CAIR develops a sense of humor

Kudos to Ibrahim Hooper (and Akbar Ahmed)!

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Link to cartoon can be found in Washington Post article below.

Ibrahim Hooper (CAIR) and Akbar Ahmed said the following about the strip (full article at end).

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights and advocacy group, wasn't offended. " 'Opus' poked fun at the strip's characters, not Muslims or Islam. I see hundreds worse on the Internet every day," he said.

Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. "I think there is a danger of us becoming so politically correct that we end up by blunting the critics' bent and the satirists' wit. Muslims need to be sensitive to the fact that in Western culture there is a healthy tradition of not taking things too seriously."

The response to this cartoon is quite different from the reaction to other cartoons that have spoofed aspects of Islam in the past because not only is the humor sympathethic but it also treats Islamic and secular American culture in an even-handed fashion. (The cartoon would also have worked in a alternate version where Lola Granola had adopted strict orthodox Jewish dress and practices of tzni`ut [modesty] like shmirat negi`ah, which is the avoidance of touching between unmarried or closely-related members of the opposite sex -- if more people knew that religious Muslim and orthodox Jewish practices and concepts were for all intents and purposes identical -- even in the case of holy or religiously obligatory defensive war, which is jihad in Arabic and milhemet mitzvah in Hebrew.) 

Often in the past CAIR spokesmen have not always been so good at differentiating sympathy from maliciousness or hostility.

Here is an email exchange over a book that CAIR initially found offensive. Note how much the original Feb. 15, 2000 CAIR Parent Alert is a politer version of the sort of hysterical Zionist "correction" campaign that CAMERA or HonestReporting generate whenever a newspaper article or editorial cartoon deviates even slightly from the most extreme and fanatic pro-Israel point of view.

Subj: Re: The Terrorist
Date: 3/6/00
To: cair1@ix.netcom.com
CC: JCorman@Scholastic.com

Recently, CAIR has tried to apply its usual heavy-handed tactics of intimidation to Scholastic, Inc. with the polemical press release that I have included below. Lately, I have been trying to decrease my mordancy when I write on such issues, but the responsible people at CAIR have the literary interpretive skills of a turnip and even less strategic sense.

Cooney is one of the hottest adolescent novelists and has written at least 16 novel, many of which have won awards like the ALA Best Book for Young Adults, the IRA-CBC Children's Choice, the 2000 Texas Lonestar Award (The Terrorist), the ALA 1998 Quick Pick (The Terrorist and others), the Booklist Editors' Choice. Scholastic, Inc. would not pull one of her books on the imperious demand of a group with as little credibility as CAIR.

There are some minor problems with the book, but a better approach might have been to arrange a civilized meeting with the author, who shows, unlike the CAIR leadership, every indication of being a reasonable person. With some reasonable persuasion, she might incorporate some minor corrections in later editions. Now of course there probably is not a snowball's chance in hell of doing any such thing.

The book is actually quite good. The main protagonist in the book is Laura Williams, who is a sort of silly misguided person (and naive American) and proud thereof.

From p. 71.

"I'm ignorant, thought Laura. I was proud of being ignorant. I felt superior because I *didn't* know anything."

The most sympathetic and intelligent character, who solves the crime, was Mohammed, a sensitive perceptive Palestinian refugee, who unabashedly declares his longing for Palestine to Laura.

The theme of the book is the danger of preconceptions and prejudices because to live under the thrall of bigotry and stereotypes is to live in a dangerous fog, which might make it difficult to perceive who one's friends and who one's enemies are.

I agree to some extent with the complaint about the passage on p. 77. I actually had a similar discussion at Laura's age with a Jewish girl from a sister school to the elite school that I attended. I pointed out that she confused temporary political sovereignty with geography. The country was Palestine when the Ottoman's ruled it as part of the of the Ottoman Empire. The country is still Palestine even though the Zionists now rule it. Poland provides the perfect analogy. The country of Poland existed even after the Polish State ceased to exist and the territory was divided among Russia, Germany and Austria.

