CNN takes off the gloves

[FriendlyFire]

Yeah, and their going to tell us that, are they? If these people are smart they'll go to Pakistan first then make their way to Iraq.

If these people were smart they'd realise there already under survilence and once they stop being useful then MI5 will make them disappear

 

[anarres]

The portrayal of UK muslims on TV is absolutely disgraceful.

There is increased fear and hatred of muslims in the UK atm precisely because of this kind of reporting (which you get in the UK too, albeit in the far-right press in the majority).

We will know our children can grow up safely when the news outlets show interviews of muslims speaking out against the violence, which is by FAR the majority opinion.

 

[zjl56]

Yes I think the media is one of the reasons that people fear the Muslims. If only they showed the majority who want the violence to stop.

 

[stormbind]

Free speech, you know. Britian must have very liberal free speech standards actually if they are not worried saying such stuff in front of a camera.

Very relaxed as long as you don't incite violence. There have been cases of individuals being arrested for actively encouraging violence against non-Muslims, and vice-versa.

My emphasis being that the authorities do draw a line.

 

[Hundegesicht]

The portrayal of UK muslims on TV is absolutely disgraceful.

Are you saying that they don't have a right to have their opinion heard? If Muslims are going to advocate killing US troops, *AND* are even willing to appear on TV, why should we not report them? To protect them from themselves?

I say we SHOULD expose these people for who they are and deal with the dangerous elements of our society, not pretend they don't exist as not to offend anyone.

 

[Benderino]

Has anyone else seen CNN's lastest news feature about British muslim activists? Damn, and you thought I would spread anti-muslim propaganda!

For those who haven't seen it yet: It starts with a report about the fact that thousands of British muslims have gone to Iraq to "kill Americans" (original wording). Then they interview British muslim activists who tell them that they hate everyone who isn't a muslim and that Islam is fundamentally hostile towards democracy, human rights, capitalism and everything else Western and that because of this their jihad is not only targetted at the US but at the entire West. They also make it clear that they aim for nothing less than Islamic world domination in the 21st century. At the end they say that the West is only fooling itself if it believes that their views are those of a tiny minority and suggest that they are actually representing a vast part of the muslim community if not the majority. And the CNN comments don't suggest otherwise...

The sad part is, much of that is true. This is what fundamentalist Islam seeks, and it's on the rise. There are so many who do not understand this.

 

[RedWolf]

I think these people should be arrested they have no right to fight our soldiers just for their own selfish wishes.

Just a question... When the American military goes to war are they always automatically the "good guys"... Which of course makes "anybody else" the bad guys.

Or when figuring out who's legitimately fighting do people actually evaluate the situation? (ie: people having the legitimate right to wage war against an occupying army)

 

[RedWolf]

What the heck was CNN letting these guys getting away for?

So what do you suggest? CNN forms their own police force? Their anchor people could double as assault troops and the camera people could carry sniper rifles.

 

[anarres]

Are you saying that they don't have a right to have their opinion heard? If Muslims are going to advocate killing US troops, *AND* are even willing to appear on TV, why should we not report them? To protect them from themselves?

I say we SHOULD expose these people for who they are and deal with the dangerous elements of our society, not pretend they don't exist as not to offend anyone.

Unless you're living in la-la land you must admit that the media is capable of influencing people's attitudes. If they present an article with radical muslims in and present this as the "average" muslim viewpoint they are not "exposing people for who they are", they are presenting a FALSE image to the population of muslims in this country.

I have seen the UK TV reports where radical muslims ARE presented as the "norm" of UK muslim society. This is far from the actual truth and is badly straining the relaionship between the muslim community and the non-muslim communities.

Anyway, I hope you can understand the point I am making. The media has a big responsibility and they are letting the country down IMO. Incitement to racial hatred is not far from what they are doing, and I would like to see them dealt with by the police and warned not to portray communities in a false light.

 

[Benderino]

But when was this guy advertised as a "normal" Muslim? Did that happen? Since you didn't see it, perhaps he did just come off as crazy.

 

[anarres]

Well I live in the UK and I do actually watch some news.

