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Technorati“But ‘Obsession’ is not an honest critique of violent radicalism,” he continued. “Instead, it is a propaganda piece that seeks to cast a wide net of suspicion against Muslims by blurring the line between violent radicalism and mainstream Islam.”
Critics are also wary of the timing of the documentary’s Sept. 18 re-release, which came less than two months before the upcoming presidential elections.
Gregory Ross, director of communications for the Clarion Fund, said the timing of re-releasing the movie is meant to coincide with the 9/11 anniversary and that the intention was not to sway voters to either candidate.
But some think otherwise.
"It was a political ploy," Nadeem Salem, a financial adviser and member of the Muslim community in the city of Toledo, Ohio, told the Toledo Blade.
"[The aim is] to create hatred and fear of Islam and Muslims, making them a false national security threat among the general public."
According to reports, around 70 major newspaper publications participated in the 28 million-copy distribution of “Obsession” this month. The New York Times alone distributed some 145,000 copies of “Obsession” to 11 markets, including Denver, Colo.; Miami, Tampa, and Orlando in Florida; Detroit, Mich.; Kansas City and St. Louis in Missouri; Philadelphia, Penn.; and Milwaukee, Wis., according to Times spokesperson Diane McNulty. Other newspapers that took part include the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, or Palm Beach Post.
The DVDs were also distributed at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions this summer.
In his column, CAIR’s Rehab urged for an investigation of the source of funding behind the Clarion Fund’s “gargantuan” distribution.
“28 million free copies distributed via 70 major daily newspapers. That could cost tens of millions of dollars if we assume even conservative advertising rates,” he noted.
“[W]ho exactly is this Clarion Fund and what is its source of funding? The public has a right to know and reporters have a responsibility to investigate.”
Rehab also said the distribution “should automatically put the burden on both candidates to speak out and clearly communicate their positions on this film and its distribution tactics.”
“Voters have a right to know where the candidates stand and journalists have a responsibility to ask,” he wrote.
To date, "Obsession" has been awarded Best Feature Film at the Liberty Film Festival and a Special Jury Award at the WorldFest Houston. It was also an Official Selection for the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Great Lakes Film Festival, the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival and the Beloit International Film Festival.
In addition to “Obsession,” the group behind the documentary also runs the Web site Radicalislam.org – an educational site which implores its readers to "take action against radical Islam" by exploring its resources under four headings: "fueling terror," "Sharia law," "vote 2008," and "radical Islam overview."
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