While Maher was just exploiting the irony of the story, his via satellite guest for the segment, Brigitte Gabriel, was given a forum to further her fear-mongering cause....This story is pure gold to someone like Gabriel, whose mission is to spread a message that no Muslim-American, no matter how "assimilated" they may appear, can be trusted. With her glee in proclaiming on Real Time that Muzzammil Hassan had called the police to "brag" that he had murdered his wife (this is not true), Gabriel came across to the audience as a funny, personable guest. To those of us familiar with Gabriel, however, her glee was taken as something quite different.
The real Brigitte Gabriel is a woman who has said that Muslim-Americans shouldn't be allowed to hold public office, instructs people to contact the F.B.I. if they see a mosque being built in their neighborhood, and has said that Muslim-Americans, "Are good at nothing but complaining about every single thing."
For the purpose of correcting misinformation introduced into the public sphere, let's reiterate: Muzzammil Hassan never called the police to "brag" about killing his wife.
I've concluded that alot of the taunting and baiting that's produced in the more obscure corners of the anti-Muslim blogosphere represents the deep desire to provoke "jihadis" to make threats and thereby validate the drama of the bloggers' identities as armchair Internet warriors/secret agents. The claustrophobic sense of an otherwise mediocre existence that must drive such behavior merits pity, not anger.
Being something of a bibliophile, I will occasionally go to Amazon, search a topic to see what's new and just buy a book. So I searched "Islam" this evening, but inadvertently forgot to switch from searching DVDs to books. Here's some of the anti-Muslim propaganda that is topping out on page one of the Islam DVD search:
"Islam vs. Islamists/Muslims Against Jihad." A documentary funded by PBS that series producers later refused to run because it was "too biased and alarmist." It is also noted for being "long on ominous music." This vid purports to show the brave Muslim moderates that are battling the evil extremists among us. In America, two examples are featured, somebody from Flint, MI, and Zuhdi Jasser, narrator and central figure of "Third Jihad," the agitprop piece by the makers of "Obsession" that has been described as a "protocols of the elders of Islam." A lion of moderation indeed.
Campbell Brown anchors CNN's "Campbell Brown: Election Center" at 8 p.m. ET Mondays through Fridays. She delivered this commentary during the "Cutting through the Bull" segment of Monday night's broadcast.
Campbell Brown writes: NEW YORK (CNN) -- You may find it hard to believe that this remains an issue in this campaign, but it does.
The candidates, both candidates, are still getting questions about Barack Obama's ethnicity and religion. If you are even semi-informed, then by now you already know that of course, Barack Obama is an American.
Of course, Barack Obama is a Christian. Yet just a few days ago, there was a woman at a rally for John McCain incorrectly calling Obama an Arab:
Woman at rally: I don't trust Obama. I have read about him and he's an Arab.
Sen. John McCain: No ma'am, no ma'am. He's a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. That's what this campaign is all about. He's not, thank you.
'No bias, no bull'
Get the latest on the presidential race on "Campbell Brown: Election Center."
8 ET Monday through Friday on CNN
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Now, I commend Sen. McCain for correcting that woman, for setting the record straight. But I do have one question -- so what if he was?
So what if Obama was Arab or Muslim? So what if John McCain was Arab or Muslim? Would it matter?
When did that become a disqualifier for higher office in our country? When did Arab and Muslim become dirty words? The equivalent of dishonorable or radical?
Whenever this gets raised, the implication is that there is something wrong with being an Arab-American or a Muslim. And the media is complicit here, too.
We've all been too quick to accept the idea that calling someone Muslim is a slur.
I feel like I am stating the obvious here, but apparently it needs to be said: There is a difference between radical Muslims who support jihad against America and Muslims who want to practice their religion freely and have normal lives like anyone else.
Salaam writes: Gayle Quinnell is the woman in the video above who calls Obama an "Arab terrorist" during a recent town hall event for McCain in Minnesota. The following is a transcript of an interview with the same woman after the event conducted by several reporters. This whole interaction is like the distilled essense of Razack's theory of the racialization of Muslims-"He's still got Muslim in him."
Noah: And just to be sure to make sure we got your quote OK, you called Obama and Arab terrorist?
Quinnell ardon?
Noah: You called him an Arab terrorist? Is that correct? Why do you think he is an Arab?
Quinnell Because his dad is. If you... I'll send you the paper.
Female reporter: His dad is Muslim His dad was Muslim. Barack Obama has never been a Muslim.
Quinnell No but he's....
Dana Bash of CNN :he's a Christian.
Quinnell He's not an Arab either, he's a
Bush: His father was Muslim, and he's a Christian.
Quinnell Yeah , but he's still got Muslim in him. So that's still part of him. I got all the stuff from the library and I could send you all kinds of stuff on him. In fact....
Bush: What did you think about McCain said. He said he's a decent person.
Quinnell Well he did have didn't have (unintelligible) I think McCain wanted to (unintelligible) I don't think he wanted to say anything against him. You know he didn't want to cut him down. That was my way of thinking. I don't think he wanted to cut him down. So he just kind of brushed me off.
Reporter: Plus he criticizes Barack Obama plenty himself, so why wouldn't he do it now?
Quinnell Well I probably brought up something that he didn't want to talk about.
