Brian Gallagher, the editor of USA Today‘s editorial page, writes to those who responded to his paper’s February 2 cartoon (FAIR Blog, 2/3/15):
Dear readers,
I rarely respond to letter-writing campaigns, but I’ll take a moment to respond to this one because I think that FAIR’s glib analysis of the editorial cartoon published recently in USA Today is so reflexively unthoughtful that it undermines the goal we share: to fight Islamophobia.
I imagine many of you are unfamiliar with what we’ve said on the issue, and therefore vulnerable to false suppositions, but our history on the subject is extensive and public. Time and again since 9/11, we’ve written editorials and published columns debunking attempts to blame all Muslims for the acts of extremists, whether in the dispute over the New York mosque or, in a more positive vein, to point out why the radical Islamists have gotten so little traction here.
USA Today cartoon (2/2/15)
But that does not mean the public debate should be sterilized to the point where the behavior of the extremists cannot be exposed, criticized or mocked, simply because a false inference might somehow offend someone.
Criticizing violent Islamists does not tarnish all Muslims any more than criticizing Nazis is an offense to all Germans (though all surely suffer from the association).
In that context, FAIR’s superficial assumption plays right into the Islamists’ hands. Is there anything they’d like better than for an attack on them to be perceived by all Muslims as an attack on them?
If you parse the available evidence, I think it’s nearly indisputable that the cartoon’s target was the terrorists. Here it is:
* The cartoon pictures a skeleton in a Nazi uniform bearing the names of ISIS, Boko Haram and other groups. The message is that those groups pose a genocidal threat akin to the one posed by the Nazis. They surely do. And what purpose could there be in including the names if that was not the point? None, I think. Nor would we have published the cartoon without them.
* The cartoon also shows the skeleton shouting “Allah Akbar.” Yes, this is an expression of faith employed throughout Islam. But one sad consequence of the extremists’ actions is that the term has been hijacked. Much of the non-Muslim public now identifies those words as a defiant declaration of faith uttered by terrorists before blowing themselves up. We’ve seen this over and over again. This may be uncomfortable, and it surely is a perversion, but it is also fact. So is the cartoonist who is trying to effective by playing into his readers’ frame of reference really out of bounds in using the image to convey a point about Islamist extremism? I think not. If some people are offended, their anger should be directed at the terrorists who’ve corrupted the words, not at those who criticize them. It was a sharply targeted cartoon utterly unlike Charlie Hebdo‘s gratuitous attacks on Islam generally.
* An additional line of criticism is that by publishing a cartoon of this nature, we’re making a joke. I get that one. I’ve seen it before on unrelated subjects. But it is rooted in a misunderstanding of what editorials cartoons are. While they frequently employ humor to make a point, getting laughs is not their purpose. Witness the somber or inspirational editorial cartoons that typically appear after tragedies like 9/11, or look at the nature of the content that surrounds them on editorial pages. They are not comic books or comic strips. Rather, their goal is to provoke thought, sometimes by making people uncomfortable.
Another measure of a cartoon is the spontaneous reaction it evokes from readers. This one didn’t draw much–three critical letters, three complimentary letters and one making a tangential point. I’m excluding the FAIR-driven letters, as we always do with letter-writing campaigns, because they are repetition of a single opinion exposed by the organization driving the letter-writing campaign.
But the larger point here is about the nature of public debate as the world–-and Muslims in particular–-try to cope with the threat of radical Islam. We need to see Islam as it is: a predominantly peaceful religion that is afflicted by a primitive minority that seeks to override the rules of modern civilization.
I guarantee you we’re going to pursue that mission in two ways. We are going to continue attacking Islamophobia, and we are going to continue rallying people against the threat posed by radical Islam. And we will attempt to do so more thoughtfully than the well-intentioned but counterproductive critic at FAIR who played not to your reason but to your emotions.
Thank you for hearing me out.
Sincerely,
Brian Gallagher
Editorial page editor
USA Today
* * *
Jim Naureckas replies:
Dear Mr. Gallagher:
Allow me to pitch you a couple of cartoon ideas.
How about a Nazi skeleton bearing the names of Meyer Lansky, David “Son of Sam” Berkowitz, the Stern Gang, Leopold and Loeb, Bernie Madoff and Baruch Goldstein? In case readers don’t catch what these villains have in common, we could have a word balloon saying, “Mazel Tov, Baby!”
If that doesn’t appeal, perhaps the same Nazi skeleton but this time with labels like “Lord’s Resistance Army,” “Fred Phelps,” “IRA” and “Tim McVeigh”? He would be holding in his arms a bombing victim, and coming out of his mouth would be the phrase “Body of Christ, Baby!”
Get it?
I’ll save you the trouble of writing a rejection letter, because I know why you wouldn’t run cartoons like these: You would recognize that lumping people together who have nothing in common but their religion is straight-out bigotry. You wouldn’t take it seriously as a defense if I pointed out that the Lord’s Resistance Army and McVeigh really were bad guys.
Yet your cartoonist can put ISIS, Iran, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, the Taliban, Hamas and “Jihad” into one pot and label them all “Allah Akbar,” and you don’t see what the problem is. That inability to apply the same rules of decency when it comes to Islam is, I think, itself a form of Islamophobia.
You say that the letters you got were the “repetition of a single opinion” driven by FAIR. I can assure you that each person who wrote to you saw that cartoon themselves and gave you their own reaction to it. I doubt any of them would not have seen an anti-Muslim message in it had they not been swayed by FAIR’s emotional appeal.
Regards,
Jim Naureckas
Editor, Extra!
You can send your own response to USA Today‘s Brian Gallagher at bgallagher@usatoday.com. Please remember that respectful communication is most effective.
“Islamophobia” – just what is that word supposed to mean anyway, if not a way to smear & silence critics of Islam?
.
“How about a Nazi skeleton bearing the names of Meyer Lansky, David “Son of Sam” Berkowitz, the Stern Gang, Leopold and Loeb, Bernie Madoff and Baruch Goldstein? In case readers don’t catch what these villains have in common, we could have a word balloon saying, “Mazel Tov, Baby!””
.
One doesn’t have to be super smart to recognize the difference between a handful of individuals who weren’t especially influential and several major poliical/religious organizations. Does Jim know the difference though, and what does this say about his argument?
Alex: How about the killing in Africa over blood diamonds that is linked to Christian Pat Robertson? Or, in your opinion, isn’t he important enough to mention in Christian circles?
What Jim Naureckas conveniently forgets is that the Cartoon wasn’t a random choice to target Radical Islamists. And that placing anybody else in that slot would not have made sense because those mentioned are not anti-Semitic.
The whole point of the Cartoon was the caption in the far left corner:
70 years ago this week: Never again?
The memorial cartoon is about the holocaust. Did everybody conveniently forget that in their efforts to slam this as Islamophobia?
What have Muslims been chanting in Europe lately?
“We will finish what Hitler started!”
