In several key battleground states, there is a new DVD in circulation that talks about exposing the threat of radical Islam. However, it is suspicious because it’s circulating throughout the key swing states.
It has been revealed that a Muslim DVD called “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West,” has been in circulation across the United States. The film is made by Israeli filmmaker Raphael Shore. It is one hour long and it shows violent images. For the most part, this is like the fifteen minute film by far right Dutch MP Geert Wilders known as “Fitna.”
A tempest throughout the Muslim community was brewing since Wilders had made and distributed Fitna. I myself had watched half of Fitna and clicked on the X at the corner of the screen. To me, the film was very tasteless. I stopped when the film showed the beheading of Theo van Gogh.
For the most part, this DVD could be the North American version of Wilder’s Fitna.
However, it has been revealed that the DVD has been in circulation as advertising inserts in newspapers across the United States. But, these DVDs were mainly circulated in the crucial battleground states in this year’s United States Presidential Elections between GOP Presidential nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
Perhaps circulation of this DVD could hurt Obama’s campaign. There is still the misconception that Obama is a Muslim.
The film has both Democrats and Republicans in an uproar.
Priscilla Linsley of Colorado, a 74-year-old Democrat found the film to be distasteful. Linsley explains tat after watching the first half hour of the film she threw it in the trash.
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I have Muslim friends and respect Islam as a religion and felt that this was really hateful,” Linsley explained.
Rima Barakat Sinclair of Denver, Colorado, a Republican and a Muslim, expressed anger over the film.
“It is riddled not only with misleading facts but outright fabrication,” Barakat Sinclair expressed.
It is revealed that that production and distribution was financed by the Clarion Fund. In the same year of 2006, the movie was originally released along with the establishment of this nonprofit organization.
Gregory Ross, a spokesman for Clarion, said that the focus is to raise awareness and not to influence the choice of voters. However, there is the air of suspicion present though. This is due to the film circulating through newspapers in the crucial battleground states.
Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, counters what Ross had said. According to Sabato, it would be ignorant to think that this film will not influence the 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,” Sabato explains. He adds that this would possibly favor the GOP.
Asides Colorado, it is revealed that Obsession has circulated across Florida and Ohio.
That potentially raises more suspicions and red flags. There is still the misconception about Obama’s religious faith. Also, consistent poll ratings show that Obama is doing well in Florida and Ohio.
Ironically, Obama is getting strong help from the “
Great Schlep” in Florida. That is a movement by young Jewish Democrats to get their elders to vote for Obama.
So far, the circulation of the film, let alone in the key battleground states, has attracted outrage from a few Muslim groups.
The Council on American Islamic Relations has already expressed anger.
In a nutshell, Obsession could be a possible game changer in the elections. Or it could be like Fitna, which turned out to fall flat. Obviously, not many people are happy about this film.
But many do believe that the release of this film is politically motivated. One can ask: Why is this film primarily being circulated across the crucial battleground states?
