AFSI COMES TO RIFQA BARY'S DEFENSE

I am pleased to learn that Americans for a Safe Israel has added itself to the list of those speaking Rifqa Bary's defense. Atlas Shrugs has the following by Ruth King of the organization:

Putting children first is a bipartisan national policy that mandates legal protection and shelter for minors in harm’s way. It is the way of all civilized nations.

Why do we not apply this policy to the treatment of Arab and Moslem children who are routinely used as shields and props on battle fields; routinely brainwashed to hate; offered as martyrs for suicide missions; killed in the name of a barbaric code of “honor” by relatives including siblings and parents?

Rifqa Bary is a seventeen year old girl who faces danger, abuse and possibly death if she is forced to return to her parents. Her crime under American standards of law? None. Her disrespect for American law? None. Anti-social behavior as dictated by the mores of our society? None.

Why then does Rifqa Bary fear her parents so that on Thursday September 3rd, a Florida Circuit Judge will decide whether to send her home to her family or be given a haven and freedom?

What do her parents and her mosque and Islam see as her crime and violation of law and social behavior and honor? Her conversion to Christianity four years ago. While her conversion remained secret her parents thrived economically in Columbus, Ohio where they worshipped in a local mosque where sermons offered the strictest interpretation of the Koran.

When the mosque, which has been under suspicion for abetting terrrism deliberately “outed” Rifqa's conversion to her family she was subjected to bruises and death threats and fled from her home. In Florida, an Evangelical church gave her shelter and guidance in filing for restraint.

Initially, the muted media interest in her story deliberately ignored the Islamic faith driven death punishment for apostasy. They chose instead, to smear and defame the church as a “cult” and accused them of brainwashing Rifqa.

Americans for A Safe Israel joins a distinguished list of individuals and organizations and journalists who have come forward in support of the right of Rifqa Bary to seek shelter and protection to practice her faith and enjoy all basic freedoms guaranteed by our constitution.

Here's also an article by Faith McDonnell of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, which notes something important: the MSM, such as the Columbus Dispatch, did not quote the local police correctly in the case:

Just as the secular media did, Beaty throws suspicion on Pastors Blake and Beverly Lorenz of Global Revolution Church. Inadverently, she uses several of the same key talking points that the Council on American Islamic Relations (C.A.I.R.) has put forth in their efforts to discredit Rifqa. She quotes the Bary family attorney who claimed that Bary was not afraid until she met Pastor Lorenz. Beaty adds signficantly that Lorenz “holds Bary tightly throughout the video.” Beaty also notes that the famous scholar of Islam Sgt. Jerry Cupp of the Columbus missing person’s bureau “disputes Bary’s claims, telling The Columbus Dispatch that Mohamed Bary has known about his daughter's conversion for months and appears to be caring.” Guess what, Sgt. Cupp and Ms. Beaty. Appearing to be caring is called taqiya. And Beaty does not mention, that other sources say that the police talked to friends and teachers of Rifqa who informed them that Rifqa was in fear for her life and had been the victim of abuse already. Beaty does cite author and founder of Jihad Watch, Robert Spencer, who calls Rifqa’s situation a “slow-motion honor killing,” but then exclaims that The Christian Post “audaciously lists Bary’s story in its ‘persecution’ news file.” I wonder where she would suggest they list it.

I don't know about Sgt. Cupp, but any other police officials who spoke to her other acquaintences certainly did do better on their part.

Meanwhile, I hope those who understand the situation will continue to write to those in charge of the case in Florida and continue to urge them to stand by Rifqa Bary. Those who do are to be warmly congratulated.

Update: there is also a new Jewish activist group called Z-Street, most likely a reaction to the left-wing J-Street, which may be funded by George Soros, that's come to Rifqa Bary's defense too. This is very pleasing news, and it shows that besides standing up to a bunch of phonies who claim to be helping Israel, they also stand in defense of persecuted women.