The CAIR document seriously and somewhat dishonestly butchers the passage by only quoting bits and pieces of it. Cooney actually makes clear how bad Laura's judgment is even to consider the possibility that Mohammed could be involved in terrorism.

The discussion of terrorism in the book is somewhat simplistic. Terrorism is a tool like mustard gas. No one wants to use it, but sometimes it might be necessary. If the Nazis had managed an invasion of the Britain, Churchill fully intended to use mustard gas despite the Hague Convention and other treaties that the UK had signed.

Furthermore, the characterization of terrorism is part of the propaganda war. Israel commits terrorist acts and war crimes by the standards of international law, and then as part of the propaganda war characterizes responses that are acceptable under international law as terrorism.

The complaint about Jehran's comments on page 107 and 108 just shows how little the CAIR readers actually understood the story. Jehran was feeding Laura all the stereotypical nonsense that Laura foolishly believed. The story that Jehran told was a complete fabrication.

Laura's comment on p. 111 is typical of her confusion although like most stereotypical comments there is an element of truth when one considers the behavior of the Taliban in Afghanistan. But Cooney shows in the character of Samira that a tiny element of truth certainly does not justify the generalization. (Laura actually comes to this realization later in the book.)

Laura's comment on p. 76 is just some verbal sparring with Mohammed that is far more innocent if the complete exchange is provided.

The complete comment of Mr. Hollober on p. 119 is far less unconditional than the excerpt portrays it. Nevertheless, there is an element of truth in Hollober's claim as Fawaz Turki attests in his writings.

Laura's comment on p. 151 is just another symptom of the fuzziness and silliness of her thinking.

But CAIR's last complaint just shows the complete lack of understanding by the CAIR readers. Jehran's story was a fabrication. She was not trying to escape a Muslim marriage. We do not know exactly what she was trying to do, but as Mohammed correctly points out, Jehran was just telling a story that Laura would believe in her ignorance and in her desire to believe. The story had no basis in fact, but was simply a tool by which Jehran was manipulating Laura.

Once again CAIR has proven to be a complete embarrassment to American Muslims. I recommend reading the book and sending a letter of complaint to CAIR.

Joachim Martillo

======================================================================

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
CAIR Muslim Parent Alert
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Alert #234

453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C., 20003

NEW Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-659-2254
E-Mail: cair1@ix.netcom.com  
URL: http://www.cair-net.org

MIDDLE SCHOOL READER DEFAMES ISLAM

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/15/2000) - CAIR is warning Muslim parents about a middle school reading text that contains a number of inaccurate, offensive and stereotypical references to Muslims, Muslim women, Arabs, and Islam.

"The Terrorist," written by Caroline B. Cooney (ISBN 0-590-63913-7) and published by Scholastic Inc. (Nasdaq: SCHL), deals with an American student at a private school in London who seeks revenge for the death of her 11-year-old brother killed by a package bomb. Its back cover carries the statement: "This edition is only available for distribution through the school market."

The book was brought to CAIR's attention by a concerned Muslim parent whose daughter read it based on a list provided by her teacher.

A few examples of offensive content in "The Terrorist:" (There are many more examples available.)

Page 77 - "'What country are you from, Mohammed?' she asked. 'Palestine.' [said Mohammed] 'That's not a country...It's Israel. It's been Israel since before my father was born...Is Mohammed a Palestinian who would throw a bomb?"

Pages 107 and 108 - Muslim girl named Jehran speaking: "I will not yet be sixteen. The man chosen for me is a general in his fifties. I will be his third wife. His is a traditional household. I will be forced to wear a black robe like my servant, and have my face covered by a solid veil with eye slits. I will not be permitted to leave my house. I will not be allowed books to read or television to watch or a radio to listen to...It is living death...My money would be his, and I would never be permitted to touch it. I would obey my husband always, no matter how painful or cruel or wrong. I would have no purpose except to give birth to sons. If I had a daughter, he would punish me and quickly get me pregnant again."

