If Carol Hefner had criticized Christianity in exactly the same terms, would this article have been written, complete with victimhood one-upmanship from local Christian leaders? No. Hefner would be celebrated as “edgy” and “courageous.” The idea that criticism of Islam is off-limits is derived from the Sharia prohibition of such criticism. This article is an example of the increasing influence of such Sharia prohibitions. Note also that Jana Hayes never bothers to inform her readers of CAIR’s ties to Hamas, as is always the case in establishment media “journalism.”
“OKC Mayor candidate Carol Hefner addresses her criticism of Islam during debate,” by Jana Hayes, The Oklahoman, January 27, 2022:
Oklahoma City mayoral candidate Carol Hefner, in Tuesday’s mayoral debate, made remarks about Islam that sparked an outcry from the local Muslim community.
Hefner, 60, has a history of making racist and Islamophobic social media posts. Near the end of the debate — in response to a question about posts where she called Islam an “evil culture” and compared President Barack Obama to Hitler — Hefner described her Lebanese family’s oppression from those practicing Islam before ending on a note of contempt for the religion.
“It is a very negative culture, and it does things that are oppressive, and I don’t agree with that,” Hefner said. “It’s just like slavery, I don’t agree with it. It’s insipid, it should be eradicated from our culture, from our world. Unfortunately, it’s been here since the beginning of time, I don’t know how I personally am going to get rid of it, but I would like to have those conversations.”
Hefner did not respond to The Oklahoman’s phone calls, but when asked via text if she meant that Islam should be eradicated, she said:
“Hate and oppression of all kinds is insipid and should be eradicated from our world.” In response to a question, Hefner clarified that she meant “insidious” rather than “insipid” in her original text.
When asked to clarify, Hefner said it was “inaccurate” to take her words as meaning any culture should be eradicated. She did not specify Islam in her text messages.
“All cultures make up our world,” she said. “I believe in freedom of religion. Love (and) peace between all religions as well.”
Folks in the Islamic community were quick to express their disappointment with Hefner’s remarks.
“Muslims in Oklahoma are no strangers to attacks on our faith,” said Adam Soltani, executive director of Oklahoma’s Council on American-Islamic Relations, in a statement Wednesday. “It pains Oklahoma Muslims deeply to hear these words in the largest city in our state and a place that Muslims call home.”
Muslim community responds with requests to meet
While answering the debate question about her social media posts, Hefner said she “might revisit” the comments she had made on social media and “have meaningful conversations with people across the city about” them. She then went on to describe the oppression her Lebanese family experienced before immigrating to America.Her grandfathers, she said, wore cross tattoos on their hands and were denied food, clothing and housing because of their Christian status.
Imad Enchassi, senior imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, told The Oklahoman in a statement that after hearing Hefner’s remarks he reached out to her for a meeting.
Enchassi is a survivor of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon, in which the Lebanese Forces, a Christian-based political party, killed hundreds of civilians. The exact number of victims is unknown.
“I can tell you that horrific incidents in history can be used to either bring people together or separate them,” Enchassi said. “I can tell you about Jesus and Mary’s names that were invoked by the perpetrators as they massacred 1,800 of my friends and family. But I would rather tell you about the people who invoked the names of the real Jesus and Mary I know who fed me, clothed me and gave me sugar candy.
“I can tell you about the cross that was drawn with the victims’ blood at my refugee camp, drawn by the massacre’s perpetrators. But I would rather tell you the story of the Red Cross that rescued me and cried with me as we together buried 1,800 victims in a massive grave.”
Soltani agrees that Hefner would benefit by meeting the OKC Muslim community face-to-face and said CAIR-OK plans to reach out to her.
“We believe very much in the power of communicating and building bridges regardless of differing views, therefore if Carol would be willing to meet with us we would gladly host her and treat her with the utmost respect and compassion,” Soltani told The Oklahoman via email….
Wellington says
If America and the West still were overwhelmingly sane (they are not), criticism of Islam would be as standard as criticism of Nazism during the WWII era and Communism during the Cold War era.
Well, we’ve “moved on,” haven’t we? To a worse and stupider place. You betcha’.
Islam sucks. And defenses of Islam suck. Might as well defend Nazism as defend Islam.
tim gallagher says
I agree, Wellington. Islam has so many things wrong with it and is so evil and barbaric that it should be criticised constantly. That is what it deserves. The way that any criticism of Islam attracts rebukes, you would think the stinking ideology, islam, was pretty much perfect. It is pathetic.
gravenimage says
+1
mortimer says
Wellington raises the point that making Islam a ‘sacred cow’ subject that may not be touched is a kind of ideological madness. Indeed, the Red-Green Axis between neo-Marxists and Muslims with a view to destroying Western freedom of thought is what is behind this.
