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Washington Post, Hamas-linked CAIR claim media labels only Muslims “terrorists”

Jun 13, 2014 1:44 pm By Robert Spencer

ibrahim-hooper-mahdi-bray-nihad-awad-2009-12-10-10-10-18More Muslim victimhood fantasy from the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations and its reliable tools at the Washington Post. Speaking of bias, Paul Farhi never mentions that CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case, when what was once the nation’s largest Muslim charity was discovered to have been funneling money to Hamas. Several former CAIR officials have been imprisoned for terror-related crimes. Its California chapter distributed a poster telling Muslims not to talk to the FBI. Nonetheless, although reporters routinely quote CAIR spokesmen in stories regarding Islam and Muslims, no one in the mainstream media ever mentions CAIR’s ties to Hamas or these other questionable aspects of its record. Instead, they deceptively call CAIR a “civil rights” organization. Farhi identifies it only as a “Washington-based group.”

Moreover, Hooper’s claim that if a Muslim were involved in an act of violence it would generate headlines around the nation and the world is demonstrably false. The real double standard in the media today is the general tendency to downplay the Islamic character of Islamic jihad terror attacks, and the ongoing search for “right-wing terrorists.” The most egregious of this came in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. David Sirota wrote in Salon about the same alleged double standard of which Farhi complains, in a piece entitled “Let’s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American.”

Before the perpetrators were discovered, Charles P. Pierce in Esquire tried to associate the bombings with right-wingers: “Obviously, nobody knows anything yet, but I would caution folks jumping to conclusions about foreign terrorism to remember that this is the official Patriots Day holiday in Massachusetts, celebrating the Battles at Lexington and Concord, and that the actual date (April 19) was of some significance to, among other people, Tim McVeigh, because he fancied himself a waterer of the tree of liberty and the like.”

CNN’s national security analyst, Peter Bergen, said that the bombers “might be some other kind of right-wing extremists.” He added that “we’ve also seen other extremist groups attacking, right-wing groups, for instance trying to attack the Martin Luther King parade in Oregon in 2010.”

Even after it became clear that the bombers were Islamic terrorists, the media did its best to ignore it. CNN’s initial profile of the bombers never identified them as Muslims at all, and suggested that they were moved to bomb the Marathon by American xenophobia.

In a lengthy profile of the bombers, NBC only mentioned their jihadist motives in passing, mentioning only in the eighth paragraph that “Tamerlan had a YouTube page that featured videos about Islamic radicalism.”

When journalists had to acknowledge the bombers’ Islamic identity and motives, they began publishing pieces saying it didn’t matter. Megan Garber wrote a piece in The Atlantic entitled “The Boston Bombers Were Muslim – So?” MSNBC’s Chris Matthews asked, “What difference does it make why they did it if they did it?” PBS went even farther, professing not to know why they did it three months after the bombing, when the bombers’ motives were abundantly clear, and declaring the hope that the trial of surviving bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev would “shed more light on the motive behind the bombing.”

The real double standard is decisively in CAIR’s favor. That’s why you’ll never read about it in the Washington Post.

“In the news media, are Muslims the only ‘terrorists’?,” by Paul Farhi, Washington Post, June 10, 2014 (thanks to Steve):

What do you call a couple who espouse an extremist, anti-government ideology and kill two policemen and a bystander while draping one of their victims in a flag associated with a political movement?

After Sunday’s shooting spree perpetrated by just such a couple in Las Vegas, many in the media declined to use one potential label: terrorists.

Jerad and Amanda Miller, the young Nevada couple who fatally shot three people before killing themselves, were enamored of a right-wing, conspiratorial view of federal authority, according to law enforcement officials. They killed two police officers, Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo, as the two men quietly ate lunch, and covered one of the bodies with a Nazi swastika and the Revolutionary War-era “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, a symbol of the Tea Party movement. The pair shouted about “revolution” as they moved to a nearby Wal-Mart, where Amanda Miller shot a customer, Joseph Wilcox, who tried to stop them.

