"Muslims Killed us on 9/11!" Fox News's Bill O'Reilly made this hateful statement on ABC's The View last week. This sparked instant criticism by The View co-hosts to the point where Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar walked off the show as a statement of protest -- just as US officials walk out of the UN when Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spews anti-Semitic comments.
On Friday, Fox News anchor and radio host Brian Kilmeade continued the campaign of demonizing Muslims by making the ridiculous and factually inaccurate comment: "All terrorists are Muslims." (Obviously, he is unaware of Timothy McVeigh, The Unabomber, numerous serial killers, and people attacking abortion doctors and clinics.)
What were the consequences for these two after making these hate filled comments? Were they suspended or fired by their employers? Did they suffer a backlash in the media? Did advertisers drop their shows? Nope. Nothing happened to them.
Yet, just a few weeks ago when former CNN anchor Rick Sanchez made an anti-Semitic comment, he was fired the next day. Yes, the next day! When Don Imus made his infamous racist comments about the Rutgers basketball team in 2007, advertisers immediately responded by dropping the show and ultimately Don Imus was fired.
But what happens when you make comments against Muslims or Arabs in America that incite hatred? You get more ratings. You sell more books. You are defended by people who say that you are brave and courageous for standing up to political correctness.
Those who make hate filled anti-Muslim comments should be held to the same standard as those who make racist and anti-Semitic comments and suffer the same consequences.
Instead, at this point, demonizing Muslims in the US has become a boutique industry. In a recession when jobs are scarce, there is one place that will guarantee you money: Demonize Muslims. Write a book, start a website, increase your ratings, raise more money for political campaign -- all you have to do is attack Muslims. I imagine in the future, "Demonizing Muslims" will be offered as a major in college. I can see college students saying: "I'm going to major in English literature, but to make sure I have a fall back to pay my bills, I'm going to minor in "Demonizing Muslims."
And let me briefly respond to Bill O'Reilly's assertions: Islam did not attack us on 9/11 -- 19 followers of Osama Bin Laden attacked us in the name of Osama Bin Laden, a man with a political agenda who very much hoped to tear us apart from within. It is baffling to me that those who profess the greatest love for American ideals would engage in the very conduct that Bin Laden hoped for.
O'Reilly also said: "The Muslim moderates need to stop the terrorists." Does anyone have the address of these terrorists? Because if you did, I'd be the first to go stop them!
"We don't hear Muslims and Arabs condemning the terrorists enough." We condemn them every chance we have -- I'm doing it right now. If we had a TV show in America (subtle pitch) we would be saying that daily if need be.
One day we may have our version of The Cosby Show such as Everybody Loves Ramadan showing Americans a positive side to us, but until we have a large visible presence in the media to counter the hate, we need your help. We need the same people who stand against racism and anti-Semitism to join with us. We must preserve what makes this country special -- the principle that all minorities, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation, be treated fairly and justly. By standing together -- people of all different backgrounds -- we can lessen the hate and increase the peace -- something that is so desperately needed right now in angry America.
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The first quote is from a letter to Saudi Muslims.
The second is from bin Laden's letter to Americans.
“[O]ur talks with the infidel West and our conflict with them ultimately revolve around one issue, and it is: Does Islam, or does it not, force people by the power of the sword to submit to its authority corporeally if not spiritually?
Yes. There are only three choices in Islam: either willing submission [i.e., conversion]; or payment of the jizya [poll-tax paid by non-Muslims], thereby bodily, though not spiritual, submission to the authority of Islam; or the sword—for it is not right to let him [an infidel] live.
The matter is summed up for every person alive: either submit, or live under the suzerainty of Islam, or die…. Such, then, is the basis of the relationship between the infidel and the Muslim. Battle, animosity, and hatred—directed from the Muslim to the infidel—is the foundation of our religion.”
(The Al Qaeda Reader, p. 42.)
1. The first thing that we are calling you to is Islam.
A. The religion of tawhid; of freedom from associating partners with Allah Most High, and rejection of [such blasphemy]; of complete love for Him, the Exalted; of complete submission to His sharia; and of the discarding of all the opinions, orders, theories, and religions that contradict with the religion He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad.
The al Qaeda Reader, p.201-02
That is Osama bin Laden's political agenda--the spreading of the dominance of the Islamic Sharia.
Our agenda should be the opposite. Resist Sharia law.
The modern world is home to extremists and terrorists of all stripes. Many claim they're carrying out their crimes in the name of a religion, yet others are motivated by a political cause. Osama bin Laden's group deftly mixes the two and exports it as a ready-made package to would-be terror cells all over the world. It is wrong and ignorant to hold all Muslims accountable for the actions of this man and his allies.
It is also a good thing for well-meaning people of all religions to distance themselves from extremists whenever possible, whether Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or Hindu.
Further, Islam isnt and shouldnt immune from the same ridicule, comedy or comments any other religion is. Nor should it be. South park shouldnt be censored becuase it shows muhammond in a cartoon any more then it doesn when it goes off on a jewish or christian themed skit. Nor should a seattle cartoonist go into hiding becuase she suggests "everyone draw muhammond day".
