flight 847 hijacked, U.S. Navy diver murdered
1985 Achille Lauro hijacking, Homacidal maniac lived in saddams Iraq
1986 Aircraft Bombing in Greece, March 30, 1986
1988 Pan Am 747 Flight 103 Bombing, Lockerbie, 100's murdered
1988 Berlin Discoteque Bombing, Dec 21,1988
1992 Bombing in Israeli Embassy in Argentina, March 17,1992
1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr., April 14,1993
1993 First World Trade Center bombing, February 26th, 7 Killed, Hundreds injured, Billions
1994 Air France Hijacking, Dec 24,1994
1995 Attack on US Diplomats in Pakistan, Mar 8,1995
1995 Military Installation Attack, Nov 13, 1995
1995 Kashmiri Hostage taking, July 4,1995
1996 Khobar Towers attack
1996 Sudanese Missionarys Kidnapping, Aug 17,1996
1996 Paris Subway Explosion, Dec 3,1996
1997 Israeli Shopping Mall Bombing, Sept 4, 1997
1997 Yemeni Kidnappings, Oct 30,1997
1998 Somali Hostage taking crisis, April 15,1998
1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing in Peru, Jan 15, 1998
1998 U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1998 U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1999 Plot to blow up Space Needle (thwarted)
2000 USS Cole attacked, many U.S. Navy sailors murdered
2000-2003 Intifada against Israel - 100's dead and injured
2000 Manila Bombing, Dec 30,2000
2001 4 Commercial airliners hijacked, 250+ murdered
2001 World Trade Center attacked, 2800+ murdered
2001 Flight 93 murders
2001 Pentagon attacked, 180+ murdered
2002 Reporter Daniel Pearl, kidnapped and murdered
2002 Philippines American missionary, Filipino nurse killed
2002 July 4, El Al attack Los Angeles LAX, several murdered
2002 Bali bombing - 200 dead, 300 injured
2002 Yemen, French Oil Tanker attacked
2002 Marines attacked / murdered in Kuwait
2002 Washington D.C. sniper
2002 Russian Theater attacked, 100+ dead
2002 Nigerian riots against Miss World Pageant, 200 dead, dozens injured
2002 Mombasa Hotel Attacked, 12 dead, dozens injured
2002 Israeli Boeing 757 attacked by missiles, fortunately no one injured
2002 August Hotel bombing in Jakarta, Indonesia. 12 dead, dozens injured.
2003 Rusian concert bombing
2003 Phillipines airport and market bombing
2003 Foiled SAM plot in the USA
2003 UN Baghdad HQ Bombing
on and on and on and on their terrorism has gone .........

---

[phxaz]

yeah, if this and if that. and if kerry isnt abducted by aliens he is gonna be potus.

[plain talk]

I am beginning to think likewise. Our side is utterly clueless about politics and how the dems think as illustrated by this "article".

[VOA]

the Rev. Roberta Hestenes, Minister-at-Large with World Vision International, contended,
"With so many people living in hopeless degradation, how can we wonder why things
like that would happen?"

Enemies, foreign and domestic...in one sentence, no less.

[atomicpossum]

"With so many people living in hopeless degradation, how can we wonder why things like that would happen?"

You mean like the rich child of privilege Osama?

[t2buckeye]

THis really disturbs me since we have sponsored children through World Vision for many years.

I have just sent an email saying the following:

We have contributed through World Vision for over 10 years. I was extremely upset to hear that your Minister-at-Large, Roberta Hestenes is set to deliver the benediction at the Democratic Convention..especially considering her comment after the 9/11 attacks saying "With so many people living in hopeless degradation, how can we wonder why things like that would happen?"
The evil acts of 9/11 were committed by fanatical Muslim men from a country of tremendous wealth...Saudi Arabia. It had nothing to do with money and everything to do with hatred for Americans and our culture...and Christians and Jews in particular
I don't believe Americans, who provide so much through charities like World Vision, should be expected to "accept" that these terrible things happen to us..and I DON"T believe that a minister from World Vision should be "excusing" those actions; nor should she be involved with the political hate-fest shown at the Democratic Convention
I am afraid we will be discontinuing our support of World Vision, and providing charity through Christian organizations who focus on charity rather than politics.

[FlyVet]

Telling the Washington Post he was "outraged" by the search at the institute, Imam Hendi complained: "It is a positive landmark. It introduces America to Muslims ... and introduces Islam to America, to help America understand us."

Yeah, I think I understand:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174986/posts?page=6#6

"Saudi professor Nasser Bin Suleiman Al-Omar, who runs a large Islamic Internet website appeared on a United Arab Emirates TV program last month to discuss the approaching collapse of the U.S. and the growing strength of Muslims within America.

Al-Omar stated, 'America is collapsing from within. …Islam is advancing according to a steady plan, to the point that tens of thousands of Muslims have joined the American army and Islam is the second largest religion in America. Today, America is defeated. I have no doubt, not even for a minute that America is on its way to destruction. It will be destroyed gradually. But we must be patient.'"