Censorship or Free Speech? When Some Ads are More Equal than Others...Who do you trust?

What's wrong with these pictures? Anything. Everything or Nothing. Good or Bad?  Depends on who's in control of the message. This is a new ad-campaign scheduled for Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY)  written in Hebrew and Arabic.






The offensive message did not go unnoticed by the Jewish Community. They met with the Community Board and permission was denied, The ad was moved to another part of Brooklyn.


But the Muslim Community in N. J, where this atheist 'choice' was to be posted as well, is feeling oh-so-grand and open-minded. The Imam said they have a right to express themselves. You know, Free Speech. So, it would seem: Jews BAD. Muslims Good.


There is another ad-campaign coming to enlighten potential reverts. Again, with the Muslim dawa (GOOD)




Countered by an ad-campaign opposing the Sharia Invasion [Pamela Geller has more on this campaign sponsored by AFDI /SION here ] So, will this campaign be judged as rude. Not nice. (Bad?) Will it be stone-walled. Will Free Speech be denied to those who oppose Sharia?  Some ads are definitely more FREE than others....





Some background.


I've been collecting some of these ads since 2007. And, perhaps, the saga of the NYC Intifada t-shirts is one time they had some blow-back to their dawa-plans. The public outcry caught them off-guard. Claiming it was an innocent logo and a misunderstanding of Intifada didn't work.  In case this has been forgotten,  Bloomberg was forced to 'request' Principal Almontaser to step down as Head of KGIA.




Score one for the Infidels.








Moving on to the Bus Ads.

 
The ad-campaigns promoting Islam (and others) seemed to be everywhere. Guessing they were doing "good" cause there was no public out-cry.


MuslimsForPeace  "Love For All- Hatred For None". This was placed only on two  42nd st crosstown busses  (in 2010). Back and forth they went all day....












n 2010, found this bus at the end of the line, in Battery Park City.It's okay to criticize God, but if it had been the Moon-god or Big Mo, that would have  been 'bad'.    NYC-Atheists.org





Isaiah53.com  "This Chapter Will Changed Your Life" (2010- 8th Ave- midtown). No threat, no harm-no foul, cause no mention of Islam....







Detroit had a campaign...





Seattle was busy....





By the time this campaign was up in Seattle (in 2010)...





AFDI had a counter-ad ready. But, it was met with OUTRAGE because while it dared to support Israel it also used these incendiary words: 'SAVAGE' and 'JIHAD'. (Bad)

Florida was still in the game : “ISLAM: The Way of Life of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.” ( Guess this message was "good". No outcry)





But, after this counter-ad was accepted,  Miami Transit panicked . They pulled the AFDI campaign because it was "bad".  Must never, EVER talk about "Leaving Islam".






In 2010, when Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer created this next AFDI ad-campaign around the proposed Ground Zero Mosque, the campaign was met with outrage and opposition from the MTA.


Of course, the hypocrites at the MTA took the money, but finding those busses with the ads was an arduous journey to nowhere. Were they even out there? Found this one as it pulled away from the bus stop at 48th and 8th ave. Otherwise, never saw another one on the streets on Manhattan.





Then we have the subway ads. 


In 2008, this was a campaign promoting Islam during Ramadan. I took a ride on the F Train "Looking for Dawa. And it was "GOOD" ( so we're told)








In 2011, I found these two ads in the same Times Square Station.
This one is Good (I guess) cause it's anti-Israel  and has  NO graffiti .





It's BAD to support Israel, therefore, this was one has graffiti!





But, in 2011, this ad wasn't permitted ...anywhere....because it dared to mention SAVAGE and JIHAD.  (BAD. Very, very  bad)





And in 2012, also in the subways, found outreach for Atheists at 42nd St. Anything that promotes "There is No God" is , of course, "GOOD".





At 34th St.  (You are not alone)





The Bill Board Campaigns




I was first aware of  the "Battle of the Bill Boards" in 2007, when my parent organization ,United America Committee, posted this bill board  in Florida.

From the uproar over UAC posting just ONE billboard in one State, Florida, the conclusion was this was "Bad. It's not a good-thing to warn or criticize anyone about Islam. [More here from Julia Gorin]

There's no shortage of "Dawa for Islam" billboards, so of course, this is ...."Good".














And the infamous Taxi ad-campaign of 2011.

 
When Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer were reaching out to potential victims of Sharia who just might want to leave Islam; to live free from terror of Sharia in a Free Society. But, this was "BAD. Very bad".








It was a great campaign, placed across the country, but trying to find these ads in Manhattan, an exercise in futility. Even though bought and paid for, I manages to see ONE when I didn't have my camera. And oddly, this was in Times Square AFTER the month-long campaign was over.








The ubiquitous pedicabs must not be forgotten. Twice I've found them promoting Islam (in 2009 and 2008).


