Texas teacher 'not backing down' from anti-Islam stance: 'I'm a free American man

Houston teacher James A. Bretney makes no bones about his distaste for Islam.

"This is the problem that our politicians and even our church members won't acknowledge," he told KTRK-TV. "We are in a spiritual conflict with Islam. We are in a clash of civilizations with Islam."

James A. Bretney told KTRK-TV that he's "not backing down" from his anti-Islam stance in the face of pressure from CAIR. (Image source: KTRK-TV video screen cap)

But the station said tweets from his @lordtiberius Twitter handle took things to another level: "Love Jesus or go to hell. You have been warned" and "Embrace Islam and you embrace death."

Newsfix noted two of his tweets read, "Islam is not welcome in the USA" and "Your religion is cancer and totally justifies the notion that the Crusades did not go far enough."

Image source: Newsfix video screen cap

Others included images of dead and decapitated children with captions such as "Islam did this" and "Islam is a religion of peace."

Image source: Newsfix video screen cap

Bretney told KTRK his @lordtiberius Twitter handle was suspended for rule violations.

But Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Texas chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations, told KTRK he remains disturbed by the tweets because the sender — he didn't use Bretney's name — is a teacher.

"If he wasn't a teacher, this conversation probably wouldn't be taking place," Carroll told the station, adding that the sender teaches at Sterling Aviation High School in Houston.

Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Texas chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations, told KTRK he remains disturbed by the tweets. (Image source: KTRK-TV video screen cap)

The high school's website lists Bretney in its directory, KTRK reported, adding that Bretney's Linkedin page indicates he works at Sterling and that state records show he possesses an active Texas Educator Certificate. The Houston Independent School District told the station it's investigating but doesn't comment on personnel matters.

Bretney wouldn't comment on his employment status, either — but he told KTRK he won't give an inch in this battle.

"I will tell you this, I'm not backing down," he told the station, adding that "I'm a free American man."

Carroll told KTRK he'd tell the sender of the anti-Islam tweets to "be more educated and to read his Bible. He says he's a Christian. Read the Bible. Read what it says."

Newsfix added that Bretney also is the creator of "Blaze of Glory," a Lucha Comics series about a soldier fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lucha Comics, inundated with messages about Bretney, said in a letter on its website that it's putting his next two projects on hold for the time being.

While Lucha Comics' Rodolfo Martinez wrote that simply parting ways with Bretney doesn't address the "root problem," he acknowledged that "what started as an expression of freedom of speech quickly became ugly, as one of our creators chose to cross a line. Let me be clear: I do not share their point of view."

(H/T: EAGNews)