Cross Posted at The Progressive Zionist
First it was calling Muslims and Arabs "Savages" and during that time I got push back from the lunatic fringe and racist droolers who said accused me of racism due to the fact that they said I was "conflating Jihadis with Muslims" and that Geller was really making a distinction between the two.
Of course, given any study of her history, she was not making any distinction and really she was just trying to find some bigoted bullshit to smear all Muslims with. I mean here are some of her comments (noted in my other diary):
"Hussein [meaning President Obama] is a muhammadan. He's not insane … he wants jihad to win."
— Pam Geller, AtlasShrugs.com, April 11, 2010
and
"Islam is not a race. This is an ideology. This is an extreme ideology, the most radical and extreme ideology on the face of the earth."
— Pam Geller On Fox Business' "Follow the Money," March 10, 2011
and
"I don't think that many westernized Muslims know when they pray five times a day that they're cursing Christians and Jews five times a day. … I believe in the idea of a moderate Muslim. I do not believe in the idea of a moderate Islam."
— Pam Geller, The New York Times, Oct. 8, 2010
But of course, according to the Raving Lunatics on the Right Wing... there's no conflation between Savages and Muslims by Geller - she is just talking about Jihadi's... Including President Obama (/snark).
So what his this hateful person done... She has put up the following ad in the NY Subway System:
Notice the website listed in this horrible ad: truthaboutquran.com
Well to that I say: THE WHAT???
First of all, she is quoting a passage written over one thousand years ago in very different circumstances. Now are there those who twist the religion to make this a central part of Islam, yes. But of the literally more than One Billion people on the planet who are adherents to the Muslim faith, this is just one of those passages all religions have that one looks at and takes in the context of the times and realities around those writings and simply files it as "Oh that is interesting"
But more to the point, why does this piss me off so much. You know why? Because throughout history MY PEOPLE have been victimized by this tactic. For thousands of years AND even today and even at this site people have been finding egregious quotes from the Old Testament and using that to justify hatred of Jews and Israel. I mean how would some of this Rightwing bigots like it if someone ran ads in the NY subways that said:
"Go, now, attack Amalek, and deal with him and all that he has under the ban. Do not spare him, but kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses." (1 Samuel 15:3)
with a picture of IDF soldiers or Planes in action...
or maybe:
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)
or perhaps something like this:
Make ready to slaughter his sons for the guilt of their fathers; Lest they rise and posses the earth, and fill the breadth of the world with tyrants. (Isaiah 14:21 NAB)
and it had something like truthaboutoldtestament.com as a link...
We would be furious (and rightly so). What would be the point of that... Well it would be to say that all Jews are Savages and should be dealt with accordingly.
Hatred and bigotry in any form is a disgrace and while the First Amendment does protect our freedom of speech it DOES NOT protect one from "yelling fire in a crowded theatre" (so to speak). These ads do nothing but to inflame people to go out and hate and perhaps in some cases take action. These were the kinds of things that the Nazi's did in their run-up to persecuting the Jews. This is a tactic modern anti-Semites take throughout the world to justify their anti-Semitism. SO when I see this happen and it happens from a part of a polity that I am from I feel the need to denounce it.
People who are Jewish and Pro-Israel don't need Geller and her band of low grade morons to go out and represent our side. We don't need to take on the absolute lowest forms of hatred to make our case. This hatefulness serves no good purpose at all, all it does is reinforce separation and bigotry amongst people.
I constantly rag on people on sides opposite me for not confronting the worst elements of their polities and sitting back while people regurgitate the lies of racists against my side. Those who sit back and say "Well any ally will do as long as they agree with my goal". Well I say SCREW THAT. Racists and bigots are some of the lowest kinds of human beings there are and if one has to use their arguments to make a point... well that goes for those that would accept their help as well.
Don't this outrage stand. Though the MTA can't do anything at this point and though they have a disclaimer out - demand that this goes further. Ask that they put a stop to these hateful ads that do nothing but promote bigotry. There has to be something.