Brian Tashman's blog

That was fast.

Just moments after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the United Nations in a historic address that the United States that the United States is committed to protecting LGBT people overseas from persecution and discrimination, and will use foreign aid as an instrument to defend their rights, Liberty Counsel’s Matt Barber attacked Clinton and President Obama for having an “obsession with the radical homosexual activist agenda.” Clinton called out abuses such as violence against the LGBT community, including “corrective rape,” along with the criminalization and demonization of homosexuals.

But that was too much for Barber, who earlier this year joined Liberty Counsel chairman Mat Staver in blasting the Obama administration for withholding aid to Malawi because the country outlaws homosexuality. Barber told the American Family Association’s OneNewsNow that the Obama administration is “trying to force nations to adopt America’s immoral positions on issues of sexuality” while supposedly ignoring “real human rights abuses”:

The announced policy, according to Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel Action, "displays the arrogance of the Obama administration."

It is "frankly offensive," says the attorney, that President Obama "feels compelled to export American culture's decline in morality, and export that immorality to other nations that are trying to adhere to traditional principles relative to human sexuality."

Barber also notes that the administration is apparently ignoring the fact that foreign nations -- like the United States -- are sovereign countries. He adds that the U.S. is "using essentially blackmail and the purse strings" of the nation to force countries to change their moral principles.

"What about nations where Christians are driven out of the nation or executed?" he asks. "And this Obama administration, instead of focusing on real human rights abuses, is trying to force nations to adopt America's immoral positions on issues of sexuality."

Barber believes there is an "obsession with the radical homosexual activist agenda that seems to drive this Obama administration."

UPDATE: Family Research Council senior fellow Peter Sprigg also denounced the new policy to defend LGBT rights abroad, lashing out at the administration for “imposing an alien ideology on other countries”:

"It is startling that President Obama is prepared to throw the full weight and reputation of the United States behind the promotion overseas of the radical ideology of the sexual revolution. If he did the same on other issues, his own liberal allies would undoubtedly accuse him of cultural imperialism. Threats to withhold foreign aid from poor countries unless they conform their laws to the views of Western radicals are unconscionable.

"The United Nations, like the United States, remains sharply divided on the issue of whether special rights should be granted on the basis of sexual conduct, sexual orientation or gender identity. No treaty or widely accepted international agreement has established homosexual conduct as a human right, yet the Obama administration's actions seem guided by this fiction.

"President Obama should increase efforts to defend human rights that are widely recognized, such as religious liberty, rather than appeasing his domestic allies by imposing an alien ideology on other countries."

The release of President Obama’s long-form birth certificate in April hasn’t stopped Jerome Corsi, author of Where’s The Birth Certificate?, from pushing his fanciful case that President Obama was born outside of the United States, and yesterday he appeared in Crosstalk with Vic Eliason on Voice of Christian Youth America where the two complained that no one cares what they have to say anymore. Eliason lamented that people “call us just a bunch of crazies, radicals, birthers” and said that people like himself “get a label, an epithet that kind of raises a shadow over” their arguments. Corsi assured him that “Barack Obama’s nativity story and his life story” have all been “fabricated,” and claimed that the alleged “cover-up” is a “serious issue.”

Eliason: One of the things that frustrates me as I hear about these things Dr. Corsi is this, there’s enough evidence here—if this was a bank robbery the law would pounce on the perpetrators—but there’s enough evidence here to raise questions from A to Z and nobody seems to be or have the power or the will or whatever to get, I mean, why are people scurrying around it? For instance, if you mention this and by us putting it on the air, they’d call us just a bunch of crazies, radicals, birthers, that’s the term that they call them, birthers. They get a label, an epithet that kind of raises a shadow over anybody that raises a question.

…

Corsi: The entire story we’ve been presented with, Barack Obama’s nativity story and his life story, appear to be all fabricated. So we truly don’t know who this man is.

Eliason: That statement is rather shocking but I’ve seen it even coming from other countries and national leaders that have called Mr. Obama a mystery man that has come from somewhere, emerged quickly, qualifications ignored and basically placed. And there are many people that have asked the questions, could it be, as this morning on Fox News they were saying he was the bystander in the White House, that was the term that Fox was using, a bystander in the White House, standing by while everything else goes crazy, only stepping in at certain times when he should be in there, dealing with the issues instead of being out golfing or running for office or whatever he’s doing at this present time.

