
CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper: would you buy a used car from this man?
I have canceled my trip to Columbus, Ohio, where I had planned to buy a new car. Dennis Mitsubishi is now kowtowing to the good folks over at the Council on American Islamic Relations, no doubt not realizing the record and lingering questions about that organization. An update to this story: “Car Dealer Drops ‘Jihad’ Radio Ad: Dealership Draws Fire For Ad Declaring Jihad,” from NBC4i.com:
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A car dealership’s tongue-in-cheek radio advertisement declaring “a jihad on the automotive market,” will not be aired, according to a press release issued on Monday from the Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Several stations rejected the spot from Dennis Mitsubishi, which boasts that sales representatives wearing “burqas” — head-to-toe traditional dress for Islamic women — will sell vehicles that can “comfortably seat 12 jihadists in the back.”
An official with Dennis Mitsubishi told CAIR-Ohio that the dealership has issued an apology for any misunderstanding caused by “an attempt at humor that fell short.”
In a statement, Dennis Mitsubishi owner Keith Dennis said his company ultimately decided not to air the spots.
“The public reaction to this story has been significant,” Dennis said in the statement. “A large number of people have contacted us. Lots of them have seen the humor we were trying to convey, but far too many were clearly bothered by it. This was simply an attempt at humor that fell short.
“I wish to offer my sincere apology to anyone who was offended. We do not wish to alienate anyone in our community — all of whom are potential customers.”
While Dennis on Saturday defended the ad as a harmless attempt to bring levity to a serious situation, the Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations decried it as disrespectful.
“We appreciate the dealership’s constructive reaction to feedback about the proposed advertisements,” said Adnan Mirza, director of CAIR-Ohio’s Columbus office. “We accept the apology from Mr. Dennis and hope that it and the decision not to air the spots will bring this incident to a close.”