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This is Why ESPN Is the Republican Party of Sports Television

July 19, 2016/in Commentary, Elections, Policy, Politics/by Raynard Jackson

I am quite fond of saying about Republicans when it comes to Blacks, “Even when they try to do the right thing, they do it the wrong way.”

In a similar manner, ESPN has become the Republican Party of TV and sports.

Last week they had their annual ESPYs awards show. This is their annual celebration of achievement in the world of sports.

They opened the show trying to do the right thing, but definitely did it the wrong way.

The event opened with four of the top NBA players speaking out against police brutality and gun violence. This was very moving to the extent that you had four of the biggest names in sports taking a public stance on a relevant, social issue, which is very rare for today’s athletes. The players were LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony.

If this was such a good thing, you might be asking, then why am I criticizing the event?

All four of the above players are Black. This issue of police brutality and gun violence is not a “Black” issue, it is an American issue. Whites are subjected to these issues as well. Good and bad cuts across race and class.

In 2015, the NBA was 74.4 percent Black, 23.3 percent White, 1.8 percent Latino, and .2 percent Asian, this was based on a survey by Richard Lapchick.

It would have made more sense for the ESPN to have players from each of these groups on stage talking about these issues, sending the unmistakable message that this is not just a Black issue, but rather a societal issue.

The optics of the display were odd and quite offensive to me.

ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Company, one of the top pro-homosexual companies in the world. When they were aggressively promoting former player Jason Collins for coming out of the closet, they used the full panoply of races in their promotion of their homosexual agenda.

But when it came to police brutality and gun violence, they made it into a “Black” issue, not a societal issue like homosexuality.

A few days before the event, LeBron James reached out to the ESPY’s producer, Maura Mandt, with the idea, thus the plan was agreed to by all the suits at ESPN’s corporate office.

From my research, ESPN and the ESPYs seem to have no diversity in leadership in terms of decision-makers, the decision-makers all seem to be White liberals.

Maybe, just maybe, if they had people from diverse backgrounds in the decision-making loop someone would have pointed out the optics of LeBron’s idea and encouraged him to have a diverse group of players on stage with him.
Diversity is not just about race or gender, it’s also about worldview.

To their credit, ESPN has a very diverse workforce as far as race goes, but it is without question that an overwhelming amount of that diversity is racial, not ideological.

Most of their decision-makers and on-air talent are extremely liberal, which is totally in line with their corporate view. My friends who work for ESPN never dispute my conservative views in my private conversations with them, but they would never admit that they hold such views in public.

For some, expressing those views would be career suicide at worst or at best lead to a very public excoriation from peers and fair-weather friends alike.

Exhibit “A” in my argument is Chris Broussard. He is an analyst for ESPN who focuses on the NBA. He has been profiled in many media outlets about his Christian faith and his positive family life. He is another version of Steph Curry.

When Jason Collins came out as homosexual, Broussard responded, “If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, (but) adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals…I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ,” Broussard said. “I would not characterize that person as a Christian, because I don’t think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian.”

His simple expression of his faith caused a backlash like I have never seen before. So, as long as you are for homosexuality, your thoughts are welcomed on ESPN, but if you don’t agree with it, you are silenced.

I applaud these athletes for trying to take a principled stand at the ESPYs, but I fault ESPN for not having the foresight to fully understand and appreciate the optics of having all Black athletes on stage.

Now, mind you, ESPN is supposed to be experts in optics, after all, they are the world leader in sports and entertainment. But, because they are surrounded by people who all look and think like each other, there was no one to point out the obvious racial connotation of these optics.

Like the Republican Party, they tried to do the right thing, but did it the wrong way.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in Black Press USA.

Truck Jihad Strikes Nice

July 19, 2016/in National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Nidra Poller

The 14 juillet National Holiday fireworks were over, the horror began in Nice. A 19-ton semi-trailer truck went around the barrier and barreled down the famous beachfront Promenade des Anglais. The monster truck drove 2 kilometers, zigzagging to make direct hits, deliberately picking off babies in their strollers, before the driver was stopped in a shootout with police. At this writing the toll stands at 84 dead; 50, including 10 children, with life threatening injuries; and 150, including 54 children, less seriously injured. The mass murderer has been identified as a 31 year-old Tunisian, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, living in Nice on a residence permit, recently licensed to drive big trucks, father of three, separated from his wife since 2014. Bouhlel’s criminal record, including assault and battery, theft, and domestic violence, dates back to 2010, one year after he was granted a 10-year residence permit. He is under a restraining order obtained by his wife who has sued for divorce. He is described by several of his neighbors as a mean loner, with the exception of one who found him to be a nice guy, not at all religious, didn’t say his prayers, liked to dance the salsa and go out with the chicks.

On March 24th, Bouhlel was given a six-month suspended sentence for assaulting a motorist who had asked him to move his truck that was blocking traffic. The victim, Jean-Baptiste Ximenes, posted on Facebook his indignation that the man who had violently beaten him with a baseball bat, was left free…to commit mass murder.

An irascible young Tunisian armed with a 19-ton truck killed more than 80 civilians and the toll is expected to rise. In the truck he rented on July 11^th –and was supposed to return on the 13^th— Bouhlel was carrying two fake machine guns, a pierced grenade, a fake handgun and a real one that he used in the final shootout with the police. The death toll of the November 13^th jihad attacks at the Bataclan, sidewalk cafés, and stadium in Paris is 130. That operation, masterminded from Syria, involved dozens of fighters trained in the caliphate or handling logistics in Europe. They traveled by complicated routes, some joined the “refugees” in Greece and snaked up to Belgium with them, probably recruiting a few shahids in the lot. They had safe houses, false passports, money, weapons, ammunition, explosive vests … Vastly disproportionate weapons and planning, give ghastly similar results Eighty-four dead, fifty maimed for life, the blue waters of the Côte d’Azur trembling with horror and outrage; 130 dead, countless maimed and marked for life, Parisian joie de vivre stunned….

But all of that may be nothing compared to what is coming next. Only the other day Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve warned that the “terrorists” might switch from “suicide” attacks to other methods like truck bombs and IEDS. The root motivation that inspires these mass killings passes through myriad disparate channels and achieves significant results. The focus on anecdotal details obscures that single source and delays our understanding of the war waged on the free world. It must be granted that the Hollande government, ineffectual as it may be, did not call for stricter control of semi-trailer truck rentals in the wake of the Nice attack. The investigation was handed over to Paris Prosecutor François Molins, and classified as a terrorist attack committed in collusion with a terrorist organization. In his first public declaration Molins explained: whether or not Bouhlel was in direct contact with Daesh, his heinous act responds to instructions given by the organization. Subsequently PM Manuel Valls maintained that Bouhlel was in fact connected to a radical Islamic movement.

Mournful ceremonials of sincere flowers & candles and solidarity light-shows in the colors of the afflicted nation after each mass killing give the illusion of exceptional incidents that can somehow be contained in a time frame, with a beginning a middle and an end. They are not appropriate to the reality of all-out war with no borders, no outlined battlefields, no predictable indicators except that the perpetrators will be Muslim, native born or converts. The most graphic illustration of this ceremonial confusion is the current state of la Place de la République in Paris. The national focal point of dignified grieving has been turned into a pigpen. Flowers, candles, and peace & love messages on the pedestal of the Marianne statue, symbol of the République, have been replaced by disgraceful graffiti left by the false hopes Nuit Debout movement. [http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/up-all-nightmare]

Unless and until democratic citizens have a comprehensive picture of jihad conquest they cannot be mobilized to defend their freedom and their lives. However dramatic, these mass killings have to be understood in their totality and accurately. We need determined leadership that will show the way to mobilization, not closure.

Background

In a climate of national unity after the November attacks, President Hollande solemnly promised to take vigorous measures to protect the population from terrorism. Prime Minister Valls named it Radical Islam. Among these measures was the controversial proposal to strip the citizenship of dual nationals involved in supporting, planning or perpetrating these attacks. Under pressure from his Socialist majority President Hollande abandoned most of the promises. The other day, in his July 14^th message to the nation, the president announced that the state of emergency declared in the wake of the attacks and repeatedly extended for three-month periods would not be renewed when it expires on July 26^th. As if the very real danger hanging over French civilians could be dissipated by a governmental decision. He reversed this decision on the 15th.

And that’s the least of the miscalculations. Since March 31^st and despite its own state of emergency declaration, the government has allowed countless protest demonstrations against a labor reform law, even though every single march ended up with vicious attacks against the police. Hundreds of policemen were injured, some seriously. And all were humiliated. At least half a million euros worth of damage to public and private property was committed. On May 18th a policeman and woman narrowly escaped death when their patrol car was smashed and torched. The policeman was beaten as he fled the flames. On June 15th, seven two-story plate glass windows of the Necker Children’s Hospital were smashed, teargas seeped into the building, health care personnel were unable to reach the hospital, and young patients were terrified. The Nuit Debout movement occupied la Place de la République for months, damaging property, generating attacks on the police, preaching anarchy and sedition. The mass occupation of the public square made a mockery of the state of emergency, which was high on the movement’s list of sins against the people. “Down with the state of emergency, down with the state!” By allowing the Nuit Deboutniks to congregate, agitate, firebomb the police and deface the monument of the Republic the government displayed its lack of resolve. PM Valls had said we are at war. The atmosphere was bread and circuses.

Let the children play. Let the protestors march and holler. Let the smashers destroy. Unpleasant to be sure, but the very nastiness of that familiar violence was a way of saying we have things in hand. These are normal problems that can’t really be solved, they just fade away. The labor reform bill was watered down and pushed through (the government engaged its responsibility instead of letting the Parliament debate and vote). Strong measures were taken to protect the Euro 2016 soccer championship that went off almost without a hitch. Then came the fireworks!

Lagging behind reality

Just a short time ago there was debate on what should be done with the thousands of “S-flagged” individuals marked as terror suspects and vaguely watched over until they slip under the radar and emerge with Kalashnikovs or turn to other occupations. Shouldn’t they be more closely followed, fitted with electronic bracelets, or even held in retention centers? What of jihadis sentenced to prison? Are they properly isolated from other prisoners? The top dog in this department, Salah Abdeslam, responsible for the logistics of the November 13 attacks, is held in solitary confinement with 24-hour video surveillance. He actually sued the government for violation of his privacy. His complaint was rejected. Meanwhile it was revealed that he has a three-cell complex, including a well-equipped workout room. This is justified by European human rights rules. Abdeslam has never given the slightest shred of information to investigators. Occasionally he promises he will talk, then backs down. He isn’t feeling good, doesn’t feel like talking, won’t talk until his detention conditions improve. He is defended by a court-appointed lawyer at public expense.

Then there are the futile de-radicalization programs. All part of a massive denial of reality. As if the genocidal Islamic rage that inspires lesser and greater mass murderers were some kind of misunderstanding that could be cleared up by heart to heart talking. Another example of focusing on things that can’t be done-like persuading jihadis to turn to basket weaving or making it impossible for 19-ton trucks to smash through barriers or Kalashnikov-armed killers to mow down under-armed security guards-instead of finally putting our countries on the appropriate war (that is, jihad conquest) footing.

Georges Fenech, president of the bipartisan Parliamentary Commission that published its investigation of the November 13^th attacks last week, regrets the lack of interest from the Hollande administration in the Commission’s concrete recommendations. “Our country is not armed against Islamic terrorism.” One of the findings of the extensive report is that police forces preparing to intervene to stop the massacre at the Bataclan only had handguns. They begged the soldiers to either come with them or lend them their Famas assault weapons. The soldiers could do neither. They didn’t have orders. According to an official of the SCPN [Police Commissioners’ Union] the forces that finally stopped the killer truck in Nice did not have proper weapons. They fired repeatedly into the windshield but Bouhlel was able to continue 300 meters before they finally neutralized him. Christian Estrosi, former mayor of Nice and currently president of the PACA [Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur] region had alerted President Hollande, on July 13^th, to the lack of proper protection for the July 14^th fireworks display in Nice. The central government alone can mobilize national police forces, better armed and trained than the municipal agents.

Nice, for all its nostalgic elegance and beautiful beaches, is a jihad hotspot. An attack against the Carnival of Nice was foiled a few months ago. An assailant stabbed three soldiers guarding a Jewish Community Center in Nice. One of the most vicious jihadi cells discovered in recent years, the “Torcy cell” based in Nice, was involved in the 2012 grenade attack against the Naouri kosher grocery store in Sarcelles, subsequently torched and burned to the ground in the summer of 2014.

Israel as a model

Though the Israeli connection may be brushed off as too hot to handle, Israel is more frequently and frankly mentioned in French debates as a model for dealing with the full range of jihad attacks: citizens are armed and have combat experience, intelligence services are exceptionally efficient, the society has learned to live fully and remain fully conscious of the danger. Olivier Rafowicz, IDF Reserves colonel, says he recently accompanied an Israeli delegation to Nice for security consultations. Private Israeli security agencies are quietly hired by French private and public companies.

The West will improve its defenses when Israel is recognized as the rampart in our defense against jihad conquest, standing for our values in the middle of a vast expanse of genocidal hatred. Israel has always lived in awareness of its perilous surroundings. Now the rest of the free world is in the same neighborhood. I remember the snide voices of French commentators in the early years of the jihad-intifada, spitting on “Israel’s sacrosanct concern for security.” This constant demonization of Israel is a rot that jams our weapons, weakens our military, and destabilizes our societies in Europe and, yes, even in the United States.