Islam is the most Anti-Semitic religion on the face of the planet next to Nazism itself and the worst danger to Jews this century.
The hatred toward Jews emanating from the Middle East should be called to account. When a group makes cartoons and kiddy shows depicting anti-Semitism then something needs to be said and exposed to public criticism.
If we don’t stop this whole rabid anti-Semitism that is taking place there will be another Holocaust and that is what this Cartoon is saying.
Surely you can see that if you can just stop for one moment and think rationally and not jump to conclusions.
So it’s a “false inference” that the universal Islamic blessing of “Allah Akbar” somehow implicates the entirety of Muslims?
I wonder how all but a few thousand Muslims are so bad at practicing their religious duty if they manage to not kill or torture one infidel in their entire lives. Maybe, this is not as essential to the religion as their critics claim? Similar to how the religion of “mercy” became the religion of Inquisition? Surely the problem couldn’t be political or economic. Surely the more secular religion of American Military could be blamed for killing more Muslims in the 21st Century than deaths caused by Muslims. I suppose the more militant atheists are fine with the murder and torture of infidels who refuse to submit to Hegemonic Rule.
Religion is a thin veil. The issue here, as always, is about power. Any idiot eager to engage in religious war in this day deserve the flames of Armageddon for themselves.
The unsubtle use of “Allah Akbar” is where this cartoon crosses the line from criticizing Islamic terrorist groups to implicating the entirety of the religion, assuming all Muslims to be an inherently violent threat despite the fact that only a sliver of them commit violent acts. Also ignoring the political and economic reasons for violence in the Middle East – that would uncomfortably implicate our foreign policy.
Maree,
It is quite islamophobic to suggest that Islam as a faith is anything comparable to Nazism. It is quite offensive. Either you don’t really know what Nazis have actually done or you are blinded by your prejudice and bigotry!
Jews have lived in the Middle East under Islamic dynasties when they were powerful for centuries and yet there was never anything like what Some Europeans have done in the 20th century after the so-called reformation and enlightenment! And this was not limited to German Nazi. France under its Nazi Vichy government was more Nazi than the Germans. The French Nazis went back 3 generations to decide on who was a Jew and who was not.
Few Muslim countries fell under Nazi/Nazi allied rule in North Africa and nothing like what happened in Europe occurred. On the contrary, it is well recorded that when the French-Nazis approached the King of Morocco (under French rule) to have his Jewish subject wear Jewish stars, he told them they needed to bring an extra 20 for his own family.
I don’t need to go back in history like during the Spanish inquisition where Jews found refuge in Muslim countries after they were evicted out.
What you are confusing is the current geo-political problem in the Middle East between Israeli and Arabs and Nazi’s evil and unspeakable plan to eradicate an entire people including women and children.
The conflict generates a lot of emotions on both sides but it doesn’t mean that Israeli or Arab-Muslims are going to become Nazis. There are soccer games in Israel where it is common to chant “Death to Arabs” as part of their routine.
Educate yourself or stay away from things you don’t really understand.
There is only one country/one government that built an entire industrial system (with the help of scientists and so on) to murder human beings in a way that never happened in the history of mankind.
Stop cheapening that by suggesting that some religion is going to do the same.
Islam,like all monotheistic religions, claims that morality is what is decreed by God and that the highest virtue is what is decreed by God. Since the word of God is always entirely ambiguous, every interpretation of that word can represent, to the mentally deranged, a divine
command. Fight-to-Lifers, NatanYAHOOS, Da’esh–all very sincerely believe that their monstrous crimes are nothing but obedience to divine commands. Shamefaced religionists claim that they “misrepresent” Judaeo/Christo/Mahometan teachings. But that cannot ever be proven, so it diminishes not at all their religiously-sanctioned homicidal insanity.
I sent Brian Gallagher an email titled “USA Today’s bigotry” with a copy of Jim Naureckas’s response and added this note:
“I’ll look forward to that “Body of Christ, Baby!” cartoon. Don’t wimp out. Otherwise, someone might think you’re a bigot.”
I forgot to mention Godwin’s Law.
ISIS and Boko Haram could justifiably be called genocidal. I don’t think the Taliban or Al Qaeda quite fit the bill, despite their atrocities and twisted misunderstanding of Islam (Al Qaeda actually disowned ISIS, btw – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2721417/So-wicked-Al-Qaeda-disowned-Letter-Bin-Ladens-hideout-warned-Islamic-States-extreme-brutality.html). Does Politically Correct “pose a genocidal threat akin to the one posed by the Nazis?”I would write more, but the truth is out there:
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/beirut-synagogue-restored-to-glory-despite-tensions-with-israel-1.308626
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/12/18/iran-unveils-a-memorial-honoring-jewish-heroes/
http://www.judaism-islam.com/14-beautiful-synagogues-that-were-restored-by-muslims/
http://islam.about.com/od/jihad/f/jihad.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/24/muslim-scholars-islamic-state_n_5878038.html
Can you edit these comments?
Frustrating when you print comments and find they don’t make sense!
What I meant was the cartoon about “He would be holding in his arms a bombing victim, and coming out of his mouth would be the phrase “Body of Christ, Baby!” Mentioned by another commenter. It has nothing to do with the Holocaust.
Lol someone just posted this on You tube:
.If you were on a crowded train, and you suddenly heard someone yell “Allah-U-Akbar”…would you stand still and not break a sweat? OR, would you “hit the deck” (ie drop to the floor) and cover your head??
Damn it I’d be under the seat or jumping out of the train.
Maree – Is there any point in revisiting the barbarism in Judaic history, the Canaanites, Amorites, Hivites, Girgashites, Jebusites and other tribes slaughtered at the commandment of Jehova? Would it be necessary to describe the brutal suppression of such heretical peoples as the Ophites, the Valentinians, Marcosians, Basilidians, Manichaens, Mandeans, and other Gnostic sects by the Early Christian church?
Shall we count the dead Gazans and Lebanese of the last decade to Israelis? Do you not understand that by prolonging the establishment of a Palestinian state is only exacerbating the resentment? Are you really interested in peace or defeat? The Muslim neighbors in the Middle East must be allowed some dignity in their compromise. By further humiliating them, you perpetuate the cycle of resentment. The people of Iran are more liberal than the Ayatollahs. The people of Iran deserve our support at reformation, not further condemnation. Do you think they are unaware of the difficulty they face under state rule?
Then again, from your posts, I doubt you know any Muslims in real life. It’s easier to be afraid of the unknown. I’m sure the Nazis claimed that there was no such thing as an irrational fear of the Jew as well, and the Klan claimed there is no irrational fear of the black. Bigots always believe their phobias are sound and sane.
I assume that you understand that over a billion people will not give up their religion without violent coercion. I assume you’re aware that you’re advocating for bloodshed. And as I mentioned above, you can keep the flame of Armageddon for yourself. If you want to suck the few thousand similarly insane Muslim bigots with you, the more power to you.
