Paid lecture at CU: 'Why We Want to Kill You'

Two self-labeled terrorists-turned-peace activists will speak next week on the University of Colorado campus-and [[[[[[some students, in anticipation of the visit, say they fear the paid guests will spread hateful, anti-Islamic messages.]]]]]]The Cultural Events Board, which doles out money to student groups to pay for speakers, granted the College Republicans' request to fund the controversial, $10,000 campus talk: "Why We Want to Kill You."Walid Shoebat and Kamal Saleem-former Islamic terrorists who are popular guests in the college-speaking circuit and on conservative talk shows-will speak at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Glenn Miller Ballroom on CU's campus.[[[[The speakers say they will "share their personal experiences and stress the dangers that the Western world faces today, as Islamic Fundamentalism grows with fervor around the globe."Shoebat said college campuses are fertile recruiting grounds for the radical Islamic movement.In advance of the meeting, an e-mail circulated Monday among CU student-diversity groups and the Muslim Student Association urging students to research the speakers and expose them, saying Shoebat is a "hateful liar" and classifying the event as "completely anti-Islam."The Muslim Student Association this week is hosting an Islamic Awareness Week, with student panels and other events.Shoebat said his speaking engagements are often met with hecklers and demonstrators, but he said college students are getting a one-sided view on the war on terror and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Criticizing a religion is not racism," he said in a telephone interview Monday. "Critiquing a religion is a form of speech. If people cannot critique religion in this country, then we are beginning to see a downfall."]]]]Shoebat-as a teenager and member of the Palestine Liberation Organization-said he participated in a "failed terror attack" by planting a bomb on the rooftop of a Bethlehem bank that exploded but did not hurt anyone.Shoebat said that in 1993, while challenging his wife to convert to Islam, he studied the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, and became convinced that he was on the side of evil."I had a spiritual change,"said Shoebat,now a Christian. "I fell in love with the Bible. I love the Bible. I saw the Bible as a better transcript than the Quran.[[[[[[[[[["He said that during his visit next week, he wants to deliver the message that poverty and lack of education are not root causes of terrorism."As a nation, we must not give excuses to terrorism," he said. "The root cause of terrorism is a rise in the phenomenon of radical Islamic fundamentalism."The American-Islamic Relations council has criticized Shoebat's visits to other college campuses, including one at Michigan State University last month, saying he is either a "fraud" or should be detained by the justice department for his supposed terrorism in Israel.]]]]]]]]]](1)Kelly Brewer El-Yacoubi, a member of CU's Muslim Student Association, said the group doesn't have a planned protest but encourages students to research the speakers. "MSA is not a political organization in nature, as compared to other student groups, and we believe in a message of peace," she said. "We have positive events. We play offense rather than defense."She said she realizes that some campus events are meant to provoke students."We really value the equality of people, and if there's a racist event, we would never support it," she said.CU students pay about $20 a year to two organizations — the Cultural Events Board and Distinguished Speakers Board — that bring in speakers. Together, that amounts to less than 3 percent of the annual, mandatory $670 student-activity fee package.Bronson Hilliard, spokesman for CU, said the administration does not "micro-manage the speakers list that comes forward from our student groups."A review this school year, conducted by CU's Internal Audit Office at the regents' request and agreed upon by student leaders, found that the way the student union funds its guest speakers is in line with university rules, and the paid guests represent a diversity of viewpoints. But there were no records for unfunded events, and auditors recommended the student leaders strengthen their compliance by documenting denied proposals.
By Brittany Anas, Daily Camera
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/paid-lecture-cu-why-we-want-kill-you/
PS:Many have and still are-trying to prove Shoebat's claims of this past untrue,but two weeks ago I received and email from Walid which was extense and giving frully proof of who he is and of those that accuse him.
There is a reality and that is that the extremism in Islam comes from the quran itself and I ve heard myself and sat down and talk with Walid for quite some time and on the contrary he loves the muslim world and his folks back in the Middle East that are persecuting him and trying to do away with him still today.
You still are entitled to your own opinion.
BUT there is a truth and that is that radical Islam has been invading our soil for many many years now and we as society and country have been compromising time and time again to try to "accomodate them"
Radical Islam is a real and present danger and when Walid speaks the truth about it,he is a "muslim hater"???
As in the days of Noah....