First, a bumper-sticker with a personal statement in support of Islam (so it's "GOOD")

And Patriotic! So, it too....is good....

2008, these two decals were "personal and patriotic" but, they were "BAD" . (VERY Bad.) Placed on his van by the father of a martyred sailor from the USS COLE but, they offended Muslims at Camp Lejuene, N.C. So, this father in mourning, was ordered to remove the decals. Outrageous.

But, in 2011, on 8th avenue in midtown Manhattan ... on a Sunday morning ... this  dawa bumper-sticker was "hoping for some Sunday Reverts." Of course, this would be "good' so there's probably no place this car can't go with that sticker (even though it is offensive to Christians).





So here we are. 2012 with two new campaigns in the news.





AND this campaign....





VS  the AFDI/SION Counter-Ad





Pamela Geller, " We need to counter this campaign publicly. We must educate America and arm freedom lovers with facts. The U.S. should be calling upon Muslim groups in America to renounce and reject Sharia if they want to be American citizens. "


TSM: I agree! What ads are accepted and what is denied should be monitored diligently. The long arm of Sharia-Law must not  silence the opposition. Before the The Islamo-Nazis' strike again, Fight back. Expose. Protect and Educate or else, like Europe, we will be devoured by the Dark-Ages of Islam and Sharia.

Muslims Rally In Support Of NYPD-Videos- March 5, 2012

March 5, 2012. 

The Press Conference was at One Police Plaza and was presented by AIFD/AILC (America Islamic Forum For Democracy) and AILC (American Islamic Leadership gathered with Congressman Peter King ( R-NY) to SUPPORT the Commissioner Ray Kelly and the NYPD. 

From VSB: Nice to see the NYPD get some well deserved support, but I am concerned. Will people start thinking there's a Safe' Islam' just because these are such thoughtful and patriotic Muslims?

Slideshow of Press Conference during and after ....

 

"American Muslims show support for NYPD Counter Terrorism Programs" 

What follows is the complete Press Conference in 6 videos. (This includes the Q and A with the reporters. ) Part 1- Dr. M Zuhdi Jasser, President American Islamic Forum For Democracy makes the  opening statement

Part 2 - Tarek Fatah, Founder of The Muslim Canadian Congress 

 Part 3 - Manda Zand Ervin, founder of the Alliance of Iranian Women

Part 4 - C. Holland Taylor, Chairman and CEO of the LibForAll Foundation

 

 Part 5 - Congressman Pete King- Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security

 

The media present, that I could identify:  CNN, FOX5, NEWS12, ABC7, 10/55, 1010WINS, WNYC, NTN (nuestra Tele), NY1, AP, 24 Noticias, FOXNews, MetroNetworks, amongst many others ... 

[Check out Robert Spencer with some added observations on the press here]

Part 6 is the Q and A with the reporters with Jasser and King answering their questions

And the 7th video is  a bit of a statement made by Linda Sarsour of The Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition to FOX5 and NEWS12.  Perhaps there were others from the opposition present, but Sarsour was the most obvious

The following is a statement from the American Islamic Leadership Coalition

"As American Muslim leaders, we come together to defend the US Constitution, uphold religious pluralism, protect American security and cherish genuine diversity in the practice of our faith of Islam."  The AILC Foundational Principles

The AILC seeks to prevent: 

1.      The instrumentalization of Islam for political purposes, and/or the exploitation of our faith community for political gain, whether by Islamists and their non-Muslim allies in the West, or their opponents.

2.      The imposition of laws based upon a falsely divinized human understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as often occurs when Muslims idolize shari‘ah without understanding it.

3.      The preferential treatment of, or discrimination against, any community based upon its religious beliefs.

4.      Legitimizing the practice of deception, intimidation and/or violence in the name of Islam.  

The AILC rejects: 

1.      The persecution of Shi’ites, Ahmadis, Ismailis, Druze and Bohras, as well as those Muslims who have turned away from Islam and become agnostic, atheists or converted to another faith.

2.      The persecution of non-Muslims in Muslim-majority states. 

3.      The practice of ‘takfir,’ which allows so-called “scholars” and clerics to label fellow Muslims as apostates, and impose a death fatwa (religious opinion or ruling) upon them.

4.      The judicially- and/or extrajudicially-coerced observance of any religious or cultural practice that strips the individual of his or her autonomy and equality. 

 May our nations, peoples and varied yet complementary faiths serve as a cornerstone for an emerging global civilization, in which different cultures and religions serve to mutually enrich, rather than threaten or destroy one another.

