Fiza Najeeb in the Poly Post of California State Polytechnic University of Pomona (thanks to Nicolei) asserts that it is movies like "United 93" that make people have a low opinion of Muslims. It doesn't seem to occur to her that the movie is generally accurate in its portrayal of the hijackers, and that maybe people have a low opinion of Muslims because there are Muslims who do things like that.
“United 93” is the type of movie that evokes emotion in audiences. Along with feelings of shock, sadness and hurt comes a strong sentiment of anger and hate. When something as major as an attack on your country happens, generally, two things are bound to happen.First, people develop a strong sense of patriotism and unity toward the rest of their fellow citizens. Next, people develop a thirst for revenge toward the perpetrators. In this case, the way this film portrays the antagonists would be those who fit the Muslim profile.
See? It's profiling! Why, this film has made the perpetrators seem to be Muslims! This will make people want to defend themselves! (What were the perpetrators in fact? Methodists? Nor was their Islam tangential or unrelated to what they were doing. It was, in fact, by their own accounts their primary motivation.)
...Like everyone else, I relived the moments of that life-altering moment. And even though, I, like the rest of the audience, was American, I left the theatre with a strong sense of discomfort and isolation from everyone.I am an American-born Muslim and I find it hard to be comfortable and patriotic in this country when overhearing comments such as “I can’t believe those Muslim people” or “this movie makes me really mad at those Muslims.”
It’s unfortunate that I overheard two people represent the beliefs of many people in the United States. The amount of ignorance and intolerance against Muslims can be largely attributed to media such as “United 93.”
No, if there is any genuine intolerance of Muslims in the U.S., aside from CAIR's largely trumped-up "hate crimes" reports, it can be largely attributed to anger on the part of Americans at crimes committed by Muslims in the name of Islam daily around the world. Fiza Najeeb could more profitably work to end that intolerance by trying to keep Muslims from being terrorists, not by lecturing Americans about how they should deplore an accurate depiction of actual events.
Oh, and also: how many other films depict what Najeeb objects to in "United 93"? I can't think of any. Where is this alleged barrage of media showing Muslims as terrorists? Again and again we have seen how the media goes out of its way not to do this: we hear endlessly about "extremists," "militants," and "insurgents." When was the last time you saw a headline from AP or Reuters referring to "Islamic jihadists" committing some act of violence? I thought so.
When the opening scene portrays a terrorist praying to God for strength and guidance to carry out a suicide mission while screaming “God is great” in Arabic (Allahu Akbar) and terrorizing passengers, it is easy to see how people would associate the religion of Islam to a religion that preaches terrorism.
Yes it is. Now: did this actually happen or not? Does it happen all the time or not? Of course it did happen, and does happen. Fiza Najeeb needs to face the implications of that, which are far more serious than the fact that these true events were shown in a film.
When people are emotional, they have the tendency to be extremely irrational. You would think the absurdity of the idea of a major religion preaching violence and terrorism in the name of God is common sense, but many people seem to forget that terrorism is a religion of its own.
Here we go again. Muslim preachers around the world preach violence and terrorism in the name of God. Again and again we have seen this, and seen Muslim clerics arrested for terror offenses. Just take a dip into the archives here and you'll see these things again and again. You would think the absurdity of the idea of a columnist blaming those who depict this fact rather than those who actually do these things would be common sense, but apparently it isn't.
While terrorists responsible for the devastating occurrence of Sept. 11 identify themselves as devout Muslims on a religious crusade, the Quran specifically states, “Whoever kills a soul, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” But many Islamic nations, excluding Iraq, has sympathized with the United States’ situation.
This is a reference to Qur'an 5:32, but Najeeb leaves out part of the verse. Here is the whole thing: "We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." That "unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land" is a large loophole.
Leaving aside the fact that this verse is directed to the Children of Israel, not the Muslims, there is also 5:33-4: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter; except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."
So in context, the verse Najeeb cites is actually a warning of dire punishment in this world for those who oppose Allah and Muhammad. Now why doesn't she tell us that?
According to an article by James Beverly printed in Christianity Today, “Iran has vehemently condemned the suicidal terrorist attacks in the United States,” and printed a story in Iran Today expressed their sorrow and sympathy for America.
Hey, that's swell. It's clear that Iran is solidly in America's corner, and condemns violence in Islam's name. How reassuring!
The issue of ignorance is already a big issue in the United States with the news attaching the word “Islamic” with the word “extremist” and/or “terrorists,” and ignorantly throwing around words like “Jihad” and “Shari’a” without knowing their true meaning.
Fiza, I hereby volunteer to be cured of my ignorance. I invite you to have a public discussion with me on jihad and Sharia. You can explain to me the true meaning of these terms, and I will explain to you from Islamic sources why I think what I do about them. And we'll have a discussion about the implications of it all. Contact me at director@jihadwatch.org to set this up. I look forward to hearing from you.
The power of the media has been severely underestimated. When the Twin Towers fell, the media replayed images of the incident, the mind-numbing devastation that resulted and the importance of showing unity and displaying patriotism.The media puts strong emphasis on the Patriot Act as a weapon against the war on terrorism, which is translated into patriotism as a weapon in the war on Islam.
