Sharf’s Challenge Highlights Rima Barakat Sinclair’s Dissimulation
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 in Colorado Politics, General, World Events | Written by Ben | 17 Comments »
With today’s coverage in the Rocky Mountain News, the developing Republican primary in Denver’s House District 6 has launched into public view:
A Middle Eastern native running for a state House seat faces a challenge from a blogger who called her “a terror apologist and an avowed enemy of Israel with no credible conservative credentials.”
Republican Rima Barakat Sinclair said she has been unfairly labeled because she is a Muslim of Palestinian descent.
“I absolutely deny that,” she said, of claims she supports terrorism. “What is behind that? Where is the proof? This is nothing but mudslinging.”
In case you hadn’t found it yet, here is the proof. (Note: Rima Barakat Sinclair is NOT a victim.) The 5-minute YouTube video alone, which both her primary opponent Joshua Sharf and Rocky Mountain Right have posted online as recently as today, is sufficiently damning. If you don’t have time to watch the video or read the transcript, El Presidente has posted the money quote in bright lights and big letters:
“Israeli soldiers now are known to be just bombing and killing babies”–Rima Barakat Sinclair, July 2006, in an interview on CBS4
(Catch that? The biggest claim she made is not that Israelis are occupiers, but that they are “killing babies.”)
Rima Barakat Sinclair’s memory loss seems mainly to be a convenience. She needs to stop dissembling and start explaining. But judging by today’s Rocky story, Ms. Barakat Sinclair doesn’t seem willing to go there. That in itself provides enough justification for Joshua’s candidacy.
But the less sexy part of the story that further explains why Joshua has decided to throw his hat into the ring is the stunning absence of Ms. Barakat Sinclair’s “conservative credentials.” GOP primary voters in House District 6 can study this for themselves and decide. Asking about Rima Barakat Sinclair’s “conservative credentials” is a very legitimate line of inquiry, especially in light of the only available public statements brought to light: calling Israelis baby-killers, and supporting a pro-choice candidate.
Joshua deserves credit for his willingness to challenge her on the basis of his own “conservative credentials,” to make sure the GOP doesn’t run an uncredentialed Hamas sympathizer on the general election ticket – even if the odds of general election victory are virtually zero.
Meanwhile, the Dead Governors – blinded by a view of politics that is limited to power and ambition, sans principles – don’t get what the big deal is with the “nasty spat” in House District 6’s GOP. They strongly imply that Joshua’s arguments are intolerant, “shallow”, and “xenophobic”, but have no real evidence to make their case. That the Dead Governors couldn’t bother to link to the incriminating video, much less mention it, says all you need to know about their credibility on this issue.
After reading this, perhaps you will take the opportunity to find out how you can show your support for Joshua Sharf.
17 Responses
That this woman is even on the ballot as a Republican is stunning. I will be doing EVERYTHING I can to support and help Joshua.
Jim C
Put my two cents worth in, raht here:
http://coloradoconfederatarian.squarespace.com/journal/2008/4/3/deecisions-deecisions.html
What is the ratio of dead Israeli civilians to Palestinian civilians? I’ve never actually seen the number.
“What is the ratio of dead Israeli civilians to Palestinian civilians? I’ve never actually seen the number.”
Here ye go:
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=20512
You’re kidding me: 24 Palestinians dead for every Israeli? That’s incredible. So you’re saying Rima Barakat Sinclair might actually have a point?
I’m wondering if the author of this blog has any comment?
What do you think Mr. Sharf meant by “What we don’t need is a Barakat in Sinclair’s clothing”? Somebody we don’t know named Barakat or Sinclair, or a shallow play on her ethnic sounding maiden name?
Why don’t you ask Joshua himself? He is actually a friendly, cordial, reasonable, intelligent person. My opinion of what he meant by the phrase you selected out of the context he wrote isn’t nearly as important as what he actually intended.
To follow the New Testament admonition regarding motives, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
I tried to ask him, as politely as I did here — he never approved my comment or responded. You would think he, like you, would have an answer to such a simple question. Or at least be willing to allow the question to appear, as you did.
Guess not…
He never ainswers me neither. He *did* make a sneerin’ reference to me once in one-a his Gang O’ Fo’ articles:
http://www.politicswest.com/16510/refighting_civil_war . But he don’t tawk to me in e-mail or at my blog.
In his defense, tho, I do’nt that he ‘pproves any commints at his blog.
‘Course, it’s-iss kinda insularity and high-horse way might make him a good politician.
