Letter of the Day

Power Line ^ | December 29, 2006 | Scott Johnson

[cricket]

One of the characteristics of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that makes it such a bad paper is the relentlessness of its bias. From coverage of the local news, to the editorial page, to the letters to the editor, to its metro columnists the paper is saturated with a leftist know-nothing perspective. The one exception is columnist Katherine Kersten, whom the paper treats like a virus against which antibodies must regularly be deployed.

Thus the editorial page runs editorials that argue with her columns and the letters to the editor tilt markedly against against her columns. On the Star Tribune site today, the following letter to the editor has been designated "letter of the day," with the heading "New Year resolution for Kersten: Lay off Islam." See if you can determine the qualities that set this letter apart for special recognition:

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It's nice to see that, after Katherine Kersten's recent obsession with bashing Muslims, she has finally chosen a subject about which she actually has knowledge. Thank goodness for Christmas! Her Dec. 21 column was the first in more than two weeks that wasn't devoted to misrepresenting Muslims and Muslim organizations. Past Kersten columns quoted an expert on Somali culture giving his incorrect religious opinion about Muslims transporting alcohol. Wouldn't an expert on Islam have been a more credible source?

Another "source" was quoted as stating, incorrectly, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota is an "Arab organization" with a "Middle East" agenda. Omitted was the fact that two-thirds of the organization's leadership is neither Arab nor Middle Eastern.

Her latest column focuses on calling for a cease-fire in the war on Christmas and honoring the contributions of those with different beliefs./Amen./

While we are in the midst of celebrating our respective holidays, readers may be interested to know that many Muslims are about to embark on the pilgrimage known as Hajj -- the largest annual peaceful assemblage of people in the world. Millions of Muslims gather in Mecca responding to the call of Prophet Abraham, united in the spirit of peace and unity.

It is in this spirit that Muslims respect and honor those with different beliefs. It is in this same spirit that we respectfully request that biased columnists refrain from obvious attempts to misrepresent a beautiful religion and its believers.

KHALID ELMASRY, MAPLEWOOD;>

SPOKESMAN. MUSLIM AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA

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Virtually every statement or implication of every statement in the letter is false. Gotta love that Muslim muliti-culturalism on display in Mecca and elsewhere in the Muslim world! Just check out the churches in Mecca. And that "annual peaceful assemblage" of Hajj somehow regularly gives rise to hundreds of deaths, as noted in "Incidents during the Hajj."

I don't think "peaceful assemblage" would be the first words that leap to the mind of those who have recognized the pattern of trampling deaths every few years during the Hajj.

Or compare Kersten's column on the airport's Somali taxi drivers with Elmasry's description of it. Kersten suggests in the column that the "no alcohol carry" fatwa -- issued by the MAS itself! -- is inconsistent with Somali cultural practices, not with Islam. (The description of a MAS as an "Arab group" with a "Middle East agenda" was Kersten's quotation of Omar Jamal, director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center.)

Perhaps its concatenation of falsehoods is what makes Elmasry's letter deserving of "letter of the day" honors. /Posted by Scott at 06:35 AM |

[cricket]

Those who stand in opposition to what is the genuine 'Greater Good' are always clever with their manipulations of the truth; and this is another great example. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has remained staeadfast in it's determination to drop a 'veil of ignorance' over it's readership. . .(where would Keith Ellision be today, without this MO. . .) They could have offered the 'truth of the matter' as per Scott; but no. . .Of course; it is the same of all Left-wing media/MSM; but The Star surely deserves special recognition for it's marxist core; it's accompanying disregard for Truth and it's anti-altruistic agenda; as well as it's support for any special interest which share the same.

[yoe]

(With 'Strib' Gone, McClatchy Sheds Another Union Paper -- Coincidence?)

Any Freepers who are members or know one (at Jigsaw?) ......could it be a few of CAIR's people are on board as well as the unions?

[cricket]

Was not aware of this(!) and have no connections to Jigsaw. . . but getting to the 'truth of the matter' should prove interesting. . .

[wgflyer]

"...the pilgrimage known as Hajj -- the largest annual peaceful assemblage of people in the world. Millions of Muslims gather in Mecca responding to the call of Prophet Abraham, united in the spirit of peace and unity."