Daesh like a wireless mouse

It was reasonable to suppose that the French prime minister would not have forthrightly claimed a direct connection between Mohamed Bouhlel and a terrorist organization if he did not have evidence drawn from electronic devices seized after the Nice massacre. Did Bouhlel, like the Orlando killer, declare his allegiance to the caliphate just before going on the rampage? Saturday morning Daesh took responsibility for the brave operation conducted by its soldier in Nice. Some French media are reporting that this is a codified designation that follows strict rules and necessarily implies a pledge of allegiance. Several of the five people detained for questioning confirm Bouhlel’s “recent radicalization.” We will learn more in the coming days or weeks about the nature of that connection. Even if there is not a single incriminating document, conversation, or contact, it is essential to understand that Daesh operates like a wireless mouse: the message goes out from the higher echelons via communicators into the evil hearts of the masses of potential genocidal killers.

A telling personal experience

Saturday afternoon, after spending hours collecting information on the Nice attack from every available source, I took a walk to the post office, stopping on the way at a tobacconist’s shop to buy a book of métro tickets. I’ve been there at least five times in the past six months. Exchanges with the “buraliste” (proprietor or employee, one can’t be sure which) have always been cordial. I was reaching for my money, when the gentleman announced the price: 14.10 euros. “14.10,” I exclaimed! Had the price gone up again, or did I forget what I paid the last time?

“Don’t you ever take the métro?” he scolded. And got nastier as he went along, accusing me of accusing him of being a thief, telling me to go and buy my tickets at the métro station and never come to his shop again. I truly think that he could have reached out to slap me if I hadn’t been so calm and sunny.

“If I accused anyone it was the RATP [transport company] but that’s ok, I won’t come back anymore.” I said “au revoir,” revised it to “adieu,” and walked out.

I mention this because of the visible origins of the “buraliste.” Apparently feeling unjustly suspected, for his however distant shared origins with the truck-killer, he found nothing better to do than to lash out at me!

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in Family Security Matters. Republished under Creative Commons License: Attribution.

Hillary’s Imam

July 19, 2016/in Culture War, Education, Must Read, National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Jihad Watch

In Front Page today, I reveal the Democratic nominee’s close ties to “the Turkish Khomeini.”

The Daily Caller on Wednesday revealed numerous ties between Hillary Clinton and members of the shadowy network surrounding Fethullah Gulen, the controversial Muslim cleric who has been called “the Turkish Khomeini,” and whom the Erdogan regime is accusing of instigating the coup that nearly toppled it on Friday.

According to the Caller, the Gulen camp has been one of Hillary’s numerous sources of cash, in exchange for which she gave access to the President: “a Gulen follower named Gokhan Ozkok asked Clinton deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin for help in connecting one of his allies to President Obama….Ozkok served as national finance co-chair of the pro-Clinton Ready PAC. He gave $10,000 to the committee in 2014 and $2,700 to Clinton’s campaign last year. He is also listed on the Turkish Cultural Center’s website as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, one of the non-profit arms of the Clinton Foundation. He’s given between $25,000 and $50,000 to the Clinton charity.”

Ozkok wrote to Huma Abedin in 2009: “Please tell Madam Secretary that it would be great if President Obama can include a 15 minutes [sic] meeting with Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organization of of [sic] the Islamic Conference (OIC), in his trip to Turkey.”

Obama did meet with Ihsanoglu, and later invited him to the White House. Ihsanoglu is a longtime foe of the freedom of speech; he once went so far as to liken the Danish cartoons of Muhammad to 9/11: “The Islamic world took the satirical drawings as a different version of the September 11 attacks against them.” He claimed that Muslims were “being targeted by a campaign of defamation, denigration, stereotyping, intolerance and discrimination,” and urged European legislators to criminalize “Islamophobia.”

In March 2011, Ihsanoglu gave a speech to the UN Council on Human Rights, calling upon it to set up “an Observatory at the Office of the High Commissioner to monitor acts of defamation of all religions . . . as a first step toward concerted action at the international level.” Then on April 12, 2011, the UN Council on Human Rights passedResolution 16/18, with full support from the Obama Administration. This resolution calls upon member states to impose laws against “discriminatory” speech, or speech involving “defamation of religion.” In June 2011, Ihsanoglu said that such laws were “a matter of extreme priority” for the OIC.

As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton affirmed the Obama Administration’s support for this campaign on July 15, 2011, when she gave an address on the freedom of speech at an OIC conference on Combating Religious Intolerance. “Together,” she said, “we have begun to overcome the false divide that pits religious sensitivities against freedom of expression and we are pursuing a new approach.”

But how could both be protected? Ihsanoglu offered the answer: criminalizing what he considered to be hatred and incitement to violence. “We cannot and must not ignore the implications of hate speech and incitement of discrimination and violence.” But in restricting the freedom of speech, Clinton had a First Amendment to deal with, and so in place of legal restrictions on criticizing Islam, she suggested “old-fashioned techniques of peer pressure and shaming, so that people don’t feel that they have the support to do what we abhor.” She held a lengthy closed-door meeting with Ihsanoglu in December 2011 to facilitate the adoption of measures that would advance the OIC’s anti-free speech agenda, which amounted to an attempt to impose Sharia blasphemy laws upon the West. But what agreements she and Ihsanoglu made, if any, have never been disclosed. Hillary’s contact with Ihsanoglu was initiated by Gulen’s associate Ozkok.

That’s bad enough, but there is much more. According to the Daily Caller, “a Gulen-aligned group called the Alliance for Shared Values hired the Clinton-connected Podesta Group to lobby Congress on its behalf.” The executive director of the Alliance for Shared Values was also a Clinton donor. In fact, “numerous Gulen followers have donated to Clinton’s various political campaigns and to her family charity. One Gulen movement leader, Recep Ozkan, donated between $500,000 and $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.”

The Caller states that Gulen’s teachings are “relatively moderate and pro-Western,” but there are numerous reasons to approach such claims with skepticism. Turkey’s National Security Council condemned Gulen in 1998 for “trying to undermine the country’s secular institutions, concealing his methods behind a democratic and moderate image.”

Asia News reported in 2009 that Gulen had been “criticised by a large number of secularists who believe that underneath a veneer of humanist philosophy, Gulen plans to turn Turkey’s secular state into a theocracy. Secular Kemalists have compared him to Khomeini and fear that his return to Turkey might turn Ankara into another Tehran. The governments of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are also weary [sic] and suspicious of his ‘Turkish schools promoted by Islamic missionaries.’ At the basis of Gulen’s teachings is the notion that state and religion should be reconnected as they were in Ottoman times.”

Gulen and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are former associates who are now bitter enemies, after Gulen backed a 2013 corruption probe targeting Erdogan’s regime. And so even though Erdogan has frequently been accused of wanting to destroy Turkish secularism and restore Islamic rule, his regime has leveled the same charge against Gulen, who now lives in a secluded compound in Pennsylvania. Referring to that corruption probe, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ last January echoed the “Turkish Khomeini” charge and said that it ended up exposing Gulen’s sinister agenda:

“If there had been no Dec. 17 [corruption probe], or if it had been delayed and the Turkish people had failed to realize the power of this structure within Turkey, then Fethullah Gülen would have returned from Pennsylvania to Turkey just like Khomeini returned to Iran. Looking from this perspective, Dec. 17 was the day when Turkey said ‘no’ to such a transformation. The state and all its institutions have taken positions accordingly as they realized the danger.”

Gulen’s response to the Khomeini comparison was oddly pedantic and revealed more in what it did not say than in what it did. He noted that he was not a Shi’ite and that Turkey was not Iran, but never addressed the question of whether he, like Khomeini, would like to return to his home country and establish the rule of Islamic law (Sharia) there.

Erdogan is now accusing Gulen of fomenting the coup attempt against him. This is, however, unlikely, as the coup was apparently an attempt to stop Erdogan’s efforts to restore Islamic rule in Turkey, and much as Gulen and Erdogan hate each other, they both apparently share the view that “state and religion should be reconnected as they were in Ottoman times.”

Should Hillary Clinton ever have accepted money from organizations connected with Gulen – much less exchanged influence for it? If she becomes our next President, she is unlikely to end such unsavory associations. Those who are contemplating voting for her should consider carefully the likelihood that a vote for Hillary is a vote for…Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish Khomeini.

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Evangelicals support Donald Trump because of his ‘World View of Moral Clarity’

July 19, 2016/in Culture War, Featured, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Dr. Rich Swier

Dr. Michael Evans is the Founder of The Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem.

NEW YORK, New York /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The eyes of the world this week will be focused on the Republican National Convention, but almost no one is talking about the vast majority of Trump-supporting delegates who are Evangelical Christians. The billion dollar question begging an answer is: Why are they supporting him? As an Evangelical journalist, the answer to me is clear, but since presidential candidates are not judged based upon this matter, few would know it.

The answer is worldview.

Trump’s worldview is one of moral clarity, or simply put: Good versus evil. Liberals such as President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have a difficult time seeing moral issues clearly because they are moral relativists. They reject absolute standards of good and evil right and wrong.

In their worldview man is capable of perfection, human nature is on a path toward enlightenment and the concept of original sin is primitive. Secular humanists make excuses for evil, or worse, deny evil exists and coddle it by refusing to confront it. Humanists invented Yasser Arafat as a peacemaker and gave him the facade of a freedom fighter, not a terrorist.

In Donald Trump’s worldview, America was attacked because it is a Christian nation, and Israel is attacked because it is a Jewish nation. The Liberal Left mocks such beliefs as simplistic and ignorant because they do not believe that evil really exists, that people are basically good, and it’s better to talk with people and show tolerance.

The Liberal Left hates both Israel’s obsession with a Jewish state, and the America in which evangelicals dream. They subject Christians to scorn, ridicule, and discrimination. The Liberal Left belief is that a perfect world is a weak and endemic America that embraces the perpetrator and castigates the victim.

The liberal left has convinced many Americans that the war on terror cannot be won. Conversely, Evangelicals believe that those who wage war against us are evil. The Left sees Americans as evil for retaliating against the malevolence of terrorists, and that self -loathing and appeasement should replace righteous indignation.

Evangelicals see the terror in Europe as a result of weak leftist immigration policies. They also see the cop killings in America as a result of Obama’s leftist policies of appeasement.

Evangelicals are uncompromisingly pro-Israel in their view. They believe that the vast majority of Gulf Oil states are simply family-owned corporations—thugocracies—funding terror as blackmail to keep the jihadists from attacking them. Many also deem Obama’s cowardly terror policy as emboldening terror.

I was invited to Donald Trump’s meeting with Evangelical leaders in New York on June 21 at the New York Marriot. While there, I met with Dr. Ben Carson and said to him, “Please tell Donald Trump to write the pope and tell him who he is.” I had met with the pope the day before in Rome, and was not asking Trump to send his bio, but rather to share his worldview based upon moral clarity.

Ronald Reagan had a similar worldview influenced by author C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity, Right versus Wrong. He was also influenced by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and especially his speech, “A World Set Apart,” at Harvard in 1978. Solzhenitsyn characterized the current global conflict as a physical and spiritual war that has already begun and cannot be won without dealing with the forces of evil. I was invited to briefly address the Republican Convention in 1984 in Dallas, Texas on a Sunday afternoon when Ronald Reagan was reelected. I asked him, “How will you defeat communism?” He smiled and replied, “Oh, I think I will bankrupt that evil empire.”

ABOUT DR. MICHAEL EVANS

Mike Evans, Founder of The Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem. Dr. Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His book, Islamic Infidels, is available at www.Timeworthybooks.com.

Dutch Free Speech Advocate attending GOP Convention — Islamic Supremacists outraged

July 19, 2016/in Policy, Politics, Religion, Video/by Dr. Rich Swier

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Islamic supremacist organization, called on the Republic Party to disinvite Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders from its national convention in Cleveland.

Wilders noted last night on Twitter that he had arrived to attend the convention at the invitation of Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro).

Wilders has said that the Quran is worse than Adolf Hitler’s autobiography, Mein Kampf.

Geert Wilders speaks about Islamic ideology, multiculturalism, Muslims. political correctness, immigration and Muslim assimilation into Western society and culture:

According to Discover the Networks:

CAIR has strong ties to the terrorist group Hamas:

“[CAIR] was formed not by Muslim religious leaders throughout the country, but as an offshoot of the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP). Incorporated in Texas, the IAP has close ties to Hamas and has trumpeted its support for terrorist activities.” Former chief of the FBI’s counter terrorism section, Oliver Revell, called the IAP “a front organization for Hamas that engages in propaganda for Islamic militants.”

CAIR’s head, Nihad Awad asserted at a 1994 meeting at Barry University, “I am a supporter of the Hamas movement.”

Former FBI counter terrorism chief, Steven Pomerantz, stated publicly that, “CAIR, its leaders and its activities effectively give aid to international terrorist groups.”

CAIR promotes extremist views and a radical Islamic vision: At a speech in Fremont, California, Omar M. Ahmad of CAIR proclaimed that, “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran…should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.”

CAIR recently demanded that Donald Trump “stop the bigotry” after he falsely claimed on Fox News that assimilation of American Muslims is “pretty close” to nonexistent and that a “percentage” of American Muslims “want to do what this maniac did in Orlando.” Trump also repeated his call for surveillance of American mosques.

CAIR is reluctant to condemn terrorists and terrorism:

In October 1998, the group demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as “the sworn enemy,” finding this depiction “offensive to Muslims.”

In 1998, CAIR denied bin Laden’s responsibility for the two Al Queda African embassy bombings. According to CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper, the bombings resulted from a “misunderstandings of both sides.”

CAIR supports organizations that fund terrorism:

When President Bush closed the Holy Land Foundation in December 2001 for collecting money that intelligence found was “used to support the Hamas terror organization,” CAIR decried his action as “unjust” and “disturbing.

Lean more about CAIR.

