More Bad News for Obama?

conman · 03-22-08, 07:01 PM

I know the "true" Obama supporters will believe him no matter what news comes out, but it's tough to discount his relationship with this crazy *** church.

Quote:

ELECTION 2008
Obama church published
Hamas terror manifesto
Compares charter calling for murder
of Jews to Declaration of Independence
Posted: March 20, 2008
12:45 pm Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook

JERUSALEM – Sen. Barack Obama's Chicago church reprinted a manifesto by Hamas that defended terrorism as legitimate resistance, refused to recognize the right of Israel to exist and compared the terror group's official charter – which calls for the murder of Jews – to America's Declaration of Independence.

The Hamas piece was published on the "Pastor's Page" of the Trinity United Church of Christ newsletter reserved for Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., whose anti-American, anti-Israel remarks landed Obama in hot water, prompting the presidential candidate to deliver a major race speech earlier this week.

Hamas, responsible for scores of shootings, suicide bombings and rocket launchings against civilian population centers, is listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.

The revelation follows a recent WND article quoting Israeli security officials who expressed "concern" about Robert Malley, an adviser to Obama who has advocated negotiations with Hamas and providing international assistance to the terrorist group.

In his July 22, 2007, church newsletter, Wright reprinted an article by Mousa Abu Marzook, identified in the publication as a "deputy of the political bureau of Hamas." A photo image of the piece was captured and posted today by the business blog BizzyBlog, which first brought attention to it. The Hamas article was first published by the Los Angeles Times, garnering the newspaper much criticism.

(Story continues below)

According to senior Israeli security officials, Marzook, who resides in Syria alongside Hamas chieftain Khaled Meshaal, is considered the "brains" behind Hamas, designing much of the terror group's policies and ideology. Israel possesses what it says is a large volume of specific evidence that Marzook has been directly involved in calling for or planning scores of Hamas terrorist offensives, including deadly suicide bombings. He was also accused of attempting to set up a Hamas network in the U.S.

Marzook's original piece was titled, "Hamas' stand" but was re-titled "A Fresh View of the Palestinian Struggle" by Obama's church newsletter. The newsletter also referred to Hamas as the "Islamic Resistance Movement," and added in its introduction that Marzook was addressing Hamas' goals for "all of Palestine."

In the manifesto, Marzook refers to Hamas' "resistance" – the group's perpetuation of anti-Israel terrorism targeting civilians – as "legal resistance," which, he argues, is "explicitly supported by the Fourth Geneva Convention."

The Convention, which refers to the rights of people living under occupation, does not support suicide bombings or rocket attacks against civilian population centers, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America noted.

Marzook refers to Hamas' official charter as "an essentially revolutionary document" and compares the violent creed to the Declaration of Independence, which, Marzook states, "simply did not countenance any such status for the 700,000 African slaves at that time."

Hamas' charter calls for the murder of Jews. Among its platforms is a statement that the "[resurrection] will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims kill them, and the rock and the tree will say: 'Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!'"

In his piece, Marzook says Hamas only targets Israel and denies that Hamas' war is meant to be waged against the U.S., even though Hamas officials have threatened America, and Hamas' charter calls for Muslims to "pursue the cause of the Movement (Hamas), all over the globe."

Trinity Church did not respond to a phone message requesting comment.

Obama's campaign also did not reply to phone and e-mail requests today for comment.

Lerxst · 03-22-08, 07:23 PM

Interesting. Once a credible news source gets ahold of this I'll really pay attention.

aegyptos · 03-22-08, 09:31 PM

Oh, its true alright. My church's newsletter publishes carwash fundraiser events, deacon's news, kids stuff and recipes. Never a word from HAMAS. Why did Obama let himself get hooked up with these people? It will cost him the presidency.

niftydrifty · 03-22-08, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aegyptos

Oh, its true alright. My church's newsletter publishes carwash fundraiser events, deacon's news, kids stuff and recipes. Never a word from HAMAS. Why did Obama let himself get hooked up with these people? It will cost him the presidency.

what do you mean by "it"?

the fact that people eager not to vote for a black guy will eagerly dismiss him using stuff that somebody he knows has done?

people are goofy enough not to realize they're not voting for the pastor?

that it doesn't matter that the newsletter came out after Obama stopped attending the church?

