52-year-old, Steven S. Smith, Sheriff of Greene County Sheriff's Office, has announced that his police department will be sponsoring a free seminar, titled: 'Understanding The Jihidi Threat To America', which will teach uninformed Virginian residents about Islam. The speakers at the seminar will be Chris Gaubatz and Suzanne Shattuck both are known to be Islamophobes and associated with anti-Muslim organizations.
Chris Gaubats, was trained by his father Dave Gaubats to become an undercover, vigilante-esque, agent, to counter the threat of potential jihadis. He was tasked by his father to work as an undercover intern at CAIR(Council on American-Islamic Relations) based in Washington and gather intel on the organization. The information was then published by his father as the book "Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That's Conspiring to Islamize America".
The second speaker, Suzanne Shattuck, has been described by the Sheriff as 'a very informed citizen', is known to have called for the deportation of American Muslims citizens.
Steven Smith, who is a follower of the Christian faith, described the seminar as “a very interesting and informative class on the Muslim religion”. He has not yet released information as to why has decided to support anti-Muslim speakers. The decision to include anti-Islam supporters could be alienating for the Muslim community in Virginia and potentially dangerous.
CAIR wrote a letter to the Sheriffs office, the letter spoke of the dangers of having anti-Muslim rhetoric being supported by respected officials, it read, “The sponsorship of this event by the sheriff’s office sends the message to members of the local Muslim community that they may not be protected against the growing number of hate incidents targeting Muslims nationwide due to rising Islamophobia.”
Steven Smith has remained silent on the unfolding event.