Honolulu Advertiser Registers One Hit and Two Misses.

First, the Hit

Radical Muslim Literature Found in American Mosques

Today's Sunday Honolulu Advertiser, to its credit, published some of the findings released last week concerning Islamic booklets and other materials published by the Saudi Arabian government found in numerous Muslim mosques scattered around the United States. The writings reflect some of the more radical interpretations of the Qur'an as understood by the fundamental wahhabi sect which is preeminent in Saudi Arabia. The radical interpretations of the Qur'an as practiced by Osama bin Laden and his peers are, for the most part, derived from this Islamic sect/tradition.

Among other things the literature declares that it is lawful to shed the blood of adulterers and others even when living in a nation whose own laws forbid it. Muslims are encouraged not to demonstrate any respect towards unbelievers, even if they are the holders of high office. They are also discouraged from engaging in any activity that sustains or furthers the agendas of unbelievers, whether in business or in government. Imams who were interviewed denied that they personally supported or taught these things in their mosques. Some denied even knowing they were sitting on their literature racks and tables.

I find it hard to believe anything that the Imams say, especially since they are not bound by this interpretation of Islamic law to speak honestly with "infidels." For Muslims of this persuasion it is counted as honorable to boldly lie about anything for any reason to someone outside of their faith. For example, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that Yassir Arafat was constantly lying to the Israelis, the United States, the United Nations and to just about every non-Muslim nation or agency that he ever worked with. The Palestinians, however, viewed such lies as a demonstration of his cleverness and his faithfulness to Qur'anic law. Such lying both strengthened respect for his leadership and, for the Palestinian and Arab people, demonstrated what fools and suckers the Israelis and Americans are.

This culture of dissemblance is epidemic in the Middle East. We should not be surprised to find it spreading like a cancer throughout the Muslim communities in the United States. Although still a minority view of American Muslims, the ideas are spreading rapidly, especially since many if not most of mosques built in recent years have been built and "staffed" with Saudi Arabian money (both private and governmental) to promote the particular wahhabi brand of Islam in our country.

I commend the Advertiser for the courage to print a short summary of this study. From what I have read on the internet, very few major media outlets have felt comfortable enough to share this information with the American public.

Now the First Miss

Ward Churchill Scandal Info Out of Date

Today's Advertiser printed an article discussing the current scandal at Colorado State University over tenured professor Ward Churchill. Although the article, originating with the Washington Post, covers the story fairly well it completely omits the revelations of the past week declaring that he is not a member of the Keetoowah Tribe of Oklahoma (as he has claimed, using a "associate member" card once available to anyone, whether Indian or not) and statements by Dennis Banks and the American Indian Movement (AIM) asserting that Churchill "has fraudulently represented himself as an Indian, and a member of the American Indian Movement" and "has been masquerading as an Indian for years behind his dark glasses and beaded headband."

The Advertiser should have known of this information and should have included it as part of the article. It is sloppy and lazy to print outdated news that could easily have been brought current with a simple internet search.

The Second Miss

Truth About Terrorism Conference Not Revealed

The Advertiser's report on the self-styled "International Conference on International Terrorism" currently taking place in Riyadh under the sponsorship of the Saudi Arabian government failed to mention that Israel, without doubt the greatest target of international terrorism, was not invited to attend or participate.

In a recent email correspondence with the Saudi embassy regarding this conference a man by the name of Thomas Wuthrich wrote:

What kind of monstrous joke is your country trying to perpetrate in issuing an invitation to its "anti-terror" conference to the world's foremost sponsor of terror, Iran, while shunning one of the foremost victims of terror, Israel?
It should come as no surprise to you when polls show that Saudi Arabia is among the countries least trusted by Americans.
And, no, I am not a Jew. I am merely someone who sees clearly.

Mr. Wuthrich received an unsigned response from the Saudi embassy information office:

Thank you Mr. Wuthrich. One of the foremost victims of terror??? I think not. Please keep in mind Israel is in violation of more United Nations resolutions than all other countries of the world combined. Iran is not in violation of any United Nations resolutions. Image is different than reality.

Is this the sort of "International" conference we should be supporting? Evil Israel is a pariah while Iran is squeaky clean? If "image is different than reality" then I must be living in a completely different "reality" than the Saudi writer of this paragraph. Actually, now that I think about it, I am convinced that I am living in a completely different reality!

The Honolulu Advertiser does the public a great disservice by presenting this conference and "International" or legitimate by any objective terms. The continued lack of recognition of Israel as a nation by Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations is a travesty that must be resolved before any real progress on international terrorism can be made. If such nations are our nation's friends, then the United States must certainly be Israel's greatest enemy!

I pray that this is not so. But I fear that once again our country is being played for a fool...and the radical Islamists are laughing at us. To our disgrace, they are right to do so.