Ah, yes. I remember the Hadj. That was the time that hundreds of thousands of us contractors fled Saudi for nicer places, taking advantage of the holiday to go somewhere sane. The funny thing is, we competed for airline seats with hundreds of thousands of devout Saudi muslims doing the same thing. First stop was often Bahrain for a transfer flight. The pub in the airport was jammed full of devout Saudis drinking themselves blind. Bangkok was full of them, as were the more traditional destinations in Europe. That was, of course, before the wahabi crackdowns occurred. But I imagine the the causeway between Saudi and Bahrain gets a hell of a lot of use these days during the Hadj and Ramadan.

[Hatteras]

"...many Muslims are about to embark on the pilgrimage known as Hajj -- the largest annual peaceful assemblage of people in the world. Millions of Muslims gather in Mecca responding to the call of Prophet Abraham, united in the spirit of peace and unity. "

Kinda like Sturgis?

[cricket]

Kinda like Sturgis?

LOL. . .and yes; but without the death by 'trampling'. . . and sundry 'other' reasons. . .

[cricket]

The pub in the airport was jammed full of devout Saudis drinking themselves blind. Bangkok was full of them, as were the more traditional destinations in Europe. That was, of course, before the wahabi crackdowns occurred. . .

suppose in a few years this could read for and by Americans that. . .'the restaurants still daring to pepare their food using 'trans-fats' were full with hungry Americans'. . .but then, that was before the final crackdown by Liberal/Left/Demrat food nazis' . . .or substitute any current target of the Left just to demonstrate Americans CAN in fact, be controlled. . .easily as in 'with little resistance'. . .

[wgflyer]

"suppose in a few years this could read for and by Americans that. . .'the restaurants still daring to prepare their food using 'trans-fats' were full with hungry Americans'. . "

Well, that's already happening in many cities with cigarettes. Americans are willing to sacrifice just about any freedom to be PC and not feel leftist guilt. Baaaaaaa.

[cricket]

or substitute any current target of the Left just to demonstrate Americans CAN in fact, be controlled. . .easily as in 'with little resistance'. . .

No question; and 'as per' my comment as well". . .substitute any current target of the Left . . ."

It is all too scary how willing people are to subjugate their Will; their Freedom to a 'caretaker'. The Leftist vision of the 'nanny state' stands in direct opposition to the authenticity of 'the American Way'; so designed/proscribed by America's 'founding Fathers'. . .

Living in a nanny state may just prove too late to American's; what other cultures have already learned; (and we should by historical observation); that every Leftist dream of heaven; no matter how it is framed by their so called, 'good intentions'; becomes truly a hell on earth.

. . .and of course; 'too late smart' is precisely that.

[wgflyer]

"It is all too scary how willing people are to subjugate their Will; their Freedom to a 'caretaker'. "

Yeah, verily. One way to look at it is middle class appeasement of leftist bullies. We say, "OK. We'll not do this, if you don't do that". Then, of course, the bullies do that anyway after we've already made our sacrifice and it's too late. Then they say "Give us this, or we'll take that.", to which we again compromise by (usually) giving up something lesser). Nickle and dimed into a totalitarian state, we are.

Moral of the story is: Compromise of principle is never, ever a good idea.

But no one's listening. Just look at our current crop of Republicans.

[cricket]

Nickle and dimed into a totalitarian state, we are. Moral of the story is: Compromise of principle is never, ever a good idea. But no one's listening. Just look at our current crop of Republicans.

. . .and really, isn't that what Political Correctness is all about. . .a one-way compromise - agreeing to do, think, speak. . .'their way'.

And yes, for sure on the Repubs; and as much as I am loyal to GW just hearing there may be more compromises by GW, on the horizon, makes me crazy!

If all this is not enough to concern ourselves with. . .just read - if you have not, that is. . . - Mark Steyn's America Alone. . .that will warm you up even more!

Made this book a major 'gift item' on my list this past Christmas. ..realizing the realities in the wisdom. . .'you can lead a horse to water. . .' but can only say. . I tried ;^).

[wgflyer]

Steyn is a god!

[cricket]

Steyn is a god!

lol. . .and for sure. . .

[happygrl]

Kinda like Sturgis?

Oh my, the images that come to mind !!!!