According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, hate crimes against Muslims went up from 4 percent (pre-9/11) to 9 percent in 2003.
Trumped up. Oh, and don't forget this about CAIR.
On April 24, 2004, a woman in Pennsylvania was a victim of verbal harassment when a woman yelled at her in a parking lot saying that the American troops were in Iraq and Afghanistan so that women wouldn’t have to dress like her.She then proceeded to repeatedly hit her with her shopping cart. The Muslim woman requested employees to call security, but they refused.
If this incident really occurred, it is abominable. The woman with the shopping cart is a boor and should have received a citation, or been arrested for assault if she really hit her with the cart. It is a good thing that she didn't saw the poor Muslim woman's head off, or blow her to smithereens with a homemade bomb filled with nails.
It’s absolutely ridiculous that a small faction of people have come to represent the followers of an entire faith.
That's up to peaceful Muslims like you to combat, Fiza. Not non-Muslims.
Despite the continuous reinforcement of certain misconceptions, there is no justification for committing hate crimes.
Indeed. I trust you are telling the same thing to the jihad groups.
Violence inflicted on innocent people in the name of patriotism is the very definition of terrorism.
So now a manical woman with a shopping cart is a terrorist, just like the 9/11 hijackers. Sorry. I'm not buying.
Because of the amount of time Greengrass put into focusing on religion, the message of unity and patriotism is lost in feelings of anger and resentment.
Greengrass himself is on your side, Fiza. He was just depicting the hijackers accurately.
What could have been a valuable movie is just another source of media fueling ignorance into an already ignorant nation.
So evidently you would have preferred that he gloss over or ignore entirely their Islamic piety and motivation? Shouldn't you instead applaud the movie for depicting this, and as a Muslim moderate declare your determination to work among Muslims to ensure that no Muslim ever does such a thing again?
So muslims sock us, and we can't even scream? You kill,loot,behead all over the world and say that "terrorism is its own religion". There is only one link that links the killings of innocents worldwide: whether India, U.S., Middle East, Sudan,Egypt and the rest of Africa, Europe and Australia. The link is islam.
The usual Orwellian doudle speak. Truth is Lies. The perpetrators are the vitims.
Bleat! bleat! Bleat!
It is not movies like United 93 that make Muslims look bad, it is the Quran, Islamic history and the Muslims actions that make them look bad. If Muslims had not hijacked those planes on 911 then Muslims would not have "looked bad". When will these people learn?
It never ceases to amaze how Muslims always manage to portray themselves as the victims,if muslims don,t like the fact that they are getting a bad reputation in the west they should stop blaming the media and everyone else calling them ignorant or racist and face the fact they they have brought it all on themselves with there religion motivated terrorism.
I read on a New Zealand Muslim website a muslim making the comment that hopefully one day our little New Zealand will be a perfect model of an Islamic state.
When are mainstream western people going to wake up to the threat Islam poses to our freedoms,all they are going to do is sit tight in our countries until they have the numbers to get major power in our parliments and try to push Islam further and further into our way of life and once the feel they are strong enough if people won,t play ball they will try by force to impose Islam.
Poor woman, how does she manage in such an ignorant country? Perhaps her temperment is better suited to a less ignorant nation like Sudan or Saudi Arabia, Ill even help her pack.
Dont forget your burkha, miss. BTW, you can leave your drivers license here, you wont need it where youre going. The other good news is that the 'Elders of Zion' is played weekly on the government channels over there, so you wont lack for the truth in media that you so desire.
Enjoy your new life in the enlightened lands. Do write...if they let you.
To honor muslim sensitivities they should have made the terrorists in the movie rouge white Baptists.
You know, the next time somebody shows me the pics of 'muslim children suffering from the bombing', I am going to hit him on the jaw. We have to be ruthless.Bexause we are civilized, we stop our bombing to give 'aid and rebuilding' and look iraq happens. The muslims want urban warfare where our gentle soldiers become confused between 'civilian' and 'terrorist' and becomes the victim. THEY ARE ALL TERRORISTS. Terror is the doctrine of islam.Let 'em have it.
I haven't seen the movie nor will I as I can't stand disaster flicks. I do, however, hope it is extremely popular and that it will open many people's eyes to the truth about islam.
Our real problem isn't ignorance of the true nature of islam it's getting the message out. Perhaps the movie along with the cartoon wars will serve to help the general population to realize that with islam what you see IS what you get. The monster isn't in the closet....it's right there out in the open.
Remember what the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor did for the American love of Japanese. Rather than face the harsh realities of what must be dealt with opinion surveys among Moslems clearly indicate most Moslems still believe the World Trade Center attack and the attack on Washington was a Jewish plot to make war on Islam. Of course, our civilization does not generally condone the wanton murder of innocent people. The Moslem street has to believe our civilization does condone wanton murder otherwise how can such despicable acts of Caliphate militants be justified. We are against random acts of murder and mayhem of infidels by Caliphate militants. We need more movies and editorial headlines educating the people.