Nazism and Islam is very different, in Islam there is no race. People of all colors and languages are equal. But Nazism and Zionism priority race. Islamic state, has nothing to do with Islam, just as Hitler did is not relevant to Christianity. I do not know why people do not understand the real Nazism, the United States is today. Just take a look at the weapons in the hands of terrorists. Phony war with terrorists and Western nations note. Hoping to free the world from terrorists, organized by America. Read the history of Al Qaeda.
Islamophobia aside, the true threats to the elites, the bad examples the press are citing now, aren’t exactly Muslims: Assad of Syria and Saddam Hussein. They are/were secular, but are also nationalists who tried to leave the US orbit. Ironically, the Washington Post is begging for the liberal secularists to take over Egypt for the same reason — Sisi is becoming too much like what we saw Assad do, what the Brotherhood tried to do in negotiations with the IMF, and what we feared Gamal Mubarak might do if his father left him the state. It would move control out of military hands.
In short, what the cartoon is missing is a tag on the shirt that reads “Made in the US.”
Muslims are now chanting “Muslims will finish what Hitler started.”
*
Some are. Bigotry is the tendency to homogenize an entire people to the worst elements in their society. Making such a blanket assertion of Muslim’s homicidal intent is no better than the Muslim bigot’s claim of Jewish villainy. The fact is, it seems, you both need villains. We don’t see much of this among Muslims in America, who have largely accepted the separation of church and state, and renounced intolerance. Therefore the problem is not Islam itself being incapable of reformation. The problem just may be economic – a lot of young, angry, and under-employed men in a society, as we see in many Muslim societies, is a recipe for recruitment.
Is it now the Jew’s fault he is Jewish as it was in 1939?
*
You seem to assume that I’m approaching this issue with the same need to generalize an entire diverse population. No, Jews are not to blame collectively (just as Muslims are not to collectively blame, get it?), but 50 years of occupation and promises of statehood are simply fueling the resentment. Israel, specifically Likud, is not innocent in the current atmosphere of the region.
Even though Gaza has had its own rule for years.
*
Please. Gaza has no autonomy. And when was their last election? 9 years ago? After all of the Arab neighbors refused to recognize the Hamas government. Israel has had plenty of opportunities to work with Fatah, and they’ve cynically stalled the peace process. This issue isn’t controversial in Israel, where a plurality support a Palestinian state. Hopefully the upcoming election will reflect this.
And why am I expecting a billion Muslims to give up their faith and advocating for bloodshed pray tell?
*
You don’t particularly excited at the prospect of keeping them around.
The main difference between Nazi Germany and Radical Islamic groups is that the former was the most advanced technological and industrial government in the world at that time. It had the resources to implement its genocidal plans on a shocking scale. There is no current Muslim government that is close to being a serious contender against the technological and industrial strength of America or Israel. These groups are flourishing where? Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria – places where the people have long been resentful of American subjugation. Is it a coincidence that these groups have taken root in areas traumatized by war and poverty? Again, economics, the lost fishing industries in Nigeria and Somalia that have driven many men out of work, angry, bored, restless. It isn’t difficult to see how this anger can be channeled into a persecution complex that will give them a purpose. And all you are doing with idle accusations is fueling that persecution complex.
Do you want peace? Or do you want to defeat Islam?
I would love to see a similar cartoon making fun of Zionist Jews and their terrorism in Palestine. Can’t wait to see all the hypocrites label it as anti-Semitic.
This one is made by a Muslim who loves Islam but is against Radical Islam.
The arrogant ignorance of Brian Gallagher would make me doubt his fitness for his job, except that it apparently is his job to be ignorant and arrogant.
There has been much talk about freedom of speech lately but what of freedom of action. Why do these media outlets publish pieces that look like propaganda or may may even fuel hatred when they could fulfil the function of the fifth estate: to intelligently examine our society and speak against the abuses of power. That is what the public craves so desperately and yet cannot easily find.
I am much more interested in learning about the TPP, the abuses of WIldlife Services, Greg Abbott’s blatant anti-environment and anti-democratic policies. Or John McCain’s decision to protect a war criminal and his committee from hearing the truth about what war really means to ordinary people. I’d love to know which politicians think protecting Monsanto is more important than protecting our health and safety. The list could go on forever … why do they continue to take the easy path when they can do good work?
Maree,
Quoting Hadiths without context is like quoting the bible to justify anti-semitism.
We have to look at historical facts not religious texts, which are just that.
Jews have lived in the Middle East for over 1000 years under the rule of Islam. Europe mind you run by western christians, have tried to wipe Jews out from the face of the earth. What do you have to say about that? There was not even a conflict between Jews and those in Europe who thought they needed to fight them and wipe them out.
Unfortunately what you write is exactly how Jews were smeared and vilified in Europe until the genocide happened. It is too bad you don’t see it because you are blinded by your apparent anti-Muslim prejudice.
The conflict in Israel is a political conflict, started by again those enlightened western christians who after trying to wipe its Jews out, shipped the remaining to the Middle East.
Arabs in all their denominations (Muslim, Christian, Secular, Marxist, and so forth) view Israel is a colony that is no different than other previous colonies in there.
The fact that recently the more religious groups are more vocal does not turn the conflict into a religious one like many of you think.
In fact, those of you who view the conflict in religious terms are actually no different than the “Islamists” groups that you are complaining about.
You have a very narrow view of the world.
About ISIS, we do have responsiblity to stop it beyond pining for Saddam. Like how the Civil War in the US created the NRA and Billy the Kid, following Iraq there was “gun kit” flying around everywhere, and the occupiers of Iraq (our army) couldn’t be bothered). In fact, both Canada and the US continue to supply Saudi Arabia, Libya etc. with weapons that are not open to international inspection, and are now understood to be leaking into hands of radicals. Why people are fleeing Syria has a lot to do with US policy, which we are continuing today. Put the US approach to Syria side-by-side with its approach to Iraq. Crash the economy, make oraganizing of any kind suspect and dysfunctional. These are scorched-earth tactics, not only counter-productive but are war crimes. Put it beside the Nazi espionage campaign, Operation Pastorius.
Serious scholars, even the ones most connected to the US elite will usually concede the Iraq war didn’t just remove Saddam and replace him with ISIS. Fringe militants were terrorists before Iraq but were usually up against their own regional government, like the Morocco police state. But George Bush’s rhetoric and actions helped create the current wave of violent radicalism. The attackers in France were radicalized not only by the cartoon but by the attempted revolution against Assad, who lets remember is connected to, and was once favored by, the US financial elite even though he is allied with Russia.
I agree in a way with your favorable impression of Saddam. I would put it this way: one way to reduce the terror would be to permit a functioning government to take hold without quaking in our boots over today’s boogeyman. So much focus is on punishing the evil people, with regrettable innocents dying we forget that the innocents are the ones who can most stop evil by taking power away from them. (Not only did the Iraq war encourage terrorism but it destroyed Iraq to the point that women’s groups cannot travel or organize). It’s considered sympathizing or excusing terrorism to say this though. It’s heresy. That’s why the subject I was discussing was the IMF and US political elite. It’s a different discussion than the interests of minorities, but it’s just as serious for them in consequence. For example, the Muslim Brotherhood had a proposal to the IMF that they would accept a much needed loan on the condition they decided how the money was used and that it wouldn’t put them into unnecessary debt. Although the IMF wasn’t interested in negotiating with the Brotherhood much to begin with, ultimately when the US/Saudi-backed military took over, the investment negotiations were stopped.
