Obama ‘Reaches Out’ by Naming ‘Devout’ Muslims to Security Posts

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu at IsraelNationalNews.com

(IsraelNN.com) U.S. President Barack Obama continues to “reach out to Muslims” by appointing them to key security posts amid charges he wrongly ignored internal Muslim terror. One recent appointee was harshly criticized for appearing on a British-based television station whose host is a member of a radical Muslim group.

His “reaching out Muslims” speech in Cairo last June has been followed by action, the latest being this past week’s swearing-in of a Muslim rights advocate to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, shortly after the Fort Hood massacre. HSAC members are involved in expertise on national security.

The new member is Syrian-born Kareem Shora, who was the national executive director of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination (ADC), which previously has called on the United States to stop providing Israel with weapons because of alleged “atrocities” against Arabs. Her background for her new security post is having been a legal counsel and advocate for Muslim civil rights.

She also has been a frequent guest on the pro-Hamas al-Jazeera satellite network.

Shora, who has been described as a “devout Muslim, joins another devout member of the faith, Arif Alikhan, who was appointed as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development in the Department of Homeland Security. His qualifications for the job were listed as having been in charge of public safety in Los Angeles during his term of deputy mayor. One of his actions was to remove the plan that tracked Muslims in the city who were suspected of terrorist activities.

Americans have been jolted by several lethal attacks and confrontations with Muslims over the past year, including a plot to attack synagogues and down U.S. military aircraft, the manufacture of bombs, an alleged attempt to explode a Texas skyscraper, a plot to blow up malls in Boston, and last month’s Fort Hood massacre by a Muslim psychiatrist who was an officer in the army.

A desire to avoid the appearance of labeling all Muslims as terrorists lunged out from the shadows last month after President Obama faced criticism for not taking seriously the threat of Muslim terrorism within American society as well as in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Several months ago, President Obama appointed Dalia Mogahed, a “devout Muslim,” to his Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She quickly came under fire for appearing in a telephone interview on a London-based Muslim television station, whose host is a member of an extreme Islamic group.

She said was unaware of the affiliations of her host, whose program included questions and comments favoring the implementation of Islamic Law (“sharia”).

Mogahed explained that she did not hang up the phone in the middle of the interview because “I assumed that very few people would watch this show but that doing something more dramatic would bring more attention.”

In the current issue of Newsweek, columnist Jacob Weisberg, citing former Secretary of State Colin Powell, wrote that “Obama’s [Muslim] heritage feeds a broader suspicion that he is too casual about the threat from America’s Islamist enemies.”

The journalist added, “With the massacre in Texas, Obama now confronts something that George W. Bush did not face in the years after September 11—not just a major act of domestic terrorism, but one struck from inside our security apparatus…. America does not face a threat from the perversion of faith in general. We face a threat from the perversion of one faith in particular.”

Original Post

Washington strips immigration policing powers from Arizona sheriff

from Blogs for Borders

We noticed a segment on Fox News this morning and googled “sheriff jo arpaio told to back off.” Not surprisingly, the MSM seems to have failed to cover this story. But our friends across the pond picked it up in an October 9 article on guardian.co.uk.