Karl Marx once wrote religion is the opiate of the masses. I read somewhere someone say recently that if religion is the opiate of the masses then Islam is the "crack."
By their deeds you shall know them (a favorite of mine directly out of the Bible).
What a muslim thinks in the privacy of his own head is of no concern to me - it may be annoying, but it is his thing.
What the islamic world does, which I consider to be inhumane and barbaric and unethical and criminal, this IS of concern to me.
Long before the film FLIGHT 93 came out, I have started to feel immense disdain and distrust for the entire muslim world. Where were the Fatwahs against terrorism? Where were the muslim demonstrations of the streets of hometown USA against the terrorists who sent 3000 innocents to their deaths? Where were the offers of help and support from the american muslim community for the families of those killed? Where were the cries from the muslim community in the USA for Bin Laden to turn himself in? Show me one single muslim congregation in the USA, just one, that shows compassion when israeli mothers and children are killed. Show me just one american muslim congregation that has raised it's voice loud and clear against this barbarism. Just one. Can't set the bar any lower than that...
BTW, I am not a republican. I am a registered democrat and voted for Kerry. Not every democrat is a extemist greenie lefty. Actually, the vast majority of us are pretty much in the middle, as are a good amount of republicans. And all the evil diatribing during an election year will not change this statistic.
The JIHAD against the western world began long before GW Bush came into office. 9-11 pushed the JIHAD into public view, but it has been going along for a good while now, at least since 1948, I would say. Bush did not start the JIHAD nor he is helping matters very much (IMHO), but then again, I am not sure that a dem would be doing much better at this point in time.
Lefties who say that we must have compassion with the enemy are just nutheads. Righties that use every opportunity to compare Aheminijhad's letter to democratic talking points are just as nutty. There is NOTHING, and I mean, NOTHING from either side of the political spectrum in the USA can can be aligned with the corrupt world of islam.
Show me one truly moderate muslim, and I will show you a virgin prostitute. Show me a muslim who possesses real understanding and tolerance or appreciation for jews, and I will show you a vegetarian lion.
Were jews to strap bombs to their bodies and go into the palestinian territories and kill innocents in cafes and clubs and wedding ceremonies, I would despise those jews just as much as the islamic world, for this is certainly not what God intends for mankind.
Since I am an american, a jew, and working abroad, I get to see things that rarely make it home to the US Press. As an american and as a jew, I am reaching the point of no tolerance. Any reasonable human being must surely see that it is just a matter of time before Israel loses it's patience and really hits back hard. And when that day comes, and very soon, I think, I will say: "it's about time."
Bravo to this website, the world needs more of it.
Continue to expose the muslim world for that which it is: hateful, vengeant, warmongering, corrupt, and doomed to fall. As soon as the oil is gone, nobody will give a rat's %$%$ about the islamic world. This too shall pass, either peacefully or through WMDs.
Fiza Najeeb can help herself alot by looking in the mirror and deciding if she wants to behave like a civilized human being or a medieval barbarian.
we must all see flight 93,islam is evil.its the evil i hate.the spirit of the koran is hate.as a christian i hate evil,not people.islam seems to inspire its people to hate and kill people.
Fiza has a good problem. Unarticulated is the fact that she must confront what being a Moslem really means. It is the horror of others to her religion that she is unable to confront. What should we expect? Moslems are taught that Islam is a religion of peace. She has been taught so many twisted things that she cannot face the fact that there may be something wrong with her Islam, not with the movie goers.
Fiza, ask your immam: Tell me the part again about how slaying the infidels or by cutting their heads off, or by enslaving them or stealing their property, tell me how I am adopting the religion of peace and Allah's final revelation?
"me thinks she dust protest too much" I got to give it to these muslims they sure do have some neck to complain about their hurt feelings - oh pobrithetas - when we are talking about mass murder of women and children - but hwy I guess it IS very important not to hurt their feelings - just like churchil said of the nazis - the islamonazis - hey I like that ISLAMONAZIS -maybe we could get it into the lexicon if we keep using it - you know just like Islomophobia was invented - anyway I digress
churchil said
"they ar either at your feet or your throat"
i.e. killing us or complaining about their poor hurt feelings
F*** them all - their day is coming!!
From a post above...
Karl Marx once wrote religion is the opiate of the masses. I read somewhere someone say recently that if religion is the opiate of the masses then Islam is the "crack."
Well, actually, the follows of Karl far exceeded Islamic violence in the twentieth century. This, of course, puts Islam in a bad light, 2nd or 3rd place (although just for one century). No self respecting Imam can tolerate infidels, irreligious infidels no less, eclipsing their stellar record of violence and cruelty. They have some catching up to do.
Was the Queen of Hearts a Muslim?
Muslims still don't get the "right and wrong" thing.
I went and watched United 93 last Saturday, and when the gutless Muslim hijacker slit the throat of one of the flight attendants, he didn't say Jesus is great, he said "Allahu Akbar"
When the gutless Muslim in the back of the plane, stood up and stabbed the passenger sitting in front of him in the neck when he wasn't looking, he was also yelling......"Allahu Akbar"
This whiney apologist floater should stop his little tirade and crawl back under his rock.
