Difference between revisions of "Terror-Free Oil Initiative"

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[[Image:tfo.jpg|120px|thumb|TFOI Logo]]
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The [[Terror-Free Oil Initiative]] is a Coral Springs, Florida-based lobby group that says it is
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:dedicated to encouraging Americans to buy fuel that originated from countries that do not export or finance terrorism. We promote those companies that acquire their fuel supply from nations outside the Middle East and expose those companies that do not. We educate the American public about the oil-terrorism connection and press those in power to take the necessary steps to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.<ref>[http://www.terrorfreeoil.org/ Project Objective], Terror-Free Oil Initiative website, accessed 11 Jan 2010</ref>
  
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'''Terror-Free Oil Initiative''' is a Coral Springs, Flordia, based racist pro-Israel lobby group that claims to have established gasoline filling stations in several US cities, that do not sell oil originating "from countries that do not export or finance terrorism." It states, "We educate the public by promoting those companies that acquire their crude oil supply from nations outside the Middle East and by exposing those companies that do not."
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TFO's logo, in the words of a BBC report, "combines the twin towers, the Pentagon and the United 93 designation of the fourth 9/11 plane."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6325319.stm Firm offers 'terror-free' petrol], BBC Online, 2 Feb 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010. See the logo for yourself here: http://www.terrorfreeoil.org/</ref>
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==Activities==
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In January 2007 the LA Times reported that Senator Barbara Boxer had rescinded an award her office gave to a Sacramento Islamic activist Basim Elkarra after criticism that the group he represents -- the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] -- holds extremist views and has ties to international terrorist organizations.<ref>Ashraf Khalil, [http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/06/local/me-cair6 Boxer rescinds award to Islamic activist], LA Times, 6 Jan 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010</ref>
  
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The organization shares its address with [[Americans Against Hate]], an organization primarily dedicated to supporting the extreme right in Israel.  
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The article cites [[Joe Kaufman]], spokesman for the Terror-Free Oil Initiative and founder of [[CAIR Watch]], as the origin of the criticism of Boxer's office that led Boxer to rescind the award:
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:The controversy started when Joe Kaufman, a Florida-based activist and longtime critic of the group, posted an online article attacking the award to Elkarra. Kaufman, who runs a website called CAIRwatch.com, has long contended that the council actively encourages and supports groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah -- both of which are on the U.S. government's terrorism watch lists.
  
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==Modus Operandi==
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:"We believe this organization should be shut down and that no elected leaders should have anything to do with them," Kaufman said.<ref>Ashraf Khalil, [http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/06/local/me-cair6 Boxer rescinds award to Islamic activist], LA Times, 6 Jan 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010</ref>
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The organization's modus operandi is crude, in your face propaganda: the logo includes the pentagon and twin towers with the flight numbers of the 9/11 planes inscribed on them; an image with Osama bin Laden's face crossed out; the banners alternate between "God Bless America", "We Stand With Israel", "[UK] You are in our prayers", "Support Denmark"; its spokesman appears on TV with an American flag for a tie.
 
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The organization is pushing a vareity of the Clash of Civilization theory which identifies Israel with a West at war with the Arab-Islamic world.
 
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==Anti-Arab Racism==
 
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The organization's website includes slogans that gas station owners are encouraged to display, such as "Our oil does not come from the Middle East, Your dollars do NOT finance terrorism." Another, demonstrating the indiscriminate and racially-based nature of the campaign, states "This Gas Station is part of Terror Free Oil Initiative - We do not purchase our oil from '''countries whose regimes or populations''' are hostile to the United States." The racism of the organization is confirmed by the fact that countries outside the Middle East whose "regimes or populations" are putatively just as hostile, such as Venezuela, are not targeted by it.
 