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The Latino Coalition Hosting Hispanic Leaders Event at the RNC Convention

July 19, 2016/in Commentary, Elections, Policy, Politics/by Dr. Rich Swier

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Latino Coalition (TLC), the leading national non-partisan advocacy organization representing Hispanic businesses and consumers, will host the premier Latino event, “Honoring Hispanic Leaders,” on Wednesday, July 20 in Cleveland, OH during the Republican National Convention.

TLC’s event program will consist of a briefing entitled “Is it the Best of Times or the Worst of Times?” and an “Honoring Hispanic Leaders Luncheon“. To date, the confirmed influential leaders and speakers include: former Presidential nominee New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Congressman Bill Flores (R-TX), Congressman Keith Rothfus (R-PA), Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI), The Libre Initiative Executive DirectorDaniel Garza and key leadership from the Republican National Committee.

The exciting day will also include the release of the TLC Rising Latino Electorate: Latinos and the 2016 Elections poll – an on-going election-year study revealing how conservative Latinos are not a monolithic voting bloc. The poll sampling confirms that the country’s growing Republican and Independent Hispanic population does not have an overwhelming favorable view of either presidential candidate, to date. The complete poll findings will be released July 20 during the briefing.

MEDIA RSVP: To cover the “Honoring Hispanic Leaders”, please submit each attendees name, outlet, contact number (s) and an email to ytorre@thelatinocoalition.com.

WHAT: “Honoring Hispanic Leaders” Event

WHEN: 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, July 20^th, 2016

WHERE: First Energy Powerhouse
2000 Sycamore Street
Cleveland, OH 44113

ON-SITE CONTACT: Yohana de la Torre
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ABOUT THE LATINO COALITION

The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies solutions relevant to Latinos. TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in California, Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico. Established to address and engage on key issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States, TLC’s agenda is to create and promote initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance and empower overall business, economic and social development for Latinos. Visit www.thelatinocoalition.com.

After taking Saudi money Georgetown University promotes Islamic Supremacism

July 19, 2016/in Featured, National Security, Policy, Politics/by Florida Family Association

Islamophobia campaigns like Georgetown University’s can intimidate people to restrain their communications that might otherwise save lives. Proponents of Islamophobia campaigns must share some of the blame for the Islamic terror attacks that killed 49 people in Orlando and 14 people in San Bernardino. These campaigns can cause people not to report suspicious actions by Muslims because they fear being branded a racist or Islamophobe.

ABC News reported on December 13, 2005: “A Saudi prince has donated $20 million each to Harvard University and Georgetown University to advance Islamic studies and further understanding of the Muslim world. At Georgetown, the money will allow the university to expand its Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which will be renamed “The HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.” The center describes itself as the only program of its kind “to build stronger bridges between the Muslim world and the West.”

The Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding – Institute for Social Policy and Understanding held a conference on November 12, 2014 at Georgetown University Lohrfink Auditorium inside the Rafik B. Hariri Building to unite African-American, American Muslim, and Workers’ Rights communities in a political war against conservative, patriotic Americans using Sharia law and Islamophobia as their banner. The promotion for the event is posted in part below and online here:

Canaries in a Coal Mine: How Islamophobia Threatens Us All

On November 12, 2014 the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) co-hosted an event with the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) to discuss Islamophobia in the context of an increasingly diverse America. The event highlighted ISPU’s latest research on anti-Muslim prejudice and its connection to bigotry targeting other communities. The event featured four panelists who are experts and advocates on issues affecting African-American, American Muslim, and Workers’ Rights communities.

The Canaries in a Coal Mine panelists included:

Saeed Khan, ISPU Fellow, Author of Sharia Law, Islamophobia and the U.S. Constitution: New Tectonic Plates of the Culture Wars, 12 U. Md. L.J. Race Relig. Gender & Class 123 (2012), Middle East History professor at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Ajenai Clemmons, Policy Director at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators
Dr. Joe McCartin, Executive Director, Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor; Board Member, Interfaith Worker Justice
Madihha Ahussein, Staff Attorney at MuslimAdvocates.org
Dalia Mogahed, ISPU Director of Research, Chairman and CEO of Mogahed Consulting which offers clients in-depth social analysis and consulting on the Middle East and Muslim communities around the world, Co-author of Who Speaks Islam?

It appears that the name Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding is likely a misnomer since there are NO Christian representatives involved EXCEPT for the fact that “Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institute of higher learning in the United States.”

The Georgetown University Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) is an independent and nonpartisan research think tank, focusing on issues of US foreign policy, security, economics, and public health. Founded in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, ISPU is also known for its extensive work and resources on American and European Muslims and Muslim communities. The organization seeks to educate journalists and policymakers about Muslim attitudes, institutions, and practices in order to assist in providing perspective and analysis. ISPU was awarded a grant by the Henry Luce Foundation in 2011 to fund a two-day policy roundtable and planning retreat.

The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding has developed an online tool which categorizes legislators from all fifty states as an Islamophobe based upon certain criteria. The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding describes their an online tool as follows:

This tool is important for two reasons.

First, it’s an important conversation starter with other communities and allies. Unfortunately, Islamophobia is too often thought of, by American Muslims and the broader society alike, as a unique problem directed at only one community – Muslims. ISPU’s research shows that Islamophobia is a threat to all.

Our map provides a “big picture” narrative, grounded in hard-data gathered from over 1200+ bills across all 50 U.S. states, which shows anti-Muslim bigotry is not an isolated phenomenon; it frequently overlaps with prejudices directed toward other communities. In other words, anti-Muslim prejudice isn’t a “Muslim” problem, it’s everyone’s problem. Or as Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Second, it’s a practical tool that provides you with the “value added” information for potential partners. Faced with a lawmaker who recently put out an anti-sharia bill and now your community is looking to build or strengthen partnerships with other communities? Moral arguments may be persuasive to some, but many others will only take notice if you can show how “your interests” and “their interests” are the same. Our data, made publicly available through this tool, shows how the same lawmakers that target Muslims also happen to often support laws that disproportionately harm other communities of color, national origin/ethnicity, civic association, gender, or sexual identity. It also contains legislative information on 850+ state lawmakers from 2011 to 2013 across six different issue areas, including anti-Sharia legislation.

Labeling people or groups as Islamophobes is intended to influence them to stop criticizing Islam. Suppression of free speech is antithetical to the rights afforded under the United States Constitution and impairs public safety. Suppressing criticism of Islam is honoring Sharia. Sharia is Islam and Islam is Sharia. Encyclopedia Britannica states: Sharia, the fundamental religious concept of Islam, namely its law,…

Florida Family Association has prepared an email for you to express concern to Georgetown University and Catholic officials about their open alliance with Sharia activists who want to kill the free speech of people who are critical of Islam.

EDITORS NOTE: To send your email, please click the following link, enter your name and email address then click the “Send Your Message” button. You may also edit the subject or message text if you wish.

Click here to send your email to express concern to Georgetown University and Catholic officials.

Immigration and the Terrorist Threat: How our leaders are spawning catastrophe

July 19, 2016/in Commentary, Must Read, National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Michael Cutler

The most recent horrific terror attack, this time in Nice, France on Bastille Day, is the latest of a string of attacks overseas as well as inside the United States. It has shaken people around the world, causing them to question what their governments need to do to protect them.

Our leaders are forever reacting to the latest attack, placing us on an elevated defensive posture, whenever and wherever it may occur. Often news reports are aired that show video clips of heavily armed police officers patrolling our airports and other venues in response to the latest attack no matter where the attack was carried out, to create the illusion of protecting us.

This perspective can most generously be called folly. The terror threats we face do not go up and down like the stock market. While it makes sense to marshal snow plow drivers and those that drive the trucks that spread salt on highways when a blizzard is forecast for the region, in preparation for the impending storm to quickly clear the roads, terrorism presents a constant threat.

The only questions are how, when, where, and how many will be killed or injured. We are in this battle for the long haul and failure is not only not an option but would spell the catastrophic demise of our nation.

While some have simplistically said that our military alone, combating ISIS overseas can protect, the reality is that we must fight this war on two fronts- overseas and within our borders. Domestically this battle must be waged by many elements of the law enforcement apparatus- including, especially, immigration law enforcement authorities.

This was my focus in my recent article, “Fighting The War On Terror Here, There and Everywhere.”

The 9/11 Commission was created to determine how terrorists were able to carry out deadly attacks in the United States to make certain that it would never happen again. This is comparable to the way that the NTSB and the FAA investigate plane crashes to make the appropriate fixes.

The preface of the official report, “9/11 and Terrorist Travel – Staff Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States” begins with this paragraph:

“It is perhaps obvious to state that terrorists cannot plan and carry out attacks in the United States if they are unable to enter the country. Yet prior to September 11, while there were efforts to enhance border security, no agency of the U.S. government thought of border security as a tool in the counterterrorism arsenal. Indeed, even after 19 hijackers demonstrated the relative ease of obtaining a U.S. visa and gaining admission into the United States, border security still is not considered a cornerstone of national security policy. We believe, for reasons we discuss in the following pages, that it must be made one.”

That report was a companion document to the The 9/11 Commission Report which also discussed how failures of border security and the lack of routine immigration law enforcement, including the identification of immigration fraud and visa fraud, enabled terrorists to enter the United States and embed themselves in communities throughout the United States.

However, at the behest of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Visa Waiver Program which should have been terminated on September 12, 2001, has been continually expanded. On September 11, 2001 26 countries participated in this program. Today their are 38 member countries even though, as I wrote in a recent article, GAO Revelations: Our Open Door For Terrorists –The deadly failures of the visa waiver program, more than one-third of these countries fail to provide us with vital information about terrorists.

It should be clear that our borders and our immigration laws are our first and last lines of defense against international terrorists entering our country- yet our borders have become little more than speed bumps to those who smuggle drugs and illegal aliens.

The massive quantity of heroin and other illegal and dangerous drugs that pour across our borders 24/7 show how porous our borders are. Those drugs are not only smuggled across the U.S./Mexican border but across our northern border and along our 95,000 miles of coastline and through our international aiports located in states across our nation.

Page 61 contained this passage:

Exploring the Link between Human Smugglers and Terrorists

In July 2001, the CIA warned of a possible link between human smugglers and terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Egyptian Islamic Jihad.149 Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that since 1999 human smugglers have facilitated the travel of terrorists associated with more than a dozen extremist groups.150 With their global reach and connections to fraudulent document vendors and corrupt government officials, human smugglers clearly have the “credentials” necessary to aid terrorist travel.

Furthermore most of the terrorists who have thus far been identified, including the 9/11 hijackers, were admitted into the United States through ports of entry. Some terrorists succeeded in being granted political asylum, lawful immigrant status and even, in several cases, United States citizenship before they carried out terror attacks.

Meanwhile the administration continues to admit thousands of refugees from Syria even though they cannot be screened, an issue made abundantly clear by sworn testimony of James Comey, the Director of the FBI and other high-ranking officials, as I noted in my article, “Syrian ‘Refugees’ and Immigration Roulette .”

Politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties have insisted that since we cannot deport 11 million illegal aliens- the number they frequently cite, we should simply give them lawful status and somehow this would magically enable us to identify who they are. They also claim that this would get these heretofore illegal aliens “out of the shadows.”

The only question this raises is are these proponents for such a massive legalization program ignorant or are they so driven to placate their super-wealthy campaign contributors that they are willing to lead our nation down the path to our own destruction?

Here is what you need to consider. First of all, there are likely two or three times as many illegal aliens as they claim- this means at the very least 30 million illegal aliens would participate in any such massive program.

With numbers that humongous, there would be no way to conduct any face-to-face interviews let alone any field investigations to determine if they provided false information in their applications. This would include their true identities- including even their actual countries of citizenship, providing terrorists with the opportunity to game this process to acquire lawful status under false identities that would enable them to embed themselves in the United States and travel freely around the United States and even overseas where they could threaten our safety and the safety of our allies.

There would be absolutely no way to determine when they actually arrived in the United States. Therefore it would be meaningless for politicians to establish a cutoff date of entry for aliens applying for amnesty. Illegal aliens would simply claim to have been present in the United States prior to that date and there would be no way for our adjudications officer to deny their claims.

Additionally, terrorists and wanted criminals who know that they could be identified by their bio-metrics would simply continue to hide in the “shadows.” There would be no resources to track them down and arrest them. The amnesty program would require all of the resources (money and personnel) allocated to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and other immigration-related components of the DHS be devoted to the amnesty program.

If we are to truly harness the immigration system for the best interest of America and Americans we need to have a much larger number of ICE agents to enforce our immigration laws from within the interior of the United States.

What is generally not known by most Americans is that while the second largest contingent of law enforcement personnel assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force are ICE agents. Most international terrorists commit immigration law violations including visa fraud and/or immigration benefit fraud.

Yet we have precious few agents assigned to ICE- no more than 7,000 for our entire country. More than half of those agents are assigned to pursuing customs investigations that have nothing to do with immigration. To put this number into perspective, the Border Patrol has well over 20,000 agents, there are more than 20,000 CBP (Customs and Border Protection) inspectors at our 325 ports of entry and roughly 45,000 employees at TSA. The NYPD has more than 35,000 police officers to protect the City of New York. We need to have many more ICE agents.

For roughly half of my 30 year career with the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service), the agency that was sliced into several agencies when the DHS was created, I was assigned to the Drug Task Force and to DEA Intelligence. I frequently assisted other law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DEA and many other federal as well as state and local police agencies in cultivating alien informants who were part of various ethnic immigrant communities who were eager to assist us.

As an INS agent, one of the biggest incentives I could offer to any illegal alien who was able to help us was to provide him/her with temporary employment authorization and, if the assistance was of particular importance and/or long term, we could provide such aliens with lawful immigrant status and even bring their family members to the United States.

