Clarion Fund - "Obsession"

"Obsession"

In September 2008, the group gained attention by distributing free copies of the film Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West, produced and co-written by Shore, by mail and in newspaper supplements. The Fund has reportedly sent 28 million DVDs to at least 70 newspapers in the United States to place at the doorstep of newspaper subscribers. The DVDs were distributed almost exclusively in swing states. The DVD's website www.radicalislam.org endorsed John McCain in September 2008, before being pulled down.

Amongst its notable content, Obsession intersperses scenes of Muslim children being encouraged to become suicide bombers with shots of Nazi rallies.

The movie starts with a disclaimer:

"This is a film about radical Islamic terror. A dangerous ideology, fueled by religious hatred. It's important to remember most Muslims are peaceful and do not support terror. This is not a film about them. This is a film about a radical worldview, and the threat it poses to us all, Muslim and non-Muslim alike."

Despite this statement, the DVD's content was controversial. The film features Walid Shoebat, who, according to the Huffington Post, said "Islam is the devil." NPR called the DVD inflammatory. The film draws parallels between Nazi Germany and monolithic Islam, according to Willamette Week. News & Record, a newspaper that refused to distribute the DVD, called it "fear-mongering and divisive."

National Public Radio reported that it is unclear as to who funded Clarion's distribution of the DVD. Clarion claimed it used only money from U.S. citizens.