Well, I’m washing my hands of this nonsense. Enjoy your end times, Maree.
http://billmoyers.com/2015/02/05/isis-brutality-burning-lynching/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/justice4nadiasindi
http://www.davefrohnmayer.com
Please sign both petitions.
https://www.change.org/petitions/a-g-eric-holder-sent-jeff-merkley-gov-john-kitzhaber-investigate-abuse-of-power-and-criminal-forgery-by-former-oregon-a-g-david-frohnmayer-and-lane-county-government#share
And this one with Causes too. Thanks!
https://www.causes.com/posts/899197
http://www.davefrohnmayer.com
Maree,
Now that you explained how you viewed the world and its events, I must remind you that Christianity like Islam and Judaism are Middle Eastern religions. So when you say “our Christianity”, with all due to respect, it is not yours. Jesus was a Middle Easterner born in the Middle East.
The people of the Middle East don’t need your permission to change their own religions and/or to create new ones.
You need to stop melding in their affairs and using their religions as an excuse and justification for projecting your narrow minded views on the world and on its few of its great religions.
This is not new by any means. During the middle ages, the crusaders (western christians) drove middle eastern Jews out of Jerusalem and they were only granted access back by other Middle Easterners (who happen to be Muslim this time).
Jerusalem was shared and in peace since the rule of the intolerant crusaders was ended until the same Europeans AGAIN came in to wreck havoc and disturb the peace after they rampaged through the world and caused the death of millions of people in less than 30 years, not to mention the genocide of European-Jews.
It is not enough to feel guilty, one has to own its mistakes and blenders.
You may think you are helping “the jews of the Middle East” but actually you are fueling more conflict and instigating more instability.
http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/the-film-that-uncovers-what-is-really-happening-in-mosques-across-the-uk/
Brian, while it is respectful of you to take the time and address the letter campaign and clarify your position, the main problem is in one of your own statements in your response:
“Much of the non-Muslim public now identifies those words as a defiant declaration of faith uttered by terrorists before blowing themselves up.” The statement is referring to the words ‘Allah Akhbar’.
The reason the non-Muslim public connects the phrase to terrorists is because western media has not done enough to separate the two and to clarify the hijacking of a coveted term of faith for the Muslim people by terrorists. And by running the cartoon, you have now contributed to even more of that misconception.
If you felt the cartoon made a strong statement in the need to fight the extremists, which almost all devout and real Muslims would agree upon, you could have suggested that the artist find a way that would not alienate your Muslim readers, and create more Islamophobia in your non-Muslim ones. You have a responsibility as a media personnel to educate as opposed to pour fuel on a burning fire. You have now joined the likes of Brian Williams and his combatgate!
Maree, I’m unclear on your point. Please elaborate.
Suzanne, I hope you’ve sent your excellent note to USA Today. It’s unlikely that Brian Gallagher is reading these comments.
Maree,
Jerusalem is middle eastern. It is not in Europe or north America. People are not born Jewish from the ground. Prior to Judaism, there were other religions over there. Just like Judaism was born in the Middle East, Christianity and Islam were also born in the Middle East.
That’s what you don’t seem to understand fully.
The people of the Middle East do NOT need your permission to change their religions, adopt new ones or revert back to other ones rooted in their own backyard.
Again, when are you going to stop melding in the affairs of other people with which you don’t share any historical, cultural, spiritual or ethnic roots?
Why don’t you find your own religion and leave the Middle East alone if the only thing you are going to contribute with is spreading prejudice, hatred, intolerance and misinformation. Not to mention, instigating violence and destruction.
Why repeat yourself Karim? Did I not agree with you that Christianity is essentially Jewish and therefore Middle Eastern in Origin? Did I say that they needed my permission?? How ridiculous! It seems as though in fact that they need yours!
If you are in fact an atheist – then butt out of religious affairs you have absolutely no understanding of. Your perspective literally cannot fathom any religion and its context and why people do what they do.
So you waste your breath trying to explain something that is beyond your comprehension. If what I have said, which makes perfect sense to those in the know, makes none to you…then there is your answer.
wow. kudos to Naureckas for getting Brian Gallagher and USA Today on record for being IGNORANT. I had no idea they were that bad!
Hamas and Hezbollah are NOT terrorists. They target the IDF when it attacks their civilians and takes their land. Hamas killed 75 (?) IDF after being brutally attacked and Israel killed thousands of civilians. All of this while being under siege for so many years – talk about barbaric!
And Hezbollah hit an IDF tank in Lebanese territory recently while Israel killed UN personnel in response. Gallagher seems so ignorant that he probably is years away from even knowing that Christians are also protected by Hamas and are also ethnically cleansed by Israel. What a moron.
thanks, Fair,
km
p.s. USA Today’s Gallagher doesn’t know that Palestinians are being ethnically cleansed by Israel with the help of the US. How dumb is he?
The Nazis were the ethnic cleansers, and today it’s Israel… what a moron.
Km & other left wing PC brigade who favour Hamas rendition of the truth over those of rational people:
Have you read the Charter of Hamas?
Article 13
[Diplomatic] initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences to find a solution to the Palestinian problem, contradict the Islamic Resistance Movement’s ideological position. Giving up any part whatsoever of [the land of] Palestine is like ignoring a part of [the Muslim] faith.
There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except jihad. Regarding the international initiatives, suggestions and conferences, they are an empty waste of time and complete nonsense.
Therefore, what must be done is [the following:] to instill in the minds of all the Muslims generations that the problem of Palestine is religious, and on that basis it must be dealt with.
———————————————————–
On the day Islam [will be in a position to] direct life, it will eradicate the organizations [deemed] hostile to humanity and to Islam. [examples given? Rotary International]
———————————————————-
Thus [the Jews], by means of their money, have taken over the international communications media: the news agencies, newspapers, publishing houses, broadcasting stations, etc. [Not only that,] they
used their money to incite revolutions in various places all over the world for their own interests and to reap the fruits thereof. They were behind the French Revolution, the Communist Revolution and most of the revolutions we have heard about [that happened here and there]. They used their money to found secret organizations and scattered them all over the globe to destroy other societies and realize the interests of Zionism. [Such organizations] include the Freemasons, the Rotary clubs [sic], the Lions [Club],53 The Sons of the Covenant [i.e., B’nai Brith] and others. They are all destructive espionage organizations which, by means of money, succeeded in taking over the imperialist countries and encouraged them to take over many other countries to be able to completely exploit their resources and spread corruption.