Page 111 - "Islam. You thought that religion was a pact between you and God, but it wasn't...Men who hated women. Men who wanted women literally locked in their clothes and their homes."

Page 76 - "Oh, you Arabs," said Laura, "you just want to push people around."

Pages 89 and 90 - "Shiites are very, very strict. The ruler they have now is called an ayatollah, a sort of Moslem (sic) priest. Iran hates America."

Page 110 - "In marriage, Jehran would dress like a vampire. A black shroud with eye slits...Nobody except her husband would ever see her skin. The husband who was forty years older. Who already had wives...Laura [Jehran's friend] did not like to think of the logistics of their bedrooms."

Pages 118 and 119 - "'If a girl from an observant Moslem family were to fall in love with a Christian,' said Mr. Hollober, 'or flirt, or expose her face or limbs or hair in front of men except her father and brothers, she would taint her family's honor. She would be punished because honor of the family matters more than she does...Mr. Hollober insisted he was telling the truth. 'Girls who tempt men are criminals. Girls who disobey their fathers and brothers are criminals. And criminals in Islamic countries pay with their lives.' So if Jehran disobeyed her brother, he would not yell at her. He would execute her."

Page 151 - "Laura was pretty sure Allah would expect Jehran to obey her brother. That's what Moslem women did: they obeyed the men in their family."

To top off this offensive and stereotypical material, the author reveals that "The Terrorist" was in fact the girl who is trying to escape the "living death" of a Muslim marriage. The girl killed the heroine's brother just to obtain his passport. So even the "good" Muslims are bad.

In a letter to Scholastic President Richard Robinson, CAIR asked that the book be recalled because it is "targeted at a captive audience of impressionable middle school students" who, unlike adult readers, do not have a choice in what they read and absorb.

In response to CAIR's request, Scholastic's Senior Vice President of Corporate Communication Judy Corman wrote in part: "Taking the book as a whole, as a novel is intended to be considered, we believe the book represents a contribution to the dialogue about commonly held attitudes and preconceived notions." Scholastic is a $1.2 billion global children's publishing and media company.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be firm, but POLITE.)

1. Contact Scholastic to express your concerns, as a Muslim parent, about the negative impact this type of offensive and stereotypical material has on your children and their classmates.

Contact:

Mr. Richard Robinson
President/CEO
Scholastic Inc.
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
TEL: 212-343-6100
FAX: 212-343-6930
E-MAIL: JCorman@Scholastic.com
COPY TO: cair1@ix.netcom.com
URL: http://scholastic.com/

2. Find out if "The Terrorist" is on the reading list used in your child's school. If it is, bring the stereotypical content to the attention of school administrators. Muslim children should also express their views about the impact this book could have on their lives. Suggest alternate titles such "American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America" (ISBN 0802783430) or "Kiss the Dust" (ISBN 0140368558).

3. Obtain copies of CAIR's 16-page booklet, "An Educator's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices," for distribution to teachers and school administrators. ($3+S/H)

TALKING POINTS:

1. Offensive material in a book used as assigned reading for students is not the same as similar content in a book that would be freely, and voluntarily, accessed by adults.

2. The material concerning Islam's alleged treatment of women is inaccurate as well as offensive.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091401935.html

Why Were These Comics Dropped?

By Deborah Howell

Sunday, September 16, 2007; B06

Readers were confused and angry that "Opus" comic strips with a Muslim theme did not appear in the Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 Sunday print editions. The strips, created by Berkeley Breathed, were distributed by the Washington Post Writers Group and published on washingtonpost.com.

Most of the controversy involved the Aug. 26 strip, which showed regular character and spiritual seeker Lola Granola in her version of a burqa, declaring that she has become a "radical Islamist. Hot new fad on the planet." Her boyfriend, the piggish super-patriot Steve Dallas, is horrified. She tells him he "won't be getting a girlfriend obsessed with Western crud" or one "who resists a man's rightful place." Steve, with a leer and then a concerned look, asks: "Anything else I won't be getting?" Lola answers: "God willing."