Corsi: I think another term that’s been used is usurper, in other words, instead of coming forward and presenting his credentials in an open fashion, saying, ‘do you want to see my passport records here they are, do you want to see the original birth certificate materials, here’s what’s in the vault in Hawaii.’ We still have even today, three years into the presidency, a cover-up going on, so we’re not allowed to see original documents pertaining to Barack Obama, and I think that’s a serious issue.

Today, Michele Bachmann’s foundering presidential campaign picked up the endorsement of Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and promptly appointed him “Congressional Co-Chair”:

The Bachmann for President campaign has announced the appointment of Arizona Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) as Congressional Co-Chair. Rep. Franks joins the growing list of endorsements and support for the Bachmann team, not only in Iowa, but also across the country.

“I know Michele is right on the issues that are important to conservatives across the country and I know she won’t back off,” Rep. Franks said. “I have seen her at work in Washington, standing firm on key issues like Obamacare, the debt ceiling, and TARP.”

…

“Congressman Franks and I have fought together in Washington for smaller government and responsible government spending, and I’m honored to have him on my team,” Bachmann said. “He’s a respected colleague, and will be invaluable in our work to gain support in Iowa and the early primary states, eventually securing the GOP nomination.”

Like previous Bachmann endorsers like Tamara Scott, George Grant and Peter Waldron, the Arizona congressman appears to be a great fit for the far-right and conspiratorial Bachmann, as Franks:

• called President Obama an “enemy of humanity” at a right-wing conference, and later tried to explain that he meant to call Obama an “enemy of unborn humanity”;

• introduced legislation barring “race-based” abortion, arguing that African Americans were better off under slavery than with legal abortion and that a “racist abortion policy” is committing genocide against African Americans;

• believes that President Obama consistently “acts un-American” and “seems to go against American interests”;

• demanded the impeachment of President Obama and the defunding of the Justice Department over their decision to stop defending the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA);

• maintained that as a result of Obama’s presidency the country has “diminish[ed] to a point where it’s just unrecognizable” and will “not be the great beacon of freedom”;

• floated “birther” conspiracies and suggested that President Obama is not a natural-born citizen, even considered filing a lawsuit against Obama;

• said the Obama Administration has an “ideological commitment” to “weaken America”;

• claimed a Muslim civil rights group was using congressional interns to spy on Congress;

• and said that legalizing same-sex marriage “not only is a complete undermining of the principles of family and marriage and the hope of future generations but it completely begins to see our society break down.”
  

If Pat Robertson’s CBN News wants to be treated as a credible news source, it probably should stop elevating the story of Kamal Saleem.

Saleem, who was also prominently featured in The Call: Detroit – where he urged other Muslims to convert to Christianity – and told rally attendees that he is the descended of the “Grand Wazir of Islam.” However, the title is not found anywhere in Islam. While preparing for The Call:Detroit, Saleem said that President Obama planned “to break down Article 6” of the Constitution in order to enforce “Islamic law,” warning “if he breaks this, the Sharia law will be supreme in America.”

An investigation by CNN found that Saleem is one of a handful of “fundamentalist Christians posing as ex-terrorists,” and a Middle East studies professor at the conservative Calvin College said his story “is not verifiable and without it he’s no different from other fundamentalist preachers.” Howard even wrote a review of Saleem’s book, which he called “obsessively, sadistically violent,” highlighting Saleem’s many contradictions in his backstory and his blatant and bizarre misrepresentations of Islam, saying, “Suffice it to say that if the subject were Jews, this book could not have been published.” Howard even points out that Focus on the Family, a former employer of Saleem, even had doubts about Saleem’s conversion story.

Haroon Moghul of Religion Dispatches also points out inconsistencies in his story of working for rival Palestinian secular and Islamist groups simultaneously and his claim that as a Muslim he was “allergic to Jesus,” even though Muslims consider Jesus the Messiah.

Why would CBN News bolster such a clear fabricator?

CNN notes that “Saleem, whose real name is Khodor Shami, worked for Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network for sixteen years.”

On Friday, CBN’s The 700 Club featured a story on Saleem where he discussed how he tried “to wage Cultural Jihad” in the Bible Belt:

Kamal was seven when his parents sent him to Muslim training camps to learn to use weapons and engage and kill the enemy. The boys were also taught another, more subtle form of warfare…

“We were training for what’s called, ‘Culture Jihad,’ which is shifting cultures. Culture Jihad is unlike the sword, unlike the rifle. It is the Jihad that will come into your world.”

