Thursday, July 31, 2008

Tonight On KFNX Talk-Radio

[Image courtesy of Stogie]

Tonight, July 31, at 8:00 P.M. Phoenix time, WC and I will host "Voices of Freedom," a one-hour weekly show on KFNX 1100. See this time-zone chart (Refresh the page!) if you are in a different time zone than Phoenix, Arizona; click directly on the word "PHOENIX" to get a world map of time zones.

Tonight's guest is Nonie Darwish. Formerly a Muslim and now a Christian, she is the author of Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel, and the War on Terror and the founder of Arabs for Israel.

Tune in if you can! In addition to AM air time at the scheduled hour, KFNX offers live streaming at the station's web site.

VOICES OF FREEDOM: THE SHOW THAT MAKES JIHADISTS CRY.

Web site for VOICES OF FREEDOM

UPDATE: Click here to download the program.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A Slap On The Wrist For The Islamic Saudi Academy

From this July 30, 2008 article in the Washington Post:
The director general of a controversial private Islamic school in Fairfax County has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to report child abuse and was fined $500.

Abdalla I.M. Al-Shabnan, head of the Islamic Saudi Academy on Route 1 in the Mount Vernon area, was arrested last month by Fairfax police after allegedly being informed of the possible sexual abuse of a 5-year-old student at the school. School authorities are required by law to report alleged child abuse within 72 hours.

Al-Shabnan was charged with misdemeanor counts of failing to report child abuse and obstruction of justice. In a plea agreement, Al-Shabnan pleaded guilty July 24 to the failure to report charge and Fairfax prosecutors agreed to dismiss the obstruction charge, according to court records.

Al-Shabnan did not return a phone message today seeking comment. His attorney, Robert C. Whitestone, also did not respond to a request for comment.
Whitestone is one of the premier defense attorneys in Fairfax County. As a local here in Northern Virginia, I well know the reputation of that particular legal firm. They are masters of plea bargaining and the attorneys' attorneys! And their fees match their skills, too.

Continuing now with the WaPo article:
Cultural differences may have led to the episode which resulted in Al-Shabnan's arrest.

[...]

Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Ian M. Rodway said the plea agreement "was satisfactory to all the people involved in the case."
Rodway used to be a defense attorney - and a formidable one, at that. Still, I wonder how he would explain those aforementioned "cultural differences."

The case of Abdulla Al-Shabnan was supposed to come before the court on August 1. That won't happen now, of course.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Weekly Blog Talk Radio: July 25 - Chaim

Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, which WC and I cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday beginning at noon, Pacific Time.

The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.

Callers welcome!

Friday, July 25 (60 minutes): Our guest today for most of the hour will be Chaim of the web site Freedom's Cost.
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You can listen to the July 25, 2008 edition of The Gathering Storm Radio Show, live or later, by CLICKING HERE.

UPCOMING SHOWS
August 1:
Gordon Cucullu
August 8: Glen Jenvey
August 15: Layla Elizabeth Gonzalez
August 22: Raymond Ibrahim
August 29: John



Monday, July 21, 2008

He gets it

From Detroit-based conservative commentator Debbie Schlussel (who is at her best when investigating and writing about Islam), a sampling of letters to the editor of the Wall Street Journal in response to a commentary on Obama Should Embrace His Muslim Heritage:

Here is one from a resident of Bethesda:

It is not irrational to fear Islam when we daily see property being destroyed and people murdered by terrorists, who use Islamic teachings and quote directly from Quranic verses to justify their actions.

Moderate Muslims have not been able to use theology to effectively refute the terrorists. We see the lack of women's rights and lack of freedoms that exist wherever Islam rules. All cultures are not equal and we don't want the Islamic culture introduced into the West. Our ancestors worked too long and too hard for the freedoms that we have, and we don't want to be taken back to a 7th-century misogynistic, totalitarian ideology that cloaks itself within religious doctrine in order to hide its true goal of world domination.