That shorthand description would seem to qualify the Millers as terrorists. Although the term’s strict definition has been a subject of debate within national security circles for years, there has been some consensus around Georgetown professor Bruce R. Hoffman’s five-part test: an act of violence that was politically motivated, perpetrated to influence a broader audience, involved an organized group, targeted civilians and was carried out by a person outside the government.

Yet few media accounts have described the Millers as terrorists or their actions as terrorism.

The Washington Post avoided both terms in a news story on Monday. The Los Angeles Times wrote that the couple died “shouting messages of antigovernment revolution” but made no mention of terrorism. The Associated Press, the most widely distributed news service in the world, hadn’t used either term in multiple stories through Tuesday afternoon.

And that has prompted suggestions of a double standard.

“Without a doubt, if these individuals had been Muslim, it not only would be called ‘terrorism’ but it would have made national and international headlines for weeks,” said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based group. “It was an act of terror, but when it’s not associated with Muslims it’s just a day story that comes and goes.”

Hooper cited a litany of news stories about domestic acts of violence that never gained prominence as acts of terrorism because, he said, Muslims weren’t involved: the attempted storming of an Atlanta-area courthouse by a heavily armed man last week, the arrest of two men accused of setting off pipe bombs in movie theaters in the D.C. area and an Alaska couple associated with an anti-government group who plotted to kill federal judges.

“There’s absolutely a double standard, and it needs to be called out,” said Arsalan Iftikhar, a senior editor of the Islamic Monthly. “Whenever a white person engages in violence they’re considered crazy lunatics, but when a brown Muslim does it, it’s an act of terrorism. Since 9/11, the media is quick to jump on anything an Arab or Muslim does, but it takes a much more deliberative approach when it’s a white person.”

News organizations, including The Post, say they are reluctant to call anyone a terrorist unless officials do so first.

“In general, we shy away from independently labeling people as terrorists and would factually note if someone has been listed or labeled as such by someone else, such as the FBI or another government entity,” said AP spokesman Paul Colford in an e-mail.

He said, however, that there are some “clear” cases in which the words apply: the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; bombings in Bali, London and Madrid; and the assault on a Nairobi shopping mall last year by the militant group al-Shabab. But in incidents such as the shootings in Las Vegas, the news service relies on the FBI or other agencies for such terminology.

The Reuters news service has a similar policy. Its stylebook advises reporters to use the terms “terrorism” and “terrorist” only when attributing them to a specific source. “Aim for a dispassionate use of language so that individuals, organisations and governments can make their own judgment on the basis of facts,” it says. “Seek to use more specific terms like ‘bomber’ or ‘bombing’ . . . ‘gunman’ or ‘gunmen,’ etc.”…

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Filed Under: claiming victim status, journalistic bias, Useful idiots Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. mariam rove says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Well CAIR is right. They should not call muslims the only terrorists. Because the other day a militant catholic blew him self up killing innocent people, last month a militant jew did the same thing, not long ago a militant baptist beheaded a muslim, and the other a militant hindu killed a bunch of people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Theses guys CAIR on top of it are the most shameless bastards I have ever come across. M

    • Shane says

      Jun 14, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      More Taqiyya from representatives of the Religion of War. A Muslim who kills people innocent people in the name of Islam is a terrorist; if he kills in battle, he is a Jihadist. It’s simple really, but liberals have difficulty grasping this concept.

  2. jihad3tracker says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 2:22 pm

    There is one qualification in professor Hoffman’s consensus that Paul Farhi is too dense to realize is the most relevant one justifying labeling Muslims as terrorists — “involved and organized group”.

    And, of course, Honest Ibe Hooper is not about to bring it to anyone’s attention.

    If approximately 22,000 violent acts have been committed by Allah’s Army since our modern record keeping began, then —

    YES, ISLAM’S MUSLIM PERPETRATORS ARE THE ENTITIES WHO DESERVE TO BE CALLED TERRORISTS.

  3. Slobbering Fits says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    What channel are they watching ? I never hear this .

  4. Toddy Littman says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    I don’t care if they’re right or wrong, in reality.