In fact, they were behind the First World War, through which achieved the abolishment of the Islamic Caliphate, made a profit and took over many of the sources of wealth. They [also] got the Balfour Declaration and established the League of the United [sic] Nations to be able rule the world. They were also behind the Second World War, in which they made immense profits by buying and selling military equipment, and also prepared the ground for the founding of their [own] state. They ordered the establishment of the United Nations and the Security Council [sic] which replaced the League of the United [sic] Nations, to be able to use it to rule the world. No war takes place anywhere in the world without [the Jews] behind the scenes having a hand in it.
Article 28
The Christian [Crusader] conquest is evil, it does not stop at anything, it makes use of every despicable and vicious means to achieve its ends. In its infiltration and espionage operations it relies heavily on the secret organizations it gave birth to, such as the Freemasons, Rotary and Lions Club, and similar espionage groups. All those organizations, both covert and overt, act for the good of and are directed by Zionism. They aim to collapse society, undermine values, destroy the security of life and property, create [moral degeneration] and the annihilation of Islam. They are behind trafficking in drugs and alcohol, to make it easier for them to take over [the world] and to expand [and gain more territory].
THIS IS TIN FOIL HAT BELIEFS, NOT BASED ON RATIONAL THOUGHT OR REALITY.
IF YOU WANT TO BELIEVE THIS DOCTRINE AND ANYTHING ELSE HAMAS HAS TO SAY – GO RIGHT AHEAD – BUT BE WARNED IT MAY LEAD TO INSANITY AND A DEFINITION OF BRAINWASHED.
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/data/pdf/pdf_06_032_2.pdf
Maree,
No you didn’t answer my question. What business do you have melding into the affairs of the people of the Middle East?
How is saying Jesus was Jewish have to do with anything? are you and your right-wing tribes related to him in any way or fashion and by extension to the Middle East?
Obviously, you are not. You have hijacked Jesus for your own narrow minded agendas and are trying to dictate to the people of the Middle East about who should own what and which of their religions you approve of and which you don’t.
How about you look at the indigenous religions of North America that have been wiped out within 200 years? Shouldn’t you look closer to home?
Maree,
One more thing.
Opposition to Zionism is pretty much universal in the Middle East across all denominations, political and cultural lines. As some say, it is one of the few things Arabs agree on.
There is a fundamental difference between Zionism as a modern colonial enterprise born in Europe and Judaism as a Middle Eastern faith that is both part of Christianity and Islam.
The father of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, was born in Austria. Last time I checked, Austria was on European soil.
Suzanne – you blame the Western media for what Radical Islamists do? This self-blame in the West will be our own downfall, because people like yourself, call for censorship and the cessation of freedom of the press, in case we offend a group who are so easily offended.
It was Muslims who shouted Allahu Akbar with excitement and glee as they watched the Jordanian pilot burn to death on the big screen put up specially, at Raqqa. A young boy interviewed said he’d wished it was his hand that lit the match! I’ve watched a 12 year old sever his first head and hold it up proudly! A man bounce his 4 month old baby up and down on a severed head – courtesy not of the Western media but Isis itself. Place the blame where it is due.
What is wrong is that we are apologising for showing what is happening to the VICTIMS of these atrocities who should be our main priority. Unless those headless victims, and minorities are given a voice through the media, then nobody will be moved to do anything. Including those devout and religious Muslims in the West who so far have done nothing but mouth words.
Karim, what you don’t understand is religion.
You are speaking from a left wing worldly POV which only sees politics.
Muslims everywhere have made it the business of Jews and Christians everywhere, by denying Israel the right to exist and coveting the land of Israel and Jerusalem for themselves when it does not belong to them. It is bad enough that the temple mount is in Muslim hands and therefore Jews are forbidden to pray there. The temple will be rebuilt – it is only a matter of time, and where.
Jerusalem and Israel are ALSO the cradle of Christianity and therefore holds the holiest sites in Christendom.
You, as non-religious, have no concept of that.
Unless you are Muslim, Christian or Jew – then it is you who has no say.
The end times doctrines of the Jews and Christians centres on Jerusalem. For there to be an end times according to the Word of God, there must be a Jewish Jerusalem. And we WILL advocate for that. And pray for it.
The Jews were dispersed throughout the nations, that does not make them something else.
God said in his Word he would gather them out of the nations and return them to the land of Israel.
He did this in a rather remarkable way. And we approve.
Ps. I am not American so no – America is not closer to home.
If you won’t believe me – then believe the words of Muslims themselves.
Thanks, Maree, but I’m still a little fuzzy on the big picture. Can you offer up some more detail?
Maree,
It is you who doesn’t understand Middle Eastern religions. What you believe in is some form of western Christianity that has not much relationship to Jerusalem in the Middle East. I thought the Middle East has put that to sleep in 12th century. No more Jerusalem for you (that is, under your control).
You have one in Rome and if that is not good enough, then build yourself another one somewhere else, right in the heart of Britain next to her majesty the Queen.
Jews from Middle East regard Christianity and Christians as pretty much “heretics”. So Jesus doesn’t mean anything to them in the same way Mohammed doesn’t mean much to both Christians and Jews.
That doesn’t mean they don’t respect each other like you are promoting over this blog. Respect is part of our heritage.
It is a concept some folks in the west don’t fully understand because their history is riddled with large scale religious wars, intolerance towards minorities and lack of ethnic/religious diversity.
That’s why Judaism has survived for over 5000 years in the Middle East as a minority religion when other minority religions have been completely wiped out in some western countries. Not to mention the attempt to ethnically wipe out an entire people, not just their religions in recent times in Europe.
The current conflict in Jerusalem is political, not religious.
Stop hijacking the conflict for your own fundamentalist agenda.
Maree,
European tolerance/diversity is relatively recent. Jews were not just murdered in Nazi Germany, they were shipped to death camps from other European countries too.
I must ask you, how could this happen in these states that you claim have a separation of church and state??
Why did these so-called governments who were established on that great model of separation went after their Jewish citizens in a such systematic and institutional way??
Well I can tell you that that model is pretty much about western-christian in-fighting and not so much about the true acceptance of the other like for example, a Jew or a Muslim. In fact, christians who deviated from the boundaries of what was “acceptable” were persecuted and banished. Just ask the Mormons in the US.
People try to get to Australia, Muslim or otherwise, because they want to make a living. Wasn’t Australia also involved in colonialism? how many lands did it plunder with impunity? At least these people are trying to work hard for their living in an honest way. They are not going around the world shooting at people, taking over their lands and stealing their resources.
Like I said, feeling guilty is not enough. That is something that may work in your church, not in the real world.
@ “Maree”
I was gonna sit rest of this out because you’re just too entertaining. You are probably one of the most energetic commenters I have ever seen. You probably type real fast. You clearly got time on your hands to contribute as much as you have.
Anyway, to answer only ONE of your comments: “5) western-christian in-fighting…WHAT is this??? Give an example.”