Islam did not attack us on 9/11 -- 19 followers of Osama Bin Laden attacked us in the name of Osama Bin Laden, a man with a political agenda who very much hoped to tear us apart from within:
That of course is a white wash. Those 19 followers indeed attack in the name of Osama, but they also attacked in teh name of Islam, their vison of it. Just like the Time square bomber did, just like the Fort Hood shooter did, just like many items around the world do, daily.
Is it all of Islam? No. But to white wash and start the "incited to hatred" lines, in trying to shut people up and stop talking about it, is far worse then the O'Rielly's of the world do in speaking, whether one agrees with his words or not.
Some people are just crazy and will latch on to any excuse to kill people, whether that excuse is Jodie Foster, Catcher in the Rye, a neighbor's dog or a distorted interpretation of the Quran. Murderers are murderers.
Again, with the moral equivilancy- westboro baptist church is resonsible for themseleves. Unlike many of the logic and reasoning that comes from bad Islam, folks codeme and speak out against them repeatedly. With the viral strain of islam, what we get instead when we talk about it is "your islamophobic", "its hate speech" "your a bigot" instead of engaging the reasons behind why they do what they do. And unfortuantely the elephant in the room that folks dont want to talk about is that yes, Islam, as a religion- whether it parts or just viral versions of it, does indeed play a part in why they do it.
As someone once said: If Islam were treated equally, Muhammad would be fair game. Just like Jesus and christianity is. I dont see folks running in to claim hate speech status for various art works, southpark epidsodes or various items mention here on HP. Treating Islam with kid gloves is probably the worst thing you can do.
Frankly, the Christian moderates need to stop the bigots and the bashers and the theocratic tyrants right here. (And, yeah, that includes Islamophobes.)
Muslim moderates should oppose homophobia, even if they believe their religion endorses or justifies it, and we *all* ought to focus on what the business of government in *actually is.*
Which is freedom, equality, Liberty, and Justice for *all.* To be in a religion, to leave that religion, to be represented in our own government whether we're of one religion, another, monotheistic or not, and... socially... Stop acting like everyone else's personal and spiritual lives are up for referendum or the zoning board. Stop acting like Faux News is anything but propaganda, and stop acting like we even have *time* for this, especially if we're among those not considered the 'Elect' in American Calvinism.
What's 'moderate' mean, anyway, 'Half-extremist?' What about the Christian 'moderates?'
They surely can say 'Sorry, no, the bigotry is unacceptable, even if you promise a tax cut.'
they have created a new " low " in American discourse. This is also reflected in our political activities.
The likes of Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh have profited at the expense of a fair and balanced media.
Many politicians have used their methods to garner votes and get publicity for their candidacy.
It's refreshing to read some honest and resonable journalism at The Huffington Post. I only wish we saw more decent journalism in print and on the networks.
Dean is well equipped to comment on this subject as He deals with both sides of this issue in his own family. I aplaud his candor and hope others will take this article to heart.
Tafsir Jalalayn.
Men are in charge of, they have authority over, women, disciplining them and keeping them in check, because of that with which God has preferred the one over the other, that is, because God has given them the advantage over women, in knowledge, reason, authority and otherwise, and because of what they expend, on them [the women], of their property. Therefore righteous women, among them, are obedient, to their husbands, guarding in the unseen, that is, [guarding] their private parts and otherwise during their spouses’ absence, because of what God has guarded, for them, when He enjoined their male spouses to look after them well. And those you fear may be rebellious, disobedient to you, when such signs appear, admonish them, make them fear God, and share not beds with them, retire to other beds if they manifest such disobedience, and strike them, but not violently, if they refuse to desist [from their rebellion] after leaving them [in separate beds]. If they then obey you, in what is desired from them, do not seek a way against them, a reason to strike them unjustly. God is ever High, Great, so beware of Him, lest He punish you for treating them unjustly.
http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=34&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2
Seriously though, you are talking about Fox news man. Do you really expect anything else? They are like that with friggen everyone. Welcome to the club. At least Whoopi walks out on him. Steve Harvey went on the Tyra Show and warned women to stay away from atheists, because they didnt have morals, and people clapped.
What you need to understand is that violent Christians and violent Buddhists do not find support from the teachings of their leaders (Jesus and Buddha). On the other hand, Jihadists find ample support in the example and words left by mohammed.
Please go read islamic scripture so you can understand this grave threat.
And according to RobHunt, "Americans" and "Muslims" are two mutually exclusive terms. S/he never heard of "American Muslims".
"Why should we embrace a movement that seeks to dominate the world by use of a sword?"
And why should anybody embrace a country that seeks to dominate the world by use of nuclear bombs and other worse WMDs?
"US law should be biblically based" remeber that statement from Ms Palin a few months ago?
BTW, I don't think Islam is the enemy. Specific sections of Islamism are, like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and Iran
But a critical argument about the tenets of Islam has been missing in the media. After all, the political ideology of Islam is antagonic with Human Rights and democracy.
So by your standards Muslims should judge all Americans by that ideals.
If you say 19 al-Qaida members who attacked America were Muslims, then I would reply 1,500,000,000 Muslims did not.