by Daniel Nasaw at guardian.co.uk A controversial Arizona sheriff known for taking a hard line against illegal immigrants has been stripped of some of his powers in what he described as a political move by the Obama administration. Joe Arpaio, a gruff lawman who styles himself as America’s toughest sheriff, has won acclaim from US anti-immigrant forces for his relentless pursuit of mostly Hispanic illegal immigrants in Maricopa county, Arizona, a fast-growing county of 4 million people that is home to Phoenix, the nation’s fifth largest city. Arpaio’s aggressive tactics include the jailing of illegal immigrants in tent cities surrounded by barbed wire in the middle of Arizona’s searingly hot summers, the reduction of meal costs to 20 cents per day, the use of pink jail clothing for men, and chain gangs for women inmates. Arpaio also came in for criticism when he appeared on the Fox reality show Smile: You’re Under Arrest. Under a two-year-old agreement with the federal department of homeland security, Arpaio and his deputies had been authorised to enforce federal immigration law by arresting suspected illegal immigrants in the field and by checking the immigration status of people arrested on other offences. The department of homeland security includes the US immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agency. But after drawing thousands of complaints and a civil rights investigation from the justice department, Arpaio was this week stripped of his federal authority to make immigration arrests. County attorney Andrew Thomas, one of Arpaio’s supporters, condemned the “setback in the fight against illegal immigration”. For his part Arpaio has promised to continue chasing illegal immigrants using state laws. In an angry press conference, he called US homeland security officials “liars” and said he would personally drive those caught on the streets to the border if federal officers refused to take arrested illegal immigrants into custody. “I’ll take a little trip to the border and turn them over to the border,” he said. Arpaio’s critics decried his continued plans to arrest illegal immigrants and said the Obama administration should sever all ties with him. The now-rescinded authority to conduct field sweeps of illegal immigrants yielded only about 300 out of the roughly 33,000 total arrests of illegal immigrants since 2007, the Obama administration has done little to curtail Arpaio, said Frank Sharry, executive director of immigration reform advocacy group America’s Voice. “He’s going to go down in history as a man who terrorised the Latino community for the sake of his own visibility and political popularity,” Sharry said. “The fact that the Obama administration would lend any of its legitimacy to any of his activities is surprising and disappointing.” Arpaio was first elected sheriff in 1993. “The department of homeland security is making a historic mistake if it continues its relationship with Sheriff Joe Arpaio,” said Paco Fabian, spokesman for immigration reform advocacy group America’s Voice. “The federal government is lending its full force and legitimacy to a rogue cop certain to go down in history as a serial violator of civil rights and an enemy of the Latino community.” An estimated 12 million illegal immigrants live in the US. The federal government is virtually paralysed over how to react, with conservatives like Arpaio calling for the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants and increased border enforcement. Obama, many Democrats and some Republicans call for a system that will allow most to gain legal status after paying a fine and learning English, but reform efforts in 2006 and 2007 withered under sustained rightwing opposition. More than 60 law enforcement agencies across the country have signed onto the same programme under which local officers are effectively deputised to enforce immigration law. But critics of the programme say it wastes police resources needed to fight street crime, promotes racial profiling of Hispanics, targets peaceful workers, breaks up families and breeds distrust of police among immigrants, who become afraid to report crime for fear they will be asked for immigration papers. • This article was amended on 19 October 2009. The original headline read: White House strips immigration policing powers from Arizona sheriff.

In his interview on Fox, Arpaio said he wasn’t backing down and the Federal government couldn’t stop him from enforcing the Arizona laws he was elected to uphold.

Napolitano: Don’t jail illegals, “house” them

Blogs 4 Borders

All over the net today are articles about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano referring to illegal aliens as “newly arrived asylum seekers.” As disturbing as this is, it’s right in line with everything the Obama administration has done to this point. From referring to the War on Terror as an “Overseas Contingency Operation” and the renaming of a government health insurance option as a “cooperative”, the administration has consistently manipulated the English language to achieve the President’s goals when the American people disagree with him.

But perhaps even more disturbing than re-labeling those who break our laws to enter the country illegally with this benign moniker is the main point of the Reuters article that quoted Napolitano’s new tag for those soon-to-be-formerly known as illegal aliens.

The Secretary was announcing a new plan to “house” illegal aliens instead of imprisoning them! “House” them!

From the article:

“This is a system that encompasses many different types of detainees, not all of whom need to be held in prison-like circumstances,” Napolitano told a conference call.

Referring to noncriminals such as newly arrived asylum seekers, Napolitano said, “We will begin efforts to house these populations near immigration service providers and pursue different options like converted hotels or residential facilities for their detention.”

Now won’t that be nice! (And it will do so much to discourage the illegal entry into our country! NOT)

Just think, the poor from other countries will be able to abandon their shacks, huts, and hovels in their native lands, sneak across our borders, get themselves caught, and then enjoy the comforts of an American motel room, or perhaps a nice little 3-bedroom home. When word of this reaches the deserts, jungles, cities, and wilds of third world nations across the globe, illegal immigration into this country will explode!

And who will foot the bill for the spiffy quarters of all these “newly arrived asylum seekers”? The same people called on to fund every other Obama policy…the American taxpayer!

As if that’s not bad enough, let’s look at some possible motivations for this imbecilic move on the part of our Nobel laureate President.

• The One who considers government spending the cure for all our economic ills may see this as a means to end the housing crisis. The increased demand for residential space will certainly drive prices up.