Let me help you: Northern Ireland. Protestants versus Catholics. “The Troubles”. Hundreds of years of bloody violence, born of colonialism and resistance to it. Bombings, torture, kidnappings, racist propaganda. The IRA and the Orangemen. “Marching Season”. “Bloody Sunday”. And it continued far into our own living memory.
Any of this ring a bell?
You’re welcome.
Good list, DP. I’d add WWII in Europe, largely Christians killing Christians.
Which rod should you use to beat your wife with?
Surah 4:34
But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance – [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them.
Note the words: “whom you fear arrogance” other translations: Rebellion, disloyalty and ill-conduct,desertion.
The Koran says that the Husband only has to fear it WILL happen, not that it is already happening. This gives a lot of lee way to husbands in Islam. What hope has a woman NOT to be beaten in Islam? That is why there are countless videos of beaten and dead women on You tube.
Some Muslims are trying to do something about Child Marriage.
But as she says they are threatened.
I have a question for “Maree”:
what do you want to see happen? you say that Islam teaches bad things and that everyone is in danger because of what some Muslims do and that Israel is in danger and that there is something that “we” aren’t doing that needs to be done. what are you hoping or advocating to be done?
can you be specific?
to “Maree”:
you say you want to criticize Muslims without fear, you want to remove weapons from Muslim and/or Arab countries while leaving Israel with its massive arsenal, and you believe that UC Davis is implementing Sharia?
about the fear thing, I don’t see it. You seem comfortable enough. What specifically are you asking for?
about the weapons thing. Israel gets all the weapons it wants and uses them wherever it wants. Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc are using their weapons to do pretty much the same thing Israel does. What specifically are you asking for? A weapons embargo to the middle east? That’s actually sane, but it needs to be comprehesive – Israel too.
What is your point about UCD? You want to say everything you want “without fear”, but a student can’t joke about it? Is that what you propose?
Israel has lived with the threat of, and the actuality of, attack by war or by terrorism since its inception. Despite what Hamas says that tiny Israel wants world domination and is the instigator of every single war and conflict on the planet past, present, and future, its weapons are for self-preservation and it has no desire for more land than God gave them in the first place. Its parameters and boundaries are clear in their scriptures and yet they have accepted far less.
The present UN wants to whittle Israel down to a point where it is indefensible.
If it were not attacked by Muslims who deny them the right to exist, with bombs over and over again, it would not have to go to such continuous lengths to keep its citizens – Jew, Muslim and everything else – safe.
It has countries surrounding it whose stated goals are to wipe it from the face of the earth.
Maps have been printed for Saudi Arabia that have NO Israel on them.
That has to stop. And the world and those countries must acknowledge the right of Israel to exist in their midst and to be a place for Jews to live in safety. No bombs. No threats of war.
Until THAT happens there will be no peace in the Middle East. Contrary to what the world thinks – for peace to be a reality – it has to start with the Radical Muslims of the Middle East whose hatred is pathological and incendiary.
A weapons embargo would not work – because you cannot trust terrorists, nor governments like Iran and Assad’s nor the PA etc. You have to change the THINKING behind what they do. What makes a terrorist behave and do what he does. Part of that is Hamas propaganda inciting the masses to hatred. Rabid Anti-Semitism is at the core, and it is rising across the world. Hatred for, and incitement against, one particular race based on lies and generalisation.
Right now, no Government leader is game to call radical Islam – Islamic – as if it is something else entirely. That is PC at the extreme end, and hides the elephant in the room. It must stop.
Constant shouts of Islamophobia must also stop. It is one sided. And based on the need to shut people up from debating the important issues of our time. You cannot shut people up by fear tactics. The problems of radical Islam will only increase.
Radical Islam is an incredible danger in our midst. When it incites lone wolf attacks to behead someone in the street as it has in both England and Australia, it undermines the relationships of Muslim to the rest of Society and the sense of safety citizens desire. It fosters distrust and animosity and in the future pay back revenge attacks and outright civil war if what I have read of the anger simmering among people is correct. It is a pot on the point of boiling over – it only needs another 9/11… and it is coming. How many plots have already been stopped? Countless. It is like a wave – they just keep coming because Islamists are born within Islam every day by listening to rabid preachers who preach hatred for Non-Muslims.
It will take Muslims and Non-Muslims working TOGETHER to stop Radical Islam from taking over. But the Elephant must be acknowledged and owned by Islam. Only then can we move forward.
Anti-Semitism has no place in the world today. Not on Campus, not in daily life. The holocaust must never be repeated. The pro-Hamas infiltration of Universities must be stopped. One should not choose a terrorist organisation to base one’s ideology around – it is anything but sound judgement.
Maree is largely ranting to herself now. I just immediately trash the notification when I see that it’s another one of her wordy and bigoted spiels.
thanks, Vrede.
I was curious about the motives of people like “Maree” and what their goal is (ie., how do you translate all that energy into an action that makes sense?), but the only thing that started to make sense was arms reduction, and that is apparently not “Maree”s goal. Clearly, freedom of speech is not an issue for them, either. Disingenuous.
My conclusion is that all they are after is filling blog spaces with Islamophobia. Nothing more.
I do think that this kind of hate speech IS inciting people to harm others.
Some guesses:
Paid by an Islamophobia group and spamming numerous fora.
Not paid for spamming numerous fora, just obsessed, which would be sad.
Just posting to the 2 or 3 of us that aren’t buying it and never will along with a few that lost interest days ago, which would be even sadder. C’mon, who post thousands of words to a forum that so few are reading? It’s nutty to be consumed with that much fear and hate.
Some Muslims do evil things, duh. Most, by far, don’t. Islam has a long, long way to go to match the tens of millions or more that Christians have slaughtered in just the last 100 years and there’s plenty of real opportunity to work to make our own culture less violent. Why devote so much energy screeching about a culture she’ll never have any impact on?
I just can’t believe that you guys just don’t get it. Our thinking must be poles apart.
Today’s anti-Semitism, and the Hamas style propaganda must blind you to anything the Islamists are doing or saying.
We are at war with these guys and you still can’t see a problem? Then why fight them? What have we spent Billions of $ doing and lost so many of our soldiers lives over? Did they waste their lives because people like you think Islamists are NOT a problem? That there will never be another 9/11 or worse?
Hate speech?? Wow you just don’t get it.
Remember I have always been talking about Islamists here – NOT the average Muslim family who ignore Jihad.
When the world becomes increasingly Islamic run by Islamists and things turn pear shaped for you – then you might understand my warnings. Then they will make sense.
Keep pretending the world will go on as it always has….Goodbye and good luck. You are going to need it.
I guess I struck a nerve if Maree is now running away. Awwww.
Vrede,
I sure hope so!
I am fascinated with the “Maree” posts in that they are a really good example of hate speech, and I am very curious about how it works and why – is it a product of the media? a church? or, as you say, money?
But how do people get like that? I’m curious.
And in the meantime, it’s an illness that will lead to violence. I hope “Maree” doesn’t collect weapons.