Hooray! When public institutions are carrying water for Muslim organizations, sometimes we feel alone in our struggle. It's heartening to read that other local residents "get it."

The cozy relationship between CAIR and Fairfax County police

Other salient points from the Pajamas Media article (found through Jihad Watch) about how CAIR is using strong-arm tactics against Fairfax County police, despite the cozy relationship between CAIR and the Fairfax County police.

Some of the incidents have already been covered on the Northern Virginiastan blog, such as the case of Sergeant Weiss Rasool and the participation of chief of police Col. David Rohrer and County Board of Supervisors chairman Gerry Connelly at a 2005 community forum, in which they intimated that Fairfax County police would not follow Federal immigration laws. Shockingly, Sgt. Rasool is still a member of the Fairfax County police force.

One thing that this blog did not report on was that Col. Rohrer spoke at the November 2006 CAIR fundraising dinner.

The Strange Case Of Dr. Mustafa Ahmed Abbasi

Patrick Poole of Pajamas Media asks this question: "Are Muslim Defendants Getting Special Treatment in Court?" Excerpt:
An otherwise unremarkable hearing in the Fairfax County, Virginia, general district court last Thursday marked an ominous trend with respect to the cherished American judicial principles of the rule of law and equality before the law. The hearing on four misdemeanor charges against Dr. Mustafa Ahmed Abbasi featured all of the usual players — judge, bailiff, clerks, prosecutors, police officers, criminal attorneys, and defendant — but with one notable addition to the judicial drama, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

CAIR’s intervention in the Abbasi case is a manifestation of a larger campaign against law enforcement to use political alliances and legal threats to intimidate police in cases involving Muslim defendants and to establish separate and preferable treatment for Muslims in the American legal system....
I know. So what else is new?

Nevertheless, read the Patricke Poole's entire article HERE. Is CAIR harassing the Fairfax County Police Department?

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Voices of Freedom: Premiere Show Tonight, July 17, 2008

Email us during or after the show: voices.freedom@gmail.com


VOICES OF FREEDOM
, THE SHOW THAT MAKES JIHADISTS CRY, with your hosts Always On Watch, Cassandra USA, Pamela Geller, Pastorius, and WC, every Thursday at 8:00 PM Phoenix Time on KFNX 1100.

Radio station's web site



THE SCHEDULE
(GUESTS' NAMES ADDED WHEN CONFIRMED)

7/17 - WC and Always On Watch cohost a panel discussion of the team
7/24 - Pamela Gellar hosts. Guest = Caroline Glick
7/31 - WC and Always On Watch cohost. Guest = Nonie Darwish
8/7 - Pastorius hosts. Guest = Robert Spencer
8/14 - Cassandra hosts. Guest = Rachel Ehrenfeld
8/21 - Pamela hosts. Guest = Ambassador John Bolton
8/28 - Cassandra hosts.
9/4 - Pastorius hosts.
9/11 - WC and Always On Watch cohost. Guest = Mohammed Abdul
9/18 - Pamela hosts.
9/25 - WC and Always On Watch cohost. Guest = Walid Shoebat
10/2 - Pastorius hosts.
10/9 - WC and Always On Watch cohost. Guest = Dr. Paul Williams


Voices of Freedom is partially listener-supported. If you would like to donate, please CLICK HERE.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Weekly Blog Talk Radio Show: July 18 - Cassandra USA

Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, which WC and I cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday beginning at noon, Pacific Time.

The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.

Callers welcome!

Friday, July 18 (60 minutes): Our guest today for the full hour will be Cassandra USA.
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Cassandra USA is the author of Escape! From an Arab Marriage: Horror Stories of Women Who Fled From Abusive Muslim Husbands and Thirty-Three Secrets Arab Men Never Tell American Women: A Dissection of How Muslims Treat Women and Infidels. The topic under discussion on this week's show: shari'a finance.

You can listen to the July 18, 2008 edition of The Gathering Storm Radio Show, live or later, by CLICKING HERE.

