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<!--===========CAPTION==========-->Clarion Fund released "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," in 70 newspapers in key swing states.<!--===========/CAPTION=========-->
DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- On a Sunday morning just weeks before the presidential election, Priscilla Linsley opened her local Denver newspaper and discovered a DVD inside.
"I was shocked at the content and horrified that this had been in my Sunday paper," said Linsley, a 74-year-old Democrat, who watched about half of the video before throwing it in the trash.
"I have Muslim friends and respect Islam as a religion and felt that this was really hateful," said Linsley.
The hourlong film on DVD, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," was made by Israeli filmmaker Raphael Shore and shows disturbing, sometimes violent images.
Rima Barakat Sinclair, who is Muslim and a Republican, was so angry she called her local lawmakers in Denver. Video Watch voters reaction to the DVD ?
"It is riddled not only with misleading facts but outright fabrication," said Barakat Sinclair.
In September, some 28 million of the "Obsession" DVD's were distributed as advertising inserts in 70 newspapers, primarily in critical swing states such as Colorado, Florida and Ohio.
It was paid for by the Clarion Fund, a nonprofit group established by the film's Israeli producer with the goal of exposing what it calls the threat of radical Islam. The Clarion Fund was created in 2006, the same year "Obsession" was released.
"Our focus is to educate with our movies and raise awareness, not influence elections," said Gregory Ross, a Clarion spokesman.
But Larry Sabato, a political observer and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said it's na?ve to think such a video won't influence undecided voters.
"It's pretty obvious that the group sponsoring it wants people to think more about terrorism, about national security, about Middle East politics and maybe less about the economy," said Sabato. "Well, that obviously favors one side -- the Republicans."
Because a number of Americans still believe, incorrectly, that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim, political observers said they believe the DVD plays directly into that misperception.
Clarion said neither the campaign of GOP candidate Sen. John McCain or of Obama had anything to do with the DVD that has outraged some Muslim groups. Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations, called the film anti-Muslim and politically motivated. Holding up promotional material that came with the video, Awad pointed out, "It says clearly that, 'It's our responsibility to ensure that we can all make an informed vote in November.' "
Link to full article
- Film by Israeli producer meant to expose what it calls threat of radical Islam
- Some 28 million DVDs distributed inside 70 newspapers in battleground states
- Political observers think film plays directly into misperceptions Obama is Muslim
- FEC, IRS investigate all complaints; wouldn't give specifics about this one
<!--===========CAPTION==========-->Clarion Fund released "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," in 70 newspapers in key swing states.<!--===========/CAPTION=========-->
DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- On a Sunday morning just weeks before the presidential election, Priscilla Linsley opened her local Denver newspaper and discovered a DVD inside.
"I was shocked at the content and horrified that this had been in my Sunday paper," said Linsley, a 74-year-old Democrat, who watched about half of the video before throwing it in the trash.
"I have Muslim friends and respect Islam as a religion and felt that this was really hateful," said Linsley.
The hourlong film on DVD, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," was made by Israeli filmmaker Raphael Shore and shows disturbing, sometimes violent images.
Rima Barakat Sinclair, who is Muslim and a Republican, was so angry she called her local lawmakers in Denver. Video Watch voters reaction to the DVD ?
"It is riddled not only with misleading facts but outright fabrication," said Barakat Sinclair.
In September, some 28 million of the "Obsession" DVD's were distributed as advertising inserts in 70 newspapers, primarily in critical swing states such as Colorado, Florida and Ohio.
It was paid for by the Clarion Fund, a nonprofit group established by the film's Israeli producer with the goal of exposing what it calls the threat of radical Islam. The Clarion Fund was created in 2006, the same year "Obsession" was released.
"Our focus is to educate with our movies and raise awareness, not influence elections," said Gregory Ross, a Clarion spokesman.
But Larry Sabato, a political observer and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said it's na?ve to think such a video won't influence undecided voters.
"It's pretty obvious that the group sponsoring it wants people to think more about terrorism, about national security, about Middle East politics and maybe less about the economy," said Sabato. "Well, that obviously favors one side -- the Republicans."
Because a number of Americans still believe, incorrectly, that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim, political observers said they believe the DVD plays directly into that misperception.
Clarion said neither the campaign of GOP candidate Sen. John McCain or of Obama had anything to do with the DVD that has outraged some Muslim groups. Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations, called the film anti-Muslim and politically motivated. Holding up promotional material that came with the video, Awad pointed out, "It says clearly that, 'It's our responsibility to ensure that we can all make an informed vote in November.' "
Link to full article