  But of course the President won’t consider (or won’t inform the public of) the tax increases necessary to pay for the program.

• The Chosen One may also see an opportunity to grow his party’s base using this devious tactic. Especially with the easing of identification requirements for voter registration of late, we could see illegals registering to vote in record numbers. And of course they’ll be so grateful to the party of Obama-Napolitano, there’s little doubt where their political allegiance will lie.

• And our Dear Leader could also see an opportunity to tip the scales in conservative-leaning regions by concentrating large numbers of “newly arrived asylum seekers” in those areas. The opportunity to strengthen the Democrats’ grip on what have been toss-up Congressional districts might be enough motivation to insert “illegal aliens” into the heart of American residential communities.

Nothing this President does surprises me anymore, but this is extremely troublesome. If you enter this country illegally, you’ve broken a law. That should not warrant free housing at the expense of the American taxpayer unless that housing is a jail!

This new policy will encourage illegal immigration instead of discourage it and those of us who pay taxes will be forced to pay even more!

Call, write, and email your congressmen and senators today and tell them to put a stop to this insanity!

Fire Janet Napolitano!

There’s a movement afoot to rid the country of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. The following campaign has been launched on America C2C.

“KICK JANET NAPOLITANO OUT CAMPAIGN” America c2c-America Coast 2 Coast is demanding the resignation of Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano for her derogatory remarks about our brave men and women in uniform. This demonstrates her lack of competence and ability to serve in this important position when she calls Patriotic Americans Domestic Terrorists. We are asking all Americans to unite with us as we take this to the halls of Washington D.C. and voice our outrage. Please contact the Whitehouse, Senate and Congress to inform them enough is enough! We encourage you to call into Talk Radio, Write an Editorial in your local newspaper and blog across the Internet. This is unacceptable and inexcusable and will not be tolerated.

At Grassfire.org you can also sign a petition to rid the country of the shameful secretary who refuses to use the word terrorist to describe radicals who perpetrate the murder of American civilians, but defends her department’s branding virtually all conservatives as “potential” terrorists and right-wing extremists.

Proud to be a Rightwing Extremist

#tcot

Let’s see…

• I’m definitely a conservative.

• I’m a USMC veteran.

• I’ve purchased firearms and ammunition since the November election.

• I believe the President’s policies will weaken our country’s standing in the world.

• I perceive increased unemployment and home foreclosures. (and I blog about it!)

• I want illegal immigration stopped. (or at the very least curtailed!)

• I want our government to encourage people to work, not encourage them to sit at home and draw a check.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, these activities identify me as a Rightwing Extremist likely to engage in domestic terrorism with “likeminded” individuals or as a “lone wolf.” 

When I first saw the DHS report (which wasn’t supposed to be released to the public) on Blacklistednews.com, I wasn’t convinced of its authenticity.  I searched all the MSM sites for any reference to it and found none.  Imagine that.  I guess others with better sources than I have were also searching though, since DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has now admitted the document is a product of “the most transparent administration” in history.  You can download and read the full report here.

It’s important to note one of the Key Findings of the report admits “The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence” but immediately follows this by insisting…

“…but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about several emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the first African American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization and recruitment.”

So they realize there are no threats being made by all of these “right-wing extremists” but state that pretty much anyone who doesn’t agree with the administration should be considered a potential terrorist threat!  They go on to imply the transformation of pretty much all conservatives to full-blown terrorists is imminent…

“Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.”

It should now become obvious that DHS is making an argument for at best surveilling every American who’s not afraid to espouse conservative ideology, at worst interring us to prevent the imminent violence we’ll visit upon the Obamatopians in our society.  If it’s not yet obvious, though, read on.

The report repeatedly references the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and economic and societal similarities of that period and today.  Wait…they claim the current economic climate is comparable to that of the early and mid ’90s.  How many times have we heard in the last 4 months that this is an economic disaster like none we’ve ever known?  Now DHS would have us believe that the current economic meltdown is comparable to that of the mid ’90s?  We don’t have to worry about this administration letting facts get in the way of its propaganda.

“…The current economic and political climate has some similarities to the 1990s when rightwing extremism experienced a resurgence fueled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs, and the perceived threat to U.S. power and sovereignty by other foreign powers.”