UPCOMING SHOWS
July 25:
Chaim
August 1: Gordon Cucullu
August 8: Glen Jenvey
August 15: Layla Elizabeth Gonzalez


Friday, July 11, 2008

Film Screenings By The Virginia Chapter Of The United American Committee

Received via email:



July 9, 2008

Concerned about the Islamist threat?
Please join us to get out of the heat and into the fight against jihad.

The Virginia Chapter of the United American Committee proudly begins an objective and unapologetic series of film screenings and discussion on Islamist aggression. A new film will be shown each month beginning in July and ending in October.

From 2:00-3:00 p.m., Saturday, July 19, 2008, “Terrorists Among Us” will be screened in Room 101 A&B, of the new City of Fairfax Regional Library.

“Terrorists Among Us” is a 1994 PBS documentary that reveals footage of jihadi networks inside the US. US Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) endorses the film by saying “I encourage every member of the House and Senate and hopefully every American to view this video.”

A one hour discussion period will follow for those wishing to participate or listen.

Those concerned about the Islamist threat are encouraged to attend. As seating is limited, please RSVP to: virginia@unitedamericancommittee.org

The City of Fairfax Regional Library is located at 10360 North Street Fairfax, VA, 22030-2514. Phone: 703-293-6227


Future Events
August 2 rally to support Flight 93 families.
Somerset, Pennsylvania

August 16 Film Screening: Obsession the Movie
NoVa Location TBD

September 20th Film Screening: What the West Needs to Know About Islam
NoVa Location TBD

October 18th Film Screening: Farewell to Israel
NoVa Location TBD

For more information about events, the United American Committee, or how you can contribute to the fight against Islamist aggression, contact: virginia@unitedamericancommittee.org
The United American Committee - getting the word out and taking a proactive stance!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Weekly Blog Talk Radio Show: July 11 - Jungle Mom

Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, which WC and I cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday beginning at noon, Pacific Time.

The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.

Callers welcome!

Friday, July 11 (60 minutes): Our guest today at the bottom of the hour will be Jungle Mom of the blog The Jungle Hut. She will discuss with us the Iran-Venezuela connection.

You can listen to the July 11, 2008 edition of The Gathering Storm Radio Show, live or later, by CLICKING HERE.

UPCOMING SHOWS
July 18: Cassandra USA
July 25:
Chaim
August 1: Gordon Cucullu
August 8: Glen Jenvey
August 15: Layla Elizabeth Gonzalez


Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Arabic Classes In America

[Image source]

Since 9/11, we have heard of the importance of more of us learning to speak Arabic. Indeed, more and more people today are studying the Arabic language, many of these students enrolled in community colleges and prestigious universities as well as uncounted others studying by using software such as Rosetta Stone. I personally know a few young people who have attempted such classes, only to abandon their study of Arabic; the reasons they gave me, their former teacher, were vague but typically included a level of discomfort with the material or the instructor.

A July 5, 2008 Washington Post commentary, written by a student at Harvard Law School, provides disturbing information about the material offered in such classes:
To study Arabic in America today is to be inducted into a world of longing, abandonment and regret. And that's before you even touch the political issues.

Most maps of the Middle East in "Al-Kitaab" [the curriculum used] do not include Israel, though a substantial minority of Israelis, both Jews and Arabs, are native Arabic speakers. Alongside simple Arabic poems, students read about anti-Western heroes such as Gamal Abdel Nasser.

The DVD that comes with "Al-Kitaab" includes footage of Nasser's mass rallies in Cairo -- including slogans in Arabic and French such as "Brother Nations in Struggle, We Are By Your Side." These scenes of totalitarian rage are fondly described by the narrator as "dreams of his youth."

The accompanying lesson describes the highlights of Nasser's career, including the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the formation of the United Arab Republic. No mention is made of Egypt's defeat in the Six-Day War or of Nasser's brutal, repressive rule. In my class, we were asked to recite a passage about Nasser to practice our vocalization. (I refused.)

