Speaking of the left’s willingness to provide cover for Islamic imperialism, the hippetty-hop mogul Russell Simmons was in Times Square this weekend to stand in solidarity with the Ground Zero mosque under the slogan “Today I Am A Muslim, Too“:
Some 300 people gathered in Times Square on Sunday to speak out against a planned congressional hearing on Muslim terrorism, criticizing it as xenophobic and saying that singling out Muslims, rather than extremists, is unfair.
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the imam who had led an effort to build an Islamic center near the World Trade Center site were among those who addressed the crowd.
“Today I Am A Muslim, Too.” So, like, you can be a Muslim on a Sunday and something else on a Monday? Hey, that’s great! Who knew? Maybe Russell Simmons could pass the good news on to Said Musa? They didn’t get the memo on death row in Kabul, where he was imprisoned for converting to Christianity.
Kim Kardashian was unable to attend the rally but tweeted her support for it. Maybe Kim could jet in to the village of Soul in Egypt’s Helwan Governorate and personally pass on to the locals the exciting news that you can be Muslim just for a photo-op and then move on. I’m sure the girlfriend of Coptic Christian Ashraf Iskander would love to hear that, assuming she’s still alive:
A mob of nearly four thousand Muslims has attacked Coptic homes this evening in the village of Soul, Atfif in Helwan Governorate, 30 kilometers from Cairo, and torched the Church of St. Mina and St. George…
This incident was triggered by a relationship between 40-year-old Copt Ashraf Iskander and a Muslim woman. Yesterday a “reconciliation” meeting was arranged between the relevant Coptic and Muslim families and together with the Muslim elders it was decided that Ashraf Iskander would have to leave the village because Muslims torched his house.
The father of the Muslim woman was killed by his cousin because he did not kill his daughter to preserve the family’s honor, which led the woman’s brother to avenge the death of his father by killing the cousin. The village Muslims blamed the Christians.
The Muslim mob attacked the church, exploding 5-6 gas cylinders inside the church, pulled down the cross and the domes and burnt everything inside…
But that’s just their colorful way of saying today St Mina and St George are Muslims, too!
Witnesses said the mob chanted “Allahu Akbar” and vowed to conduct their morning prayers on the church plot after razing it.
“Today I am a Muslim, too”? No need to jump the gun, Russell.
In heaping scorn upon Simmons and Kardashian, you assume they are sentient beings - when all evidence is to the contrary.
In effect, you are merely mocking people who are incapable of knowing any better. Surely there is some obscure Canadian speech code which prohibits this, sir: tread with caution.
The greater question, perhaps, is how on earth a violent pagan barbarian death cult managed to gain status as a "religion of peace" with equal standing to Christianity, Bhuddism, or Judaism in the first place?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf today Russell Simmons "[was] A Muslim Too," then he should be in a position to answer questions about Said Musa and the attacks on Copts in Egypt and the other various atrocities committed by people claiming the mantle of Islam. I presume he's a moderate Muslim (for a day) and therefore would want to speak out to tell his fundamentalist brethren (for a day) that their interpretation of the faith they share (for a day) is wrong.
Of course, if Russell Simmons doesn't speak out against Islamic fundamentalism, then he's just reinforcing the point that moderate Muslims (even Muslims for a day) are unwilling to criticize their own co-religionists.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Sucks to be unarmed."
me, circa 2003
"Life is hard, it is even harder when you are stupid"
John Wayne
Are not the Kardashians Arminian? Did their elders not inform them of that genocide thingy in 1915 or so?
If today you are a moslem, tomorrow can you be killed as a apostate?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSome journalist PLEASE ask Mr. Simmons if he remains a muslim? And don't drop it. Ask every day. When ever Mr. Simmons engages in basic liberty (which inevitably is forbidden by islam) ask him to explain his actions given he is a muslim. Or, Mr. Simmons, have you stopped being a muslim? We must beat on this drum.
When Simmons is forced into hiding by the fatwas maybe his unengaged customers will get the message. Unlikely yes, but not impossible.
People need to understand that once one submits, even as a cutesy quip, one is never again allowed to be other than a prisoner of submission.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSimmons and Kardashian and the rest of the "ecumenists" at the rally are what are usually described as (probably by the Muslims at the rally) "useful idiots". Unfortunately, their idiocy is not of the harmless variety.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDuring a stretch in 17th century Virginia, being a Quaker carried the death penalty. Yet Hoover and Nixon served as Quaker presidents.
Our nation went through radical anti-Catholic swings throughout the years, but Kennedy became president.
Prior to the Civil War, the US government sent the army to attack Mormons in Utah, after decades of persecution (both public and private) as the LDS church moved westward. Yet today, two Mormons are being looked at as potential Republican presidential candidates.
