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Unmasking Islam

Woman on a mission sounds ominous warning for Jews and Westerners.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

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r. Wafa Sultan was "raised in
Islam by good Islamic par-
ents" in Syria. "I was brain-
washed at an early age she said.
Sultan, a psychiatrist and writer,
spoke to about 60 people at the
Holocaust Memorial Center in
Farmington Hills on Sept. 30. She now
lives in Los Angeles, far from the Middle
East of her youth and even farther from
the ideology of her parents.
An outspoken critic of Islam, she hit
the limelight after taking part in a debate
with Islamic clerics broadcast last year
on Al Jazeera. The confrontation estab-
lished her as a voice against Islamic ter-
rorism and incitement. It also made her
and her family targets for death threats.
Sultan was in Detroit as part of a
StandWithUs-Michigan program.
"The tragedy of 9-11 released me
from my fear ... this is my mission:'
she said. "Knowing that horrible crime
was committed by one of my people,
an article I wrote afterward screamed
as loud as I could: America, wake up!
Islam is here.'"
Sultan explained that because Islam
is both religious and political it should
not be treated as a religion. "Muslims
have to accept a religious and politi-
cal ideology:' she said. "They want to
replace the American Constitution with
Islamic Sharia (Islamic system of devis-
ing laws).
"The West suffers a lack of knowledge,
a lack of understanding of the Muslim
world:' she said. "You can't win the war

unless you understand the
name and it would be OK. My
Muslim mindset has no respect
husband had a drunken cousin
for human life. It's kill or be
in town I'd never met. I bribed
killed." She explained that five
him 50 Syrian pounds, about
times a day when Muslims pray
$1, and he went with me. I
they say the first Koranic verse
got the passports. But a well-
that curses Jews and Westerners.
known woman doctor needs a
"No justice will be served
drunken man? America helped
Wafa Sultan
until Islam takes over — they all
me get my dignity and human
share the same beliefs',' she said
rights back."
to a rapt audience.
But when she came here she said
Another caution she issued was about
she believed that all non-Muslims were
the high Islamic birthrate. She estimates
filthy and that Jews didn't have human
that in 20 years Muslims will outnumber features. "The first time I saw a Jew, I
Europeans and Israelis in those areas.
ran screaming:' she said.
"Time she said, "is on their side.
"It took me many, many years to face
They have patience to slowly but surely
the naked truth:' she said. "I was silent
achieve their goal. Ignorance is not a
for 32 years. I have every right to speak
choice in dealing with this crisis. We
of my experiences!'
must all be united to win this fight."
She says, however, that she's been
She explained that Arab Muslims
attacked by Americans because her
practice Islam differently from non-
message is "full of hatred!'
Arab Muslims (who comprise 80
"Islam is not something I read or heard
percent of Muslims). Arab Islam is the
about — I lived it',' she said passionately.
problem, she says.
During questions from the audience,
"Islam is a purely Arabic religion:'
Yossi Benjamin of Farmington Hills
she said. "You can't truly understand it
asked how President Bush could call
if you can't read Arabic. The Koran is
Islam "a peaceful religion."
not allowed to be truly translated. Now
"I was totally shocked when he said
Saudi money is going toward trying to
that — what [does he] know about
Arabize non-Arab Muslims. Saudi Islam Islam?" she said.
is everywhere."
Several people asked what action she
On a personal note, the now-secular
thought they should take now, and her
Sultan also rebelled against Muslim
answer was both wanting and ominous.
treatment of women. She told of apply-
"I have defined the problem — that is
ing for passports for her children so
my mission," she said. "Your mission is
they could reunite with her husband
to solve the problem. I don't know how,
already in America.
but the more you postpone, the more
"The consulate told me I had no
you'll regret!'
custody over my children because I
was a woman:' she said. "He told me
To see the Al Jazeera broadcast, go to
to bring any man with the same last
www.memritv.org/clip/en/1050.htm.

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14

October 11 • 2007

JN

Alan Hitsky
Associate Editor

A

n Ingham County Circuit
Court judge has approved the
sale of 28 Michigan cemeter-
ies to a New Jersey man with long cem-
etery roots.

David Shipper, a third-generation
cemetery professional who owns 12
cemeteries in Indiana and two in New
York, is forming Detroit Memorial
Group to buy the cemeteries for $32
million. The sale is expected to close at
the end of 2007.
The state took control of the cemeter-
ies under a conservator, attorney Mark
J. Zausmer of Farmington Hills, after
the cemetery owner, Clayton Smart of
Oklahoma, was accused of improperly
taking $61 million from cemetery trust
funds. The state says the funds, for pre-
paid services and perpetual care, were
invested in oil and gas companies and

casinos. Smart is awaiting trial.
The cemeteries include some of the
Detroit area's largest and oldest as well
as two with Jewish plots: Oakview in
Royal Oak and Oakland Hills Memorial
Gardens in Novi.
Shipper is a past president of the
International Cemetery and Funeral
Home Association and a former vice
chair of the New Jersey Cemetery Board.
His father, Irwin, was chair of the New
Jersey cemetery board for 22 years and
now serves on the board of the Jewish
Federation of Palm Beach County, Fla.,
and as president of Temple Beth David
in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. I