The last lesson in the book -- which we skipped -- features Maha's mother speaking wistfully of her childhood in Palestine: "My childhood was taken from me!" Over mournful music on the DVD, she talks about returning to Jerusalem, as if she were a refugee, but the images suggest that she left voluntarily after the Six-Day War, when Israel offered citizenship to the Arab residents of East Jerusalem. The fact that Israel also claims Jerusalem as its capital is ignored.

My class watched three movies this semester, all with political themes. One was "West Beirut," which cast Christians as the prime bad guys in Lebanon's civil war (though, to be fair, there was plenty of hatred all around). Another was "The Tale of Three Jewels," an allegorical film about Palestinian nationalism that portrayed Israeli soldiers as bloodthirsty child-killers.

The third movie, "Destiny," told the story of the great medieval Islamic philosopher Averroes and his struggles against Islamic religious fundamentalism. It was a bit more nuanced than the first two. But the film omitted the fact that it was only through the Hebrew transcription of Averroes's writings by Jewish scholars in Egypt that his works were preserved for posterity.

Friends and relatives who have used "Al-Kitaab" at other American universities report similarly morose experiences.

[...]

...[T]here is something fundamentally wrong with this indoctrination into misery. Most introductory language classes avoid controversial political subjects. In fact, they often highlight the brighter side of different cultures. Particularly with the growing importance of Arabic, can't we do better?

The U.S. government has funded studies on anti-Semitism in Palestinian textbooks. Fairfax county officials have asked the State Department to investigate the teaching materials at a Saudi-funded school. "Al-Kitaab" is published by Georgetown University Press, with some assistance from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Perhaps we should also be looking into the content of the federally funded materials used in Arabic programs at our own universities.
According a friend of mine who studied Arabic as a second language in Saudi Arabia, lessons in The Kingdom included material much unlike primer readers to which most of us are accustomed. Specifically, beginning lessons used phrases such as "The sword is on the table," "The sword is under the table," and "The sword is behind the curtain." Certainly those phrases and their message are quite different from the early readers I encountered as a child, those primers including phrases such as "The cat is on the mat" and "See Spot run"!

Via a Google search of how language shapes thinking, I found the following essay entitled "Semanticide," by William Murchison at Human Life Review 1999:

George Orwell's stress on the distortive possibilities available in language remains fresh because of his descriptive and prophetic powers. Nineteen Eighty-Four sears the recollection, notwithstanding that when the title-year in question actually got here, the distorters-the Soviets-were stumbling toward ruin. Orwell's lesson is clear: Language shapes thinking; thinking shapes action. When language means other than it must, for a particular possibility to reach fruition, somebody is going to propose a new way of talking, and of understanding.
As the West rightly pursues the study of Arabic, precautions must be taken that the classes are not those of indoctrination and propagandizing. Instead, we have institutions such as the Islamic Saudi Academy instructing our military in Arabic. What else is being taught in those Arabic-language classes?

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Weekly Blog Talk Radio Show: July 4 - Warren, Mr. Beamish, & The Beak

THE PERFECT WAY TO CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Listen to The Gathering Storm Radio Show, which WC and I cohost. The show broadcasts live every Friday beginning at noon, Pacific Time.

The call-in number is (646) 915-9870.

Callers welcome!

Friday, July 4 (60 minutes): Our guests today will be three staunch patriots — Warren, Mr. Beamish, and The Beak.
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Warren served in the army, designed my avatar, and adminstrates here at Always On Watch. Beak works immigration control because, after 9/11, he wanted to serve and defend America. Mr. Beamish hasn't served, but his brother was aboard the USS Cole — not on board when the attack came, thank God. All are well read, of course.

You can listen to the July 4th edition of The Gathering Storm Radio Show, live or later, by CLICKING HERE.

UPCOMING SHOWS
July 11: Jungle Mom
July 18: Cassandra USA
July 25:
Chaim
August 1: Gordon Cucullu
August 8: Glen Jenvey
August 15: Layla Elizabeth Gonzalez