In many instances, these informants were central to our ability to perfect criminal cases against major drug trafficking organizations and other such entities. Such techniques could also be used to great advantage to pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding Middle Eastern communities involving aliens who may be involved in supporting and plotting terror attacks.

Illegal aliens who have no criminal histories should never be ignored. Most terrorists, like most spies, understand that to embed themselves they must keep an extrmely low profile to not call attention to themselves. Consider what the 9/11 Commission Staff Report noted:

“Once terrorists had entered the United States, their next challenge was to find a way to remain here. Their primary method was immigration fraud. For example, Yousef and Ajaj concocted bogus political asylum stories when they arrived in the United States. Mahmoud Abouhalima, involved in both the World Trade Center and landmarks plots, received temporary residence under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers (SAW) program, after falsely claiming that he picked beans in Florida.” Mohammed Salameh, who rented the truck used in the bombing, overstayed his tourist visa. He then applied for permanent residency under the agricultural workers program, but was rejected. Eyad Mahmoud Ismail, who drove the van containing the bomb, took English-language classes at Wichita State University in Kansas on a student visa; after he dropped out, he remained in the United States out of status.

On November 20, 2013 ABC News reported, “Exclusive: US May Have Let ‘Dozens’ of Terrorists Into Country As Refugees.” This is not a new problem, on July 13, 2011 the Washington Times published a truly disturbing article, “Visas reviewed to find those who overstayed / Aim is to find any would-be terrorists.”

Consider that on September 2, 2014 ABC News reported, “Lost in America: Visa Program Struggles to “Track Missing Foreign Students.”

Here is how this report began:

The Department of Homeland Security has lost track of more than 6,000 foreign nationals who entered the United States on student visas, overstayed their welcome, and essentially vanished — exploiting a security gap that was supposed to be fixed after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

“My greatest concern is that they could be doing anything,” said Peter Edge, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official who oversees investigations into visa violators. “Some of them could be here to do us harm.”

Homeland Security officials disclosed the breadth of the student visa problem in response to ABC News questions submitted as part of an investigation into persistent complaints about the nation’s entry program for students.

ABC News found that immigration officials have struggled to keep track of the rapidly increasing numbers of foreign students coming to the U.S. — now in excess of one million each year. The immigration agency’s own figures show that 58,000 students overstayed their visas in the past year. Of those, 6,000 were referred to agents for follow-up because they were determined to be of heightened concern.

“They just disappear,” said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. “They get the visas and they disappear.”

Coburn said since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, 26 student visa holders have been arrested in the U.S. on terror-related charges.

The failures of the administration to enforce our immigration laws from within the interior of the United States hobbles our efforts to protect America and Americans.

Indeed, page 54 of The 9/11 Commission Staff Report on Terrorist Travel contained this excerpt under the title “3.2 Terrorist Travel Tactics by Plot.”

Although there is evidence that some land and sea border entries (of terrorists) without inspection occurred, these conspirators mainly subverted the legal entry system by entering at airports.

In doing so, they relied on a wide variety of fraudulent documents, on aliases, and on government corruption. Because terrorist operations were not suicide missions in the early to mid-1990s, once in the United States terrorists and their supporters tried to get legal immigration status that would permit them to remain here, primarily by committing serial, or repeated, immigration fraud, by claiming political asylum, and by marrying Americans. Many of these tactics would remain largely unchanged and undetected throughout the 1990s and up to the 9/11 attack.

Thus, abuse of the immigration system and a lack of interior immigration enforcement were unwittingly working together to support terrorist activity. It would remain largely unknown, since no agency of the United States government analyzed terrorist travel patterns until after 9/11. This lack of attention meant that critical opportunities to disrupt terrorist travel and, therefore, deadly terrorist operations were missed.

The threats America and Americans face are real. Our government and our leaders must finally take the findings and recommendations of the 9/11 commission seriously. Our very survival hangs in the balance.

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EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in Front Page Magazine.

Idaho hospital refuses to release medical records of 5-year-old raped by Muslim migrants

July 18, 2016/in Courts & Law, Healthcare, Immigration, Must Read, National Security, Policy, Politics/by Jihad Watch

The more that comes out about this appalling story, the worse it gets. Authorities appear desperate to protect Muslim migrant criminals at all costs, lest the public get a negative view of the migrant influx. This article contains a good summary of the chain of events.

“Exclusive — Pamela Geller: Hospital Refuses to Release Medical Records of Five-Year-Old Idaho Victim Raped By Muslim Migrants,” by Pamela Geller, Breitbart, July 16, 2016:

A five-year-old girl was raped and urinated upon by three Muslim migrant boys in Twin Falls, Idaho; one of them, a 14-year-old, videotaped the attack. After the attack, instead of getting justice, the victim’s family has been abused and targeted by law enforcement and medical authorities as if they were the criminals. The mother cannot get copies of the medical records of her own child, or transcripts of 9-1-1 calls made on the day of the attack.

In examining notes taken of their conversations with the victim’s mother, I was taken aback by how contemptuous they are of her. They talk down to her, as if she were the perpetrator, not the mother of the victim of this monstrous attack.

It is outrageous. And it gets worse. The supposedly seven-year-old rapist who put his penis in the girl’s mouth, urinated on her and in her mouth, and who reportedly owned the blue pocket knife that he used to threaten her, was never even removed from his home. That family still lives next door to the victim. For the longest time, the attacker wasn’t even limited in his access to the community’s children; now he must be supervised by someone 14 years old or older. When they stipulated this, the court had to have been aware that the boy who videotaped the rape was 14. This a gross insult against this victimized family — and a direct result of a judge’s decision.

Meanwhile, the neighbor of the family who caught the perpetrators in the act, an elderly woman known to all as “Grandma Jo,” has been living in constant terror since she first happened upon the grisly scene. She has been stalked by the Iraqi family of the seven-year-old attacker. Her apartment is back-to-back with theirs; they peer into her windows and pace back and forth in front of her apartment in a clearly menacing manner.

The victim’s family has received no assistance — no financial aid from federal or state programs to help them relocate. It is almost impossible to find a place to rent because of the housing shortage due to the sudden crush of refugees. Rents have gone way up as well. The five-year-old rape victim is still living next door to the ringleader of the Muslim mob that raped her. She is terrified and won’t leave the house, as the attacker’s family members walk by the victim’s family’s windows and taunt them.

The poor girl desperately does want to play outside, but it isn’t safe to do so without parental supervision. Recently a carload of Muslim males pulled up in front of mother and daughter. The car stopped and its occupants stared them down. The mother witnessed one of the males run into the house and get something that appeared cylinder-like: at the time she was afraid it was a gun. Moments later, their house was being struck by bottle rockets. This isn’t an isolated case in Twin Falls, as there have been other reports of American homeowners having their homes struck by bottle rockets. And let’s be serious: these people are not celebrating the Fourth of July or Americanism.

The prosecuting attorney has gone out of his way to imply that this rape was false information. His interviews have led the media and public officials to deny clear facts of the case. The U.S. Attorney for Idaho even vowed to charge anyone who made false statements about the perps. The Hamas-tied Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has whined that the case has become “a lightning rod for anti-Muslim, and anti-refugee sentiments.”

A source close to this horrifying case has struck back against the disinformation being propagated in the case, and sent me a complete time line of events. So here at last is what really happened, straight from someone who was deeply involved the whole time.

On Thursday, June 2, 2016, the little girl was assaulted by Muslim migrant boys: two Sudanese boys aged around 10 and 14, one Iraqi boy around seven years old. The girl said that they used a knife and dragged her to an apartment laundry room at Fawnbrook apartments in Twin Falls. They were caught in the act by a neighbor — Grandma Jo. According to Grandma Jo, when she opened the laundry room door, she saw two boys standing over the naked victim, urinating on her and “pulling” themselves. She told the attackers to get dressed. Then she helped the victim get dressed (in her urine-soaked clothing). A neighbor arrived to help, and the victim was taken to her family apartment. Her maternal grandmother arrived, the girl was washed and dressed, and the family called 911 three times.

Before the police arrived, the 14-year-old attacker disappeared. Eventually, Twin Falls County Sheriff personnel arrived, as well as police. They took statements. The two attackers who could be found were “scolded” and told to obey Grandma Jo. The police warned them to be good or they would come get them in a large school bus and take them to jail; they were told to obey Grandma Jo in order to avoid this.

That evening, the little girl was taken to the Emergency Room at Saint Luke’s Hospital, where she was examined for rape and blood work was taken. The girl’s parents say that at Children at Risk Evaluation Services (CARES), she was examined by a Dr. Reese. She was told to go for second evaluation on June 6 with CARES doctors. It is unclear if at this or any other time the assailants were frisked, examined, or subjected to blood or urine tests. They were not restrained or removed from their homes.

The next day, two police detectives interviewed Grandma Jo in her home. A police detective, J. R. Paredez, brought the victim a stuffed toy.

On Monday, June 6, CARES interviewed the little girl while Detective Paredez and two counselors watched. Photographic evidence was taken of what was taken at the time by the girl’s parents and a doctor to be a cut on her neck, as well as of her private area. Days later, however, the girl’s mother called CARES for an update and was told that the neck cut was actually just a scratch, and that this was determined by “blood vessel” appearance – an evaluation based on examination of a photo, not a reexamination of the victim.

The family put the victim in a day-care center in order to remove her from proximity to the perpetrators, who continued to run unrestrained in the complex. The victim’s family is poor; their sister-in-law paid the center’s $500 bill.

On June 7, KMVT, a local TV news station, published a Facebook news story on possible sexual assault at Fawnbrook.

Six days later, on June 13, citizens address the Twin Falls City Council during “public input” to question them about the rape of the child. The next day, a collection was taken up for the girl’s family; they were presented with the money on June 15.

On June 16, the Prosecuting Attorney’s office called the family while the supporter who had taken up the collection for them was visiting their home. Both parents spoke to Janice Kroeger, the Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and told her that they wanted the attackers prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The next day, a detective called the family at 11:45 a.m. to say that warrants would be issued for the arrest of the attackers, but time was needed to process them. The family was fearful of backlash from the families of the perpetrators. Several individuals began video surveillance of the area.

On Saturday, June 18, two of the perpetrators, both Sudanese Muslim migrants, were arrested. Kroeger called the victim’s family from the Prosecuting Attorney’s office to tell them that the arraignment would be Monday, June 20, at 1:00 p.m. The father of the victim told Kroeger that the family insisted on being involved in all the hearings. Curiously, Kroeger questioned his interest in the case.

At the Sudanese boys’ arraignment hearing that Monday, the family of the victim and a “nonprofessional” support person were in the courtroom. Notably, Angela “Angie” Beeson, the Director of Victim Services, was not present.

Outside of the courtroom, the parents of the victim and several of their supporters, along with Jeff Rolig, an attorney for Fawnbrook apartments, the apartment manager, Detective Paredez, and a Sergeant Wright of the Twin Falls police had a conversation about the knife that the victim (and others) said was used by the perpetrators. (The fourteen-year-old attacker had cut an eight-year-old girl two weeks before this attack; the boy used his blue pocket knife. The mother of this child had entered a complaint against him at the time of the rape, but later dropped it for fear of retaliation.)

On June 20, the family met with Grant P. Loebs, the prosecuting attorney, and Janice Kroegar at the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Loebs rambled through a “victim’s services package list” and stated that Angela Beeson would be the victim’s advocate for the family. The parents requested a restraining order, but Loebs and Kroegar appeared uncertain if a seven-year-old could have such an order filed against him. Loebs said that he had given three interviews in order to “clear up” the confusion and “set the facts straight.” Loebs stated that “the system” was “not prepared” to deal with a seven-year-old.

Later that day, Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury made a public statementpraising the police department, CARES, and the City Council. He called the rape “lewd and lascivious” and said it was a case of “boys acting out.”

During the next week, a supporter of the family, Julie Ruf, took dictation from Grandma Jo for her sworn affidavit. Ruf typed it up as it was spoken to her. Grandma Jo reviewed the affidavit and then took it to her bank, signed it and had it notarized. She then gave it to the victim’s parents so they could give it to their attorney.

On June 21, the Twin Falls Police Department sent an officer to search the Fawnbrook apartment complex for the knife. The officer spoke to a friend of the family who informed him that the knife was known to be a blue pocket knife that the perpetrators hid in a Russian olive tree on an empty lot nearby. Officer confirmed that the area around the tree appeared to have someone “hang out there often.” Then pictures were taken with him and kids in his police car.

On June 23, the Sudanese boys were arraigned for a second time. They were released to their parents and a second Sudanese family. Angie Beeson discussed court procedure with the parents of the victim. A supporter of the family warned Beeson that if the boys were released, they may be a flight risk; Angie answered that they would just need to be arrested again if they fled. Papers were signed by victim’s parents, but it is uncertain what they were. An observer in courtroom indicated that Janice Kroeger didn’t appear confident and was apparently reading from a book; at one point, Kroeger actually asked the judge if she was doing okay (in reference to her actions in the proceedings).

On the same day, Fawnbrook apartments issued an eviction notice to both the Sudanese and Iraqi families that were involved in the rape. The Sudanese immediately began to move out, and were gone by Monday the 27th.

The next day, Wendy J. Olson, U.S. Attorney for Idaho, issued her notorious statementwarning that giving out “false information” about the perpetrators could violate federal law.

On June 24, a No-Contact order was issued, as per the parents of the victim’s request, against all three assailants. Sergeant Wright stated that it would not be entered into the Police Department’s record until days later.

On June 27, the mother of victim called 911 offices in Twin Falls to request a copy of her public record 911 transcripts. The woman on the phone told her that she wasn’t sure that the victim’s mother would be “allowed” to have those, and that she would need to contact the prosecutor’s office. The prosecuting attorney’s office called back with the answer that no documents would be handed over until the case was closed, because it was a sealed case.