A picture is starting to take shape for me, a picture of a government that fears its citizens so much that it intends to take preemptive action to quell an uprising that isn’t even planned! If you think I’m paranoid, just take a look at what the report sees as key to stifling the growth of “right-wing extremism” in the ’90s…

“…Growth of these groups subsided in reaction to increased government scrutiny as a result of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and disrupted plots, improvements in the economy, and the continued U.S. standing as the preeminent world power. “

Okay, this is getting a little tiring so let’s summarize what we have so far.  The Department of Homeland Security compiled a report, and distributed it to law enforcement agencies across the nation, identifying virtually every conservative American as a potential domestic terrorist.  Though no real threats have been intercepted, discovered, or identified, their potential imminence demands preparation for a government crackdown on pretty much anyone who disagrees with the Obama administration on anything.

Were you wondering why the Obama administration continues the long-criticized Bush domestic surveillance policies?  I was a little confused at the time, but now things are becoming clearer.  How else can he keep eyes on military veterans, gun rights advocates, pro-life activists, and virtually every other subgroup composed of conservative Americans who are all destined to become domestic terrorists and upset the Obamatopia apple cart?

What’s that?  We haven’t said anything yet about the report attacking gun rights advocates, illegal immigration activists, and pro-lifers yet have we.  Just take a look at the footnote that adorns the bottom of page 2 of the report…

“Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.”

Are you feeling more than ever like there’s a target on your back?  I know the President claimed to be a 2nd Amendment supporter during the campaign, and many disillusioned gun owners chose to believe him on that score.  If you’re one of those who honestly believed he has no intention of restricting your 2nd Amendment rights, you need to read the following…

“Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement. “

So, those of us who’ve practiced our 2nd Amendment rights since the election are a “primary concern” to law enforcement!  Of course his cabinet appointments told us where he really stands on the 2nd Amendment already, but now the DHS is making it quite clear that we are being watched!

If you’re a veteran, you’re even more dangerous than the average right wing extremist!  The DHS makes clear that military veterans deserve special attention because we’re not only likely to become domestic terrorists, but we have specialized training that will make us even more effective wreakers of havoc on American soil!

“Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities. “

“DHS/I&A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today. “

The references to veterans caused the biggest stir as I’m sure you’ve already heard.  Secretary Napolitano ran the talk show gauntlet in an effort to dampen the criticism, but gave a half-hearted apology for “offending” veterans–not an apology for labeling us as a threat to this country we served and love.  During these interviews it also came to light that some in DHS were concerned and called for changes in the report before and that the Secretary was fully briefed before its release.

If you’re a conservative American, don’t be surprised if you soon become a target of this administration.  Especially if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands who have joined in the fight to take this country back.  The left is truly afraid now.  Not of a call-to-arms, but of the grassroots resurgence of conservatism and organization that has taken place since the last election.  This report illuminates the depth of that fear and the willingness of this administration to stamp out conservative opposition to its complete restructuring of American society.

Though we fight these battles without violence, using the same weapons the left has traditionally used to fight for its political battles, we now see that the administration will paint us with a different different brush.  Though we haven’t called for violence, we must be stopped because we “might” become violent.  Though we argue our points without reference to race, we must be racists because the President is an African-American.  

This report lays the foundation for a preemptive strike against anyone who espouses conservative American values on the pretense that we are prone to violence.  This administration believes practice of the 1st Amendment by his opponents to be a precursor to violence.  The same DHS that now refuses to use the term “terrorist” to describe foreign nationals who fly planes into our buildings, blow up our embassies, and behead our citizens, is all too quick to apply the term to Americans with who it disagrees politically.

This only strengthens my resolve to continue the fight, to conjure up as much political opposition to an administration who seeks to dismantle the America I know and love.  I’m proud to be labeled a Right-Wing Extremist by the DHS!

What the left doesn’t want to remember…

A Brief History of Bush’s Time

By Randall Hoven at The American Thinker

The current narrative of the Bush Presidency is that it is a failure (believed by 107 of 109 historians surveyed) and that George W. Bush is the worst President in history (believed by 61% of those surveyed historians). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said, “The president already has the mark of the American people — he’s the worst president we ever had.”

That’s one narrative. I have another.

Despite being handed one of the worst situations in history from President Clinton, and being fought tooth and nail by his opponents in government and the media, literally from the day of his election, President George W. Bush persevered to restore prosperity at home and to make the US and the world more free and secure.

…(Read full article)