Michael Graham Is CAIR's Best Friend

When people get fired the details of the accounts will always differ, and Michael Graham's dismissal from WMAL is no exception. As far as I can tell from this Paul Farhi story on the cover of the style section, however, the following is not disputed:

According to WMAL, Graham said "Islam is a terrorist organization" 23 times on his July 25 program. On the same show, he also said repeatedly that "moderate Muslims are those who only want to kill Jews" and that "the problem is not extremism. The problem is Islam."

Which nicely sums up the situation. There is a problem in Islam, but the West can expect no concordance with hundreds of millions of decent Muslims by informing them they belong to a terrorist organization called "your religion."

Apparently Graham and WMAL came close to an agreement, but it fell apart:

Graham, in an interview last night, said he and the station had reached an agreement on terms of his return last week, but the station called back to withdraw. "It was a done deal," he said. "They revoked it because, after further consideration, it didn't contain an apology. And I will not apologize for something that is true."

I believe he's referring to his statement that "Islam is a terrorist organization."

Okay then. Bye.

Incidentally, this episode strengthened the hand of CAIR, and you can thank Graham for that.

UPDATE: Andrew McCarthy (among many others on the right) defends Graham partly by quoting his more-in-sorrow-than-anger comments. I understand the point, but the main charge is too explosive to be so excused. Once you tell a Muslim that he belongs to a terrorist organization--for example 23 times--he's not going hear much afterwards, including how sad you are.

I'd have the same reaction if someone said Catholicism was  a "child molester organization." 

Comments

[Beth]

There's nothing Michael Graham said that ISLAMIC CLERICS AND SCHOLARS haven't said themselves, in defense of violence.

I certainly hope you can refute what those clerics and scholars have said countless times (far more than the 23 times you cite in your post), if you find Graham's statments so offensive.

BTW, plenty of people say the Catholic Church is a "child molester organization", but you don't see Catholic clergy defending pedophilia, nor do you see anything in the Bible or even the Catechism that can be used to defend it. That's a stark contrast with Islam.

[Christopher Fotos]

Beth, from where I sit it is not a defense of Michael Graham to say that ISLAMIC CLERICS AND SCHOLARS have said equally stupid things.

[RD]

Christopher: Is what he said "stupid" because it was not accurate, or in spite of the fact it might have been accurate?

In other words, I think there are two questions in play. The first is, is what Michael said "true" (or true enough)? The second is, regardless of whether it was "true" or not, should he have said it anyway?

(Agree/disagree w/this breakdown? Thanks.)

Anyhow: Until recently I was of a similar mindset as you, but in the meantime I've become convinced that Beth is closer to the truth than you or I would like. Specifically,

I'd have the same reaction if someone said Catholicism was a "child molester organization"...

The difference between what Islamic clerics have said vs. what Michael said is, the Bible does not instruct its members to molest children in so many words or else be considered an 'apostate' and subject to the death penalty; while the Koran, Hadiths and Sunnah do. They make it mandatory on all Muslims to conquer non-Muslim societies by use of terror (of which bombing is only the most recent historical example) and subterfuge if necessary (through organizations like CAIR who lie through their teeth about their intentions), or outright military force if available (Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sudan, ...), or else be considered apostates and subject to the death penalty.

That there are even so-called "moderate Muslims" does not mean there is such a thing as "moderate Islam"; Ibn Warraq insists there is not (and if you look, you won't find it). Instead, "moderate" Muslims are those who are lapsed in their 'faith' and have not been adequately compelled to return to the fold, not those who practice some form of "moderate" Islam.

A truth test for CAIR: See what they have to say about the support in the Koran, Hadiths and Sunnah for the taking of slaves (and their close cousins, rape and child rape). I recently discovered that not only does Islam justify (even encourage) taking infidels as slaves (including the children of slaves being born into bondage) - a position that is responsible for our slave population in the New World today (!) - but that Islam's teachings on this matter haven't evolved since that day, and that the slave trade is still practiced TODAY in the region (though on the sly) despite U.N. human rights declarations to the contrary. I haven't heard CAIR's talking points on this issue, but I'd expect to hear the usual whitewash, condemnation of the practice as "counter to the teachings of Islam", yada yada.