Prior to the Civil Rights Act, hotels, restaurants, country clubs, and other establishments would refuse to serve Jews. Yet today such discrimination seems sickening.
The strength of our nation has been in overcoming these petty prejudices. How many people are proud and willing to defend any of the above examples?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHA, HA, HA, Good job, Mr. Steyn. I already hated these celebrities before, but now, oh man it's unrestrained. I'm sure that we will have to endure a lot of this type of appeasement from celebrities towards Islam and the Muslim world. But I'm sure once the demographics start to shift in Europe, people won't care about what those morons think. Oh wait, never mind, I forgot about our ridiculous celebrity culture that everyone is obsessed with.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFew care what Russel Simmons and what's-her-name think about anything other than their next show, but you're quite right to repeatedly bring attention to a system of thought that demands tolerance but refuses to give it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDidn't we just witness a Catholic Martyr die for his faith in Pakistan?"Praise be on the Prophet."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo 300 people attended this Manhattan rally? By coincidence, that seems to be the number of genuinely tolerant, pro-Judeo-Christian-rights Muslims in the universe.
Not the same 300, though.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI notice that Russell Simmons lives in New Jersey, and Kim Kardashian in California. As par for the course with liberals, they have no problem with imposing their views upon others while not having to live with the consequences of their views themselves.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs there no bottom to the well of stupidity that is modern liberalism?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWilliamsburg Patriot
"How many people are proud and willing to defend any of the above examples?"
I'll take a stab at two of them.
AFAIK, the Quakers in Virginia were never subject to capital punishment. They were sometimes flogged, fined and banished, though. Quakers who returned to MA after being banished were executed, four of them in total.
Obviously I can't defend what those in MA did, but don't blame it on VA.
The conflict between Mormons and other Americans is much more complex than simple religious persecution. The Mormons OF THE TIME had many of the characteristics of an extremist religious cult. There were many weird religious groups in America at the time, but none had the repeated problems with their neighbors the Mormons did.
In particular the Mormons OF THE TIME were not peaceful types who suffered unprovoked religious persecution. To some extent their problems resulted from starting wars they were unable to finish successfully. In particular the "Utah War" of 1857/58 to which you refer was not the result of the federal government just deciding to "attack Mormons," but was the result of a basic conflict between the Mormon and US views of government.
The Mormons OF THE TIME recognized the right to rule only of the Church. The territorial officers and judges, who were appointed by the President as they were in all US territories, were often resisted or ignored and were sometimes threatened or attacked. The situation was, to be fair, aggravated by lies told about the Mormons by Gentiles.
However, it is fair to say the Mormons were the aggressors in the Utah War, if only because of the relative death toll between Mormons and Gentiles. During this war the single greatest atrocity committed by white Americans against white Americans in our entire history occurred. About 120 unarmed men, women and children were murdered in a premeditated massacre by Mormons, after they had surrendered on terms.
So let's not just denounce the Utah War as an example of evil America persecuting the innocent Mormons, shall we?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusepathman1066 - Short answer: No.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn a recent episode of Castle there was a dirty bomb plot and the people behind it covered their tracks by implicating Muslims.
All the muslims turned out to be serious and moral. A key to figuring out the mystery was talking to a Syrian(!) agent (natch) and everyone who thought that Muslims were behind the plot are shown to be narrow minded and wrong.
Finally the key to realizing the Muslims were not behind it was when Castle said "Muslims, really? Its been done before."
I think that sums up everyone in Hollywood. Muslims been there done that they are not bad we are not at war with millions and millions of Muslims.
Islam when it is in charge of a country have uniformly done a bad job ruling the country and leads them to use the Fascist tactic of blaming the "other".
Muslims been there done that it is so over now....man do we deserve to survive as a country?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJust so everyone knows, there was a counter rally on 7th Ave and West 38th. About 60 people were there to support Rep. King and to denounce Sharia law. I happened to be walking by at the time and saw it. I stayed for a few minutes to listen to a man speaking over the loud speaker, and African, about growing up as a Christian in a Muslim country under Sharia.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIn his sarcastic piece Mr. Steyn fails to note the dozens of Rabbis, Priests and Ministers who were the majority of speakers at the rally---denouncing hate-mongering and scapegoating, and calling for interfaith tolerance and unity.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseplony:
I would think a better target for this call would have been outside that Coptic church in Soul. Of course, doing this there would probably not have resulted in a set of peaceful headlines.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"..tomorrow an infidel." That's a violation. Watch yo' back fool.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood point, plony -- Simmons was surrounded by other saps.
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