Fiza and many others need to realize that islam has more than just an image
problem. It is a huge crater, literally and figuratively. A whisk
broom will not do. High profile actions and words are needed in order
to gain back the trust and respect of the west. They need to realize that they
have an enormous task and it begins with their own umma, not in editorials
aimed at liberal westerners. She should try to imagine what the world
would be like if 4 planes had been hijacked by Baptisis, or Lutherans and
crashed into places in downtown Mecca. This may give some clue as to the immense damage they have done to themselves.
I suspect that most Muslims will have a problem with the movie. Islamic scholars, Islamic media people, CAIR & Company and others in the politcally correct Western media have successful distorted, ignored, covered up the real history of Islam and jihad. They have ridiculed and condemned authors like Robert Spencer and Andrew Bostom who have written the truthful history of jihad and Islamic aggressiveness. However, the true story of an event like the take-over of Flight 93 is not a distant past event to be whitewashed or for the Muslims to be the victims of the story. It will be difficult for people like Fiza to maintain her role as eternal Islamic victim. However, one critcal letter-to-the-editor about the Muslims and United 93 or a nasty message written in the dust of an unwashed car belonging to a Muslim and CAIR and Fiza will be in business again...."hate crimes against Muslims rise dramatically following the release of "United 93."
well I guess scholars have already rewritten the history of the crusades to stop making muslims look bad. I guess we should just change recent history too.
The more I hear these Muslims - the more I see the are so self-delusional and full of self-pity like members of any wacko sect that the more I come to realise that there will be no peacefull solution to all of this - no happy ending !! How depressing
I enjoy Robert's rebuttals to these kinds of misleading statements. I have been looking into the verse 5:32 for some time now, and thought I would add a couple of comments on that all-critical term "mischief" (or corruption).
Mischief, also translated as corruption, has a wide variety of meanings in the Koran, but in general refers to actions, words/expressions, or practices that come into conflict or opposition to Islam. The Arabic word for mischief is fasad, and words with similar meaning use the consonant sequence f-s-d (e.g., mufsidun means “mischief-makers”). According to respected tafsirs, disbelief (i.e., idolatry, disbelieving in Islam, etc.) is under the category of mischief/corruption.
Ishaq Zahid’s Glossary of Islamic terms gives the following definition:
“Fasad, literally 'corruption', in Qur'anic terminology, means creating disorder and corruption on earth by following a path other than God's. Islam maintains that true peace and happiness emanate only through the observance of God's commands and through making a conscious effort to see that His laws alone are implemented in every sphere of life. Fasad occurs when man violates God's laws and disobeys Him. Fasad may therefore be partial as well as total; partial when one disregards God's law in one aspect of life while acknowledging His sovereignty in other spheres. If a society is based on the denial of God, that society is bound to be a corrupt and exploitative society - hence full of fasad.” http://www.islam101.com/selections/glossaryEF.html
Spreading mischief in the land (fasad fil-ardh), also referred to as corruption on earth, corruption in the land, etc., is punishable by death. http://islam.about.com/cs/law/a/c_punishment.htm . Killing someone for “mischief (or corruption) in the earth/land” is permitted in some cases, depending on the severity of the transgression (this is based on the fact that a range of punishments are given in 5:33).
Mere disbelief generally does not warrant the death penalty in Islam, but rather it is disbelief manifested in such a way as to encourage others toward disbelief, or to threaten the propagation of Islam, to oppose Islam publicly in words and deeds (including by publicly declaring oneself an apostate, or making blasphemous expressions against Islam in public, or demanding major changes in Islamic laws) that fall under the category of punishable crimes, with punishments up to and including death.
[Consistent with this thinking, the basis for declaring jihad against a people is opposition to Islam, i.e., refusal of the dawa offer of converting to Islam, or refusal to enter a "hudna" truce, refusal to agree to the terms of dhimmitude, blockage of the attempt to spread Islam, etc. Such opposition to Islam is said to cause fitnah and fasad, and therefore, according to the Koran, Muslims must strive to counter those allegedly evil tendencies]
Corruption/mischief on earth is a huge category of offences, violent or non-violent, that are deemed to significantly go against Islam or Islamic society. Classically, these include apostasy (including simple apostasy that is publicly declared), blasphemy, adultery, homosexuality, as well as murder, terrorism, and highway robbery/piracy. As we've seen, several Islamic countries still adminster the death penalty for simple apostasy and blasphemy.
bonncaruso....i voted for bush.but more and more i understand that god rules in the kingdom of men.men can do little to change that,except to chose a side.joshua said chose a side..are you good or evil?..be something chose a side..as for me and my family we chose the lord.good and evil.right and wrong.it really is that simple.
What Flight 93 strived for accuracy. Obviously Greengrass felt that nothing else would due but make an attempt for the truth of the events of 911. There were few deviations, and when he had to insert some fiction(like the exact nature of the revolt), he strove for chaotic attack, which is the logical supposition. So, despite any comment by the director of dhimmitude, the movie was highly accurate . . . therefore making Islmamics 'look bad.'
