As I wrote once before, this sort of thing -- the "testimony" of supposed "reformed Muslim terrorists" reminds me of the same smoke-and-mirror exploiters who surfaced during the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980s, making presentations to churches and police departments (and making money and gaining notoriety) claiming that they had taken part or witnesses human sacrifices, baby sacrifices, sexual abuse of children, and other atrocities, but that now that they had been "saved," they were there to tell the truth.

Since some of these idiots also went after Wiccan/Pagan groups, lumping us in with Satanists, there were some very sprightly conversations/arguments about all of this, although since this was before the Internet, it took place in the Letters to the Editor sections of various publications.

We finally managed to make one of the most irritating former sacrificer of lots and lots of people go away when a reader challenged him to turn himself in to law enforcement for the punishment he obviously deserved -- if any of his BS was true.

I read this posting with interest because it shows that opportunists like this always seem ready to jump up and seek to confirm (also for money and/or notoriety) our "worst fears" about the current (and, as it turns out, often imaginary) boogeyman of the day.

People should read this post not only as a cautionary not regarding the current level of Islamophobia, but also as a cautionary tale that should help them look past the inevitable hysterics, myths, and "Showmen" (or Showwomen) of the future when they arise to carry water for bigots and convince more moderate folks that "we must take action now!", the action, of course, being violent and damaging and, in the end, based on a whole lot of nothing.

Thanks for this post, Mr. Clarkson!

by coralsea on Thu Jun 20, 2013 at 05:18:24 PM EST

Some things about this struck me.

First, since he was paid by the US military for the videos, doesn't that mean that the US government owns them (and from that - the people) and he doesn't have standing to complain?  Don't we the people have something to say about it?  At the least... I would think that only the US military might have the right to complain... and if they've been released by the military to the general public, then his complaints are baseless.

Second, since the videos are evidence of lying (and I think it could be argued since they were done for the US government... to the authorities), couldn't they be posted somewhere so that people could access them - besides places like YouTube?

Third, what about the academic use angle?  Copying and showing videos like that is legal if it's done for educational use (to make that stick, it might have to be associated with an organization - like a school - dedicated to education).  The general public DOES need to be educated about these lies.

I really hate it when the "Good Christian" types use the law to suppress the evidence of just how rotten they really are.  We all need to see that... the general public so that they learn they can't trust the dominionists (especially their claims), and those of us who have been fighting them for years need to see it for encouragement.  When you get inundated with all of the "us poor Christians are being persecuted" and "how good and holy we are and how wicked and evil those Others are", after a while you start doubting yourself and the facts - which I think they count on.  Having the evidence of evil-doing and lying really strengthens one's resolve to resist.

by ArchaeoBob on Fri Jun 21, 2013 at 02:45:49 PM EST