That afternoon at a meeting of the Twin Falls City Council meeting, Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar gave a soliloquy absolving the City Council of responsibility and telling the community to calm down. Julie Ruf told the council that the Iraqi child was still running free in the complex and playing among the other children. The victim and her family, consequently, were shut away in their home to protect themselves. From this evening on, the Iraqi boy remained mostly in his apartment, as did his mother or grandmother (it was difficult to determine which she was).

Also on June 27, Nevada Assemblywomen Michele Fiore and Shelly Shelton were traveling through Twin Falls on the way home, and stopped at Fawnbrook to offer aid and comfort to the victim and her family. Fiore called Detective Paredez to ask him for the case number (which the parents did not have), and was treated disrespectfully by him.

On June 28, Olson issued a second statement to clarify her inflammatory and authoritarian June 24 statement.

That day, the parents met at Jaker’s restaurant in Twin Falls with attorney Bruce Skaug. The parents requested that Julie Ruf remain with them during this meeting, but Skaug insisted otherwise, and Ruf left. The parents then signed a contract with Skaug — under duress, due to their vulnerable emotional condition. They gave Skaug Grandma Jo’s affidavit. Despite their subsequent requests that he return it, he has not done so.

In Jaker’s restaurant, Julie Ruf saw, at another table with the private investigator for Bruce Skaug, another attorney, Jeff Rolig. He was seated in a booth that placed him shoulder-to-shoulder with Skaug, with a glass and pony wall divider between them.

On June 29, the parents of the victim told Skaug to cease work on the case and to send them a copy of their contract and his billable hours.

The mother of the victim went with her neighbor to the Twin Falls Police Department: the neighbor intended to drop charges against same Iraqi boy who knifed her daughter two weeks before the rape. While she was there, Detective Paredez, Sergeant Wright, and another officer asked to speak with the victim’s mother. They escorted her behind two locked security doors and proceeded to grill and intimidate her until she was crying. Paredez specifically mentioned Assemblywoman Michele Fiore’s phone call.

The victim’s mother had called Julie Ruf, but Ruf arrived after the police had escorted her to a back room. Ruf asked to be taken to her since she had requested it, but no officer was sent to unlock the double security doors.

Upon returning to lobby, the victim’s mother was visibly shaken, but proceeded in the lobby with a written request for her 911 transcripts. She passed the written request through the deposit drawer in the lobby. No proof of the request, or denial of it, was given to her.

On July 6, the parents called Skaug and left him a message, again to dismiss him as their lawyer. They asked him for a copy of their signed contract and billable hours, and asked him to return their paperwork.

That same day, the mother called CARES for a copy of her daughter’s medical records. A CARES employee told her that CARES does not release records and transferred her call to a second CARES employee, identified as Sarah. There followed a discussion about counseling for the victim. Sarah said that CARES did not print out medical records and told the victim’s mother that Paredez had the paperwork, and that it may already have been submitted to the prosecuting attorney.

The mother of the victim then called Paredez, using the police department’s general number). She asked him for the CARES medical records. Paredez responded that they were in the case file, and told that mother that she would need to fill out another public record request for the release of the CARES medical records.

The mother then called Angie Beeson for help with the release of the public records and medical records. Beeson told her that the case was sealed, that the parents may need to be witnesses if the case went to trial, and that “everything needs to be from your own mind.” She told the mother: “You as a mother can’t be denied medical records, but CARES may not release the records,” and that the prosecuting attorney couldn’t release anything until the case was over. The mother of victim offered to file a written request for the records; Beeson said that she would need to ask Grant Loebs, but that she shouldn’t need to put it in writing, that her word should be good enough.

The next day, July 7, Grant Loebs called the mother of victim to tell her that he had received notice from Bruce Skaug that he had been dismissed. Loebs directly asked the mother of victim why the family had dismissed Skaug; they did not give him an answer.

On July 8, there was an Admit or Deny hearing for the seven-year-old Iraqi attacker, with Judge Thomas Borreson presiding. The boy pleaded not guilty. The Protection Order against the boy was altered from 300 yards to 100 feet, and included the supervision of someone 14 and older. He remains in his home with his “mother” and unidentified adult males.

On July 9 at 11:00PM, the mother of the victim called Julie Ruf; she had been frightened by a carload of male Muslims who stopped in front of her apartment building and stared at her. She had allowed her daughter to play late after the other children went in — sunset was at about 9:30PM. She saw one male go into an apartment and get something before she went into her own home. As far as she could see, what he got appeared to be a firearm.

By 11:30PM, the family was hearing loud noises. The mother texted and then called Ruf again. Something began hitting their house. Ruf advised them to call the Twin Falls Police Department. The police arrived quickly and told the family that they believed that what had been hitting the house were bottle rockets being fired by teens nearby. The family had a terrified and sleepless night.

On July 12, Angie Beeson called father of the victim to inform him that she would no longer be acting as their advocate. She said they should contact Grant Loebs as their advocate, and also said that she would be mailing them something. Loebs later called the victim’s mother, but she did not answer. When he called again, she did answer, and Loebs talked for a very long time. He informed her that he would be their advocate now, and that they were not to contact Beeson. Loebs suggested that Beeson may have been threatened, but didn’t say so directly.

On July 13, Susan Tully of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) met with people in Twin Falls, after which she was invited to meet the victims. She apparently called Angie Beeson to attempt to resolve the victim’s issues. It is unclear whether or not she reached Beeson, but the victim’s mother was notified later that day that Tully had spoken to the prosecutor, who made sure that Tully understood that the victim’s parents could go see the paperwork (including the 911 transcripts and medical report), but could not have or make copies.

That night, at the Twin Falls County Precinct committee meeting, Loebs spoke to the Republican members (about 35 to 40 people). An eyewitness said that Loebs referred to “the alleged raping,” claimed that there was a “quick response of the police department,” and said that the media was making things seem much worse than they were, as the incident had been “blown out of proportion.” He said that “two of the three suspects were arrested and held for four days.”

Loebs also said: “The victim’s family is confused; I spoke to them for twenty minutes the day before.” He added, “Twin Falls is not a corrupt place, it’s safe,” and said, that the case was not significant, as there were other rape cases.

This travesty of justice is ongoing. It must end. Contact these people and demand justice for this poor little girl and her family:

Grant P. Loebs (Prosecuting Attorney) 208-736-4020

Janice L. Kroeger (Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney) jkroeger@co.twin-falls.id.us(208) 733-7899

Angela “Angie” Beeson (Director of Victim Services) angela-b@co.twin-falls.id.us (208) 736-4164

Jeff Rolig (local attorney for Fawnbrook Apartments) http://www.jroliglaw.com/ (208) 733-0075

Jeff Passadore (Head attorney for Fawnbrook Apartments) (503) 702-0535

Bruce Skaug (208) 466-0030 Meridian, Idaho attorney

Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore http://votefiore.com/ (702) 985-8142

Nevada Assemblywoman Shelly Shelton http://www.shellysheltonnevada.com/

Wendy J. Olson, U.S. Attorney for Idaho https://www.justice.gov/usao-id/meet-us-attorney

We will not be letting this case go. Watch my future articles and my websitePamelaGeller.com for updates.

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Islamic Supremacists Object to Billboards calling on Muslims to Report Suspicious Behavior

July 18, 2016/in National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Clarion Project

Billboards placed by a Pakistani organization urging Muslims to report suspicious activity are being attacked by CAIR and other Islamic Organizations.

Billboards placed in suburban Chicago by an American Pakistani organization urging Muslims to report suspicious activity are being attacked by CAIR and other Islamic Organizations.

The billboards read: “Muslims to Muslims: See Something. Say Something. Save Innocent Lives.” They were paid for by the Association of Pakistani Americans of Bolingbrook.

Talat Rashid, founder of the association, said the message to Muslims is to report any activity that might be indicative of a planned terror attack. To Americans, the message is meant to be that most American Muslims are also against terror attacks.

It’s his way of doing something productive as well as countering Islamophobia. A report in a local news outlet, the Belleville News-Democrat writes, “Rashid said he and members of his organization knew some people wouldn’t like the billboards, but that the members believe the message is a proactive way of teaching the public about the difference between Muslim beliefs and extreme radicals who aren’t welcomed by the community.”

CAIR is one of those that objects to the billboards. Ahmed Rehab, executive director of Chicago’s Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), says there is no data that proves that Muslims don’t speak up when they see suspicious activity and thinks the billboard can create problems of Islamophobia for the Muslim in the community.

“I’m in the business of countering Islamophobia. I know that work needs to be done,” Rehab was quoted as saying. “I just don’t think that cementing a misperception on a billboard is going to help.”

CAIR’s poster discouraging the Muslim community from talking to the FBI

Rehab is being disingenuous. Ironically, it was a CAIR branch in California that started a campaign with two slogans: “Build a Wall of Resistance” and “Don’t talk to the FBI.” The poster was made to CAIR’s poster discouraging the Muslim community from talking to the FBI promote a 2011 conference called “FBI Raids and Grand Jury Subpoenas: Know Your Rights and Defend Our Communities.”

When objections to the poster were voiced, CAIR twisted the facts to play victim (its often-used modus operandi). “The entire American-Muslim community is under the microscope right now with a cottage industry of Muslim bashers,” said Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director and spokesperson for CAIR, at the time.

“We’re used to this kind of attack by the Islamophobic hate machine,” he added.

At the time, Hooper magnanimously acknowledged, “There is some justification in terms of the possibility of misinterpretation of this poster.”

Still, the poster and its message have been long-promoted.

Mohammed Kaiseruddin chairman of the Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago, also objected to the billboard. “It’s so vague,” he said. “‘See something.’ That could mean profiling. That could mean somebody Middle Eastern wearing a long beard. And ‘Say Something?’ Say to who?”

Kaiseruddin is also being disingenuous. He knows very well who suspicious activity should be reported to. By asking the question, “Say to Who?” it is understood that he doesn’t not trust law enforcement with such information.

His fear that Muslims would be “profiled” due to such a slogan is also meant to turn the tables to play victim. One would assume that since the poster is aimed at the Muslim community, “somebody Middle Eastern wearing a beard” would not cause alarm in and of itself in a community where being Middle Eastern can be the norm as can wearing a beard.

When Islamists and their allies filed a lawsuit against the NYPD for their legal intelligence-gathering activities in New Jersey, the judge threw the suit out, saying, “The police could not have monitored New Jersey for Muslim terrorist activities without monitoring the Muslim community itself … The motive for the program was not solely to discriminate against Muslims, but to find Muslim terrorists hiding among the ordinary law-abiding Muslims.”

In fact, many terror attacks in the U.S. were foiled because Muslims spoke up against radicalized members of their communities. A Homeland Security report showed that three-fourths of foreign fighters arrested in the U.S. were caught due to confidential informants close to them. In many and probably most cases, these informants were Muslims.

If CAIR and its allies were really interested in countering “Islamophobia” as well as promoting civil rights for all Americans, they would jump on the bandwagon of this campaign.

If “average” Muslims were perceived by the greater American public as actively fighting Islamist terrorism, there would be far less prejudice against them. And if more terror attacks were prevented because of it, all Americans would be enjoying a greater level of security.

Who could object to that?

Meira Svirsky is the editor of ClarionProject.org

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Clinton, Bush Implicated in Covering Up Saudi Terror in U.S.

July 18, 2016/in Featured, National Security, Policy, Politics/by Clarion Project

The recently-declassified pages of the 9/11 report implicated both administrations, saying they ignored the Saudi network in the U.S.

The 28 pages of the recently-declassified report on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack not only implicated the Saudi government and its network on U.S. soil, it implicates the Clinton and Bush Administrations in covering up that network and stopping the FBI from protecting America from it.

Page 11 states:

“Prior to September 11th, the FBI apparently did not focus investigative [censored]…Saudi nationals in the United States due to Saudi Arabia’s status as an American ‘ally.’…A representative of the FBI’s [censored] testified in closed hearings that, prior to September 11th, the FBI received ‘no reporting from any member of the Intelligence Community’ that there is a [censored] presence in the United States.”

The censoring of the documents leaves us to wonder what specific terror-related presence the documents are referring to, but it is very clear that it is a network linked to the Saudi government and insufficient investigative resources were allotted for it because of those linkages.

Repeat: A terrorist network threatening Americans was “apparently” not properly addressed because it wasn’t worth offending the government of Saudi Arabia, even though the documents say the Saudi government was, as one veteran FBI agent was quoted as saying, “useless and obstructionist” on counter-terrorism.

The scandalous revelations could impact the presidential campaign because the Clinton Administration had eight years to address this Saudi network in America.

The Bush Administration was in office for only 9 months, but cannot be absolved of blame. The files do not indicate that any change in direction was ordered before the attacks and it chose to classify the pages exposing the Saudis in the 2002 report.

The Bush Administration also opted not to blacklist two terror-tied organizations with strong Saudi ties: Muslim World League and International Islamic Relief Organization. The former also has strong links to Huma Abedin and her family, one of the closest advisers to Hillary Clinton.

Perhaps that decision has something to do with the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who was so close to the Bush family that he was nicknamed “Bandar Bush.”

It turns out “Bandar Bush” and his wife were up to their ears in terrorist activity. This includes the FBI finding copies of checks from February 1999 to May 2002 showing payments of $74,000 from his wife to the wife of one of the Saudi intelligence officers linked to the 9/11 hijackers for “nursing services.”

As you probably assumed, the FBI found no evidence that these services were actually rendered.

An unlisted phone number to the Colorado-based company that handled the affairs of “Bandar Bush” was found in the possession of Abu Zubaydah, one of the most senior Al-Qaeda leaders at the time. The documents contain much more than that to show that this “moderate” was intricately involved in the Saudi-backed jihadist network.

