Three pressure groups are gunning for Glenn Beck, despite the fact that he has punted on the key issue of our time, and declined to aid genuine Muslim reformers who are exploring the elements of Islam that jihadists are using to justify their actions. For Beck says here that he is “asking all of the proud, peaceful Muslims here in America to take a more visible role in our fight against those who make a mockery of the Quran.” But his assumption that the jihadists are making a mockery of the Qur’an is, at best, unproven, and is contradicted by both the jihadists and courageous Muslims and ex-Muslims including Tashbih Sayyed, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Nonie Darwish, Ibn Warraq, and Ali Sina. Will Beck help fight the jihad by making “airtime available, at any time” also to them and people like them, in order to foster the discussion that is actually necessary to create even the possibility that a “peaceful view of Islam” might prevail?
In any case, his temporizing and whitewashing does nothing to assuage these pressure groups, who are enraged that he would dare even to explore the possibility that some Muslims in the U.S. might harbor jihadist sentiments.
“Arab groups don’t want Glenn Beck back as ‘Good Morning America’ commentator,” from Associated Press, with thanks to all who sent this in:
NEW YORK (AP) “” Three groups are urging ABC News not to keep CNN Headline News personality Glenn Beck on as a “Good Morning America” commentator because they believe he’s biased against Arabs.
The Arab American Institute, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Muslim Public Affairs Council all said Thursday they had written to ABC News President David Westin about Beck.
“Good Morning America” executive producer Jim Murphy has spoken to a representative of the groups and has invited them on the air to talk about their grievances, said ABC News spokeswoman Jeffrey Schneider….
The groups said that Beck “” who’s drawing strong ratings with his evening show on CNN Headline News “” has stated on his show that Arab and Muslim Americans are apathetic to terrorism. During an interview in November with Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress, Beck asked him to “prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.”…
Beck has said that his question to Ellison was poorly worded.
“My message is clear: Islam is a peaceful religion for over 90 percent of the world’s Muslims,” he said. “I have urged viewers repeatedly to understand this, while asking all of the proud, peaceful Muslims here in America to take a more visible role in our fight against those who make a mockery of the Quran. I also make airtime available, at any time, to any Muslim organization to help reinforce this realistic, peaceful view of Islam.”