P.B.S. and "American Muslims"

First, so there is no confusion or question, here is my disclaimer.  There may be American Muslims who are loyal to the Constitution of the USA, who are fine people, who truly act in a live-and-let-live life-style, and do not buy into the "go-kill-infidels" teachings of Islam, also called "moderate Muslims."  If so, my quarrel is not with them.  However, there is no moderate Islam; and, whether fundamentalist or "hypocrite," all Muslims use the same Islamic doctrines, which have not changed fundamentally in 14 centuries.  I have read them, and I have many quarrels with Islam.

Having said all of that once again, I want to write about one program in the Public Broadcasting Corporation (PBS) series, America at the Cross-Roads, called "American Muslims."

From the first episode of this series, I developed doubts when Canadian Robert McNeil referred to Islam as a "noble and peaceful religion."  He proudly gave away either his profound ignorance or his agenda-peddling, or both.  From there, the series had ups and downs until it reached the episode concerning American Muslims.

If the what and the who presented could be taken at face value, these Muslims would seem similar to ordinary Christians who spend some time in church and most of their time in their businesses and homes being solid, productive Americans.  I will concede that some of those presented may be just as I have described, and that would be good.  For example, there are a number of Muslims in Iowa who have been there for many decades and have apparently fully integrated into Iowan society.  The girl running her pizza business seems as ordinarily American as anyone; she chooses to use her Arabic name yet seems to exude apple pie and motherhood.

Then PBS featured Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR, and wall-to-wall CAIR events and personnel.  The documentary referred to those who criticize CAIR as "conservatives and a tiny minority of extremists."  It goes on to dramatize how American Muslims have been mercilessly picked on since 11 September 2001.  A telling remark comes from the pizza girl who answered crude demands that she "go home," with a statement that she is home, was born in America, and has never known any other home.  However, when questioned about American Muslims being silent about jihadi terrorism, she angrily said "I didn't do it!"  Apparently, she said no more.

"I did not do it!" may be necessary, but it is not sufficient.

If I had not experienced PBS' extreme bias many times before this series, and were I an ignoramus, I might have bought what they are selling.  PBS clearly hopes to preach to their choir and to sell to the gullible.  They completely ignored the fact that there is no moderate Islam, and Islam makes its violent conquest and subjugation dicta crystal clear for anyone who takes the time to read.

Am I disappointed?  With PBS?  Hardly.

I would have sung their praises endlessly had they told the whole story, not just paint the picture that they wanted us to experience.  However, as the old saying goes, a leopard cannot change its spots.

What I would change about PBS would be the complete removal of federal funding which sends my money taken from me by force (taxation) to be redistributed to those I would never volunteer to give to.

Comments

[JasonP]

You just saved me an hour or two of viewing.

Let’s also remember that PBS made a choice. They could have shown Frank Gaffney’s production about the struggle between the radicals and moderates. And even there I suspect the show would have failed to review the core problem at the heart of Islam. In anyc ase, their choice wasn't in ignorance.

[GM]

Jason,

Good that I saved you some time. PBS published pure propaganda, not unexpectedly. However, one would think that the history of recent current events, at least since 11 September 2001 would have entered PBS thinking to some degree. Not so, and not so, because they "made a choice," as you eloquently put it. Lying can be made by omission, commission, or some combination of both. I agree that they knew what they were doing. We know what that makes.