Does anyone remember Rifka Bary? The media certainly doesn't. The fact is the media was nearly silent. They barely mentioned her case and then barely mentioned the fact that she was seeking, essentially, asylum from her parents and her Muslim 'neighbors', fearing for her life because she had converted to Christianity. Remember?
Does anyone remember the decision of the courts? The court in Florida, essentially played Pontius Pilate and washed their hands of the case saying it was a case for her home state of Ohio. She and her family had migrated there in 2003, having immigrated from Sri Lanka in 2000. The family, Muslim groups and left wing activist groups cried foul and demanded she be returned to her family. In a signed affidavit, she expressed concern that the family was being pressured to 'deal with the situation' - and this is important; she believed that meant honor killing. The court in Florida relented and sent her back to Ohio where she was placed as a ward of the state pending 'mediation'. Remember?
This morning I woke up to news that Rima Fakih, a Dearborn Michigan resident since 2003 and a Muslim, had won the Miss USA contest. Needless to say there is a controversy broiling over the selection and as would be expected, the left wing - on every court, is crying foul. They are incensed that the 'right' would be concerned. The problem is that there is growing evidence that she may well have been supported in her efforts by Hezbollah members and in fact may have members of her family who are members of Hezbollah, 'in good standing'.
She and others have justified her views and her life by stating her family recognizes both Christian and Muslim holidays and there was even a mention of the family having a picture of Jesus Christ hanging in the house. Does anyone remember President Obama's explanation when he was pressed by Cathleen Falsani, in one of the many interviews he did where he answered the question of his faith? He has made it clear, several times, that he was 'brought up in the Christian Tradition'. For those of us who are in fact Christian, that is tantamount to saying you believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and that you hang lights on an evergreen around the winter solstice but not that you are sold out to Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
The point is, of course, that saying something kind about a religious ideology or hanging trappings of a religion in the house, hardly makes you an ardent follower. And let us not forget the more salient point here; it is not the individual's view or position that defines the ideology, but the ideology itself. If in fact Rima is as she has described herself, she is certainly Apostate in the eyes of the true adherents of the faith. Walking onto the runway in a bathing suit, face uncovered, is not the accepted behavior of female chattle in the Islamic faith. She, in fact, could be a target for permanent 'chastisement' by true believers.
No, I have no real problem with Rima. My question is for the 7 Judges who selected her, this year, when we are embroiled in two wars, on two fronts, with Islamic forces. When we have a President who has made it clear in his meetings, gestures, snubbing of Israel, selection of questionable military leadership, prosecution of these wars through Counter Insurgency strategy that demands - and enforces a set of Rules of Engagement that are so strict that they are counter-productive to any serious prosecution of war and horrendously murderous to our own troops. Does anyone really believe there wasn't some pressure - from somewhere 'on high' to 'lean' in favor of the pretty Muslim, Dearborn Michigan girl with the connection to Hezbollah? Does the left and the CIC really think we are all that completely blind and do the 7 Judges who voted for her really expect us to believe that she just happened to rise to number one over all 51 contestants?
Well; maybe she did. And just maybe she is just a pawn in the vile game of Jihadist deceit being played out (of all places) in the Halls of governance in the District of Columbia. Do we really believe, this evening, May 17th 2010, that the same media who couldn't give a 17 year old convert to Christianity the benefit of the doubt and a little moral support, won't be swooping down in support of yet another Muslim - this time with ties to a batch of murderers known as Hezbollah?
Semper Fidelis;
John Bernard