Now compare this film with Munich. Here Spielberg(rather Kushner)pens an unrealistic account. I just got it on Munich(cause I'm a sucker for punishment). I found it instructive that right before the the hijackers stormed the Israelis rooms, there is a scene where they circle one another and chant a distinctly 'nationalistic' slogan, favoring their cause. What's wrong with this? Well, for one thing, we don't know if they had this 'circle jerk.' So is it accurate? And, if your going to assume something, wouldn't it be a good guess they prayed to Allah? But, you won't find Allah in this film. I would argue that a normal Islamic guy's reaction to this would have been to pray. I don't even find this insulting. A Jewish or Catholic person under stress of kidnapping someone might 'pray' for their soul or success. My point: to insert a pray scene among Muslim Terrorist would have been accurate, but would have been a deviation from Kushner's politics of a nationalistic conflict versus a religious one. We also see this when he shows the reactions of the Jews and Arabs watching the TV. The Arabs are all secular, to the last one, rivited to tv, while the Jews are mostly, but not all secular. Now, it is a useful cinematic trick to show two peoples reactions to the same event, but by taking out the religious conflict, you see the 'conflict' as a nationalistic one, where Jews 'took' the land from Palestinians, and if this event did not occur in 1948, then the Arabs would have no problems with the Jews. This is not 'what the movie is about,' rather it is the universe, the moving background in which the movie exists.
To his large credit, the director of Munich, may have ignored his published pc crap, and simply decided to tell the truth.
I meant, to his credit, the director of Flight 93, may have ignored his published pc crap--is how I meant to end my last post.
Fiza must have a part time job at CAIR...
How did Fiza miss pointing out that it was all a mistake in the first place...it was a tourist group of muslims, not used to the western culture. Some of them were only trying to find out how to use knives and forks for eating their meals; others were trying out their newly acquired flying skills and a few who were suffering from air sickness were shouting out alla's name. It was all a terrible terrible mistake...
I'm assuming that Fiza Najeeb considers herself, and the media would consider her, one of the "vast majority of moderates". But again we see who the "moderates" complain about, who they differentiate themselves from.
They don't differentiate themselves from the "radicals". They don't write op-ed pieces about the "radicals". They complain about the infidels, how unjust the infidels are, how the infidels are mistreating the Muslims, all Muslims. Which all sounds like more justification for what the "radicals" are doing.
The "moderates" and "radicals" seem happy partners, two branches of the same tree, with the same goal but different tactics.
A thought experiment: If I watched a movie about the mass-murders ordered by Joseph Stalin, would I walk out of the theatre feeling uncomfortable as an atheist, because of the way an atheist was portrayed?
Of course not. I would recognize that he was a madman, and that his violent actions do not come from a shared belief in atheism.
Why isn't Fiza outraged at the insane violence committed by fanatics who supposedly have nothing to do with the "real" Islam? Why isn't she angered at the people who misuse Allah's name for such evil acts? She was born in America, why doesn't she feel more empathy with the people getting their throat slit, and less sympathy for the poor misunderstood people doing the slitting?
Again, ask yourself, where do her sympathies lie, with whom does she identify?
This is an embarrassment, I graduated from this college!.....No more donations.
It's the same old song and dance from Islamic leaders. Instead of apologizing for the actions of Muslims, they only worry about the consequences for themselves.
I spit on the Koran.
special_guest
Your post from 10:54 above is 100% pure distilled truth. I will make it a
point to keep it in mind as a litmus test for future situations. When you hear
a representative of islam in print or media, just what are they protesting?
"Despite the continuous reinforcement of certain misconceptions, there is no justification for committing hate crimes." Quoted above...
So, could you please inform as to what everyone is getting wrong?
"This is a reference to Qur'an 5:32, but Najeeb leaves out part of the verse."
It's like Muslims and Leftists (and Bushes) have Alzheimer's, and keep forgetting, no matter how many times it's explained to them, the plain, easily explained sense of these verses.
Islam is as Islam does.
This letter is similar to an article that appeared a month ago in USA Today. The article was about Muslims complaints about polls showing the low opinion of Islam in the United States. The Muslims interviewed blamed press coverage of the cartoon Jihad and Muslims desire to kill a Muslim who converted to Christianity for the low opinion of Islam.According to these American Muslims it's the press that's to blame for their problems not Muslims who engage in violence and intolerence in the name of Islam.They actually believe that Islam's problem in the US is a PR problem not a problem of Muslims engaging in murder, rape, hijacking, rioting, theft and bigotry all over the world.I was taken aback that rather then condeming those who commit the violence the Muslims interviewed condemned the press for reporting the violence.
This isn't "rocket science", is it?
Time to add some more quotes to my engine. I've been pulling them out of the P.I.G. to Islam quite a bit lately.
"Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled or incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world. . . . But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world." -- Ayatollah Khomeini
Another one:
"Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]? Islam says: Kill them, put them to the sword and scatter [their armies]. Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for the Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [Quranic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all this mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim." -Ayatollah Khomeini
Has anyone yet emailed Fiza Najeeb directly at opinions@thepolypost.com?
