Posted on 11/19/2004 11:08:05 AM PST by finnman69
To: National Desk
Contact: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726 or ihooper@cair-net.org, Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787 or 202-439-1441 or rahmed@cair-net.org, both of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called for an apology from the MSNBC cable television network over comments on its "Imus in the Morning" program that referred to Palestinians as "filthy animals" and suggested that they all be killed.
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also urged that the program's host, Don Imus, be reprimanded for failing to challenge his colleagues' inflammatory remarks. CAIR, which says it received numerous complaints about the comments, quoted a transcript of Imus' November 12th program in which he and his on-air colleagues engaged in the following discussion about live coverage of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's funeral:
DON IMUS: They're (the Palestinians) eating dirt and that fat pig wife of his is living in Paris.
COLLEAGUE: They're all brainwashed, though. That's what it is. And they're stupid, to begin with, but they're brainwashed now. Stinking animals. They ought to drop the bomb right there, kill 'em all right now...
IMUS: Well, the problem is we have (reporter) Andrea (Mitchell) there; we don't want anything to happen to her.
COLLEAGUE: Oh, she's got to get out. Andrea, get out and then drop the bomb and kill everybody...
COLLEAGUE: Look at this. Animals. Animals!
In a letter to MSNBC President Neal Shapiro, CAIR stated: "We are firm defenders of the First Amendment, but these hate-filled and racist remarks can only serve to legitimize anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bigotry in our society and could lead to further discrimination against members of the Islamic and Arab-American communities." (CAIR also filed a complaint with the FCC because "Imus in the Morning" is a nationally-syndicated radio program.)
This is not the first time Imus has been involved in a controversy over anti-Arab and Islamophobic remarks. As early as 1985, he was forced to apologize for referring to Arabs as "goat- humping weasels." (Sunday Mail, 4/21/85) He has also been criticized for using the derogatory term "raghead." (Accuracy in Media) In a reference to the crash of an Iranian airliner earlier this year that killed 43 passengers, Imus said, "When I hear stories like that, I think who cares." He then stated: "Too bad it wasn't full of Saudi Arabians." (National Iranian American Council)
Earlier this year, CAIR announced a campaign called "Hate Hurts America" designed to counter hate speech on talk radio. SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/hatehurtsamerica/
CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has 29 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
NOTE: CAIR offers an e-mail list designed to be a journalist's window to the American Muslim community. To SUBSCRIBE to ISLAM- INFONET, go to: http://cair.biglist.com/islam-infonet/
Wouldn't be funny if he actually apoligised. To the animals.
I think Imus puts on a fun show. Of course if you take him more seriously than he takes himself, you'll not get it. But he's funny and usually has good guests.
Probably Bernard, one of two conservatives on the show. He is very un PC. He was very pro impeachment.
What is all the fuss about. Anybody who say the film of Arafat's funeral knows that what he said was true. Let em take it to court. To defame someone, what you say has to be untrue.
"I'm thinking of starting an organization to encourage discrimination against the Islamicists. I'm thinking of call it "Islamicist Discrimination is Okay Now. They Cheered After Innocents were Roasted." (I.D.O.N.T.C.A.I.R.)"
Where can I sign up and how much are the dues?
Somehow im surprised "filthy animals" did not show up in the FR search I did before posting this.
Ok Ok OK.....The Palestinians are filthy animals and we're sorry.
Filthy animals is a good description of Mass Murderers that dance in the streets at the death of children.
If CAIR really "cared" about Muslim honor, they would be trying to apologise for the killings done in Islams name, and doing their best to show the "true" Islam. But, it seems they just don't see it that way.
Those who pretend to be outraged at an insult, and fight for the honor of killers, while not giving a damn about murder are best described as rattle snakes.
There, did that clear it up?
Add the Saudis to the list!
11/19/04
Twenty-six important Saudi university scholars and teachers issue first public anti-US statement on Iraq war, among them Sheikhs Ahmad al-Khudeiri and Salman al-Odeh. They urge Baath guerrillas to carry on war against Americans even if they are defeated in Fallujah. Pro-US collaborators are termed heretics.
Beheading = Islamist Baseball
It's terrible of Imus to go around insulting goats.
CAIR might have a weensey bit more credibility if, they spent just a little time countering hate speech in mosques, instead.
BTW, this press release reminds me of an old Bob Newhart routine where he repeats ethnic jokes, then scolds the audience for laughing at them. I'm not an Imus fan but chortling out loud as I read it.
The needs of the many outweight the needs of the few, or the one.
i.e. - Sorry, ALL Muslims should exit the United States of America; for the good of America. Hell, here in America we always punish the majority for the idiocy of the few anyway. Why should we exclude the Muslims?
Did enjoy the IT terminology.
Imus said that..Oh My.
Well, is "filty Arabs" okay?
Don....your safe. Keep it up!
Imus has maybe 200,000 people watching him on MSNBC, and apparently 10 MILLION listening on the radio (in Imus' own words). Why is CAIR going after MSNBC and not his radio syndicators?
I can't believe I'm going to say this... MSNBC, don't retract a single letter!
To the islamic activists: Get the F out of my country!""
Thank you. You said it better than I was prepared to do.
Correct. It was Sid.
What do you call a Muslim with a goat under one arm and a sheep under the other?
Bisexual.
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