Documents obtained by the Clarion Project show that President Bush was actually scheduled to meet with representatives from the Saudi-linked Muslim Brotherhood network on the very day of the attacks, September 11, 2001. This was the fruition of the Republican Party and Bush presidential campaign’s embrace of Islamists, many of whom belonged to the Saudi-backed Brotherhood network.

The relationship continued after the 9/11 attacks, but frayed as some of those same Islamists faced investigations and prosecutions.

The Saudi regime is known as one of the most prolific influence-peddlers. Former CIA case officer Robert Baer, wrote in his bookSleeping with the Devil: How Washington Sold its Soul for Saudi Crude:

“Saudi money also seeped into the bureaucracy. Any Washington bureaucrat with a room-temperature IQ knows that if he stays on the right side of the kingdom, one way or another, he’ll be able to finagle his way to feed at the Saudi trough. A consulting contract with Aramco, a chair at American University, a job with Lockheed—it doesn’t matter.

There’s hardly a living former assistant secretary of state for the Near East, CIA director, White House staffer, or member of Congress who hasn’t ended up on the Saudi payroll in one way or another, or so it sometimes seems. With this kind of money waiting out there, of course Washington’s bureaucrats don’t have the backbone to take on Saudi Arabia.”

A search of the Foreign Agents Registration Act website shows 14 active foreign agents of Saudi Arabia, including the Podesta Group. It is led by a major Democratic Party financier who is the brother of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign manager. The group is paid $140,00 per month by the Saudis.

In his Farewell Address, President George Washington repeatedly urged Americans to be on guard against this type of activity, saying “foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.”

The “spirit of party,” Washington warned, “opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

Every American should be reminded of his words in light of the newly-released documents.

ABOUT RYAN MAURO

Ryan Mauro is ClarionProject.org’s national security analyst, a fellow with Clarion Project and an adjunct professor of homeland security. Mauro is frequently interviewed on top-tier television and radio. Read more, contact or arrange a speaking engagement.

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EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is of former presidents Bill Clinton (L) and George W. Bush. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Terrorism is about Ideology, not Guns

July 18, 2016/in Gun Rights, National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion/by Matthew Hausman, J.D.

After the recent mass shooting in Orlando, President Obama predictably refused to blame radical Islam, although in a break from his usual practice he at least identified it as an act of terrorism. But in addressing the nation shortly afterward, he displayed more anger at Republicans who chided him for refusing to identify the enemy.

Mr. Obama petulantly mocked his critics, asserting that using the term “radical Islam” would not make ISIS less radical. He seemed oblivious to the fact that jihad today is being waged by a variety of organizations and regimes besides ISIS – including Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Republic of Iran – and that it is indeed motivated by religion. He concluded by polemicizing about gun control, which has absolutely no causal connection to Islamist terrorism, instead of extremist religious doctrine, which does.

And many in the American Jewish establishment followed his lead, treating the massacre as a hate crime fueled by lax gun laws.

The mainstream media had a field day speculating whether the shooter, Omar Mateen, was secretly gay and whether his murder of forty-nine and wounding of fifty-three was an act of self-hatred. Ignored in such glib analysis was the fact that Mateen seems to have had a history of radicalization –travelling to Saudi Arabia twice before the attack, openly pledging allegiance to ISIS, and bragging to coworkers about supposed connections to Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.

Investigators believe Mateen communicated with his wife and another person during the attack, suggesting collaborative planning rather than emotional action compelled by self-loathing. At no time during the assault did Mateen shout anti-gay slurs; nor did he articulate any as he posted comments on twitter and Facebook during his rampage. This is significant because, while he certainly targeted a gay nightclub, he did so because it was a symbol of what Islamists reject and seek to eradicate. He could just as easily have assaulted a church, public school, or Jewish community center as “infidel” institutions, and in fact authorities believe he had considered attacking Disney World.

In a familiar pattern, the president attempted to obscure the role of radical Islam – aided by Attorney General Loretta Lynch, whose Department of Justice initially redacted all references to ISIS and Islam from transcripts of Mateen’s telephone calls and social media posts. Lynch publicly claimed transparency even as she was attempting to keep critical information from the public. The DOJ changed course and released uncensored transcripts within a few days, but only after an uproar from Congressional Republicans.

However, Lynch still seemed intent on minimizing any connection to radical Islam. “I cannot tell you definitively that we will ever narrow it down to one motivation,” she said in one interview, adding, “People often act out of more than one motivation.” Would she have been so circumspect if it were a fundamentalist Christian assaulting an abortion clinic?

Regardless of the narrative spin, the Orlando attack was not an anti-gay hate crime as the president intimated. Rather, it was an act of terrorism against a lifestyle that Islam considers a symbol of western decadence. In denying the role of Islamic radicalism, Mr. Obama seems more concerned about shielding extremists from critical scrutiny than protecting U.S. citizens from terrorism.

There have been many Islamist attacks in the U.S. over the last eight years besides the Orlando massacre, including: the San Bernardino shooting earlier this year; the Oklahoma beheading in 2014; the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013; multiple beheadings of Coptic Christians in New Jersey and shootings of Christian converts in Texas in 2012; the partial beheadings of three Jewish men in Waltham, Massachusetts in 2011; the murder of a soldier in Arkansas and massacre of thirteen at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009; and honor killings of Muslim women in multiple states. Despite compelling evidence of religious impetus, Mr. Obama has downplayed the role of radical Islam, and some establishment Jewish organizations have done the same.

A press release issued by the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly (“RA”) after the Orlando massacre ignored Mateen’s doctrinal motivations, focusing instead on gun control and sexual-identity politics. It stated in relevant part the following:

[P]rayer alone will not resolve the circumstances that made this tragedy possible and so we also issue a strong call for action.

This shooting rampage targeted the LGBT community in the midst of Pride month, a time where the LGBT community comes together to publicly acknowledge and celebrate their identities, their common history, and their struggle for social recognition and equality.

The RA has passed multiple resolutions calling on the community to ‘work for full and equal civil rights for gays and lesbians in our national life, deplore violence against gays and lesbians, encourage inclusion of gay and lesbian Jews in our congregations, and increase our awareness of issues facing gay and lesbian Jews.’ We know that we stand with people of good will of all faiths in continuing this work.

Everyone can agree that Mateen should not have been allowed to purchase a gun. But that’s a different issue from the administration’s implication that terrorism is caused by access to firearms.

We urge the United States Congress and the President of the United States to take meaningful steps toward ending this horrifying violence in our communities by passing common-sense gun legislation. As recently as our May 2016 convention, the Rabbinical Assembly issued a resolution encouraging our members to lobby local, state and federal lawmakers to support required background checks on all public and private gun sales, bans on military style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and legislation making gun trafficking a federal crime with severe penalties.

This statement seems to conflate Mateen’s actions with inadequate gun control and bias crime, but ignores the role of radical Islam. However, the failure to mention Islamist extremism when purporting to address “the circumstances that made this tragedy possible” is to ignore the most essential circumstance of all.

Compare this statement to that issued by the Orthodox Union:

The Orthodox Union strongly condemns the violent attack perpetrated this past weekend in Orlando, Florida. While all the facts surrounding the terrible crime are yet to be revealed, it is clear that those people who were murdered and grievously injured were targeted because of their identification with the LGBT community. All people of good will must condemn such violence. No American should be assailed due to his or her personal identity. All acts of terrorism against any group must be vigorously defended against and thwarted.

The Orthodox Union expresses its sincere condolences to the families of those who perished and prays for the full recovery of those injured. We support the work of law enforcement to fully investigate this terrible incident and bring to justice anyone who supported the perpetrator.

The OU’s statement clearly identified the role of terrorism and focused on the victims as victims, not martyrs to a partisan cause. The RA’s release, on the other hand, promoted an essentially secular, political agenda and imbued it with religiosity.

Unfortunately, Mateen purchased a gun despite having been on the “no-fly” list, and this should never have been allowed to happen. But security lapses have become all too common since the Obama administration began restraining intelligence practices, hampering law enforcement, and stifling public discourse through institutionalized political correctness.

The hand of political correctness was clearly evident when the FBI purged its anti-terrorism training manuals of material deemed offensive to Muslims, when the military failed to discipline Nidal Hasan for communicating with known Islamists before his attack at Fort Hood, and when Attorney General Lynch threatened to prosecute people for criticizing Islam after San Bernardino.

Everyone can agree that Mateen should not have been allowed to purchase a gun. But that’s a different issue from the administration’s implication that terrorism is caused by access to firearms. Considering that most domestic and international terrorist attacks involve illegal weapons, explosives and knives, it is misguided and irresponsible to link Islamist terror to gun control, especially by an administration that ignores the ideological motivation for most of today’s terrorism or cynically misrepresents it as generic criminality.

None of this appears to concern many in the liberal Jewish establishment, who after nearly eight years of a virulently anti-Israel administration and a dramatic rise in global anti-Semitism, seem more concerned about advancing the progressive agenda. In the process, many have allied themselves with anti-Semites who despise Israel and promote Jew-hatred.

Jews are free to follow their consciences in supporting or opposing gun control legislation – or any other hot button political issue. However, it is disingenuous to invoke Jewish values to sanctify a partisan platform absent a mandate from traditional rabbinic sources or normative halakha. This is particularly so when Jewish imprimatur is bestowed by secular Jews unfamiliar with (or contemptuous of) Jewish law, or by nontraditional movements that modify the law in conformity with popular culture or do not feel bound by it at all.

People of good will should be allowed to disagree on matters of policy without being vilified by the progressive establishment, particularly when dissent flows from traditional values and observance. It is disingenuous to give Jewish moral sanction to issues on which halakha is silent or opposed, and irresponsible for Jewish leadership to ignore existential threats for the sake of politics.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in Arutz Sheva – Israel National News.

76% of Republicans and 38% of Democrats want to ‘Admit Fewer Refugees’

July 18, 2016/in Elections, Immigration, Must Read, National Security, Policy, Politics/by Ann Corcoran

I was surprised to see that this large number—38%—of Democrats think our refugee admissions are too high!

Readers you have to wade through a lot of column inches before you get to what I consider the meat of this story by AP. It sure looks like Americans generally are not in agreement with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on admitting tens of thousands of refugees from mostly Muslim countries, especially Syrians.

Associated Press at WHIO (12 paragraphs into the story). Emphasis below is mine:

Americans are slightly more likely to oppose than favor a temporary ban on Muslims who are not U.S. citizens from entering the United States, by a 52 percent to 45 percent margin that has been strikingly consistent in AP-GfK polls conducted this year.

Sixty-nine percent of Republicans say they favor the temporary ban on Muslim immigration, while 68 percent of Democrats are opposed. Half of whites and just a third of non-whites say they favor the ban. Seventy-six percent of Trump supporters are in favor.

On a trip to Scotland last month, Trump shifted his rhetoric, saying he would instead “want terrorists out” of the U.S., and to do so, he would limit people’s entry from “specific terrorist countries and we know who those terrorist countries are.”

The poll indicates that rhetorical shift could win support. Among those asked more broadly about a temporary ban on immigrants from areas of the world where there is a history of terrorism against the U.S. or its allies, 63 percent are in favor and 34 percent opposed. Ninety-four percent of Trump supporters say they favor this proposal, as do 45 percent of Clinton supporters.

“That’s a necessity for creating stability,” said Ryan Williams, 40, a health care provider from Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Most Americans — 53 percent — think the United States is currently letting in too many refugees from Syria, engulfed in civil war since 2011 and the Islamic State militant group’s de facto center. President Barack Obama has pledged to admit some 10,000 Syrian refugees this year.

Remember Hillary is on record saying she wants to admit 65,000 Syrians immediately (only 11 percent of Americans agree with her!):

Another 33 percent think the current level is about right, while just 11 percent want to let in more. About 4 in 10 think there’s a very or somewhat high risk of refugees committing acts of religious or political violence in the United States, 34 percent think the risk moderate, and 24 percent consider it very or somewhat low.

Seventy-six percent of Republicans think the U.S. should allow fewer refugees. Among Democrats, 43 percent think the current level is about right, 38 percent think the U.S. should allow fewer, and 18 percent want to allow more.

This tells me that Trump has to continue to pound the issue of refugees! (And, that the propagandists at The Hive have their work cut out for them).

BTW, if every American could see what I’ve seen over the last two days on my road trip, these numbers would be even higher!

One more thing…I’ve heard several times lately that some Americans think that the U.S. refugee program is a temporary one for the refugees, that they only come here until things calm down in their home countries. That is NOT the case! Refugees who come to the U.S. come here permanently and ultimately become citizens.

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PODCAST: Supremacist Parallels — Dallas, Baton Rouge and Nice, France

July 18, 2016/in Culture War, National Security, Policy, Politics, Religion, Video/by Jerry Gordon

In this discussion on the Lisa Benson Radio Show, experts connect the dots between the slaughter in Dallas, Texas, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Nice, France.

Do you see the parallels?

Following are remarks from an astute European listener:

I just finished listening to the Podcast. “When some politicians and the media come out to openly incite the people against the police as in the US and they are not held to any account for the harm that happens to the police in the aftermath shows that the laws in the country are slack and if nothing is done this incitement will grow and could be extremely dangerous because too many trigger happy individuals will be there to continue killing law officers.

The BLM groups are being used by some people to bring protestors out into the streets and when the police are there to disperse them or stop them looting they are shot at with the only aim of killing human beings who are doing their jobs.

Officer Stalien has openly stated the dire situation in which the police forces are in today’s US.

Nidra Poller’s account after her analysis are spot on. The European states have let extremist Islam take over the Moslem communities either by brain washing their congregants or by blackmailing them. No authorities in the EU had even dreamed of what this danger was and regretfully today their numbers having grown to such high percentages that the authorities have no instruments to vett them and bring them to court with charges. The show was good, but I regret that there being so much to talk on these two cases the time was not enough.”