I wonder if you, the author of this blog, have ever been to the West Bank? Have you ever sat down and spoken with someone who lost their home in 1948 or 1967? Have you ever visited the “Canada Park†where a town, which might have been connected to the Emmaus of Luke’s Gospel, was bulldozed out of existence and its people (Christian and Muslim) exiled? Have you visited Bethlehem and seen the wall and highway that surround it and been through the “security†check points that are more rigorous (and disruptive) than those at the Sterling Correctional facility? Have you spoken with a woman whose brother, discharged from a hospital in Jerusalem, had a relapse in Bethlehem and been held at that check point so long that, even when finally allowed to be transported back to hospital in Jerusalem, he died. Have you spoken with neighbors of a seventy year old grandmother shot for protesting her house being pulled down on her eighty year old husband? Have you been to Jericho, as deep into the West Bank as is just about possible to be, and looked up to see the city the Israelis are building on the hills above it and wondered how it’s possible either morally or legally? Have you even done as much as look at the web site for “B’Tselem, The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights†(www.btselem.org/English/) and looked at the map of the settlements that have destroyed any hope for a sovereign and contiguous Palestinian state? Have you visited the web site and read what Israeli’s are themselves saying about their use of firearms, of beatings and abuse, about restrictions on movement, and the wall? Have you spoken with members of the IDF (including respected officers) who have refused to participate any longer in what they see as Israel’s abuse of basic human rights in the West Bank and Gaza? Have you spoken with a Black, South African priest who is part of the “Christian Accompaniment Team†and heard him say that what the Palestinian’s experience is worse than anything his people experienced under apartheid? Have you heard Palestinian and Israeli members of “Parents Circleâ€, who have lost children to the conflict, together promoting reconciliation? If you had you might comprehend the truth at the foundation of Rima Barakat Sinclair’s observations. If you had you might understand, as the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission†in South Africa has demonstrated time and again, that speaking aloud the truth for all to hear is the only path to genuine understanding, dialog and ultimately the reconciliation so desperately needed in and between Israel and Palestine.
If you haven’t done any of these things then all you offer and invite is one-sided opinion and prejudice in these desperate and human issues…and of what help is that?
Paul, I wonder if you have ever seen this:
http://bendegrow.com/2007/suicide-killers-a-stunning-documentary/
Paul,
I wonder if you can provide any links or evidence of any of this that you’re talking about? I wonder if you have any comment about the thousands of Israeli civilians that have been killed and maimed by Palestinian rocket attacks and suicide bombings. Perhaps if you can’t, you’re the one engaging in one-sided opinion and prejudice.
Regards,
Jim C
‘As of yesterday (May 24), B’Tselem, Israel’s most important human rights organization, reported fatalities as follows: From September 29, 2000 to April 30, 2007, 4,098 Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces and Israeli civilians, while 1,021 Israelis were killed by Palestinians.’
for the official dead baby count, check the link above (hint: .il means Israel)
here it is again:
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=20512
We need more like Rima!
Looking at casualty counts obviously doesn’t tell the complete story – we should instead look at who is truly the aggressor in the Middle East and more importantly, which side is doing everything possible to avoid peace by poisoning the minds of its populace with hatred. Memri.org and http://www.pmw.org.il/ allow you to see what the native populations and particularly Palestinian Govt controlled areas see nightly on their television. Look closely at the latter link to see their target audience (children). While you’re at it why not look up who initiated the wars in 1948 and 1967? Whether Palestinians who stayed behind in 1948 instead of ‘fleeing’ were given full Israeli citizenship? (they were) What happened after Israel removed its settlers and army from Gaza? Which side has been breaking the truce between Gaza and Israel? (Hamas)
Many of those on this board are too stupid to look beyond these simple numbers and can’t conceive of any sort of context – question: if I try to shoot at you while surrounding myself with family members who should be held responsible if one is injured?
As a final fun exercise why not look up how many Jews were expelled from Arab nations leading up to and right after 1948? Hint: more than the number of Palestinians who ‘fled’ Israel in the same year.
On August 1, Josh Sharf posted to his blog about an interview his opponent gave to a Jordanian newspaper. He ridicules her alleged statement that “Jordan would be transformed into being a substitute nation for the Palestinians sometime in the next few years.” He then goes on to suggest that the Royal family of US ally in the region, Jordan, are “the humanoid form of alien space lizards.”
I am not making this up:
http://www.jsharf.com/view/2008/08/rima_campaigning_in_the_foreig.html
Jeez, where could these ideas have come from? As it turns out, Sharf’s good friend Neil Dobro, founder of Americans Against Terrorism, spoke to the J-GOP just last month, asserting that the solution for the mideast problem was to turn Jordan into the Palestinian homeland! Also, he started off his presentation with a clip from “Attack of the Clones” or “Clone Wars” or whatever it was, on the basis that Arab leaders are actually Sith Lords.
Perhaps Sharf and Dobro think this is all a cute joke.
Having attacked his opponent now, during the campaign, on the basis of her views concerning the Middle East conflict, it is now time for Sharf to step forward with his views:
Does he support an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel according to mutually agreed-upon borders?
If not, what solution does he propose for the 5 million Palestinians now under Israeli control?
Has he visited the region? If so, under whose sponsorship? What was the media coverage?
When asked by us his position concerning the Bush administration’s peace initiative, his response was “no comment”.
If he is going to attack his opponent on her views on this matter, as he has done now, as a registered candidate, “no comment” is no longer an option.
CNN quoted this lady in a currently running story: “Muslim DVD rattles voters in key battleground states”.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/14/muslim.dvd/index.html
It’s a story about the DVD “Obsession” being distributed in a Denver paper, and she’s cited as an example of a Republican who is shocked/appalled/etc by the contents of the video.
Knowing better than to trust CNN, the most trusted name in news, I knew it’d be a good idea to google her name, and lo & behold what I find. This blog post for one.
This one too http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=904 that shows she was a contract translator for CNN.
Come the f* on. This is a “random” person who CNN found to interview? I call bullshit.