If Cat Stevens doesn't get the explanation he wants, its probably either because its classified, or his own shifting accounts are popular enough for most of the liberal press. Here's a link to some recent musings related to his being refused entry to the U.S.
"I am a man of peace and denounce all forms of terrorism and injustice; it is simply outrageous for the US authorities to suggest otherwise."
quote:
DHS wouldn�t have had to work very hard to portray the ex-Cat as a supporter of the terrorists of Hamas. The connections to Hamas in particular are more recent: in 1998, Yusuf Islam spoke at a fundraising dinner sponsored by an organization, the Jerusalem Fund for Human Services, that has been identified by the Canadian government as a Hamas front group. He exhorted his hearers to donate to the group in order to �lessen the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Palestine and the Holy Land.� In 2000, he was denied entry into Israel for donating thousands to Hamas. Again, Islam denied it all, saying: �I want to make sure that people are aware that I�ve never knowingly supported any terrorist groups � past, present or future. It�s simply an attempt to cast doubt again on my character and good intentions.�
So in essence, if Cat Stevens is not a proponent of the global jihad, he is, by his own admission, a dupe. He sent thousands to Israel to support his �brothers and sisters in Palestine�; even if he really didn�t intend it to go to Hamas, it did. This is an indication of what Muslims who do not support terrorism face daily: so many Islamic �charities� have turned out to be terrorist fronts that many whose intentions were quite different have ended up being supporters of terror unwittingly. There is no separation in mosques and Islamic communities between moderate and radical Muslims, and neither camp has shown any indication of wanting to create one.
quote:
Thus if Cat is telling the truth about not supporting terrorism, his case is a striking reminder of the deep crisis within Islam: terror has intertwined itself with the religion so tightly today that it cannot be separated even by those who claim to abhor all that the terrorists stand for. Muslims today can�t seem to ride the peace train even if they want to.
That last quote perhaps explains a lot.
Posts: 5413 | Location: Washington State | Registered: 21 September 2001
"Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it." 10th step.
As Paul Harvey often reminds me there is always "the other side of the story." I mispoke. I thought that he had spoken IN FAVOR OF Salmon Rushdie. There I go running off half-cocked again. (Placing pistol back in holster now)
"Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it." 10th step.
LOL. You're quite a character, MM. And that's an admirable attitude. And cleary it would do well for Cat and other to know where their money is going. Now they have a little motivation to do so.
Posts: 5413 | Location: Washington State | Registered: 21 September 2001
Learning what I can from this, I am reminded of the need for freedom from cultural conditioning. I have thought of Cat Stevens as a musician, writer of children's books and Holy Man for so many years that my first reaction to reading about it in the paper was to call down fire from heaven as disciples James and John were inclined to do in a certain Samaritan villiage. Jesus turned and rebuked them. They were only getting the words of God on a literal and fundamental level, but not the allegorical or the mystical.
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it already be kindled. Luke 12:49
Perhaps God is sending me a little fire this fine day, and perhaps upon Cat Stevens head as well for some of his attitudes toward Jews and who he is choosing for companions. It's all good.
There is a bumper sticker which reads, "Jesus, please deliver me from your followers," and a freind of mine says that to me frequently, which places a bit of fire on upon my head too.