Most such haters do so with the complete security of anonymity. If they weren’t cowards they wouldn’t be so desperate to attack whole groups in lieu of facing their own inadequacies and those of the groups they identify with.
However, some do go off the deep end. Maree has far more in common with ISIS, etc. than either you or I do, km.
Fwiw, here’s an incomplete list of white, male, often Christian, con domestic terrorism (the majority of attacks we’ve had) since the 1970s:
Army of God, Eric Robert Rudolph, Centennial Olympic Park bombing
Aryan Nations
Klan, Michael Donald
The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord
Jewish Defense League
The Order
Phineas Priesthood
Oklahoma City bombing
Anti-abortion violence: David Gunn (murdered by Michael F. Griffin), John Britton and James Barrett (victims of Reverend Paul Jennings Hill), Shannon Lowney and Lee Ann Nichols (killed by John Salvi), James Kopp killed at least one, Scott Roeder killed George Tiller
Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting
Andrew Joseph Stack
Overland Park Jewish Community Center shooting
Jerad and Amanda Miller
Larry Steven McQuilliams
2011 January 17: Spokane Bombing attempt
Knoxville Unitarian Universalist church shooting
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum shooting
Jewish Defenders
Jewish Direct Action
I won’t hold my breath waiting for Maree to screech about it.
Frankly, when I first saw the cartoon, my immediate reaction was basically what the USA Today Editorial Page Editor claims was his intent. I honestly didn’t equate the groups displayed with Islam at all (then again, I’m finding myself reminding many of those around me that Islam is not the enemy). And where you’re suggesting other people (e.g. Timothy McVeigh) could be grouped by their religious beliefs, while I can’t speak for anyone but myself I was never aware of their religious beliefs in the first place. Adding other groups like the Lords Resistance Army, IRA, the Cliven Bundy Ranch, and Blackwater Worldwide would be fitting as they’re groups, as opposed to individuals like McVeigh, as well as either a different quote from the skull or showing something that explains that the Islamic quote was being meant as a perversion by the extremist idiots would help to eliminate the automatic reaction by some that it’s solely referring to Islam.
I comment in reply (not screech thank you!) because
1) I am answering the comment or question – maybe I am OCD about it, but maybe I am just passionate about what I believe.
2) just maybe one day one of you, or someone reading, will see the truth of what many ex-Muslims, people who study Islam, and those who experience living with true Islam are saying loud and clear – that while a majority of Muslims may be peaceful, True Islam is NOT a peaceful religion, it never has been, and that this is a smoke screen by groups like the Muslim Brotherhood to lull the masses in the West into a false sense of security. Just like Hitler saying he just wanted peace. And like you, they all fell for it.
However, my Atheist daughter says that you have accepted the “Islam is a peaceful religion” POV and nothing I say will change that POV – so why bother. Perhaps she is right.
No I am not running away. I am taking her advice. I have said all I need to say. That you call what I say hate speech is because of your own perception, not because it is. And as she says that perception will not change until it is forced to change by the actions of radical Islam itself, not by someone trying to convince you with rational argument.
Neither can one convince an Atheist of anything pertaining to religion for it does not make sense to them at all. That is why an Atheist cannot comprehend the Middle East or the Muslim mindset. It is a foreign language. You do not have a GOD POV. I should have known better than to try. Usually I refrain.
As for “And in the meantime, it’s an illness that will lead to violence. I hope “Maree” doesn’t collect weapons.”
“Weapons! My Mother!! She doesn’t even swear -lol” Was her answer.
As for knowledge leading to violence? It is ignorance and refusing to see what is real that allows it to happen.
Re what Rev. J.T. Smith has said.
I think he explains your own and the Western mindset exactly – and more clearly for me than anyone else did here. Thank you Rev. J.T. Smith for helping me to understand what is the core underlying problem here. The reason we are NOT on the same page.
He said:
“I honestly didn’t equate the groups displayed with Islam at all (then again, I’m finding myself reminding many of those around me that Islam is not the enemy).”
And here is where we differ and what is the source of all of our issues here between our differing viewpoints and your contention that I am a hater.
I DID immediately equate the groups with Islam and understood the Cartoon ‘exactly’ as the Cartoonist meant it to be. That all of these groups are Anti-Semitic in the extreme, they all have a common War cry – Allahu Akbar – and they have one incredibly important element in common – they are all Muslims with the right to cry Allahu Akbar.
You are all right in one aspect…ALL Muslims are not our enemy. That is a fact I agree with.
But there are some 15% of Muslims (around 300 million) who definitely are. Or else who are we fighting? Buddhists? Obama is trying so desperately to say they are NOT Muslims. Then what are they?
Islam IS our enemy. Its doctrines are what drives the Islamists. It is the source of their Jihad. The source of their almost conquering the world in the past and maintaining that hold for 1400 yrs. The source of their desire to do so again. The Moderates know it but deny it to the West in public, however, Turkey’s President says there is only ONE Islam and he is correct.
As for the Reverend, he should, of all people know what the bible says about the Anti-Christ of Revelation. That he who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh is the Anti-Christ. Islam’s doctrine denies Jesus as Messiah, Saviour and God. Denies everything we believe in, including the very Word of God. Islam is very definitely the enemy of Christianity. Its end times doctrine spells out very clearly what they expect to happen. EVERY Jew will be killed, and every Christian converted to Islam or die. There will only be worship of Allah across the whole earth and Islam will reign supreme. There will be nobody left on Earth that is NOT Muslim. The House of War (us) will no longer exist. And ALL Muslims believe this.
Don’t believe me? Then research as I have done.
Rev. J.T. Smith, I recognize the distinction between organized groups and lone wolves. My list was merely inclusive of all recent con domestic terrorism. However, I think it’s silly to suggest that the cartoon didn’t intentionally lump them together in order to smear all Muslims.
I didn’t suggest anything about Timothy McVeigh’s religious beliefs – fwiw, Catholic-mixed messages-Catholic. Don’t be so defensive. Rather, I posted, “white, male, often Christian, con domestic terrorism (the majority of attacks we’ve had) since the 1970s”. “often Christian”, “often”.
Yes, the cartoon could have been different, but it wasn’t. Jim Naureckas did not hallucinate its intent and Maree even admits that he was correct in doing so. Only Brian Gallagher tries to deny the obvious.
Maree, I don’t accept either Islam or Christianity as being “peaceful”. You’ve created a lame straw man.
Rather, my point is that Christianity has the blood of tens of millions on its hands in recent times, something that Islam can’t even begin to compare with, and that it’s the root of more attacks here at home than Islam is. Your Godwin’s Law unwillingness to accept fact and then work to effect the things you can potentially have an impact on exposes your obsessive bigotry for what it is.
I have not stated my faith or lack thereof, another desperate straw man. It’s a shame you wasted so much time and energy pursuing that angle.
In fact I agree with Brian Gallagher and his summation in preference to Jim Naureckas and his.
Jim cannot see the connect between those mentioned other than them being of the same religion.