  
 
==Personnel==
 
==Personnel==
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*[[Joe Kaufman]] - Spokesman
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*[[Joe Kaufman]] - Spokesman<ref>[http://citizenwarriors.com/2008/10/joe-kaufman.html Joe Kaufman and Terror-Free Gas], Citizen Warrior Heroes blog, 18 October 2008, accessed 11 Jan 2010</ref>
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According to Ali Abunimah:
 
  
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:In a January 4 article on the extreme right-wing website Frontpagemag.com, Kaufman claimed that newly elected Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison "carried much radical Islamist baggage," and he refers to American Muslim groups as "America's live-in enemies." Last December, Kaufman called California Senator Barbara Boxer a "senator for terror" because she bestowed a public service award on a Muslim American community activist who had previously criticized Israeli human rights abuses. Under pressure from Kaufman's organization, Boxer, a staunch supporter of Israel, withdrew the award. ("Sen. Boxer rescinds award to Islamic activist," Los Angeles Times, 6 January 2007).
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==Affiliations==
  
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==Media Exposure==
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Joe Kaufman is also Chairman of [[Americans Against Hate]] and the founder of [[CAIR Watch]].<ref>[http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/members/1/Joe%20Kaufman/ Author Profile, Joe Kaufman], Canada Free Press website, accessed 11 Jan 2010</ref>
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Not surprisingly, Kaufman has made frequent appearances on Fox News and other American right wing media, however, despite its dubious provenance, National Public Radio and the BBC -- which claims to rely only on credible sources -- also chose to run stories on the initiative.
 
  
 
==Contact==
 
==Contact==
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*'''Website:''' http://www.terrorfreeoil.org
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*Website: http://www.terrorfreeoil.org
  
 
==Articles==
 
==Articles==
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*Ali Abunimah, [http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6551.shtml Media fall for pro-Israel hate group's "Terror Free Oil"], ''The Electronic Intifada'', February 13, 2007
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*BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6325319.stm Firm offers 'terror-free' petrol], BBC Online, 2 Feb 2007.
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*BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6325319.stm Firm offers 'terror-free' petrol], ''BBC Online'', 2 Feb. 2007.
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==Notes==
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<references/>
  
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[Category: Israel Lobby]
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[[Category: Israel Lobby]][[Category: Middle East Watch]]

Latest revision as of 19:56, 11 January 2010

The Terror-Free Oil Initiative is a Coral Springs, Florida-based lobby group that says it is

dedicated to encouraging Americans to buy fuel that originated from countries that do not export or finance terrorism. We promote those companies that acquire their fuel supply from nations outside the Middle East and expose those companies that do not. We educate the American public about the oil-terrorism connection and press those in power to take the necessary steps to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.[1]

TFO's logo, in the words of a BBC report, "combines the twin towers, the Pentagon and the United 93 designation of the fourth 9/11 plane."[2]

Activities

In January 2007 the LA Times reported that Senator Barbara Boxer had rescinded an award her office gave to a Sacramento Islamic activist Basim Elkarra after criticism that the group he represents -- the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- holds extremist views and has ties to international terrorist organizations.[3]

The article cites Joe Kaufman, spokesman for the Terror-Free Oil Initiative and founder of CAIR Watch, as the origin of the criticism of Boxer's office that led Boxer to rescind the award:

The controversy started when Joe Kaufman, a Florida-based activist and longtime critic of the group, posted an online article attacking the award to Elkarra. Kaufman, who runs a website called CAIRwatch.com, has long contended that the council actively encourages and supports groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah -- both of which are on the U.S. government's terrorism watch lists.
"We believe this organization should be shut down and that no elected leaders should have anything to do with them," Kaufman said.[4]

Personnel

Affiliations

Joe Kaufman is also Chairman of Americans Against Hate and the founder of CAIR Watch.[6]

Contact

Articles

Notes

  1. ↑ Project Objective, Terror-Free Oil Initiative website, accessed 11 Jan 2010
  2. ↑ Firm offers 'terror-free' petrol, BBC Online, 2 Feb 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010. See the logo for yourself here: http://www.terrorfreeoil.org/
  3. ↑ Ashraf Khalil, Boxer rescinds award to Islamic activist, LA Times, 6 Jan 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010
  4. ↑ Ashraf Khalil, Boxer rescinds award to Islamic activist, LA Times, 6 Jan 2007, accessed 11 Jan 2010
  5. ↑ Joe Kaufman and Terror-Free Gas, Citizen Warrior Heroes blog, 18 October 2008, accessed 11 Jan 2010
  6. ↑ Author Profile, Joe Kaufman, Canada Free Press website, accessed 11 Jan 2010
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