Reporter: Do you think John McCain thinks that he's Arab? Do you think he knows this stuff that you're saying you know is fact?
Quinnell I don't know. I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want to bring it up then. I don't know why. Is there some way I can get to you more information.
A Muslim candidate for the Irvine City Council said Thursday that a councilman's comment linking an Islamic civil rights group to terrorism has led to a death threat against him. Police said they are investigating.
Attorney Todd Gallinger, a Muslim convert, said a man called his office Tuesday, about three weeks after Councilman Steven Choi spoke at a forum and urged voters not to support a candidate who worked for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The council, which has 35 offices in the United States and Canada, is "a dangerous Islamic organization," Choi told 150 business leaders. Although he did not name Gallinger, the comment was clearly aimed at the 29-year-old lawyer, who has done legal work for the council's Southern California chapter in Anaheim.
Gallinger said the caller thought he was talking to him but told an employee, "I want to cut off your head just like all the other Muslims deserve."
"It's clear that the person was motivated by the political attacks against me by my opponent," Gallinger said.
Police spokesman Rick Handfield confirmed Thursday that the department is investigating the alleged threat.
Pictured above, the soft-sell, upbeat marketing poster for Walid Shoebat's appearance in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Shoebat claims (since discredited by Richard Bartholomew) that he is a former Muslim Palestinian terrorist turned born-again Christian who wants to educate the world about the evils of Islam. He is in fact a useful tool of the Christian Zionist branch of American extremism in their effort to stoke hatred against Muslims, which is the real reason he is Sioux Falls, and probably being trotted around to a lot of other small town/exurb places in America right now.
For another look at Shoebat's peaceful, loving ways, check out this video (marketing a book written by his son: hate-mongering is a family business apparently) from his website. I love the way they save the Pat Robertson quote about Allah being the deceiver until the last 10 seconds. They probably figured that anybody who was offended would have tuned out in disgust by then:
From ynetnews.com: A new front being formed by representatives of the Israeli Right and European lawmakers is threatening to ignite flames of hatred. Knesset Member Arieh Eldad (Nationa Union-National Religious Party) announced Wednesday that he would be hosting a convention in Jerusalem under the banner, "Standing Up to Jihad."
"The spread of Islam threatens the foundations of Western civilization," he explained, and screened a scene from a film produced by Dutch politician Geert Wilders, which sparked a row in the Arab world several months ago and was banned in many places in Europe.
The right-wing MK told reporters Wednesday morning that the anti-jihad conference will be held in December and will be attended by some 30 European lawmakers from Denmark, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain.
"There are 60 million Muslim immigrants in Europe, and they have not necessarily come there to be assimilated into society, but rather to resist it from the inside. The feeling in Europe is that the time has come to stop jihadist Islam, and this may be the last opportunity," he explained.
According to Eldad, "The level of awareness of Islam's real character is very low, not only in Europe but also in Israel. Many in Israel live in the eye of the storm and conflict, but don't understand the difficult reality. It's time to shatter axioms and conventions."
The MK presented an example of a convention which he believes should be shattered: "For instance, that Islam is controlled by radicals but that it is different in its foundation."
He further stated that "the conference will serve as a first opportunity for the new coalition of lawmakers to work in coordination and cooperation in order to deal and fight against Europe's conversion into Eurabia.
"If Jerusalem capitulates, Europe will follow in its footsteps and fall," he said.
The very REAL threat of IslamLIBERTY The views expressed in this post are not necessarily the views of the person writing them, or anyone else... this is a ruse.
For your safety please keep your tongue in cheek until the post comes to a full and complete stop.
Many have claimed that Liberty means voluntary interaction, that Liberty is a movement of peace. They claim they don't support the initiation of force, but only use force in defense. But consider these words from Liberty minded founding father Thomas Jefferson, "The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
The sick reality is that wars and atrocities throughout the world today are committed in the name of liberty. Speaking of the War in Iraq, Decider in Chief George W. Bush has said, "Our ideology is based upon freedom and Liberty." A War which the Washington Post estimated lead to 100,000 Civilian Deaths in the first year alone. Of Liberty, President Bush has also said, "The story of America is the story of expanding Liberty: an ever-widening circle, constantly growing to reach further and include more."
That's not freedom, it's tyranny. The Liberto Fascists will not rest until the entire world is subjugated under Liberty.
If Liberty is a movement of peace, then why has Liberty such a history of violence, inseparable since it's first days?
The Revolutionary War
The Civil War
World War I
World War II
Veitam
And now... Iraqi Freedom
The land of Liberty has never known peace. How many dead slaves? How many Native Americans? How many deaths in the battle field in the name of Liberty? How many woman and children killed in foreign lands for this violent ideology.
I'm tired of hearing people say that's not "true" Liberty, or those aren't "real" Liberty lovers. But you never hear the "real" Liberty lovers speaking out against violence. They're always whining about taxation, or the drug war, or some Federal Reserve conspiracy... why can't they just assimilate? Why do they have to try to change society to suit their culture? If there was more properly placed Liberty outrage I'd have a lot less to say.
If you think there's some difference between all these Liberty activists here in the West, and those violent thugs fighting in the name of Liberty in the Middle East you're delusional. And for every website that backs up your position, I can find you another that says the opposite.