By his 20s, Kamal was chosen to wage Cultural Jihad on America.

“In Islam, liberty, freedom, monarchy, all these are idols and must be brought down. So the liberty that you have in United States of America is anti-Islam, so America must be changed. So I moved to the 'Bible Belt' specifically. The Bible Belt was the strongest of the strongest. That’s where the stout Christians are, and I want to take on the best of the best, because I considered myself as the sword of Islam. I thought, 'I’m anointed. I’m unique. I’m selected. I’m coming to a country and a culture to change it. I have the power of Allah with me.'"

When TLC introduced a reality show about Muslim families living in Dearborn, Michigan, called All-American Muslim, it didn’t take long for anti-Muslim activists to throw a fit that the families in the program didn’t fit their stereotype of Muslims as bloodthirsty and devious terrorists. Robert Spencer urged TLC to make a show about an American Muslim who “ended up participating in jihad activity,” and the Florida Family Association claimed to have convinced eighteen companies to pull their ads from the show.

Earlier this year, the same group demanded companies stop advertising on TeenNick because the show Degrassi featured a transgender character. The FFA said in an alert to members:

The Learning Channel's new show All-American Muslim is propaganda clearly designed to counter legitimate and present-day concerns about many Muslims who are advancing Islamic fundamentalism and Sharia law. The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish.

…

Clearly this program is attempting to manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of jihad and to influence them to believe that being concerned about the jihad threat would somehow victimize these nice people in this show.

Forida [sic] Family Association sent out an email alert on November 15, 2011 to inform supporters about The Learning Channel’s new show called All-American Muslim and encouraged supporters to send emails to advertisers.

Truth in Action Ministries, formerly Coral Ridge Ministries, also attacked the reality show and said it is part of the “stealth jihad”:

Jerry Newcombe, Truth in Action Ministries' senior producer and analyst, says the major problem with the program is that it's not going to show the reality of "pure Islam."

"It's a free country. Muslims are free to practice their religion here (thanks to Christianity, ultimately). What is sad, though, is that the truth about the goals of radical Islam are hidden from many Americans through programs like the one on TLC. Islam wants to take over the world. If they have to use force, they'll do that. But otherwise, they'll do it by what Robert Spencer calls 'stealth jihad,'" Newcombe said.

On Monday, Peter LaBarbera of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality joined Vic Eliason of Voice of Christian Youth America radio to discuss his group’s banquet honoring Scott Lively, an anti-gay activist who influenced legislation in Uganda that would criminalize homosexuality and in some cases impose the death penalty. Lively also wrote a thoroughly discredited book, The Pink Swastika, which blamed gays for Nazism and the Holocaust.

Regrettably, a vandal threw two chunks of concrete through the window of the school hosting the banquet with the message “Shut down Lively.” LaBarbera wants the perpetrator prosecuted under hate crimes laws -- laws he opposed -- and AFTAH board member and Liberty Counsel Action vice president Matt Barber called it an “act of terrorism” committed by “gay terrorists.”

LaBarbera used his time on VCY America radio to defend Lively. While Lively has voiced support for the Uganda legislation in the past, LaBarbera said that he actually condemned such anti-gay violence. LaBarbera also claimed that homosexuality is “an abomination, it’s destructive, it’s wicked,” and that Christians must “celebrate when people can get out of this lifestyle.” He went on to say that if “homosexual activists” who are “wholly devoted to promoting sin” are left unchecked, then “evil will rush in” and consume society.

Listen:

LaBarbera: And this is of course how the left operates Vic across the world. It’s always had sort of a fascist arm, a wing of hate. They talk about the climate of hate, Vic, they’ve created such a climate of hate against Scott Lively by falsely claiming that he wants -- and me, and probably you too Vic -- they’re saying we condone the murder of homosexuals, that is an outright lie. As you have, as Scott has from the very beginning, I have condemned violence and genuine hatred against homosexuals. We want gays and lesbians to be saved through the blood of Christ, we want them to come out of that lifestyle which is an abomination, it’s destructive, it’s wicked, but we celebrate when people can get out of this lifestyle. It is a complete lie that they’re spreading and they’re whipping up hatred against people like Scott Lively and then these sort of awful acts occur in that climate of hate.