I didn't see the report they talk about on CNN, but I've seen UK reports that portray muslims in the UK as "crazy towel-heads who want to kill us all" (paraphrasing of course . You can always find nutters, but the media chooses to show them and at imply that this is the "normal" muslim attitude.

 

[Norlamand]

Well I live in the UK and I do actually watch some news.

I didn't see the report they talk about on CNN, but I've seen UK reports that portray muslims in the UK as "crazy towel-heads who want to kill us all" (paraphrasing of course . You can always find nutters, but the media chooses to show them and at imply that this is the "normal" muslim attitude.

The same can be said of any group featured by the media, christians, jews, gays, etc. People tend only to object when it is a group with whom they find some resonance.

 

[marshal zhukov]

Has anyone else seen CNN's lastest news feature about British muslim activists? Damn, and you thought I would spread anti-muslim propaganda!

For those who haven't seen it yet: It starts with a report about the fact that thousands of British muslims have gone to Iraq to "kill Americans" (original wording). Then they interview British muslim activists who tell them that they hate everyone who isn't a muslim and that Islam is fundamentally hostile towards democracy, human rights, capitalism and everything else Western and that because of this their jihad is not only targetted at the US but at the entire West. They also make it clear that they aim for nothing less than Islamic world domination in the 21st century. At the end they say that the West is only fooling itself if it believes that their views are those of a tiny minority and suggest that they are actually representing a vast part of the muslim community if not the majority. And the CNN comments don't suggest otherwise...

I was shocked as well, I watched that program. Why would CNN air a program like that? This CNN program gave the impression that mainstream muslims don't like western lifestyle, and that they are trying to change it.
It was disturbing to listen to such extremism. I live in Brazil, here we have very few muslims so it is hard for me to verify what is the exactly percentage of muslims are radicals, I don't know one muslim.
The CNN program indicated that a significant portion of the muslim population was radical.

 

[sysyphus]

Given the number of muslims I know, and knowing their values and beliefs, I can without a doubt say that the guy in the intereview only speaks for a minority of Islam.

Shame on CNN for deliberately trying to incite needless fear. (I thought that was Bush's job anyway).

 

[BassDude726]

I love England... one of the few remaining allies of America that has the testicular fortitude to stand by their buddies. Honestly, if the world was a barfight, all of America's boys would be standing there watching the US and England do the fighting. Not to insult the other countries shedding blood in Iraq, I'm sure their sacrifice is just as noble, but their countries' governments are complete wusses about it, and don't get their boy America's back when push comes to shove in the UN.

 

[anarres]

Weird. I live in England and see a PM that calls himself socialist backing a hostile invasion of a soverign state and somehow I think it is bad.

If the world was a barfight the US would be the meathead at the bar trying to start a fight, and England would be the stupid lapdog friend backing him up without even caring why he is fighting.

 

[Hundegesicht]

Unless you're living in la-la land you must admit that the media is capable of influencing people's attitudes. If they present an article with radical muslims in and present this as the "average" muslim viewpoint they are not "exposing people for who they are", they are presenting a FALSE image to the population of muslims in this country.

I have seen the UK TV reports where radical muslims ARE presented as the "norm" of UK muslim society. This is far from the actual truth and is badly straining the relaionship between the muslim community and the non-muslim communities.

Anyway, I hope you can understand the point I am making. The media has a big responsibility and they are letting the country down IMO. Incitement to racial hatred is not far from what they are doing, and I would like to see them dealt with by the police and warned not to portray communities in a false light.

I wasn't aware they were saying this was the viewpoint of ALL muslims (which is an obvious lie) but I think that if there are communities which DO have that viewpoint they shouldn't be suger coated to avoid offending the rest. Obviously, make sure you point out the majority (or minority, if the kill em' all viewpoint is really that prevailent) that believes in living peacably with their neighbores (so they don't come across as saying all muslims are bad) but if a sizable number of muslims in the UK *DO* wish to harm U.S. troops then that group (note, I don't mean all muslims, just the aforemention violent ones) needs to be dealt with.