A lame soccer chant brings a charge of racism. "Soccer: Betar J'lem punished for fans' racist chants," by Allon Sinai in the Jerusalem Post (thanks to Carl in Jerusalem):
Betar Jerusalem will play its next home match at Teddy Stadium in front of empty stands after an Israeli Football Association tribunal found the club's fans guilty of racist abuse during the Toto Cup semifinals at National Stadium in Ramat Gan two weeks ago.Jerusalem supporters chanted insults against the prophet Mohammed during Sakhnin's semifinal match against Bnei Yehuda while they were waiting for the start of their team's game against Maccabi Haifa.
Ironically, Betar's next home game is against Sakhnin on January 12 .
"We don't accept this punishment and we plan to appeal," Betar spokesperson Oded Zargari told Betar's official Web site on Wednesday.
"We think that there's no reason that our fans, who behave well at Teddy, should be punished. The abuse was shouted at a stadium at which we as a management had no control."
"If the IFA feels that 'Mohammed is dead' is a racist chant than we think that they should also take action against the Sakhnin fans shouting 'Allah Akbar'. We hope the IFA's Supreme Court will overturn this decision."
"Mohammad was a dark caucasian"
There. That's better. A properly racist remark, and sufficiently insulting to all dark caucasians everywhere.
Beitar fans are much worse than that and are notoriously racist. When they play against an Arab team, or a team containing an Arab player, they regularly chant "Muhammad the Homosexual" or "Muhammad, the Son of the Whore". Black players are received with baboon hoots. They're not worth defending.
Mohammad may be dead.
But it would be a hell of a lot better world if only his mad ideas were, too.
Any phrase about Muhammad, or any other significant figure important to anyone, is not a "racist" phrase. It may be true or false, clever or silly, clever or in doubtful taste. But whatever it is, it is not "racist." Distinctions matter. Carelessness with words should not be tolerated.
One Yossi Gurvitz, a far-left Israeli critic of Israel (it's his passion, it's his destiny) informs us that "[b]lack players are received with baboon hoots." He states this as if it is a common, frequently-recurring phenomenon. Is it now?
I've done a bit of googling on Yossi Gurvitz I'm not inclined to accept his negative remarks designed to make Israel look bad, because I realize that it is his stock-in-trade. Everyone knows that many black players have been recruited by Israeli teams, and these black players, strangely, have not complained about any aspect of their treatment in Israel.
Everyone also knows that in Israel the Falasha -- Ethiopian Jews -- have been integrated into the army and every other facet of Israeli life. Perhaps there was an incident where such "baboon hoots" were made by somone -- I do not claim it could not have happened -- but what we know of the testimony of those black players, and what we know about the keen Israeli sensitivity about, and intolerance for, racism -- the real thing, not what Muslims mean when they scream about "anti-Muslim racism" -- one would like more evidence that Israeli Jews in a sports stadium were responsible (since Israeli Arabs have been known to root for Israeli teams, and racism of the anti-black sort is unembarrassedly a feature of Arab life). To convince me, that evidence -- not hearsay evidence, but from the Israeli police or other authorities -- would have to come from someone other than the tendentious Yossi Gurvitz.
Hugh, Beitar Jerusalem fans are indeed very ugly at times. And it's not just Beitar and it's not just football. Unfortunately, there's no lack of unbecoming conduct at sports events in Israel by fan groups.
Oh, and Muhammad is dead.
If it'll make Yossi feel any better, death to America.
Oh, what would we do without these anti-Israel, anti-Jews Jews?
Perhaps we should try and find out?
But, Mohammad IS dead. It is a statement of fact, it is not a matter of phrenology or biased opinion. Stating an impartial fact cannot be racist.
Convict me of heresy and lock me in my house for the remainder of my life, and Mohammad is still dead. Force me to drink hemlock, and Mohammad is still dead.
Mohammad is dead.
Mohammad is dead.
C'mon, folks. Muhammad is dead, Muslims admit as much, and make his grave in Medina (which they admit to be occupied, unlike the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem)a place of pilgrimage!
How stupid can people be?
Christ is Risen!
Yes Muhammad, peace be upon him, did die his natural death as all other prophets died before him including Jesus*.
[Koran: 3:145] ‘And Muhammad is but a messenger. Verily all Messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or is slain, will you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels shall not harm Allah at all. And Allah will certainly reward the grateful.’
[Koran: 48:30] ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are hard against the disbelievers but tender among themselves. Thou seest them bowing and prostrating themselves in Prayer, seeking Allah's grace and pleasure. Their marks are upon their faces, being the traces of prostrations. This is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is like unto a seed-produce that sends forth its sprout, then makes it strong; it then becomes stout, and stands firm on its stem, delighting the sowers - That He may cause the disbelievers to boil with rage at the sight of them. Allah has promised, unto those of them, who believe and do good works, forgiveness and a great reward.’
[Koran: 23:45] ‘Then We sent Our Messengers one after the other. Every time there came to a people their Messenger, they treated him as a liar. So We made them follow one another to destruction and We made them mere tales of the past. Cursed, then, be the people who believe not!’
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Love for all, Hatred for none