Posted on 11/19/2002 11:39:39 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
A spokesman for a leading U.S.-based Muslim organization insisted Sunday that conservative Christian leaders Rev. Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Rev. Jimmy Swaggart are just as bad as Osama bin Laden because, given the chance, they would commit mass murder against Muslims.
"They're the equivalent of our Osama bin Laden," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in an interview with WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg.
"Why did Osama bin Laden send planes into the World Trade Center? What possible reason?," Hooper asked rhetorically. "The only thing you can think of is that he wanted to create a permanent divide between the Muslim world and the West. And that's the same thing these guys want to do."
Questioned on whether he thought the three Christian conservatives wanted to kill Muslims, Hooper initially told Malzberg, "Their tactics are obviously not the same but their goals are the same..... Their goals are to divide people along religious lines and to create an unending civilizational conflict that does no one any good."
But moments later, Hooper charged that Falwell, Robertson and Swaggart would commit mass murder against Muslims if they had the chance.
MALZBERG: And what do you think Osama bin Laden's goals are?
HOOPER: About the same thing (unending civilizational conflict).
MALZBERG: Not to kill Christians and Jews and Westerners?
HOOPER: Yes, that's one of his goals. And I'm sure that, given the right circumstance, these guys would do the same in the opposite direction. (End of Excerpt)
Hooper offered the ugly comparison just two days after President Bush responded to CAIR's call for the White House to condemn the three Christian leaders for criticizing Islam as a violent religion.
In a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday - two days after CAIR issued its complaint - Bush said, "Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans. Islam, as practiced by the vast majority of people, is a peaceful religion, a religion that respects others."
Secretary of State Colin Powell echoed Bush's remarks in comments later that day.
Hooper said he was pleased by the president's comments, but regretted that he did not specifically cite Falwell, Robertson and Swaggart by name.
"It would have been good for the president to name names," Hooper told Malzberg. "But I think it's clear that, on background, a top official said, 'Yeah, that's who he was talking about - the Swaggarts, the Robertsons, the Falwells."
Though prohibited by tax law from engaging in overt campaigning, Robertson and Falwell are considered staunch allies of the Bush White House, and their ministries were responsible for adding millions of votes to the GOP column.
The White House did not respond by presstime to Mr. Hooper's comments comparing the top Christian leaders to the world's most notorious terrorist.
Well, now we know the head of CAIR is certifiably paranoid.
He's projecting his own murderous impulses on others.
There are atheists who make the same whacky charge. But atheism has no equal as a philosophical basis for justifying mass murder by the state.
I don't know of a single Christian in this nation that wishes harm to any middle-eastern nation except where it applies to a nation that is planning future attacks on us.
None of them have taken over planes and run them into tall buildings in Iraq, Iran or other middle-eastern nations. Duh!
I think Mr. Islam Man should get his house in order, then consider addressing our citizens. Our religious leaders may make an unfortunate statement from time to time, but they aren't butchering their women, beating them for uncovering their faces and preventing them from getting an education.
Will Bush now step out and condemn this Arab dog? Or get back in bed with him?
Hey Tucker, if you are reading this would ask Paul if he agrees?
I suspect he does, the question is if he will admit it on the air.
Am I correct that THIS speach WAS NOT covered by ANYONE in the Press, including C-Span?
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