Responding to the distortion: Bedier says "Nothing Immoral" About Islamic Jihad

Answering the distortions and Clarifying a comment made on the 12/07/05 live television show "Your Turn" on Tampa's FOX Affiliate WTVT.

As I mentioned in a previous post that aside from updating the blog world of my proactive bridge building activities, I would also use this blog for setting the record straight when it comes to personal attacks on my character. That's the purpose of this post, so if you're not interested in this sort of thing close your eyes now and hit the back button, otherwise please proceed to read the following:

Leading Anti-Muslim bashers like Joe Kaufman, Robert Spencer and Daniel Pipes continue to launch hateful campaigns directly and indirectly against my character. Recently they circulated and recycled a press release originally drafted by South FL radical Islamophobe Joe Kaufman that said [CAIR-FL SPOKESMAN SAYS "NOTHINGIMMORAL" ABOUT ISLAMIC JIHAD] of course the hate blog network was in overdrive forwarding and posting versions/links of the release on their sites like Danielpipes.org, Jihad Watch, up pompeii and others. They had a problem with a comment I made on a live 1/2 hour television show on the local Tampa Fox affiliate WTVT. The topic of the show that day was the aquital and mis-trial verdicts in the Sami Al-Arian trial.

Clearly normal individuals who listen to all my comments during the show, would find my comments moderate and balanced, but Kaufman and Pipes are not normal. So they dissect and take comments out of context and focus in on 2 word "Nothing Immoral." Kaufman uses the two words in heading of his slanderous release.

After I watched a recording of the program I thought that some critics may exploit a slip of the tongue I had in making that comment. So I took the proactive measure of sending a letter to the station's news director clarifying my remarks. In a letter to Philip Metlin, WTVT's News Director, sent a day before Kaufman sent out his release on the 12/13/05, I said the following:

["In a discussion of the recent verdict in the trial of Sami Al-Arian, the host said: "Take your CAIR hatoff for a minute, if he was associating with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, doesn't that seem immoral, inyour opinion?"

I responded: "To a certain degree. Now, before 1995 there was nothing immoral about it."

I misspoke. What I meant to say was that "there was nothing illegal about it." Obviously, I clarifiedmy original comments immediately by saying: "In 1995, President Clinton signed the designationsaying it's illegal for an American or someone that's in America to deal with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.. .it maybe unpopular to have certain views, but it's not illegal."

As you know, CAIR is dedicated to building bridges of understanding between faiths (people). Wecondemn any form of hateful acts and hate speech. I believe it is unethical and immoral for anAmerican, or those living in our nation, to support or associate with any group that sponsors terrorism,and that includes the Palestinian Islamic Jihad."]

To see the full copy of the original 12/12/05 letter to WTVT click here

I made it very clear that I believe it is unethical and immoral to support or even associate with any terror and/or violent groups.

It's a shame that people like Kaufman and Pipes will continue to spread lies and try to tarnish the reputation of moderate individuals. People like them will simply not be satisfied until Muslims are not allowed to enjoy the same rights as others in our great nation.