Introduction:
Just a little under seven years ago, my life changed. Actually, I think every American’s life changed, whether they can admit it or not. Who among us ever would’ve thought the course of American history would be changed so drastically in a matter of moments? I certainly didn’t, and I bet most of you didn’t either. Let’s face it. We in this country have been able to lead what a great many might call insulated lives. Depending on your point of view, I suppose you could see that as “lucky”.
We are a distracted culture, and none of us saw what was coming on that fateful September day. Why would we? Terrorism is something that happens in other places. It’s something that only happens on TV, not here. Not in America. September in America is about the start of football season and sending the kids back to school, isn’t it?
Well, it was.
Now, all the horrible things we had seen on the television over the years had suddenly become real. The horror was in our own front yard, and this time, it wasn’t a movie we could turn off and walk away from. Radical Islamic extremists had just declared all out war, and not just on us, but on western culture as a whole.
I think we all understood that….for about two weeks. It didn’t take long for some of us to start navel-gazing and asking “why do they hate us”, or worse yet, simply forgetting and falling back into our comfortable, complacent lives.
I think some of us need a refresher course.
Recently, I was given a copy of Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against The West. As many of you know, it is a film I have mentioned in the past, but I had only seen straggled bits and pieces. Now, having finally been able to view the film in its entirety, I can say without reservation that it is indeed, as the box states “required viewing for everyone.” The educational import of this film cannot be disputed, and it very well may be the most important film in the last 50 years.
After viewing the film, I was able to sit down for a moment with Gregory Ross, Communications Director for Clarion Fund, to talk about the project:
Art Lindsey: Could you tell us a little bit about whom you are, what you do?
Gregory Ross: I’m originally from Los Angeles and have lived overseas for many years. I moved back to LA from New York after 9-11, and a stint on Wall Street, and started working in the Hollywood Entertainment community.
AL: How did you become involved with this film, and what was/is your specific role?
GR: The producer of “Obsession”, Raphael Shore, is an old friend of mine. He approached me over a year ago about representing the film in Hollywood. My exact title is, ‘Director of Communications’ for the Clarion Fund (non-profit, 501c3), and I assist in everything from internal/external communications, dealing with the press, and helping to secure distribution for our films. We also engage in educational activities online and on college campuses, as the mission statement of the Clarion Fund is to educate Western Civilization about the threat of radical Islam.
AL: Who financed the film, and what was the cost? How long did it take to complete the film?
GR: The film was financed by a concerned citizen who has a long standing relationship with our organization. The cost was under $500k and it took over a year to complete.
AL: While the subject matter of the film is obvious, in your opinion, what is the ultimate goal of this film?
GR: Ultimately, our goal is that of self-protection. This is a non-partisan film that looks to warn Americans and other Westerners of the growing existential threat that we all face – radical Islam. Our enemy does not care if they kill a Democrat or Republican, black or white, Christian or Jew, or even in some cases other Muslims. We all, moderate Muslims included, need to ban together in order to succeed in this battle with the fundamental Islamists. No less than our Democratic way of life and the liberties it provides are at stake.
AL: In your estimation, how many people have seen “Obsession”?
GR: At last count I believe over 18 million people have seen “Obsession”. It has aired on CNN, Fox and other news outlets. It’s impossible however to truly gauge how many people have seen the entire film as it seems countless universities, churches, temples and other organizations have arranged screenings without our knowledge – which is just fine by us. We encourage activists to take matters into their own hands and spread the message. For us it’s all about getting the job done – not who gets credit for getting it out there.
AL: What is being done with the proceeds from this film?
GR: Proceeds from “Obsession” have primarily gone back into marketing the film. We’ve had a 2 year run so far since the films’ release, and yet there is still a large segment of America that does not know about the enemy we face. Our job is to reach those people, and fast!
AL: Have you received requests for the film from educators? Do you know of any institution where it is part of the curriculum?
GR: I know that the U.S. Department of the Navy uses the film and that it has also been shown on Capitol Hill on many occasions in order to education politicians. We have also screened it at countless universities and colleges. However we are unsure as to if it is being used in their curriculums – we certainly hope it is.
AL: How has it been received in a critical sense by the general public? Favorably or otherwise?
GR: Many people leave watching the film in a state of shock, however most all viewers are grateful for, and enlightened by, the information we provide in the film. This is scary stuff indeed! The public is extremely uniformed about the threats we face, and the general media is too consumed with Iraq to pay attention to the larger issues at hand. In the past years we have won and placed in numerous film festivals, and many critics have praised the film highly. Indeed, Glenn Beck said…”Obsession is without exaggeration one of the most important films of our time”.
AL: Have you received any feedback from Muslim groups such as CAIR because of this film? If so, what has that been like? Any backlash?
GR: Let’s just say that CAIR is not a big fan of our work – and they shouldn’t be! We uncover the lies, deception and terrorist activities that they work so hard to hide from us all. Other more moderate Muslim organizations and individuals actually use “Obsession” as a primer for their talks and lectures. We work closely with all moderate Muslims that look to reclaim their religion from the radical fanatics.
AL: What is your opinion on the current state of our war against Radical Muslim Extremism? Do you think the public truly grasp it? What aboutOur leaders in Washington? What is your view of the future, all things considered?
GR: Now that is the big questions, isn’t it? The public? Unfortunately, largely clueless. That’s why we are doing the work we do. The politicians? Some are not much better informed than the people they represent, especially when it comes to what is going on in their own backyards. The prison systems where hate and killing are being taught by radical Islamic chaplains who are paid for by the U.S. government, radical Islamic communities sprouting up in the U.S., Shariah financing on Wall Street, etc. We indeed have a big task ahead of us to get the people in Washington to do their job in protecting American citizens.
In terms of my overall view on the situation…go visit Europe now and kiss it goodbye, in our lifetimes it will be overrun by radical Islam. As far as America is concerned I think the Middle Eastern expert Bernard Lewis sums it up best in our new film when he succinctly suggests that America “wake up!” We have a short window of opportunity to turn the tide, and we really must join all of our resources in fighting what is the most dangerous threat today to our society and way of life. The global climate crises may present problems in 20-30 years, but if we don’t counter the threat of radical Islam, we might not be around that long to ‘enjoy’ the warm temperatures that our carbon footprints provide.
Popularity: 82% [?]
While I do agree that “Fundamentalist Islam” is a grave threat to our country and the world as a whole, so to is fundamentalism in most all forms. It is a narrow band of view without thought or care for any other field of input. Fundamentalists only fall deeper into their zealotry. The fundamental Islamic threat is only the most recent (albeit most covered) threat to humanity as a whole. We as “civilized people” tend to pay attention to the most recent, and not the ongoing. We will not quell those words spoken in foreign lands by those who are displeased with us, but we can change…unlike the zealot. Meet their fist with an open heart… While I will agree that some wars need to be fought, I also believe that most, if not all, can be averted. We as a country and as a species need to begin thinking on a global scale, and not just of what is in our backyard. I will not condone actions of death and destruction, however rooted in ones cause, but can see the impetus for those actions. We as a global whole do need to “Wake Up”. We are much more than we are choosing to be.
[...] In addition to Obsession cast members Brigitte Gabriel and Walid Shoebat speaking at U.S. military colleges, Gregory Ross, the film’s co-writer and director, stated in an interview that the film is being used by the U.S. Navy. According to Ross, who is also Communications Director for Clarion Fund, the organization that produced the film and is now funding the DVD newspaper insert scheme, “I know that the U.S. Department of the Navy uses the film and that it has also been shown on Capitol Hill on many occasions in order to education politicians.” [...]