As I have said before – this Cartoon is in reference SOLELY to the 70th commemoration of the Holocaust. To make people think about the rise in Anti-Semitism today especially in Europe and the Middle East.
ALL of those groups mentioned included Iran who funds Hezbollah and soon to fund Hamas as well, ARE violently Anti-Semitic and THAT is what Brian is trying to say. Not so much as they are MUSLIM, but that they hate Israel. And from that could come the new Holocaust.
Trying to make this saying anything else is ridiculous.
Vrede, you said: “Rather, my point is that Christianity has the blood of tens of millions on its hands IN RECENT TIMES, something that Islam can’t even begin to compare with…” (my emphasis)
Ummm…10’s of Millions? Recent times? Like who are we talking about specifically?
Last 75 years, within the lifetimes of some, or longer.
Then, majority Christian America has attacked more nations in the last 65 years, or less, than all other nations or religions combined.
Didn’t you flounce away at least twice already, drama queen? As long as I have your “Easy Button”, about your dishonest straw men? Do you really think they enhance the credibility of your pitiful and obsessive Islamophobia?
Any rational person would acknowledge the appropriateness of the USA Today cartoon. First, every organization and state identified is terrorist and purports to act in the name of Allah. Moreover, there are obvious similarities between the Islamists and the Nazis (e.g., both glorify violence, have disdain for women, are anti-Semitic, and aspire to conquer the world). Finally, the Islamists in the USA Today cartoon are all contemporary actors.
On the other hand, the Jews named in Naureckas’ hypothetical cartoon are not all contemporary, are not united by terrorist activity or even violence, did not all act in the name of Judaism or the Jewish people, and likely did not utter, “Mazel tov,” to puncture their misbehavior.
Therefore, while a hypothetical cartoon arbitrarily linking, e.g., a Jewish financier and a Jewish serial killer would be clearly anti-Semitic, the USA Today cartoon is clearly not Islamophobic.
In my next comment, I will explain how Naureckas is guilty of something even worse than a breakdown in logical faculties.
William, I also note the “obvious similarities between the Islamists and the Nazis (e.g., both glorify violence, have disdain for women, are anti-Semitic, and aspire to conquer the world) AND US Christian fundies, a group that you are in a far superior position to effect for good.
Maree, America is indeed “majority Christian”, as I said. This fact is not “Muslim propaganda” and I did not mention “the West” at all. What is it with you and these lame straw men? Are you that desperate to justify your bigotry?
Hitler was Christian and almost every German that carried out his atrocities was Christian. Own it. Ah, the old “not a real Christian” argument. Do you have any clue how pitiful that is, and how hypocritical (what does the Bible say about hypocrites?) you are when you refuse to apply the same reasoning to Islamic killers?
I’ve never heard of “Hamasrus.com”. What is it with you and these lame straw men? Are you that desperate to justify your bigotry?
I haven’t attended any “indoctrination course”. What is it with you and these lame straw men? Are you that desperate to justify your bigotry?
I don’t “hate the West and religion, especially Christian.” What is it with you and these lame straw men? Are you that desperate to justify your bigotry? Unlike you, though, I’m grounded enough in reality to recognize that I’m better able to impact the West and Christians when they are wrong. You choose hysterical and paranoid ranting while beating your head against a wall, instead.
There we have it – futile screeching, bearing the false witness of serially creating straw men, and fundamentally a coward in ignoring challenges to prior straw men. Maree is the perfect face for pitiful and hateful Christian Islamophobia.
Yes, I and other decent people denigrate obsessive bigots. Surely you’re used to it by now.
In my previous comment, I pointed out that Naureckas – on the surface – appears simply to possess no logical faculties.
However, Naureckas is guilty of something even more serious. Indeed, he is a fascist sympathizer, and a disingenuous one, at that.
Note that in the piece above, Naureckas appears to concede that the actors named in the USA Today cartoon are all “villains.” After all, this is the basis of his attempted (albeit ultimately absurd) analogy between that cartoon and a hypothetical one featuring a group of Jews who he notes are all villains.
However, Naureckas also claims that USA Today is bigoted because it is “lumping people together who have nothing in common but their religion.” Here Naureckas appears to suggest that the entities in the USA Today cartoon are not all villains (as one would infer from his analogy), but are rather united only by their Islamic faith.
What accounts for this inconsistency in Naureckas’ argument? The answer is found in his prior piece from February 3 (which he attempts to retreat from in the piece above). In the February 3 article, Naureckas unequivocally apologizes for fascists, including Hamas. Hamas’ charter openly calls for the genocide of the Jewish people, but Naureckas dignifies Hamas with the anodyne label of “political movement.”
In other words, Naureckas has now one-upped the usual accusation of Islamophobia, which is leveled at those who equate Islam with Islamic terrorism. Naureckas will now accuse of Islamophobia anyone who criticizes Islamic terrorism itself.
Even for Naureckas, this is a new low. But at least now we know what we’re dealing with.
Yes, Germany was and is a Christian nation that exterminated millions of Jews and others, Maree. Duh.
Ummm, I’m part Jewish and proud of it and have not posted a word about Jews until now. You’re an idiot for playing the antisemitic card on me, Christian. What is it with you and these lame straw men? Are you that desperate to justify your bigotry?
My straw men??? They’re your wingnutty delusions and you’re too cowardly to admit it when busted on them. That’s the psyche of bigots like you, no personal responsibility – your massive inadequacies are always someone or some other group’s fault.
“your hatred and bias toward all things Christian built by lies from terrorist organisations that your itching ears wanted to hear.” – LOL, LOL, LOL. That’s poetically insane. You know that, don’t you?
“live with Hamas for a while seeing as you love what they have to say via the Muslim Brotherhood.” – Huh??? I pity and detest all religious bigots. You are much, much more like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood than I’ll ever be. Ick.
Maree, whether it’s that your comprehension is that poor, that you’re childishly pretending so in order to cower from your false witnessing or that you can’t face that you religious bigots are all part of the same foul stew, it’s no surprise to me.
Jim-
I think you are deliberately missing the point.
Both of your examples use a few individuals who created limited damage. The cartoon identifies groups that are conducting organized war hiding behind religion. Similarly, neither “Mazel Tov” nor “Body of Christ” have been rallying cries for the crimes of Jewish or Christian criminals.
I Know you can form thoughtful and persuasive arguments. Why didn’t you do so this time?
You would have a point if Christian and Jewish groups were waging war against those that are different at alarming rates. Do Christians and Jews even have a word that is synonymous with kaffir?
Since WWII Christian America has attacked more nations than any other country and I am alarmed by what Jewish Israel does.
America is NOT Christian.
America is secular made up of ALL religions, including Muslim.
The theoretical often differs from reality.
We both know who mostly carries out our deeds good and bad, Christians are over-represented Congress as a percentage of our population, one has to be Christian to be POTUS (except Nixon, sort of), and you have no problem crediting Islam for the acts of some its adherents, Maree.