Posted on 11/09/2009 3:42:23 PM PST by Pyro7480
Andrea Elliot’s front page article in the November 9 New York Times played up the thousands of Muslims in the U.S. military and how their “service...is more necessary and more complicated than ever before,” but gave the false impression that a Medal of Honor winner named near the end of her piece was a Muslim himself, when he was actually Catholic....
Near the end of the article, Elliot changed the subject ever so slightly that it might have gone unnoticed. The reporter quoted Captain Erich Rahman, an Iraq war veteran and Bronze Star winner: “Too many Americans overlook the heroic efforts of Arab-Americans in uniform, said Capt. Eric Rahman...He cited the example of Lieutenant Michael A. Monsoor, a Navy Seal who was awarded the Medal of Honor after pulling a team member to safety during firefight in 2006, in Ramadi, Iraq....”
Elliot’s specific attention to Muslims in the military and their “struggles and frustrations” for most of her article, followed by this passing reference to Lt. Monsoor (pictured above), certainly gives the impression, despite the use of the “Arab-American” label, that the Medal of Honor winner was a Muslim himself. However, this impression couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Navy’s biography of Monsoor, who died in 2006 after he jumped on a grenade to save the lives of fellow Seals, notes that the lieutenant “attended Catholic Mass devotionally before operations.” Another article written in tribute to the valiant officer cited his aunt Patricia Monsoor, who recalled that he “went to confession frequently.”
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
....as their vieship/readership continues to plummet.
Way to go, NYT. /s
Catholic ping!
It’s really inconvenient to have an Arab/Catholic hero.
The NYT is so racist and bigoted. Furthering the lie that Arab = Muslim.
Not just malpractice...profound prejudice. Can this be called out as RAAAACIST?!?!? What, all Arabic surnames MUST be considered as Muslim?
How utterly xenophobic of the New York Times...
BTTT
I’m jes’ a hillbilly in WV an’ i nu ‘et surname was Catlick, not Mohammeedamn. Jumpin jeepers, you’d think the New York Times’ed be smarter than the likes of me ‘n mine!Oh well, Daisy Mae, yo’get in heah direckly an’ take care of me.
I’m no fan of NYT, but, at least in the online edition of the article, she does refer to Monsoor as a practicing Christian. Not sure what the hubub is about.
The Times is just stereotyping. They are not aware that the Arab community in their own city (Brooklyn) was for years dominated by Maronite Syrian and Lebanese Catholics. One of my best friends in college was the son of a community leader in Brooklyn and a graduate of Jesuit HS and College. I guess the local desk of the Times is handled by some trans gender Asian Latino from Sausilito.
Monsoor was probably a Maronite or Melkite Catholic. He was NOT a Muslim. This name is well known in the Middle East. Our bishop is named Mansour.
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Not to mention the first name. How many Muslims are named “Michael”?
Most people don’t care what Andrea Elliot’s article from the NYT says. The ones that do don’t care about America so I don’t care about them.
Even OBAMA does not know the difference between the MOH and the President's Medal of Freedom.
And they used to make fun of GWB?
One of my mother’s best friends is a Maronite Catholic from Beirut. Her maiden name was Monsoor. She comes to Mass at our parish from time to time.
I’ll bet you a dollar the online article was changed after everybody started making fun of the Old Grey W***e.
** Lieutenant Michael A. Monsoor, a Navy Seal who was awarded the Medal of Honor after pulling a team member to safety during firefight in 2006**
What a wonderful Catholic!
They likely updated it after the article from NewsBusters was written.
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