The points being made here in this discussion are excellent, and Najeeb deserves a formal response.
Instead of remaining silent as much of the Western media did with the Mohammed cartoons, JW should write a formal reply to her and get it published in the Poly Post as an article.
Anyone game?
Because if not, I'm going to do it myself. I think it's time we spoke out, not just here on JW or FrontPageMag but in every media outlet we can reach. And give our full names. Hiding behind aliases is an act of cowardice. Let these Muslims know where to find us--and let's be ready for them when they show up.
Steven L. :
While I sometimes am tempted to unveil my identity, I feel that it actually gives me needed power to keep the enemy guessing; it allows me to go even further in what I say than those editors at FrontPage will, or even here at JW.
It is important that in times of war, we keep the enemy guessing. I am a student of Sun Tzu, The Book of Five Rings, Machiavelli and others.
"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." - Sun Tzu
The time will come when I can remove my mask, but not yet. Not while I can make use of the anonymity for the greater good.
Onto the main topic of your comment though, I fully agree that we need to do all we can to bring these discussion to the mainstream. I think that many of us here do what we can every week to make that a reality, but it is like ants and the rubbertree plant....
Like an insolent child whining at every offense, as though the helpless victim, while simultaneously kicking the unawares offender in the stomach without warning or cognizance of the offense committed… It is this of which Islamic apologists/terrorists remind me… Simultaneously the defenseless victim and the bully-thug; how convenient… and effective.
We missed the boat on 9/12/01, when our offenders should not have felt that they had awakened a sleeping giant, but rather a sleeping Grizzly whose young were under attack. Employing our guilt-ridden post 1960’s template, we have busied ourselves with embarking simultaneously upon a course make love AND war, which is a perversion of the natural order of mankind’s uglier side. It seems quite obvious from her sheer fortitude and access to media AND ability to use her real name (unlike most of us), that Fiza actually fears nothing at all.
She should be ashamed of herself. Rather than apologizing to everyone she knows on behalf of the ummah for the suffering caused by the events of 9/11; rather than offer an apology on behalf of the ummah to all two of the people whose so-called anti-Muslim comments she overheard, she has, with extreme self-pity and selfishness, opted to make herself AND the ummah the victim once more. I can here her now: “Well, where is YOUR apology for the suffering of the Palestinian people?” This has the popular consequence of backing ummah into the corner of its commonly held 9/11 consensus and conclusion: “Ah, this IS a war against Islam. We had to DEFEND ourselves. The Americans deserved 9/11. See how they’re reacting to the movie United 93? Yes, they deserved 9/11 and perhaps more.” Shame on you, Fiza. Shame on you.
"Hiding behind aliases is an act of cowardice." --Steven L.
I appreciate your point, but if simple precautions are available, and one can still get the message out while using those precautions, why not use them? Speaking out and identifying yourself is a calculated risk. Some people are situated to do it, and have prepared themselves (and let's not forget their friends, families and associates, who could also be affected) for it, others aren't. In addition, the fact that we can discuss these matters anonymously is an advantage that some of us should exploit.
I've had articles published on Islam under my pseudonym. In my case, adding my real name would have done nothing to improve my chances of getting published. Also, lots of ex-Muslims use pseudonyms, for obvious reasons, and they are still very effective critics.
Nevertheless, we should indeed admire the courage of people like Robert Spencer, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Andrew Bostom, Wafa Sultan, and others, who have put their names and faces to their publications. Being able to use our real names in these discussions should be the goal which we all work toward.
Robert - I found it useless to argue with drunkards and fools.
WC
The forum portion of the United 93 Movie Web Site has been closed and even the opened topics and the posted comments are no longer available for viewing. The forum was opened about a month.
See: http://u93.org/forum/
Good post bonncaruso, but there is a slight inaccuracy. The jihad against the Western world has been ongoing since long before 1948. Jihadists were defeated outside Vienna in 1529 and 1683, and Westerners were enslaved by Muslim Barbary pirates less than 200 years ago.
The more I hear about these poor opressed muslim's the more I want a really great pork chop. Got to save the drippings.....
Spencer: "Oh, and also: how many other films depict what Najeeb objects to in "United 93"?"
I'm glad you asked because I'm wondering what happened to the film, "Islam: What the West Needs to Know", featuring "ours truly":
http://jihadwatch.org/archives/009607.php
http://www.whatthewestneedstoknow.com/index.asp
Even Wikipedia mentions it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam:_What_the_West_Needs_to_Know
From Wikipedia:
"Synopsis
"The documentary examines islam in a critical manner, relying primarily on the canonical texts of Islam. It is presented in six parts:
* There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet: In the first part, the experts who are interviewed argue that Islamic violence stems from the teachings and examples of Muhammad and that the Qu'ran prescribes and sanctions violence against non-Muslims.
* The Struggle: In the second part, Walid Shoebat discusses the meaning of Jihad as holy war against the non-Muslim world to bring it under the rule of Islam.
* Expansion: In the third part, Robert Spencer describes the expansion of Islam through conquest and presents evidence of enslavement and massacres of Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians by the Muslim invaders.
