Why, something to hide?
Talgat Tadzhuddin’s call for less coverage brings to mind a strange reversal of the “tree falling in the forest” question: Move everyone out of earshot of trees falling in the forest, and for good measure, stop discussing falling trees. Because we can’t hear them anymore, no trees are falling in the forest. Or, perhaps, only a Tiny Minority. Problem solved.
Oh, and if you say otherwise, you hate trees. “Russia’s Muslim leader wants less coverage of terrorism,” from RIA Novosti, July 19 (thanks to Twostellas):
Russian TV channels should broadcast less news about terrorism and extremism, the chief mufti of Russia, Talgat Tadzhuddin, said on Tuesday at a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
“Once an explosion occurs somewhere, it is discussed every hour for at least two days,” Tadzhuddin said. He suggested instead that media outlets pay more attention to “the lifestyle of the Russian peoples, their traditions and beliefs.”
Tadzhuddin also proposed in February the establishment of a “spirituality tax” to raise money for the construction of new mosques and cathedrals. The tax was to be collected from all residents of Bashkiria, regardless of their faith.
Bashkir has a Muslim majority. Money raised from all faiths is far more likely to go to mosques, making it a thinly concealed jizya tax on non-Muslims. It will also siphon off money they could give directly to build their houses of worship. Besides, what do Bashkir’s atheists get for their contribution, a bowling alley?
In April, he suggested adding Islam’s crescent to Russia’s national emblem.
Muslim minorities make up around one seventh of Russia’s population. Some analysts suggest that high Muslim birthrates cold mean Islam will become Russia’s dominant religion by 2050.