Clarion Fund mailed DVD arrived in the mail today.

In September 2008, the group gained attention by distributing, with the aid of the Endowment for Middle East Truth<7>, 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.<8>. The Fund has reportedly sent 28 million DVDs to at least 70 newspapers in swing states to place at the doorstep of newspaper subscribers.<1><2>

Critics have accused the Clarion Fund, through its distribution of the Obsession film, of misleadingly portraying Islam as a threatening religion bent on the destruction of Western civilization, and of interspersing untruthful incendiary commentary with images of Nazis and suicide bombing indoctrination. Others have called the film "award winning" and "required viewing".<9>

After a quote from Edmund Burke, the movie starts with a disclaimer that reads: "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."<10><11><12><13><14>

In September 2008, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate the Clarion Fund's DVD distribution claiming that it was an attempt to influence the 2008 US presidential election. As evidence of inappropriate political bias on the part of The Clarion Fund, AP cited Patriot News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania reporting "that a Clarion Fund Web site ran a pro-McCain article before it attracted notice and was taken down."<15>

Muslim group seeks probe of 'radical Islam' DVD

By ERIC GORSKI, AP Religion Writer Tue Sep 23, 8:18 PM ET

A U.S. Muslim advocacy group Tuesday asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate whether a nonprofit group that distributed a controversial DVD about Islam in newspapers nationwide is a "front" for an Israel-based group with a stealth goal of helping Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

The promoters of "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" denied trying to promote any presidential campaign. They said it's also incorrect to tie the DVD campaign to Jerusalem-based educational group Aish HaTorah International, although current and former employees are involved with the project.

The Council for American-Islamic Relations asked the FEC to investigate the DVD distribution, which targeted about 28 million households mostly in battleground election states.

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