Also note the similarities between the Dallas perpetrator, Micah X. Johnson and Gavin Long. Both were military veterans and both had connections to the Nation of Islam.

Please listen to understand the truth behind domestic terrorism from supremacists of all types.

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2016 GOP Convention Program Schedule

July 18, 2016/in Courts & Law, Elections, Featured, Policy, Politics/by Dr. Rich Swier

CLEVELAND, Ohio /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Jeff Larson, CEO of the 2016 Republican National Convention, today released an updated program for the “Make America Great Again” convention, July 18-21, in Cleveland.

Veterans, political outsiders, faith leaders and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump’s family members will lead an unconventional lineup of speakers who have real-world experience and will make a serious case against the status quo and for an agenda that will make America great again.

Daily Themes & Headliners:
Monday: Make America Safe Again
Headliners: Melania Trump, Lieutenant General (ret.) Michael Flynn, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jason Beardsley and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke (Mont.).

Tuesday: Make America Work Again
Headliners: Tiffany Trump, Kerry Woolard, Donald Trump, Jr., U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Ben Carson and Kimberlin Brown.

Wednesday: Make America First Again
Headliners: Lynne Patton; Eric Trump; former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence, whom Donald Trump has chosen as his vice presidential running mate.

Thursday: Make America One Again
Headliners: Peter Thiel, Tom Barrack, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump

A fuller list of daily program speakers and their backgrounds follows:

Monday: Make America Safe Again

From attacks on our own soil and overseas to the tragedy in Benghazi, the policies of Barack Obama andHillary Clinton have left us vulnerable. Our immigration system is broken, leaving our country open to security threats and the negative consequences of illegal immigration. A Donald Trump administration will listen to and learn from our nation’s heroes who have put themselves in harm’s way and pursue a national security strategy and foreign policy that will strengthen our military and make America safe again.

Prime-Time Speakers
Please note: The speakers below are part of the prime-time program, which will follow Monday afternoon’s Convention Business Session.

Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander, star of Duck Dynasty
The star of A&E’s hit series Duck Dynasty, Willie Robertson, is the CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander, a New York Times bestselling author, traveling speaker, father of five, and an avid outdoorsman.

Governor Rick Perry, Former Governor of Texas
A fifth-generation Texan, Perry grew up in Haskell County. His parents were cotton farmers, and Perry was among the first in his family to attend college. Perry served as Texas’ lieutenant governor from 1999 to 2000. In 2000, he was elected governor and remains the longest-serving governor in Texas history.

Marcus Luttrell, U.S. Navy SEAL
Marcus Luttrell is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL and author of the book Lone Survivor, in which he tells the harrowing tale of a fierce battle in eastern Afghanistan in 2005. Since returning from war, Luttrell has started the Lone Survivor Foundation and become involved with The Boot Campaign. He also has written a second book, Service, which honors and praises all members of the military.

Scott Baio, Actor and Television Producer
Scott Baio is an actor and television producer. He landed his first starring role in the 1976 movie Bugsy Maloneand is known for portraying memorable characters on several hit television shows, including Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and Charles In Charge. More recently, he has appeared in the Emmy Award-winning show Arrested Development and the Nick at Nite comedy See Dad Run, which he also produces. When he was young, Baio campaigned for Ronald Reagan, and in the 2016 GOP primary, he endorsed presumptive nomineeDonald Trump.

Pat Smith, Mother of Benghazi victim, Sean Smith
Patricia (Pat) Smith is the mother of Sean Smith, who was killed during the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012. Ever since that night, Smith has sought to learn the truth behind the events that led to the death of four Americans, including her only child.

Mark Geist, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Fought in Battle of Benghazi
Mark “Oz” Geist was a member of the Annex Security Team that fought the Battle of Benghazi in Libya fromSeptember 11 to September 12, 2012. A Colorado native, Geist joined the United States Marine Corps in 1984 and served for 12 years.

John Tiegen, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Fought in Battle of Benghazi
John “Tig” Tiegen was a member of the Annex Security Team that fought during the attack in Benghazi, Libyaon September 11, 2012. He is responsible for saving many lives and has been recognized for his bravery. He has since co-authored the New York Times best-selling book 13 Hours, the harrowing tale of what really happened in Benghazi.

Kent Terry and Kelly Terry-Willis, The Brian Terry Foundation
Brian Terry was a Border Patrol agent who died tragically while protecting our nation’s border with Mexico. His death was a result of Operation Fast and Furious, a gun-walking operation gone wrong that put assault weapons into the hands of Mexican narco-terrorists. Kent Terry and Kelly Terry-Willis, Brian’s siblings, carry on his legacy through the Brian Terry Foundation.

Antonio Sabato, Jr., Actor
Daytime television viewers know actor Antonio Sabato Jr. for his roles on General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful.

Mary Ann Mendoza, Immigration Reform Advocate
Mary Ann Mendoza is a passionate advocate for immigration reform because she has experienced the consequences of our failed system. This May marked the second anniversary of her son Brandon’s death. Brandon, a Mesa Police Sergeant, was 32 when a drunk driver traveling on the wrong side of the highway crashed head-on into the car he was driving. The drunk driver was in the United States illegally, and despite being convicted of crimes years earlier, he was not deported.

Sabine Durden, Immigration Reform Advocate
Sabine Durden is an advocate for immigration reform. In 2012, her son Dominic died in a motorcycle accident when he was a hit by a truck driven by an unlicensed, uninsured, and unregistered driver who was in the United States illegally. In the wake of losing her only son, Sabine has been a vocal critic of our immigration system and has lobbied the federal government to defund sanctuary cities that do not actively search, prosecute, or detain unauthorized immigrants.

Jamiel Shaw, Immigration Reform Advocate
On March 2, 2008, Jamiel Shaw’s son, Jamiel Andre‘ Shaw, II (Jas), was murdered while returning home from the Beverly Center Mall in Los Angeles, California. The shooter was a gang member in the United Statesillegally. He had been released from jail less than 24 hours before he killed Jas, even though there was a deportation hold on him. In honor of Jas’s life, Jamiel Sr. has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about our broken immigration system.

U.S. Representative Michael McCaul (TX-10)
U.S. Rep. Michael T. McCaul is currently serving his sixth term representing Texas’ 10th District in the United States House of Representatives. During his tenure, McCaul has developed a strong track record of fighting for lower taxes and less government spending. He serves as Chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.

David Clarke, Sheriff of Milwaukee County
David Clarke is the sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He began his career in law enforcement with theMilwaukee Police Department (MPD). In 1992, he was promoted to lieutenant of detectives, and in 1996, he earned a promotion to captain of police and became part of the department’s command staff. As captain, Clarke was responsible for the department’s First Division, and in 1999, he became commanding officer of the MPD’s Intelligence Division.

U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-7)
U.S. Representative Sean Duffy serves Wisconsin’s 7th District. Duffy is married to Rachel Campos-Duffy, whom he met while appearing on MTV’s hit television show The Real World, and the couple now has eight children. In Congress, Duffy is working to reduce government spending, lower taxes, promote individual freedom, and limit government intrusion.

Rachel Campos Duffy, The LIBRE Initiative
Rachel Campos-Duffy is the national spokeswoman for The LIBRE Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of the Hispanic community through conservative ideals. Campos-Duffy is also a commentator and television personality; she began her television career on MTV’s iconic reality television show, The Real World.

Darryl Glenn, El Paso County Commissioner
County Commissioner Darryl Glenn is the current Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Colorado, running to defeat incumbent U.S. Senator Michael Bennet in the general election this fall. Glenn won the Republican nomination with 37.5% of the vote in a crowded primary field.

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas)
For nearly five years, Cotton served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. He completed two combat tours, serving in Iraq with the 101st Airborne and in Afghanistan. Upon returning home, Cotton worked for McKinsey & Co. and served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2015, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he represents the state of Arkansas.

Karen Vaughn, Mother of fallen U.S. Navy SEAL
Karen Vaughn is the mother of fallen U.S. Navy SEAL Aaron Carson Vaughn (SEAL Team VI). On August 6, 2011, Aaron was killed in action in the Tangi River Valley of Afghanistan when a chopper (call sign Extortion 17) carrying thirty Americans was shot from the sky while rushing into battle. Over the past four years, Karen has emerged as a powerful spokeswoman for American forces fighting on foreign soil and securing peace across the globe.

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama)
U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions is serving his third term representing the people of Alabama. A senior member of the Armed Services Committee and the Budget Committee, he is also a member of the Judiciary Committee and chairman of its subcommittee on Immigration and National Interest. A strong advocate for securing the border, Sessions was the first U.S. Senator to endorse Donald Trump and has acted as a liaison between the Trump campaign and Capitol Hill.

Rudy Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York City
Giuliani was wrapping up his second term in office when New York City was attacked on September 11, 2001. Immediately following the attack, Giuliani coordinated rescue operations that saved as many as 20,000 lives. Because of his strong leadership in the aftermath of September 11th, Americans came to see him as a voice of reassurance and consolation during an uncertain time.

Melania Trump, Businesswoman and Wife of Donald Trump
Melania married Donald Trump in January 2005. In March 2006 they had their first child, Barron William Trump. Born on April 26, 1970 in Slovenia, Melania Knauss began her modeling career at the age of sixteen. At the age of eighteen, she signed with a modeling agency in Milan. After obtaining a degree in design and architecture at University in Slovenia, Melania was jetting between photo shoots in Paris and Milan, finally settling in New York in 1996. Melania is dedicated to helping others, and her generosity has been noted. She was Honorary Chairwoman for Martha Graham Dance Company in April 2005; is an active member of the Police Athletic League which honored her with Woman of the Year 2006; has been an Honorary Chairwoman for The Boy’s Club of New York for five consecutive years; and in 2005, the American Red Cross awarded her with Goodwill Ambassador, which she has proudly served for four years. In April of 2008, Melania was asked by Love Our Children USA and NASDAQ to participate in the Fifth Annual National Love Our Children Day and the beginning of National Child Abuse Prevention month by ringing the closing bell at NASDAQ.

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, U.S. Army (ret.)
Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn has spent his entire life and career serving his country. He served in various command and staff positions in the U.S. Army and as Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Partner Engagement before becoming Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency on July 24, 2012. During his time in the Army, Lieutenant General Flynn held high-ranking leadership posts at the Joint Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command. He served in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst has dedicated her life to Iowa and her country, having served in the military for over 23 years and now in the United States Senate. In November 2014, Ernst was elected as the first woman to serve in federal elected office from the State of Iowa and also became the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the United States Senate.

Jason Beardsley, Concerned Veterans for America
Jason Beardsley serves as Special Operations Advisor for Concerned Veterans for America and is the co-founder and CEO of The Underground Movement, a company that designs custom graphic t-shirts inspired by well-known and forgotten American heroes. Jason is a decorated military veteran with a combined 22 years of experience in the Army and Navy.

U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke (MT)
Congressman Ryan Zinke is currently serving the state of Montana’s at-large district in the United States House of Representatives. A former Navy SEAL, Zinke spent 23 years serving our country and fighting for America before entering public office. Continuously focused on giving back to the community that he grew up in, Zinke has used his time in office to push for improving the VA, reforming management of federal lands, preserving the future of family farming and ranching, and defending the Constitution.

Tuesday: Make America Work Again

The Obama years have delivered anemic economic growth, the lowest labor-force participation rate in 38 years, and job-killing regulations and legislation like Obamacare. These policies are crushing middle-class families, and a Hillary Clinton presidency would merely be an Obama third term that would deliver the same poor results. Donald Trump is a successful businessman with a solid record of creating jobs and the experience we need to get America’s economy up and running … and get Americans working again.

Prime-Time Speakers

Please note: The speakers below are part of the prime-time program, which will follow Tuesday’s Nomination Process.

Sharon Day, Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee
Sharon Day was elected Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee on January 14, 2011, and was re-elected on January 25, 2013. From 2009-2011, she served as RNC Secretary. She has served the Republican Party at the local, state, and national levels for more than 20 years.

Dana White, President, UFC
Dana White is the president and business visionary behind the success of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A self-described political independent, White has expressed his gratitude to presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump for helping the UFC succeed. Trump hosted the once-controversial mixed martial arts competitions at his Trump Taj Mahal casino property when other venues shunned the sport.

Governor Asa Hutchison, Governor of Arkansas
Asa Hutchinson is serving his first term as Governor of Arkansas. His main priority is bringing more jobs and economic growth to his native state, and he is working hard to make Arkansas an attractive place to locate a business.

Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas Attorney General
Rutledge’s election in 2014 was the first time a woman or a Republican had been elected Arkansas Attorney General. Rutledge has joined Arkansas with Texas and other states in challenging the constitutionality of the Obama Administration’s executive orders on immigration and in filing to protect personal property rights.

Michael B, Mukasey, Former Attorney General
Michael Mukasey served as Attorney General of the United States from November 2007 to January 2009. Prior to serving as Attorney General, Mukasey served as a judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, becoming Chief Judge in 2000.

Andy Wist, Businessman
Andy Wist founded the Standard Waterproofing Company in 1979. Beginning in his mom’s basement inBrooklyn, Andy grew the company into one of the largest roofing, waterproofing, and landmark restoration companies in New York City, that today counts more than 180 employees and is headquartered in the Bronx.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin)
Elected in 2010, Johnson has been fighting to get the country’s fiscal house in order. He is focused on reining in government spending and bringing jobs back to the people of Wisconsin. Before being elected to office, Johnson started a polyester and plastics manufacturing business, PACUR, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Running this small business, Johnson did everything from operating the equipment to keeping the company books.