    What I mean is that Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing have been called domestic terrorism by news agencies, I’ve seen it myself, so the point in truth is moot. But if a people in a nation are moved more easily to stand against the takeover by sharia in their country by understanding the acts of martyrdom that one so-called religion rewards for acts of suicide that the others mentioned by the previous comment don’t, meaning that this reward is an incentive for EVERY muslim to join jihad as a suicide bomber, I am all for the use of the word terrorist exclusively for referring to any muslim who blew themselves up or was stopped before doing so, or was the ringleader orchestrating others to go blow themselves up while he was in a brothel. I’d include the term without any reservation for any Muslim who commits a “honor killing” and would say it most accurately, “The muslim terrorist jihad, a time immemorial war on women and women’s rights under sharia law, led to….” as I would also include the throwing of acid in a woman’s face, the primitive use of chemical weapons, to disfigure a woman for life as an act of terrorism. See all of these are sharia law and to them it isn’t a religion, but a culture, and assertion of the law of their rights.

    Jews and Christians are penalized by their God for having thrown away their life by an act of suicide no matter what the cause was for it. Their law isn’t their religion in an intertwined method of making a religion rule the world, though organized Christian religion had perverted much of this during the Feudal era of guilds, prior to the Age of Enlightenment and recognition that every single person is a sentient being. Yet, there never was any notion of a spiritual reward for suicide, for killing oneself in Christianity or Judaism

    So, yes, I wish CAIR was right about this with every fiber of my being, and so long as people believe they are we have an edge when they are out to do some heinous act of carnage, whether they succeed or not.

  5. Islamisdeath says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    But only muslims are terrorists. The idiots in Las Vegas were an anomaly whereas terror is the day to day of this stinky anus’s brethern. BTW what station does this smelly turd watch because the stations I watch are careful to say nothing that might hurt their murderous feelings. Hooper just looks like a serial killer to me I know that has nothing to do with this article but just felt like saying what I think. He has that cold dead fish evil look in his eyes.

    • Tradewinds says

      Jun 13, 2014 at 3:24 pm

      Cair – what a bunch of muslim turds. They should all be deported to Yemen.

  6. Walter Sieruk says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 3:38 pm

    To stay, for the most part. just of the subject of Israel and Hamas. Hamas has the agenda to destory the State of Israel. In this goal they will are fated to lose. This is because ,eventhough they might not know it, they are striving against the Will of God. For God has declared in His Word, the Bible, that this area of land that now composes the State of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. As seen, for example, in Genesis 28:13-15. 35:10-12. Deuteronomy 32:48,49. Psalm 105:7-11. 135:4. This land also belongs to the Jewish people by historic rights. As shown in First Kings 4:20,21,24,25. 8:55,56. So the members of Hamas might not be aware what they really are. They are wicked because they are working against God’s Will. For God is for Israel as shown in the just cited scriptures. Thus even if the Hamas members join all their forces with Hezbollah to destroy Israel they will lose and also be punished for it. For the Bible teaches in Proverbs 11:21. “Though hand join in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished.” [KJV] Nevertheless, in all fairness there is one way that the Hamas member can convince God to change His Mind and turn His Back on Israel and thus have that nation be no more. That way is for them to change the laws of astrophysics, including that ofthe sun, the moon and the stars. For God has said in His Word in Jeremiah 31;35,36. “Thus saith the Lord, which gives the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon stars for a light by night… The Lord of host is His name… If those ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever.”

  7. gravenimage says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 3:56 pm

    Muslim complaining about Muslims being called terrorists by a group (CAIR) which *itself* supports Muslim terrorists.

    Good God, that takes gall—but the Washington Post not only isn’t going to call them on it, they’re going to enable them. *Ugh*.

    • EYESOPEN says

      Jun 13, 2014 at 10:39 pm

      Graven, I would not expect anything different from the Washington COMPost.

      • gravenimage says

        Jun 15, 2014 at 11:37 pm

        Agreed, EYESOPEN. Good to see you posting.