* War is Deceit: In the fourth part, Robert Spencer and Serge Trifkovic discuss the Islamic principle of Taqiyya, Islamic dissimulation, which the lecturers argue, enjoins Muslims to deceive non-Muslims in order to advance the cause of Islam.
* More than a Religion: In the fifth part, the documentary asserts that "Islamic law governs every aspect of religious, political, and personal action, which amounts to a form of totalitarianism that is divinely enjoined to dominate the world, analogous in many ways to Communism".
* The House of War: The final part covers the division of the world into Dar al-Islam ("the house of Islam"), the land governed by the Islamic law, and Dar al-Harb ("the house of war"), the land of non-Muslims. According to the film, Muslims are enjoined to bring the Dar al-Harb under the control of Islam. "Muslims in Western nations are called to subvert the secular regimes in which they now live in accordance with Allah's command"."
Can someone at JW update us on the status of this film, which apparently had its premiere in January? Will it be coming to a theater near us soon? And if not, how can we can get a copy of it ourselves?
On the topic of films, here is a link to a new documentary that recently premiered at the Houston International Film Festival and earned a "Special Jury" award: Obsession.
The truth of Islam is slowly sinking into the collective consciousness of the non-Muslim world. This is a one-way trip. Once it is fully grasped by a ruling majority of the people in the pluralistic societies like the United States, there will be no amount of public relations propaganda that can turn back the clock on the enlightenment and the public choice that will inevitably result from that grasp will be terrible indeed, terrible, but necessary. And the policy makers who will execute that public choice, will, like Harry Truman on the night of August 6, 1945, sleep like babes in their mothers' arms.
The following ten things are essentially najis:
Urine
Faeces
Semen
Dead body
Blood
Dog
Pig
Kafir ...(that's you and me)
Alcoholic liquors
The sweat of an animal who persistently eats najasat.
This woman has the nerve to whine about how muslims are perceived.
I am an American-born Muslim and I find it hard to be comfortable and patriotic in this country when overhearing comments such as “I can’t believe those Muslim people” or “this movie makes me really mad at those Muslims.”
Somebody call the Waaaabulance!
Waaamulance
Fiza Najeeb in the Poly Post of California State Polytechnic University of Pomona (thanks to Nicolei) asserts that it is movies like "United 93" that make people have a low opinion of Muslims.
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Not to mention:
The millions of innocents murdered by mos across the world since 2000.
Untold number of churches, temples and synagogues burned by the mos since 2000.
and the list continues to grow.
Those that know and accept the truth about the cult of islam and the mos, do not have a low opinion, but utter contempt.
Heluga - thank you. Yes! That is the other film I am really keeping an eye on. These 2 films are the "must sees" as far as I can tell.
"The truth of Islam is slowly sinking into the collective consciousness of the non-Muslim world."
Fiza Najeeb ain't gonna know what hit her when it finally does. She says,
“You would think the absurdity of the idea of a major religion preaching violence and terrorism in the name of God is common sense, but many people seem to forget that terrorism is a religion of its own.."
It's ABSURD alright - the idea of a religion preaching terrorism and violence in the name of God. But the "common sense" will come about when the vast majority of westerners are able to acknowledge that as absurd as all this seems to be - it is TRUE. The US is a mere 200 years old. What apparently seems to many westerners to have always been the case - lacking an historic framework and imagining humans have always treated eachother well - is in fact quite rare, even a mere 60 years ago and is even rarer still in the 3rld world (but don't bother asking whom the west is recklessly inviting into their countries today without ever asking any hard questions about why it is the fact the the 3rd world IS at is while the 1st world is so very different). The 60's generation (1968) has apparently forgotten that fact, so insulated from history have they been in their cocoon of western affluence. There can be no doubt that the technological comforts which westerners have enjoyed for such a very short time, in the scheme of human history, have blinded them to the fact that human nature changes much, MUCH more slowly than technology. Human nature hasn't evolved all that much, despite the rapid changes of science and technology, which makes the places where human nature HAS so evolved - very precious. Very rare, indeed.
Yes of course it seems crazy and insane that a major religion would in fact preach violence and terrorism in the name of God. But it's true. Any impartial observer of Islam would be forced to come to that conclusion, no matter how reluctantly they might be dragged to it.
It is arrogance and privelege that denies this obvious fact (a constellation of traits which used to be called "bourgeois") - the arrogance and privelege of those who imagine that they have escaped the consequences of human history and human nature because of the fact that they are able to turn on the air conditioner when they are hot and turn on the heat when they are cold. Really - how shallow and myopic can one get?
"...Like everyone else, I relived the moments of that life-altering moment. And even though, I, like the rest of the audience, was American, I left the theatre with a strong sense of discomfort and isolation from everyone."
That's shame your feeling, honey. You know like the shame white people are supposed to carry around for our misdeeds in the past. Only difference is we cleaned up our act and no longer support the terrible things we did in the past, you on the other hand are still trying to give rhetorical cover to a bunch of blood-thirsty 7th century monsters. Your not doing a real good job of it, in fact I call bulls@#t on:
" I am an American-born Muslim and I find it hard to be comfortable and patriotic in this country when overhearing comments such as “I can’t believe those Muslim people” or “this movie makes me really mad at those Muslims.”"