Chris Cox, Executive Director of NRA Institute for Legislative Action
Chris Cox directs NRA’s nationwide legislative and political efforts. As a champion of the right to bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Cox has directed NRA’s electoral efforts at every level. He has been at the forefront of efforts resisting Obama administration gun control initiatives as well as abuses of power including the Justice Department’s Operation Fast and Furious effort that knowingly allowed guns to “walk” to Mexican drug cartels.

Natalie Gulbis, Golfer, LPGA
Natalie Gulbis is a professional golfer playing on the U.S.-based LPGA tour. The California native has played golf since the age of four and earned second place in Rookie of the Year points during her first year on tour in 2002. Gulbis starred in the 2005 and 2006 reality show, The Natalie Gulbis Show, which aired on The Golf Channel. Gulbis wrote a much-talked about piece on golf.com entitled “The Donald Trump I Know” in which she voiced her strong support for Donald Trump to become President of the United States.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell has represented the state of Kentucky since 1985, making him the state’s longest-serving senator. McConnell also serves in the Senate leadership; he is currently the Senate Majority Leader, and before assuming that role, he served an eight-year term as Senate Minority Leader.

U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (WI-1)
U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is the permanent chairman of the 2016 Republican National Convention. Born and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin, Ryan has spent his life advocating for real solutions that help increase opportunities for all Americans. He first won election to the U.S. House in 1999, and during his tenure, he has become known for his leadership on budget and fiscal matters.

U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23)
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has represented California in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007. A fourth-generation resident of Kern County, California, he grew up in a working-class family and ran a small business, Kevin O’s Deli. He has applied this background to his work on behalf of small businesses and positions on burdensome taxes and regulations.

Governor Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was a candidate for president in the 2016 Republican primary. First elected governor in 2010, he was re-elected to his second term in 2013. The governor’s top priorities include balancing the state’s budget, education reform, and changing the national conversation about drug addiction and treatment.

Tiffany Trump, Daughter of Donald Trump
Tiffany Trump was born October 13, 1993 to Donald Trump and Marla Maples. Raised in California, she is the second-youngest of Donald Trump’s children. Tiffany graduated from University of Pennsylvania this spring with a double major in sociology and urban studies. She is a fashion model, singer, and influential presence on social media.

Kerry Woolard, General Manager, Trump Winery
Kerry Woolard is the General Manager at Trump Winery, a 1,300-acre estate located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. A graduate of the College of William and Mary, Kerry has 15 years of winery management experience and has contributed to wine columns for the Wine Gazette and USA Today. In her role at Trump Winery, Kerry oversees all operations and has worked with Donald Trump to make the business a huge success.

Donald Trump, Jr., Son of Donald Trump and EVP, The Trump Organization
Donald J. Trump, Jr. is an innovator and leader in today’s business world. As an Executive Vice President at The Trump Organization, Donald Jr. works in tandem with his siblings Ivanka and Eric to expand the company’s real estate, retail, commercial, hotel and golf interests nationally and internationally. His extensive real estate development experience, rigorous education and inherent business sense add a level of detail and depth to the management of all current and future Trump projects.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia)
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in West Virginia’s history. In 1996, Capito was elected to the 31st District of the West Virginia House of Delegates, where she served two terms and was the minority chairman on the Health and Human Resources Committee and a member of the Judiciary and Banking and Insurance Committees.

Dr. Ben Carson, Neurosurgeon
A candidate for the presidency in this year’s Republican primary, Ben Carson grew up in a poor, single-parent household in Detroit, Michigan. Initially a student earning mediocre grades, his mother encouraged him to read and cultivated his love of learning. Between his degrees, Carson worked as an X-ray technician, a bank teller, a school bus driver, a supervisor for highway cleanup crews, and a crane operator in a steel factory.

Kimberlin Brown, Actor
An actress best known for her roles in the television dramas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, Kimberlin Brown is also a California avocado farmer, host of The Design Network’s interior designer show Dramatic Design, and a small business owner.

Wednesday: Make America First Again

America has always been an exceptional nation. Our Founding Fathers created a system of government that has protected our liberty, allowed American ingenuity to flourish, and lifted people out of poverty by creating the conditions for opportunity and prosperity. Unfortunately, years of bad policies and poor leadership have weakened our position in the world. Under a Trump administration, America will once again be a beacon of progress and opportunity.

Primetime Program, 7 P.M.

Laura Ingraham, Radio Host
A former white-collar defense attorney and Supreme Court law clerk, Laura Ingraham is the most-listened-to woman on political talk radio. The Laura Ingraham Show is ranked in radio’s Top 10, and heard coast-to-coast in 225 markets.

Phil Ruffin, Businessman
Ruffin is an American businessman with diverse interests in real estate, lodging, manufacturing, energy, and retail enterprises. Ruffin started his business in 1959 with a single convenience store and quickly grew to own 65 stores in four states. He currently holds 12 hotels in Kansas, Maryland, California, Oklahoma, Texas, andAlabama.

Pam Bondi, Attorney General of Florida
Pam Bondi is currently serving as Florida’s 37th Attorney General. Since being sworn into office on January 4, 2011, Bondi has worked tirelessly to protect the people of Florida and uphold the state’s laws and the Constitution. During her tenure, she has focused on defending Florida’s constitutional rights against the federal health care law.

Eileen Collins, Astronaut (retired)
Eileen Collins is an astronaut and veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. She was the first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission and logged over 537 hours in space during her tenure at NASA.

Michelle Van Etten, Small Business Owner
Michelle Van Etten is a small business owner who was recently featured in The Greatest Networkers in the World second edition. Michelle employs over 100,000 people and is a strong supporter of Donald Trump, knowing his policies will support businesses all across America.

Kentucky State Senator Ralph Alvarado, Jr.
Ralph Alvarado is currently serving as a Kentucky State Senator. Trained as a physician specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics, Alvarado worked as President of Winchester Medical Associates before joining KentuckyOne Medical Group. Alvarado’s experience as a small business owner gave him firsthand knowledge of how tough business ownership can be.

Darrell Scott, Pastor
Dr. Darrell C. Scott, Senior Pastor and Co-Founder of New Spirit Revival Center Ministries, has given his life to spreading the word of God and helping those in need. Scott started the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio on February 14, 1994, with just four members in attendance. His ministry has since grown to numbers in the thousands and has focused on reviving its Cleveland Community.

Harold Hamm, Continental Resources
Harold Hamm is an American entrepreneur and played a key role in the development of the technologies behind the United States’ recent renaissance in oil and natural gas production. Born in Lexington, Oklahoma, Hamm was the youngest of 13 children. With just a high-school education, Hamm started his own business at the age of 21. This grassroots startup, Continental Resources, soon became a NYSE-traded, Top 10 oil producer in the United States Lower 48.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
A candidate in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Scott Walker is the 45th governor of Wisconsin. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected to a second term in 2014. Upon taking office, Walker proposed bold reforms that eliminated Wisconsin’s $3.6 billion budget deficit without raising taxes. During his tenure in office, Walker has taken on public-sector labor unions, signing a bill to limit public employee collective bargaining and winning a recall election over the issue.

Lynne Patton, The Eric Trump Foundation
Lynne Patton is Vice President of The Eric Trump Foundation and Senior Assistant to Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump, Jr. As VP, Lynne works in tandem with the Executive Director/President of the Foundation to oversee all operations, volunteers, events, outreach, social media, vendors, and corporate partnerships. She assists with the planning of all major fundraising events for the Foundation. She also works to identify and develop viable partnerships and research projects for the Foundation in conjunction with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida)
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was a candidate in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. The son of Cuban immigrants who came to America in 1956, Rubio has spent most of his life in West Miami, Florida, leaving only for a six-year period when his parents moved their family to Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2010, Rubio ran for the U.S. Senate. During his term, he has championed efforts to restore the American Dream: Social Security and Medicare reform, greater access to affordable higher education, the revitalization of America’s military, efforts to grow the economy, and the empowerment of states and their citizens in the fight against poverty.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a candidate in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, won election to the United States Senate in 2012, where he represents the state of Texas. During his tenure in office, Cruz has led the fight to repeal Obamacare, to stop President Obama’s executive amnesty, and to defend life, marriage, and the U.S. Constitution.

Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization
Eric Trump currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for The Trump Organization. Alongside his father, Donald Trump, Eric works on new project acquisition, development and construction around the world. He has also spearheaded the rapid growth of the Trump Golf Collection. Eric attended Georgetown University where he earned a degree in finance and management. In 2006, he founded the Eric Trump Foundation to help raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Newt & Callista Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House and his wife
A candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, Newt Gingrich is best known as the architect of the Contract with America, the document that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. Callista Gingrich is the president of Gingrich Productions, a multimedia production company based in Washington, D.C. She and her husband host and produce historical and public policy documentaries.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence, Presumptive candidate for Vice President
Mike Pence was elected the 50th Governor of the State of Indiana in 2012. Since taking office, Pence has achieved the largest state tax cut in Indiana history while also lowering the business personal property tax and corporate income tax to attract new investment and bring more jobs to Indiana. He is the presumptive candidate for Vice President for Donald Trump.

Thursday: Make America One Again

America faces serious challenges at home and threats from abroad. In order to turn our challenges into opportunities and keep America secure, we need leadership that will focus on what unites us, not what divides us. Donald Trump will move our country beyond the divisive identity politics that have been holding us back by restoring leadership, building trust, and focusing on our shared love of country and our common goal of making America great again.

Primetime Program, 7:30 P.M.

Brock Mealer, Motivational Speaker
Brock Mealer is a walking miracle. After suffering a spinal cord injury on Christmas Eve of 2007, he was told he had a one percent chance he would ever walk again. Mealer’s story struck the hearts of millions of Americans. He sustained his injury in a car crash just five minutes away from his home. While his brother, an offensive lineman headed to the University of Michigan to play football, was able to free Brock from the wreckage, the two brothers lost their father, David, and Elliot’s girlfriend, Hollis Richer, in the crash. Today, Brock has conquered the odds and is able to walk again. He now shares his story with many, inspiring those he meets to join the one percent.

U.S Representative Marsha Blackburn (TN-7)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn was first elected to Congress from the 7th Congressional District of Tennessee in 2002. As a small business woman, author, mother, grandmother and Member of Congress, she has dedicated her service to making America a more prosperous place to live. No stranger to adversity and hard work, Marsha went to college on a 4-H scholarship and worked her way through school selling books for the Southwestern Company. She was one of their first female sales associates and one of their first female sales managers, assisting the company in establishing a division focused on women.

Governor Mary Fallin, Governor of Oklahoma
Mary Fallin is the current Governor of Oklahoma. The first woman elected to the job, Fallin earned the position through years of service to the people and the state of Oklahoma. Fallin started her career in politics serving two terms as a state representative. She then went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor, Congresswoman from the 5th District, and finally as Governor. Her tenure is also marked by the work she did when serving as the chairman of the National Governors Association, where she led a nationwide initiative to help better align education with the needs of a modern day workforce.

Dr. Lisa Shin, National Diversity Coalition for Trump
Dr. Lisa Shin, OD, is the owner of Los Alamos Family Eyecare, P.C. in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She is known and trusted as an authority on eye care and vision protection. Dr. Shin is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump. As a member of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump as well as a Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention, she has worked to support Donald Trump’s candidacy from New Mexico all the way to Cleveland, Ohio.

Reince Priebus, RNC Chairman
Reince Priebus’ three terms make him the longest-serving chairman in modern history. During his first term as chairman, Priebus oversaw a dramatic turnaround of the RNC, rescuing its finances, rebuilding the operations, and implementing the best ground game effort the committee had ever organized. Priebus dedicated his second term to taking the party’s message of freedom and economic opportunity to all states and all communities. By welcoming new voices and voters and harnessing the power of new technology, he led the RNC in building the infrastructure needed for a landslide GOP victory in the midterm elections. Now in his third term, Priebus is working to deliver victories in races across the country in the 2016 campaign.

Jerry Falwell, Jr., President of Liberty University and evangelical leader
Jerry Falwell, Jr. is currently serving as the President of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, appointed in 2007 after the death of his father, Jerry Falwell, Sr. Falwell attended Liberty University himself after which he earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. During his career he has worked in private practice and served as General Counsel for his father’s entities. Falwell is an evangelical leader and a proven Republican who stands up for America’s faith and liberties.

Peter Thiel, Venture Capitalist
As a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, he has been involved in some of the most dynamic companies to emerge from Silicon Valley over the past two decades. In 1998, Thiel made e-commerce easier, faster, and more secure by co-founding PayPal, defining a new era of fast and secure online commerce. He was the first outside investor and director at Facebook, and also launched Palantir Technologies, where he serves as chairman of the board of directors. Peter established and funds the Thiel Foundation, which promotes freedom in all its forms while working to advance technological progress and long-term thinking about the future.

Tom Barrack, CEO of Colony Capital
Tom Barrack is a real estate investor and the Founder and Executive Chairman of Colony Capital. Prior to starting his own business, Barrack served in the Reagan administration as Deputy Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior. Barrack and Donald Trump have worked together on many real estate deals during their time in business. They have developed a mutual admiration and respect, leading Barrack to support Trump’s bid to be President of the United States.

Ivanka Trump, Daughter of Donald Trump and EVP at the Trump Organization
Ivanka Trump is a real estate executive, entrepreneur, wife and mother. As Executive Vice President of Acquisitions and Development at the Trump Organization, she is leading some of the company’s most high-profile deals, including the $200-million conversion of the historic Old Post Office in Washington, DC into a luxury hotel and the $250-million renovation of the iconic Doral Golf Resort in Miami. Ivanka is also the founder of the fashion line Ivanka Trump Collection.

Donald J. Trump, Republican presumptive candidate for President of the United States

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