Portland Paper Distributes Controversial 'Muslim Terror' DVD--Even After Mayor Asks It to Refrain

The Oregonian today distributed to its Portland area subscribers, as paid advertising, the controversial DVD titled Obsession that raises alarms about the threat of radical Islam. It joined at least 75 other newspapers across the country in doing so -- despite a plea by Portland Mayor Tom Potter and a coalition of community members.

The mayor's office said he wrote to the publisher of the paper: "The Mayor reviewed the video and personally asked Fred Stickel, Oregonian publisher, not to distribute it in next Sunday's issue. The Mayor felt that the tenor of the video contributes towards a climate of distrust towards Muslims that holds the entire Muslim community accountable for the actions of a dangerously misguided few. Distributing with the Oregonian lends the video an impression of objectivity and legitimacy it does not deserve."

The Oregonian, like many other papers who had distributed the DVD (almost all of them in "swing states), carried an article explaining the move today. My magazine, Editor & Publisher, has chronicled this phenomenon for over two weeks, following the Huff Post's lead.

The report by Bill Graves revealed that Fred Stickel, publisher of The Oregonian, said the newspaper is treating the DVD as it does other paid advertising or product inserts.

"I've always felt we have an obligation to keep our advertising columns as open as possible," said Stickel, after viewing the DVD. "Our acceptance of anything -- our acceptance or rejection -- does not depend on whether or not we agree with the content. . . . There is a principle of freedom of speech involved here. I could find no reason to reject this."

Only a handful of newspapers have refused to distribute it.

Stickel said The Oregonian does not disclose how much the company is paid for advertising as a matter of policy. Here is an excerpt from the article.

Masoud Kheirabadi, a Portland State University professor who teaches about Islam, viewed "Obsession" at The Oregonian's request, and concluded, "It is a bad piece of propaganda." He said the work fails to provide historical context, blurs lines between violent Muslim extremists and the vast majority of Muslims, who oppose terrorism, and promotes division rather than understanding. Islam sees itself as the culmination of the Jewish and Christian religious traditions -- not at odds with them, he said. But the film says Islam teaches that it will destroy all other religions through Islamic jihad fighters. "This is hate-mongering," Kheirabadi said. He says there's no basis for an estimate made in the film by Daniel Pipes of the Middle East Forum, a think tank focused on U.S. interests in the Middle East, that 10 to 15 percent of Muslims worldwide support militant Islam. More than 30 local community leaders, clergy members, attorneys and groups, including Sho Dozono, past president of the Portland Japanese American Citizen's League; David Leslie, executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon; and Jan Abushakrah, co-president of the Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding, wrote a letter to Stickel on Thursday asking the newspaper not to distribute "Obsession."

For regular updates go to the E&P Pub.

Comments

[Cactusflower]

I had always respected Oregon as a progressive state. I am shocked to hear about this DVD. This just day after I read about an Obama effigy in Oregon. What's going on? This kind of hatred leads to violence against the innocents. I will write to the Oregonian.

[irishgawdess]

The majority of people in Oregon *are* progressive and open-minded; we've been a solid blue state for a long time. That is, on the western side of the Cascades. Eastern Oregon tends to be more conservative and typically votes the right side of the ticket. There are pockets of conservative voters in western Oregon, as are there pockets of blue voters in eastern Oregon. I don't mean to say that conservative voters are close-minded; we just have different points of view. By some accounts, this year Oregon is a swing-state; that's why the DVD was distributed here.

I have a gut feeling about what's going on (see my post below.) Simply put, this year's presidential election seems to be bringing out latent racism that seems to linger in smaller, rural communities throughout Oregon. Obama drew a huge crowd (75,000+) on the first hot day this spring down at the Portland waterfront, and won the primary by a respectable margin. I'd be interested in knowing if there is a correlation between Obama winning and Oregon being considered a swing state this year.

The Oregonian is headquartered in Portland, the largest city in Oregon. It generally supports the more liberal candidates, but this DVD "advertising" is beyond the pale. I hadn't heard about the Obama effigy. I hope you will write to the paper and express your views. Thanks.

[irishgawdess]

I've lived in Oregon for the past 20 years and have never thought of Oregon as a "swing state" until this year, this election. Oregon has been considered a solid "blue" state in all these years. So what's changed? Hmm??

Could it possibly be that for the first time in American history we have a mixed heritage (white and African) presidential candidate with an Islamic sounding name?

Oregon has had a history of racism from its inception as the Oregon Territory (blacks weren't allowed to settle there.) The KKK last raised its ugly head in the 1920s. Progressive minded people rid the state of their public presence, but subtle racism remained. Up until the 1990s redlining of neighborhoods was still practiced. Racism has publicly risen and fallen over time, but when it's pushed back, where does it go to hide?

I can only deduce that this racist DVD is meant to do just one thing here in Oregon. Draw out any hidden racism and change the outcome of the presidential race in November.

I'm so disgusted I could spit. Could somebody with a "better" rationale for sending the DVD to swing states please tell me I'm wrong?

[frisbee7]

So this paper and others around the country are hiding behind what they claim are in the best interests of "freedom of speech" as a justification for their distribution of what is essentially a "hate" video. And of course they bear no responsibility for what influence it might have in the minds, and in the actions of some of the people who most likely would not have watched this DVD.

I thought that manufacturing fake issues like Gay Marriage on the 2006 ballots in many swing states was about as low as the replicants could possibly sink. Was I wrong, they now have front groups trying to stir up hate & violence in swing states.

Does anyone think it was coincidence that children were tear gassed in their day care rooms in a mosque last Friday in Dayton, the very same day that this DVD was distributed? Even more disturbing is the notion implicit in the DVD that any "extremism in defense of ones country " is acceptable.

Unfortunately, we can expect stories like this one : http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/09/27/ddn092608evacweb.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=16 to be repeated in the weeks to come.

[toyotabob73]

This hate DVD distributed from the New York based Clarion Fund IMO is directly responsible for the American Terorist act carried out in Dayton Ohio Friday night on a Muslim Mosque. While Parents were gathered for a Ramadon prayer sevice, someone broke a window and sprayed a chemical irratent in a room where babys and children were being kept.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/09/27/ddn092608evacweb.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=16

Why this has not been anywhere on the MSM is just shocking.....

[Cactusflower]

I read about this horrifying attack on the mosque. Can it be a mere coincidence that it took place shortly after the distribution of these DVD's? Whoever made the DVD and distributed it (including the newspapers) need to be held accountable, and charged with crime (provided our law allows it, of course). In any case there needs to be a law against distributing hateful material against a certain religion/race/lifestyle.

[gerontion72]

Are we supposed to believe that the Oregonian would accept an insert preaching the positive expressions of Islam, if the paper were approached with such an insert?

Or, if it's just a matter of money, would they accept pornographic inserts? Inserts preaching domestic revolution?