I'd bet good money you never heard anyone say that (who talks like that?). Without it you wouldn't have such a nice example to illustrate how racist americans are, happy coincidence for you huh?. Of course we could just take your word for it kind of like we can just take your word for it that Islam is a religion of peace. Your a joke and you don't fool me for a second. If you can't feel comfortable and patriotic here because people occasionally point out inconvenient and uncomfortable facts about Islam there are plenty of countries where speaking uncomfortable truths about Islam is a crime. I suggest you go there, you will be right at home.
Big E: "That's shame your feeling, honey."
Oh my Lord. LOL! And the rest of the post perfectly encapsulates what used to be known as Good Old-fashioned American Common Sense...
Robert you often invite folks to debate you by sending you an email.
Do you also try to contact them directly?
In this case, I'm curious what Fiza would say...
"...Like everyone else, I relived the moments of that life-altering moment. And even though, I, like the rest of the audience, was American, I left the theatre with a strong sense of discomfort and isolation from everyone."
Dear Fiza, your instincts are good. You should have felt shame and discomfort. Now please act on them. Follow it up with a one way plane ticket to whatever cesspool your clan originated from, and stay there.
Any reasonable human being must surely see that it is just a matter of time before Israel loses it's patience and really hits back hard. And when that day comes, and very soon, I think, I will say: "it's about time."
Posted by: bonncaruso at May 11, 2006 08:10 AM
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concur.....................
STEVENZ can you give me a link to that Newzealand website please.
I hear so many people screaming about the "innocent"
children getting killed by our bombs. Folks, there is nothing innocent about these people regardeless of age. Here's a link that will prove my point.
http://www.conceptwizard.com/terror/a1.html
Thes kids will kill you just the same as the adults
will. Just look in the eyes of the 5 to 6 year old boy with the gun in his hands. I guarantee one of these kids would kill your child in a heart beat.
It's not a "few" fanatics, extremeists, or crazies...it's a whole damned nation of them. They shouldn't even be allowed to breed anymore of their
vicious, verminous, violent race.
To Robert Spencer:
'the Quran specifically states, “Whoever kills a soul, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” But many Islamic nations, excluding Iraq, has sympathized with the United States’ situation.
This is a reference to Qur'an 5:32, but Najeeb leaves out part of the verse. Here is the whole thing: "We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." That "unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land" is a large loophole.'
Qur'an 5:32 appears to be borrowed or plagiarized in substance (although not in entirety) from the Talmud, tractate Sanhedrin. It appears in both the Yerushalmi (Jerusalem) and Bavli (Babylonian) Talmuds. I am trying to track down exact citations and quotes from Sanhedrin. The TY was finished for the most part by approximately CE 300. The writer who published an article on Frontpage asserting that Mohammed was only aware of the Torat Moshe and the Tehillim (Psalms) was apparently incorrect.
In addition, it was not only borrowed, but distorted.
HaMalach,
Here's a little info for you.
http://answering-islam.org.uk/Quran/Sources/cain.html
The notion that Americans may be waking up to the threat posed by these visitors from hell is making the poor muslims uncomfortable...oh someone please hand me a hanky!
I never considered myself to be a rascist but the more I learn about the true face of Islam the more I find myself slipping in that direction. I keep thinking that maybe it is my eye that offends me and I should pluck it out.
NOT!
If loving my God, My Country and My Culture makes me a rascist than I am happy to be one. When the day comes to rise up and defend my country from the vermin who would threaten it I will do so with a song in my heart.
When I was young I used to hear the term "anti-christ" and think, "What is all this nonsense about "?
Well I guess it isn't nonsense after all. This "anti-christ" has a name and the name is Mohammad.
Have a nice day!
antimike -- I hear ya!!
I just viewed and interesting film clip that deals with attacks on 9/11 and thought that others would be interested in viewing the clip, it makes you wonder. So go to the following link. You might have to copy and paste it into your browser.
http://click.email-publisher.com/maaeNkzabqwenbnBd7AbaeQxYF/
You might have to copy and paste it into your browser.
http://click.email-publisher.com/maaeNkzabqwenbnBd7AbaeQxYF/
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Watch and think...
Where are the wings tail and debris from the plane????
60 tons of aircraft just does not disappear....
5,300 gallons of jet fuel would have leveled mor than was destroyed....
A plane would not make such circular impact holes without leaving lots of debris....
Scud missel????
Antimike,
You are not being racist in denouncing muslims. You will find that there are muslims of all colours and races across the world. And, if there is some other local population that is not muslim, they have problems with them. All over the world. The cult of islam has no compassion in it. They would no sooner look at you than kill you. Without their conscience bothering them. And then on to the nearest mosque, to bang heads on the ground 5 times a day. I prefer the company of a zombie of Resident Evil to a muslim. I know the zombie cannot use a tool to harm me. muslim can.