  8. Jay Boo says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 9:16 pm

    A headless man was found in the garage of his gate community home in Lake Oconee, Ga his wife was also murdered,
    It is not known if Islamists are involved however, one of the theories is that an alligator might have done it. Anyone who has ever lived near alligators knows good and well that alligators are dangerous in the water but don’t go hunting for humans in their garages.
    Very suspicious theory
    http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/ga-couples-killing-leaves-authorities-baffled

  9. Jay Boo says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    Islam annoys before it deploys

  10. awake says

    Jun 13, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    Memo to Doug, “Ibrahim” Hooper; Go pound sand, specifically in the Islamic hell-hole of your own choosing.

    Recent events have proven that Islam’s BS propaganda being a “religion of peace”, is quickly losing its false narrative.

    And there’s nothing CAIR can do about it…

  11. IQ al Rassooli says

    Jun 14, 2014 at 4:46 am

    Dear ALL

    One of the most devastating admissions linking Islam with TERROR was fully explained by al Qardawi the foremost ‘spiritual’ leader of the Muslim Brotherhood (and all Muslims in general) in an interview in Arabic (translated) admitting that Islam would NOT exist had it not been for TERROR

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huMu8ihDlVA

    He reveals very clearly and frankly that had not Islam mandated the slaughter of ALL those who change their mind and LEAVE Islam (Apostatize); Islam would NOT exist today!

    CAIR & Muslim apologists invariably claim VICTIMHOOD. CAIR and associates are Duplicitous Mendacious Disloyal and Cowardly loathsome creatures because throughout the history of Islam NEVER were Muslims VICTIMS; Muslims were and forever will be the VICTIMIZERS!

    With al Qardawi’s (from the horses’ mouth) admission NOTHING more is needed to equate Islam with Terror especially since their mentor Muhammad (child rapist; predator upon women; mass murderer among other vile characteristics) and his followers forced the pagan Arabs and hundreds of millions of subjugated peoples on three continents to ‘convert’ to Islam through TERROR!

    IQ al Rassooli
    Kafir & Proud!

  12. Jay Boo says

    Jun 14, 2014 at 5:00 am

    A Sudanese woman sentenced to death for being a Christian.

    What do these pieces of garbage have to say about that?

  13. Angemon says

    Jun 14, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    “In the news media, are Muslims the only ‘terrorists’?,” by Paul Farhi, Washington Post”

    What, not trying to imply Lara Logan is a bad journalist because she dressed slutty during Halloween? Progress, progress…

    “They killed two police officers, Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo, as the two men quietly ate lunch, and covered one of the bodies with a Nazi swastika and the Revolutionary War-era “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, a symbol of the Tea Party movement.”

    Sheer dishonesty. Look up at the Culpeper Minutemen flag, take into account that Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo espoused, as Farhi described, “extremist, anti-government ideology” and “were enamored of a right-wing, conspiratorial view of federal authority“, and you’ll get the conclusion that they were anti-government rather than pro-tea party. But let’s not get facts come in the way of a good story, right?

    “Hooper cited a litany of news stories about domestic acts of violence that never gained prominence as acts of terrorism because, he said, Muslims weren’t involved

    […]

    “There’s absolutely a double standard, and it needs to be called out,” said Arsalan Iftikhar, a senior editor of the Islamic Monthly. “Whenever a white person engages in violence they’re considered crazy lunatics, but when a brown Muslim does it, it’s an act of terrorism. Since 9/11, the media is quick to jump on anything an Arab or Muslim does, but it takes a much more deliberative approach when it’s a white person.”

    So, about that Fort Hood shooting…

    “He said, however, that there are some “clear” cases in which the words apply: the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; bombings in Bali, London and Madrid; and the assault on a Nairobi shopping mall last year by the militant group al-Shabab.”

    Well, all those terrorist attacks were done by terrorists acting upon orthodox islamic teachings. One might be a coincidence. But 5? I’m starting to sense a pattern in there…

  14. D.C. Watson says

    Jun 15, 2014 at 2:03 pm

    And?

  15. Janice M says

    Jun 15, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    I agree.

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