We must not doubt the the neo-Marxists know exactly what they are doing, even though their unintelligent, naive followers (like Ben Affleck) are unable to express exactly ‘WHY’ Islam may not be critiqued.
To Muslims, the ‘Islamophobia’ smear is a Trojan horse for the imposition of Sharia blasphemy law. To the neo-Marxists, the ‘Islamophobia’ smear is a way to destroy the Western culture of freedom of expression and impose Leftist censorship of all thought.
Eventually, the Leftists will get around to destroying Islam as did Stalin and the Chinese, who not only close mosques, but physically sterilize all Muslim women, so that the Muslim death cult will completely die out in China.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, I think it is far more liukely that Islam will try to destroy the Left, as the Mullahs did to the Communist Tudeh Party in Iran after the useful idiots were no longer needed.
Wellington says
Agreed, gravenimage. My money would be on Islam destroying Western Leftists and not the other way around. In the meantime, Western Leftists serve quite well as useful idiots for the Mohammedans.
gravenimage says
Grimly so.
livingengine says
This is the 3rd person CAIR has attacked on TV this month, keeping consistent with their pattern of attacking 2.5 people every month.-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spsxaPjCIeI
Resist it. Resist it while you can.
KWTV-DT News9 CBS
7401 N. Kelley
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
405-841-9956
800-610-9110 (Toll free)
newsdesk@news9.net
Kenneth J Johnson says
CAIR, CAIR, CAIR every where. W hen will they be declared unamerican???
Carol Hefner, another poliltician willing toi speak out. we need more. KEN
Kenneth J Johnson says
CAIR, CAIR, CAIR every where. When will they be declared unamerican???
Carol Hefner, another poliltician willing to speak out. We need more. KEN
somehistory says
She should not allow herself to be *reached* by the *mozlum community* and not by any stinking member of c.a.i.rats org. They will only pressure, intimidate, and threaten her until she cowers and retracts the Truth.
She should stick by her original words, not shrink back, not retract her statements and **not apologize** for words used or for any *hurt feelings.*
Meanwhile, back at the ranch,
https://www.newsmax.com/us/islamic-state-female-battalion/2022/01/29/id/1054578/?ns_
“Feds: Kansas Woman Led All-female Islamic State Battalion”
Infidel says
She’s from Lebanon, according to that article, so having either experienced muslim barbarism firsthand or heard about it secondhand, I doubt she will. The article called her a racist, w/o mentioning the racial differences b/w her and muslims. I agree that Maronites/Phoenicians ain’t Arabs, but there is not a huge racial difference b/w them
Mike says
call it what you will Islam is an evil group if I can call it that for the lack of any other words the facts are the left will coddle Muslims until Muslims get Sharia Law installed by then it will be late the left will be the useful idiots that will be enslaved by Islam there book says to enslave non believers or tax them so they not be excited for being a non believers or convert to Islam so Carol Hefner is correct but god for bid the truth into days world be told for one I’d vote for her telling the truth
John says
She’s just saying what Muslims do when they have the upper hand. The only reason the Christian Maronite community has survived and is not under the fist of Islam in Lebanon is because when they are attacked they fight back.
somehistory says
mozlums dish it out, but can’t take it. They whine anytime anyone tells the truth, while they lie as if there is no more tomorrow. And when they slaughter, they don’t want to be opposed; and when they are opposed, it’s time to whine about the injuries they may suffer. As if it is the fault of those whom they attacked for putting up a defense.
Tony Naim says
Enchassi speaks half the truth, he forgot to tell what happened the day before sabra and chatila when the PLO under Yasser Arafat, his deputed Abu Ayad, ordered the murder of the Christian president of Lebanon Bachir Gemayel with 35 innocent Christian civilians.
The PLO was, and remains, the precursor to all radical Islamic organizations that followed . They remain proficient at the killing of Christians and Jews in the Middle East until this day.
gravenimage says
+1
Walter Sieruk says
Good for her. Anyone in public view who is courageous enough to speak about even a few of the many different things that are wrong about Islam come “under fire” from those who are of the leftist/Islamic alliance.
She should take “bashing ” of her as a Badge of Honor..
gravenimage says
Oklahoma City mayoral candidate under fire for criticizing Islam
……………..
What did Carol Hefner actually say that was wrong? With her family’s background as oppressed dhimmis in Lebanon, you’d think she especially would have the right to criticize Islamic persecution–but not in today’s insane world.
