An imam from California delivered a fiery speech during a Friday sermon, where he accused members of the LGBTQIA+ community of infiltrating pro-Palestine protests, describing them as “very sneakypeople” who employ the same victim mentality as Israelis do.
California Imam Ahmed Radwan: We Cannot Stand Shoulder-to-Shoulder with the LGBT Community; It Is a Disease, Make Sure Your Children Don’t Catch It; They Are Very Sneaky People; They Have the Same Victim Mentality as the Israelis #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/EIEWoLaHKT
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) July 26, 2024
Ahmed Radwan of the Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley made these remarks during an almost hour-long Friday sermon on June 28th. The sermon was live-streamed on the Islamic Center’s YouTube channel and posted on its Facebook page.
During his sermon, Radwan urged Muslims not to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder" with members of the LGBTQIA+ community and even accused them of coming to pro-Palestinian rallies and protests because they want to be seen among Muslims to gather support for their causes.
"We cannot be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with [The LGBTQ Community]. They are very, very sneaky people.” Radwan said during his sermon.
"For example, if we have a rally... and they have showed up at rallies when we are standing beside Palestine and Gaza. They come closer to us; they want to be seen among us. [They say] 'We are supporting you, we stand with you against Israel, so stand with us also when we need your help.' Do not be fooled by this tactic. You need to let them understand: 'Stay away from us. You do not belong to us, and we do not belong to you.' Have a wall between you and them because they are going to be expecting the same thing. No 'shoulder-to-shoulder,' my dear brothers and sisters,” the imam said, urging Muslims to separate themselves from members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Tis a sad admission of oversight from government officials in California that continue to let radical Imams loose. In Los Angeles we have the King Faud Mosque also preaches nothing but hate that continues to be funded by Middle Eastern dollars.
— Bapakgila (@Bapakgilabule) July 26, 2024
He also mentioned Pride Month, where he warned Muslims to be mindful as June is meaningful to the LGBTQIA+ community and that they are surrounded by their symbols and colors, even claiming that they want to impose this on their children in schools.
“The month of June, my dear brothers and sisters, it means a lot to this group, the LGBT+. You are surrounded with their mark and with their colors everywhere they can.” Radwan said. "They impose this on our children in the schools.”
The imam also accused both corporations and the American government of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and their causes, and he also argued that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris support them.
"I have even seen the Chevrolet manufacturers supporting this awful and evil act. McDonald's is doing the same thing. And unfortunately, Nordstrom... I was buying some clothing, and on my way out, I saw in Nordstrom, they have their flag, supporting the evil act of these people.” Radwan said.
They’re going to learn the hard way. As if being thrown off buildings isn’t enough hard fact for them.
Like the song says:
“A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest”.— Roni Zee (@RonitZilber) June 25, 2024
"The President of the United States is supporting this, Vice President [Kamala Harris], she is supporting this,” he added.
Radwan then went on to call on Muslims to keep themselves and their children away from the LGBTQIA+ community and even called them a disease that their children might acquire. He also accused them of acting like the oppressed and using the same victim mentality as Israelis.
"We need to stay as we can and to make sure that our children do not associate with them because it is a disease, and then your children are going to get it,” he said.
"And then these people act like they are the oppressed or the victim. This reminds me of what is happening in Palestine, in Israel... they [the Israelis] are showing like they are the victim, the oppressed one. They are using the same mentality," Radwan added.