1069 · 03-22-08, 10:18 PM

I think- how shall I put this?- that something that's being overlooked here is that this Trinity United Church of Christ is a megachurch, with some 8000+ members.
While that's undoubtedly not all or even most of the black christians in the greater Chicago area, it is a significant minority.
Rather than berate Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrity TUCC members and former members, perhaps we should take a look at the reality of the situation: that this is not some fringe element radical cult full of extremist kooks, it's one of the largest and most powerful black churches in the country, and boasts a parishioner roster which includes politicians, social activists, and billionaires.
This church represents the wealthy black Christian mainstream.
More, this church represents a hub of black power.

What should concern us more than the fact that Obama belonged to a nutty radical fringe cult is the fact that TUCC is not in fact radical nor fringey nor a cult. It's what thousands of black christians- the wealthy and powerful elite of black American society- actually believe and feel.
Why aren't we listening?
We dismiss them as flakes to our own detriment, which is the same thing I've always said about politically powerful white megachurches such as Dr. Dobson's ministry.

FluffyNinja · 03-22-08, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydrifty

what do you mean by "it"?

the fact that people eager not to vote for a black guy will eagerly dismiss him using stuff that somebody he knows has done?

people are goofy enough not to realize they're not voting for the pastor?

that it doesn't matter that the newsletter came out after Obama stopped attending the church?

I think "it's" the idea that Obama refuses to publicy disown these people or denounce their words/actions. Obama supporters must wince each time he goes on record and attempts to rationalize or justify the behavior of his "former" pastor and church.

Chanda · 03-22-08, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aegyptos

Oh, its true alright.

There isn't a lot of truth in Aaron Klein's article. He calls it a manifesto, but actually it was an opinion piece reprinted from the LA Times. Compare the actual article to Klein's claims:

Hamas' stand - Los Angeles Times

niftydrifty · 03-22-08, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FluffyNinja

I think "it's" the idea that Obama refuses to publicy disown these people or denounce their words/actions. Obama supporters must wince each time he goes on record and attempts to rationalize or justify the behavior of his "former" pastor and church.

you're kidding, right?

obama denounces - Google Search

FluffyNinja · 03-22-08, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydrifty

you're kidding, right?

obama denounces - Google Search

This was from the first page of your Google search. From the Chicago Suntimes

Quote:

Obama denounces rhetoric but stands behind his pastor

March 16, 2008Recommend (3)

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com
White House hopeful Barack Obama on Friday denounced the controversial statements of his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but said he still had a great deal of respect for the man who married him and baptized his children.

"I have been frustrated by how the church has been described a 'separatist' church -- this is a terrific, welcoming church ... that has a record of helping the homeless and dealing with HIV/AIDS," Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, shown here with his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, March 10, 2005. Obama on Friday March 14, 2008 denounced inflammatory remarks from his pastor, who has railed against the United States and accused the country of bringing on the Sept. 11 attacks by spreading terrorism.
(AP)

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But after a report on ABC-TV Friday morning, the television and radio waves were full of excerpts of sermons Wright gave, going back to 2002. "'God bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," Wright said in a 2003 sermon. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

In a sermon after 9/11, Wright said, "The stuff we have done overseas is brought right back into our homes."

He criticized Hilary Clinton, saying she was a rich white woman who had never been called a "n-----."

Obama said he had never heard Wright preach any of those sermons.

"If I had heard Rev. Wright making these statements when I was in the pews," Obama said, "I would have talked to him afterwards and said, 'I am very troubled by these statements.' "

Obama disinvited Wright from his speech in February 2007 announcing his candidacy for president. On Friday, after issuing a statement strongly denouncing his sermons, he said Wright would no longer be serving on an advisory committee.

This really doesn't sound like "disowning." And he seems to only be "denouncing" what he refers to as "rhetoric" and "controversial statements." Why can't he just call it what it is - racist hate speech! Obama certainly didn't have a problem calling out Don Imus last year. Do I smell double-standard here?

Finally, here's what Barack said five days ago:

Quote:

"I can no more disown [the Rev. Jeremiah Wright] than I can my white grandmother," Barack Obama said in the most powerful sentence of his extraordinary speech about race on March 18 in Philadelphia, "a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me ... but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."

niftydrifty · 03-22-08, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FluffyNinja

This was from the first page of your Google search. From the Chicago Suntimes

This really doesn't sound like "disowning." And he seems to only be "denouncing" what he refers to as "rhetoric" and "controversial statements." Why can't he just call it what it is - racist hate speech! Obama certainly didn't have a problem calling out Don Imus last year. Do I smell double-standard here?

Finally, here's what Barack said five days ago:

in your earlier post you said he hadn't denounced the statements. I showed you that he had. it sounds like you're not going to accept anything he says.