Executive Editor Len Downie decided to kill the strip because he felt the language and depiction of Muslim female dress could be offensive. He consulted with other editors, one of whom talked to a Muslim staff member, who believed the strip was problematic.

Comics have long featured social commentary; think back to "Pogo" and "Li'l Abner." And comics have been killed before in The Post. "The Boondocks," a black-oriented strip no longer being drawn, was dropped several times. Editors killed episodes of the old comic strip "B.C." that they found anti-Semitic, Downie said. "We keep things out of the paper every day that we think are inappropriate."

Many of the 100 or so readers who complained accused The Post of being afraid of Muslims and said that it was unfair to "censor" an "Opus" strip on Muslims when a crack had been made in an earlier strip about the late Jerry Falwell, a conservative Christian leader. Falwell, however, was a public figure and fair game. Amy Lago, comics editor for the Writers Group, said at least 12 strips since "Opus" started in 2003 have dealt "in one form or another with religion, especially of the conservative flavor." None were killed.

Downie said he would have killed a Sept. 5 "The Piranha Club" strip had it been brought to his attention because he felt it contained a stereotype about Jews. In the strip, a minister wonders whether putting slot machines in the church vestibule was "the Christian thing to do." After hearing footsteps, another character says: "It's another busload of Jewish ladies from New York." The point of the strip, however, was to make fun of the Christian minister. A recent "Mother Goose and Grimm" comic drew a few complaints from Jewish readers. It showed a vampire couple wondering why they get so many invitations to bat mitzvahs.

The Sept. 2 "Opus" strip featured Steve Dallas wanting Lola Granola to go to the beach in a bikini. He thinks that ordering her to wear it will work; "America rocks," he says, telling his son that this "is how we're gonna straighten out the world." Instead she wears a Burkini, modest Muslim swimwear designed and sold by Ahiida Ltd., a company in Sydney. Aheda Zanetti, owner and designer, wears the veil and said she "just loved" the strips. The Sept. 2 strip mentioned her Web site, which prompted some hate mail, Zanetti said.

The reasons that strip wasn't published are murky. Downie said he did not kill it. Other editors thought that the Writers Group thought it would be hard to understand without seeing the first strip. Alan Shearer, Writers Group editorial director, said he made that point but did not want either strip killed.

About 25 of the 200 "Opus" clients told Shearer they would not run the first strip. Old strips were sent as alternatives. Many ran the second strip. Most papers ran both, Shearer said, including the Chicago Tribune, the Oregonian, the Los Angeles Times and the Baltimore Sun. A check with editors showed that only the Sun and the Tribune got complaints -- one each.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights and advocacy group, wasn't offended. " 'Opus' poked fun at the strip's characters, not Muslims or Islam. I see hundreds worse on the Internet every day," he said.

Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. "I think there is a danger of us becoming so politically correct that we end up by blunting the critics' bent and the satirists' wit. Muslims need to be sensitive to the fact that in Western culture there is a healthy tradition of not taking things too seriously."

It would be an understatement to say that Breathed and Writers Group editors were not pleased that The Post didn't run the strips. Shearer was "disappointed" and argued against dropping them. Publisher Bo Jones was in the middle. The Writers Group reports to him, as does Downie. Jones worked with Shearer and Breathed on points that concerned him and approved the strips' distribution. But he let Downie decide not to publish them in the newspaper.

Breathed didn't want to talk about it, because, he wrote, "Subtlety has never been my hallmark. Cartoons only work UNPARSED. Unexamined. Un-deconstructed. Two weeks ago the 'Today Show' spent 10 minutes doing exactly that with the 'Opus' Muslim strips, and it was like watching someone try to iron wet toilet paper."

I think Post editors overreacted in killing the strips. Comics are meant to be artful, fun and provocative. The two strips were all of that and worth publishing. Let comics be comics.

P.S. Love that penguin!

Deborah Howell can be reached at 202-334-7582 or at ombudsman@washpost.com.

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