CycloneSteve says
Was everything Mohamad said and did divinely inspired by Allah? (yes)
Should you, as a good Muslim, try to live your life the way Mohamad did. (yes)
Didn’t Mohamad own slaves and rape them? (That’s different, that was a different time)
OK, so it was OK for Jefferson to have slaves, because it was a different time? (no, racist)
And didn’t Mohamad marry a 6 year old and consummate at 9? (yes)
So you, as a good Muslim would have no problem marrying a 6 year old. (shut up bigot)
Where are you going? We should have an open dialog. >:-)
somehistory says
That’s about the size of it.
Doomer says
It would have been far more effective if she had quoted Quranic verses to prove her point. I suspect, I could be wrong, but I am 99.99% sure, she doesn’t even know about it. I have noticed that regarding Conservative LEADERS, that is why Leftists and Muslims verbally win.
Sun Tzu: “Know your enemy and know yourself”
REDPILL: “Knowledge is Power”
Ok,she could have quoted sura 9:111
“Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange]
a) For that they WILL HAVE PARADISE.
They FIGHT in the CAUSE of Allah ,
so they KILL and ARE KILLED.
b) [It is] a TRUE PROMISE [binding] upon Him
C) In the TORAH and the GOSPEL and the QURAN.
And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ?
So REJOICE in your TRANSACTION which you have contracted.”
It says if you kill and get killed for Allah you go to heaven, and that THAT message is ALSO in the Torah and Gospel.
False.
So Muslims are forced to say:” It refers to the ORIGINAL Torah and Gospel”
CycloneSteve says
What you say is technically correct, but explaining in simple, straightforward words is more effective, IMHO.
gravenimage says
Doomer, I think, that people also have the right to speak about their own experience of persecution under Islam. Just quoting the Qur’an often seems rather academic to people.
Firstly, those who have not read the Qur’an and Hadith and other texts of Islam often don’t know whether the violent verses are either common or infuential.
Then, the idea that those who do quote the Qur’an are not condemned or threatened is mistaken. Robert Spencet is a Qur’anic scholar, and this does not protect him–far from it.
Doomer says
Yes, recounting personal experience is an excellent way of getting the message across,
but As Soon as the Press starts calling you racist,extremist,Islamophobe, xenophobic: wham! quote sura 9:111 or the sura where it says slaves need the permission of their masters to be freed.
And then add a link to Daniel Haqiqatjous debates against Liberalism, where mainstream Islam is represented.
gravenimage says
Doomer–again–I’m afraid that your idea that the press immediately embraces any critic of Islam who can accurately quote the Qur’an is mistaken.
As for Daniel Haqiqatjou, he is not that widely known. Among people who *do* know him he is often considered an “extremist”. Few understand that his views are orthodox Islam.
I think that anyone should be allowed to criticize Islam. We should speak the truth, knowing that many will not accept it. But if enough people speak out it *will* eventually make a difference.
CycloneSteve says
I don’t talk to the press, but I wonder what there reaction would be to being told that Mohamed was an eager slave holder and taker. That he if he was alive today he would be in prison for pedophilia.
While the press may be OK with pedophilia it should make them squirm when you talk about slavery. Asking what they think about slave owners who wrote about the best way to rape their female slaves would be of great interest.
gravenimage says
Steve, the press often ignores or even whitewashes Islamic slavery:
Doomer says
Redpill: “Knowledge is Power”
Leftists and Muslims say Western civilization due to Christianity is the most evil in history.
False.
1. Even with the Portuguese Inquisition ( 1,200 killed ) and Spanish Inquisition ( 2,000 -3000 killed ) , it is BUDDHISM and Not Christianity that is the example of Religion at its WORST.
2. In what way? In SADISM and CRUELTY. Even more than the AZTEC religion, where they would open the chest of a living man,woman, children (yes,also children ) and take out their hearts.
3. It was in JAPAN and it was a corruption of the Buddha’s Doctrine of Compassion. Japan was OFFICIALLY a Buddhist country from 600 AD to 1868 ( when Shintoism became the official religion).
4. In 1614 the shogun prohibited Christianity and there were 250,000 Catholics. It was with the support of the Buddhist monks. The HEAD of Buddhism in Japan, its highest authority was Zen monk ISHIN SUDEN (1563–1633) .
Suden was in charge of all the Buddhist temples in Japan and adviser to the Shogun on religious matters. He agreed.
5. Suden agreed to force Japanese Christian between CONVERSION to Buddhism or DEATH. First they had to prove they were not Christians by stepping on an image of Jesus or Mary.