…

My question for Christians who don’t want to get involved is, you’re telling me that in a civil, free society where you have homosexual activists making six-figures, some making over $300,000 running groups which are wholly devoted to promoting sin, you’re telling me in a free society we’re not allowed to oppose them or should oppose them in the public square? If we don’t, politics abhors a void and evil will rush in and that’s what we’re seeing.

While speaking with Family Research Council president Tony Perkins on yesterday’s edition of Today’s Issues, Rick Santorum argued that single mothers were the “political base” of the Democratic Party, and that Republicans should work to lessen single motherhood in order to score political points against their Democratic rivals. The Democratic Party, Santorum said, relies on “single mothers who run a household” and have a “desire for government” as their voter base, and concluded that building “two parent families” is necessary “to reduce the Democratic advantage.”

Look at the political base of the Democratic Party: it is single mothers who run a household. Why? Because it’s so tough economically that they look to the government for help and therefore they’re going to vote. So if you want to reduce the Democratic advantage, what you want to do is build two parent families, you eliminate that desire for government.

While speaking with Family Research Council president Tony Perkins on yesterday’s edition of Today’s Issues, Rick Santorum argued that single mothers were the “political base” of the Democratic Party, and that Republicans should work to lessen single motherhood in order to score political points against their Democratic rivals. The Democratic Party, Santorum said, relies on “single mothers who run a household” and have a “desire for government” as their voter base, and concluded that building “two parent families” is necessary “to reduce the Democratic advantage.”

Look at the political base of the Democratic Party: it is single mothers who run a household. Why? Because it’s so tough economically that they look to the government for help and therefore they’re going to vote. So if you want to reduce the Democratic advantage, what you want to do is build two parent families, you eliminate that desire for government.

Yesterday at the Values Voter Summit, Robert Jeffress endorsed and introduced Rick Perry with a speech where he subtly contrasted the "born again Christian" Perry with his chief opponent Mitt Romney, a Mormon. Later that day, Jeffress made clear in an interview with Bryan Fischer that he believes that Romney is a member of a cult, repeating his 2008 attacks against Romney and the Mormon faith. 

Jeffress' anti-Mormon views should have been no surprise to the Perry camp, and in this interview last year with the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Jeffress argued that the Mormon religion, along with Islam, is "from the pit of Hell." He went on to say that along with Mormons and Muslims, Jews and gays are also destined for Hell.

Watch:

Jeffress: I think part of the problem is we're in this consumer mentality as a church where we have the idea that our job is to build as big of a church as we possible can. And if we get into that idea and fall into that trap, then we say then we can't say anything that's going to offend people, why, if we preach that homosexuality is an abomination to God we better not preach that because that's going to offend the gays or people who know gay people, if we tell people what the Bible says that every other religion in the world is wrong: Islam is wrong, it is a heresy from the pit of Hell; Mormonism is wrong, it is a heresy from the pit of Hell; Judaism, you can't be saved being a Jew, you know who said that by the way, the three greatest Jews in the New Testament, Peter, Paul, and Jesus Christ, they all said Judaism won't do it, it's faith in Jesus Christ.

Following his endorsement and introduction of Rick Perry at the Values Voter Summit, Robert Jeffress went on Focal Point with Bryan Fischer to chastise Romney's Mormon faith, arguing that he is not a "true, born again follower of Christ." He said that only Perry can defeat "the most pro-homosexual, most pro-abortion president in history."

"It is not Christianity, it is not a branch of Christianity," Jeffress said, "It is a cult." Jeffress went on to explain that many evangelical Christians will not vote for Romney because he is a Mormon and therefore not "indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God." He even claimed that Romney's Mormon faith "speaks to the integrity issue" as it explains why he has reversed his position on abortion rights, among other issues.

Incidentally, Bryan Fischer will be speaking immediately after Romney at the summit and has claimed that Mormons do not have rights under the First Amendment. As we have previously noted, this is not the first time Jeffress has attacked the Mormon faith and Mitt Romney for his religion, saying Mormons "worship a false god."

Watch:

UPDATE: Watch Jeffress' introduction of Perry, where he makes a subtle contrast at the end of Perry, a "born again follower of the Lord Jesus Christ," to Romney, who is simply a "good, moral person":