“And if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all into a single community, but [He willed otherwise] in order to test you by means of that which He has vouchsafed to you.  Vie, then, with one another in doing good works!  For unto God must you all return; and then He shall make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.” (Qur’an 5:48)

++

The leave us with a quote from the Quran.  Speaking of a "a global civilization." That just supports the Islamic goal of domination, of the Umma. That's Islam and it's not good. Why, onece they are in America do they feel compelled to remain Muslim?


From Dennis Prager

 "...many remain in a religion because of family ties, cultural norms, and sheer inertia. But over time, religion — and faith in God itself — is judged by its fruit. Which is how it should be.

And the best-known fruit of Islam today — in countries calling themselves Muslim, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Taliban Afghanistan, and certainly among the Islamist groups mentioned above — is so ugly that many millions of people are increasingly repelled by religion and by God.

  ....when the best-known actions of some of the most religious people in the world are kidnappings, slaughter, torture, mass murder, suicide bombings, beheadings, and mistreatment of women unparalleled in recorded history, then religion and faith in God suffer everywhere."

VSB: Better we should  stop wishing for a 'nice Islam', in a country like America. It's Oil and Water.   They know it and that's why they work to confuse and to equivocate.

From Robert Spencer,

" Instead of bowing and scraping to the Islamic supremacists and feebly protesting that we're not really racists and hatemongers and all the other calumnies and canards they throw at us, we should be taking the fight to them, and standing up and saying, "You are fronting for the most oppressive ideology on the face of the earth.  You are fronting for evil.  You are carrying water and running interference for the denial of free speech, the denial of the freedom of conscience, the institutionalized oppression of women, the subjugation of non-Muslims, and worse.  You're fronting for stonings, amputations, the murder of apostates, the treatment of women as possessions of men, the madness and senseless violence that we see in this furor over the Quran-burnings, and more.  You shout us down on campuses and do everything you can to make sure we are not heard in the public square.  And you call us fascists?  You are the quintessence of fascism."

VSB: We are told that, in America, we have nothing to fear from Sharia Law. We are told that in America our Constitution wouldn't allow Sharia Law to abrogate our rights. But, examples are coming in from around the country showing a creeping Sharia chipping away at those protections.

And concurrently, we have a push on for a National Holiday to celebrate Mohammed's Birthday , suggested by a certain participant in the NYPD presser, Imam Qazi Qayyoom (in the sunglasses and yellow stripes) His ".... objective, aim and goal ( is) to establish the real meaning of ISLAM-I Shall Love All Mankind."

Guess Mo's B-Day will help move that LOVE right along.




Not good. NOT good at all.

+++ 

For The Record, this is a published list of their supporters:

American Muslims show support for NYPD counter-terrorism programs

"....a distinguished group of members devoted to our cause."

Golam Akhter, Bangladesh-USA Human Rights Coalition Inc, Washington, DC

Zainab Al-Suwaij, American Islamic Congress, Washington DC

Bahman Batmanghelidj, Alliance for Democracy for Iran, Mclean, VA

Abdirizak Bihi, Somalian Community Activist, MN

Khurshed Chowdhury, Ph.D., Silver Springs, MD

Manda Zand Ervin, Alliance of Iranian Women, Washington, DC

Tarek Fatah, Muslim Canadian Congress, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Farid N. Ghadry, Reform Party of Syria, Washington, DC

Tawfik Hamid, Islamic Reformer, Washington DC

Jamal Hasan, Council for Democracy and Tolerance, Baltimore, MD

Farzana Hassan, Ed.D., Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Arif Humayun, Activist

Ahmed Hussen, Canadian Somali Congress

M. Zuhdi Jasser, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Phoenix, AZ

Hasan Mahmud, President Toronto Chapter Free Muslims Coalition 

Kamal Nawash, Free Muslims Coalition, Washington, DC

Raheel Raza

Raquel Evita Saraswati, Activist and journalist

Behrooz Sarshar, 

C. Holland Taylor, LibForAll Foundation, Winston-Salem, NC

Jalal Zuberi MD, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA


++

Final Post from CPAC 2012 - The Exhibit Hall and the loss of Andrew Breitbart

The Exhibit Hall. A great place to hang out. 

 

Plan your day's agenda

 

 Filled with posters and flyers 

 

Books and people...reaching out...Educating the voter. Promoting an eclectic assortment of topics. 

Encouraging ...

And even playful....

And there's so much more in the slide show:

Parting thoughts on a more somber note. The sudden loss of Andrew Breitbart. It's hard to accept. While surfing around, the message attached to this image of Andrew, it was perfect-timikng. Just what we needed:  STEAL THIS GRAVITAR. Awesome.


 

So post Breitbart on your blogs. Make stickers. Rolls and rolls of stickers. Plaster Andrew wherever you can!

We've lost an important leader in the Fight To Save America. Hoping we'll do the legacy of Andrew Breitbart proud as we dig-in and FIGHT ON.