All those who did were immediately FORCED to attend Buddhist temples and participate in Buddhist religious ceremonies ALL their lives, and
in addition, GIVE MONEY each year to maintaining Buddhist temples.
NO protest by other Buddhist monks then,no Buddhist “holy men” at the time said to stop it all.Total silence.
6. Those who refused to apostasize: here is the SADISM.
According to this Catholic encyclopedia ( New Advent ):
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09744a.htm
“The list of martyrs we know of (name, Christian name, and place of execution)
has 1,648 names.
If we add to this group the groups we learn of from the missionaries, or later from the Dutch travellers between 1649 and 1660,
the total goes to 3,125.”
NO protest by other Buddhist monks then,no Buddhist “holy men” at the time said to stop it all.Total silence.
a) The intention of the Japanese government ( with the silent approval of the Buddhist establishment) was to TORTURE the Catholics for HOURS and HOURS Non-Stop ( using several techniques,like BOILING water ).
It was Not 15 min maximum like in the Spanish Inquisition( and with a doctor present, who had the authority to STOP it earlier )
NO protest by other Buddhist monks then,no Buddhist “holy men” at the time said to stop it all.Total silence.
b) Why? To force them to deny Jesus. As soon as they did, they were released and forced to become Buddhist.
That is why Only 3,000 Resisted until Death. For the others the pain was too much.
c) In the early 300s emperor DIOCLETIAN began a general persecution of all Christians in the Roman empire: 3,000 were killed.
They had to renounce Christianity or death. If they said NO, then they were killed, NO torture for hours and hours until they renounced their faith.
Not even the AZTECS showed such sadism, the person sacrificed suffered for several minutes, not hours NON-stop.
Nothing like the sadism of the Japanese Buddhists.
Kepha says
Being a Christian with family ties in the Far East, I concur that Buddhism is a pretty horrid religion. While you speak of 17th century Japan, consider 2oth and 21st century Burma/Myanmar, where the Christian Karen, Kachin, and Chin peoples have been facing trouble from their “Buddhist Socialist” government far longer than the Rohingya have!
Roshan says
There is nothing in Buddhism as such which justifies these actions.Please let us know in the Buddhist texts if you can find source.
Islam on the other hand has institutionalized hatred for idolaters and non-muslims.Similar issue with Christianity in Pagan lands but it has been largely reformed and people of religions apart from Islam are Okay with taking criticism on their religion.
mortimer says
Aggressive jihad and slavery are enshrined in Sharia law.
To love your enemies and to do good to those who hate Christians is enshrined in the Christian teaching of all denominations of Christianity.
Jim says
The difference between Christians and Muslims is that Christians are constantly criticizing their faith and apologizing. With Islam it is the opposite. They are constantly complaining of being oppressed but never criticizing their own faith. Palestinians often complain of their oppression by Israelis. But when would they ever criticize their leaders for the rockets fired constantly at Israeli civilians, the death tunnels under the border, the anti-Semitic school books and propaganda. The list is endless. They never think there is anything wrong with that. The people who come to America expect our country to become Isamified because they feel entitled. Where is their duty to assimilate? Well, they don’t have any.
OLD GUY says
Funny how anyone who criticizes Islam is a target. I guess that is right as it seems islam and muslims can do no wrong no matter how vile their actions or words are.
Infidel says
I just wish I was an Oklahoma City voter at this time: I’d stand up for Ms Hefner. Also, the article claims that in addition to ‘islamophobic’, she’s also made racist posts. Has she attacked any group other than muslims?
And no, attacking BLM or Antifa don’t count!
gravenimage says
She’s criticized Barack Obama. Of course, criticizing a black president is no more intrinsically racist than critcizing Joe Biden necessarily means you hate white people.
Kepha says
As a scion of Eat African Muslims, Barry O had people hunting, catching, and selling slaves (albeit for the Islamic ME rather than the Americas) for a couple decades after the last US slaveholders were dispossessed of their human chattels.
gravenimage says
Kepha, I am, god knows, *no fan* of Barack Obama. But he was not directly involved in slavery in Afrca.
That being said, it is true that he regularlly whitewashed and ignored Islamic slavery in Africa:
https://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/obama-and-the-islamic-slave-trade
Roshan says
There is nothing in Buddhism as such which justifies these actions.Please let us know in the Buddhist texts if you can find source.
Islam on the other hand has institutionalized hatred for idolaters and non-muslims.Similar issue with Christianity in Pagan lands but it has been largely reformed and people of religions apart from Islam are Okay with taking criticism on their religion.