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Meet Nonie Darwish, author of "Now They Call Me Infidel"
Topics: Bakersfield Republican Women, Nonie Darwish, author, jihad, Middle East, Egypt, Israel, muslim
Posted by Contributor Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:47:17 PDT
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"Now They Call Me Infidel: Why I Renounced Jihad for America, Israel and the War on Terror"

By Mrs. Nonie Darwish

You are cordially invited to this special evening as we hear from this nationally renowned author and fellow republican who will educate us on these important current topics which effect our country and culture.

Thursday, Aug. 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
Petroleum Club of Bakersfield, 5060 California Ave. Suite 1200
$30 per person
Call 661-327-4971 for reservations

Make checks to "BRWF"
The Bakersfield Republican Women, Federated
P.O. Box 1564
Bakersfield, CA 93302

Considered a traitor and too liberal in her country of origin, Nonie Darwish is the daughter of an Egyptian Lt. General Mustafa Hafez, former commander of Army intelligence and founder of the Palestinian Fedayeen. Nonie's book "Now They Call Me Infidel" is a biography of 30 years of her life in Egypt and Gaza where she lived under oppressive dictatorships. The book describes the culture behind the jihad and worldwide terrorism and accounts of her transformation after she moved to America in 1978 into a supporter of peace in the state of Israel. Her book uniquely describes the impact of polygamy and oppression of women on Muslim society.

With a background in journalism and a degree in socio-anthropology from the University of Cairo in Egypt, Nonie is a spokesperson for progress, minority rights, human and women's rights in the Middle East. Like most Arab children, she was taught hatred, jihad, vengeance and retaliation. Nonie states, "When I was growing up, we had to recite poetry vowing jihad against Israel. We would have tears in our eyes, pledging that we wanted to die." She grew up listening to the cursing of Jews and Christians from the pulpits of mosques and says that "if you grow up with such cursing, it can feel and sound normal."

In July 1956 when Nonie was 8 years old, her father was killed in the first assassination by the Israeli Defense Forces. President Nasser of Egypt vowed that Egypt would take revenge for his death. Nonie remembers Nasser coming to her home and asking, "Which one of you will avenge your father's death by kiling Jews?"

After moving to America she struggled for years to look the other way when she would hear about the suffering of her people. 9/11 was a turning point as she realized "jihad has come to America." She began to speak out against the countless threats against Arab feminists and reformers whose voices were being silenced. She was featured in the documentary "Obsession" and is the founder of "Arabs for Israel," an organization of Arabs and Muslims who reject suicide terrorism as a form of jihad and promote constructive self-criticism and reform in the Arab Muslim world. Her mission is to promote "forgiveness" which she stressed in her interview with Al-Arabaya TV.

Both Wafa Sultan, Nonie Darwish together with other Arab and Muslim women have founded an Internet TV show "Dawry," meaning "my turn," which will assert the right for freedom and self-expression of women and men in the Musim world. She is married and a mother of three. Her second book, "Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Effects of Sharia Law," is due for release in November.

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