Stewart Exposes Fox News' Irrational Fear Of 'Ground Zero Mosque' Imam (VIDEO)

Last night on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart mocked the media's obsession with would-be Quran-burning pastor Terry Jones, and showed how Fox News considers reasonable statements by "Ground Zero Mosque" Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf to be veiled threats to further their fear-driven narrative.

First addressing Terry "Yosemite" Jones's plan to burn Qurans on 9/11, Stewart pointed out that God both called for and called off the burning, according to Jones.

"When God told you to do it originally, he hadn't anticipated the backlash?" Stewart asked of Jones. "God didn't see that one coming?"

Stewart likened the media's constant coverage of the crazy pastor to the dog from the movie "Up!" It's like no matter what is going on the world, they will drop everything if they see a squirrel. In this case, the squirrel is an irrational person who thinks burning books is OK.

Speaking of irrationality, Stewart moved on to re-discuss the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy, but particularly Fox News' nonsensical fear of Imam Rauf. Fox demands the Imam answer their question of "Why there?" but when he calmly explains on CNN that moving the center would send a message to Muslim nations that Islam is under attack in the U.S., and that "anger will explode in the Muslim world," all Fox hears is "explode."

Stewart pointed out that using the threat of violence, which is what Fox News consider Rauf's explanation to be, to "expedite a desired outcome," is exactly what Fox News does when it pushes for a conservative candidate. The proof lies in Stewart's clips of Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Sean Hannity, and others sounding way more ominous than Rauf.

WATCH:

Comments

[artiedodger]

09:59 PM on 09/22/2010

What Stewart doesn't realize is that Fox News is really a comedy show and is serious competition for him and Colbert. Want proof? Just look at the Fox news headliners -- the 3 Stooges Beck, O'Reilly, and Hannity!

[Doug Sandlin]

09:51 PM on 09/17/2010

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Some are worth a lot more.

Here's a great chart by Andrew Sullivan:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/09/an-apology-from-marty-contd.html?ref=nf

Peace to all.

[Doug Sandlin]

09:35 PM on 09/17/2010

But how popular could a Sufi Muslim band be?

They've been the most popular band in South Asia since the 90s.

30 Million and albums and counting.

Not bad for a guy who got really pissed off when the Taliban smashed his guitar and threatened to kill him back in the 80s -- and decided at that moment that they were not going to win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChbxKfUOSz0

The crazy thing is ... it's beginning to look like he's right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2gmk8zzS7I

Peace to all.

[Doug Sandlin]

09:28 PM on 09/17/2010

See .... the thing is ..... Sufis aren't just peaceful ..... they're "warriors for peace" --- in the true sense --- their lives are *dedicated* to peace.

How dedicated? THIS Dedicated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIkCH4sScM

(Americans seem to think they're peaceful, or about peace, more than, say, a Pakistani Muslim - well, here's a Pakistani Muslim who went, unarmed, to Peshawar, Taliban stronghold, to *argue* with a Taliban Mullah about Islamic law ---> That's not just peaceful; that takes guts *and* commitment).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxmZZa__XUk

... and this Sufi, and the other Sufis in his band, braved death threats from his OWN fans in Pakistan to do a benefit concert for the victims of 9/11 - and they were the first band to play in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nation, in October, 2001:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhYKDuM9-yE

... and took on anti-Islamic prejudice in the U.S. post 9/11:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfpcI_XtwHc

.... and today, is literally helping to change the face of Pakistan - the Taliban is on the ropes there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2gmk8zzS7I

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is cut from exactly the same cloth, as his 30 year career shows:

http://www.ted.com/talks/imam_feisal_abdul_rauf.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dhiI06BmaY

Why all the opposite "spin"? Simple: we're being lied to.

Peace to all.

[cowpunkrva]

02:58 PM on 09/17/2010

You know, I don't understand why more people aren't bringing up the fact that he is a Sufi Muslim. So no matter what controversial thing he says, he's still not going to be a terrorist. There have been zero Sufi Muslim attacks on America. They just aren't terrorists

[Doug Sandlin]

09:07 PM on 09/17/2010

And - the terrorists attack Sufis. People think Al Qaeda might fund a "victory mosque" (there's no mosque) at ground zero (it's not at ground zero) ... but I'd say, based on the simple fact that Al Qaeda hates Sufis enough to kills themselves in order to kill them ........ they're *probably* not going to help fund a Sufi project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyxVl_ATkIU

And Sufis don't exactly fit the typical picture of Islam. Really.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_agUaE7Ffs

There's nothing to be "against" in reality --- the "terror victory mosque at ground zero" is just a figment of some people's imagination, based on the creative lies of a few other people.

Not a mosque. A community center. No terror victor cheers. B-ball and swimming and snacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfIPO7CVflA

How Sufi is Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf? He's *Really* Sufi:

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf - "Lose Your Ego, Find Your Compassion", talk at the TED Conference, in support of the Charter for Compassion:

http://www.ted.com/talks/imam_feisal_abdul_rauf.html

Charter For Compassion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wktlwCPDd94

Peace to all.

[Gregor53]

07:21 PM on 09/15/2010

Fox News is an outlet for the biggest bunch of hypocrites on television and their fans are so easily deceived they are probably still buying magazines from the people that walk up to their front doors and knock. They ask, “Where is the money coming from?” Gee, who is the second largest owner of Fox Television? A Muslim perhaps who is a Sheik in Saudi Arabia. So the answer is “the same damn place Fox’s money comes from and more. Nothing but sensationalism on that network and truth is the first causality for network news.

[Francois Bergeron]

05:46 PM on 09/15/2010

Jon Stewart. The Media Police.

[punknoir]

10:27 AM on 09/15/2010

If we could just replace the nightly news with Jon & Co...

[MSP79]

09:56 AM on 09/15/2010

It takes comedians like Jon to show the true face of America, good stuff!

[Black Misfit]

09:41 AM on 09/15/2010

Funny, but true. Jon Stewart nailed it.

[blutigeroo]

09:39 AM on 09/15/2010

Excellent.
Slightly OT in a comedy section: An AJE 'Empire' (name of programe) report into US-Muslim relations and Park51 debate. It's really nothing new but a good summary of the situation. I wish American audiences were educated like this but alas a certain popular cable news channel prefers to spew their non-factual crap. Warning: it's about 50 minutes long.

[blutigeroo]

09:40 AM on 09/15/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6LPV3BJQs

[JDShipley]

09:38 AM on 09/15/2010

Quietly accepting the Park/51 project is an example of the strength of our society and constitution: Railing against shows lack of faith in both. If these folks were so patriotic and strong in their faith then nothing is a threat.

[runtwelds]

12:12 PM on 09/15/2010

f&f'd

[pepimartinez]

03:45 PM on 09/15/2010

God Bless America... unless its not the right God... then he can go f**k himself

[JDShipley]

09:35 AM on 09/15/2010

If you present three connected, relevant facts to Soucy, his head will explode.

[DearAgony10]

09:31 AM on 09/15/2010

Squirrel!

[Hoosierbrad]

09:08 AM on 09/15/2010

It is too bad in our country that we have to get the only honest news from the Comedy Channel.

[sugarfree]

07:43 PM on 09/15/2010

Amen, i can't watch Cnn, or Foxnews.