CBS puff piece on Muslims football team is perplexing

Normally a left wing outfit like CBS would be trashing an all christian football team that prayed and set special play times to accommodate religion, but for some reason when the team is all Muslim, they get completely different treatment.

newsbusters.org...

AXELROD: The midnight to 4 am schedule has demonstrated the strength of this diverse community, and proven to be stronger than any controversy challenging its practice.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN 3: People will send me e-mails, saying, what's going on in Dearborn? You're practicing sharia law, you're doing this. No, we're practicing constitutional law, thank you- we're doing. (laughs)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN 4: We're following American laws, we're following board policy, state laws, and federal laws. And we're meeting the needs of our constituency. It's no different than the Christian faith wanting certain days off at schools because they're important to their holidays....

UNIDENTIFIED MAN 1: (clip of the Star Spangled Banner being played at football game) Ultimately, our youth are just like any other youth in the United States. You look at any town, any city in this country- Friday nights, what are they doing in the fall? They're going to play a football game, they're going to watch a football game. You're going to see the same thing in this community.

The team is 95% Muslims, so I fail to see how that's "diverse". Do these people understand the meaning of the word, or has "diverse" simply come to mean a lack of white people/Christians? Also, whats up with the sudden MSM support of religion? Normally they're trashing it or attacking prayer as some how contrary to the goal of schools. Suddenly they support it when the religion is Islam. Whats up with the inconsistency?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN 1: Our kids, who are 90%, 95% Muslim, Arab-American, are playing this all-American game. You have some people that just don't understand, and don't want to understand what Muslims are about and who they truly are.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT 1: I think people are just ignorant, you know? I think people don't know what's going on, you know, they don't know how we are. They've never met us before, and they're making judgments before they even met us, I mean.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT 2: We're all teenagers. We all have the same- we all like the same things. We have the same aspects in life.

UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT 1: Whatever, you know, Arabs are called terrorists, and I still- you know how that feels.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN 2: They happen to be Arab-American, they happen to be Muslim-American, but they're American high school kids, and these kids are playing football. And football, just like it is in Texas and Ohio- at Fordson, it's kind of a religion.

I love how the kid makes generalizations about people he doesnt know, while complaining that people supposedly generalize about him and his religion. I guess generalizations are ok when they're about those mean white christian people.

I'm saying this as a non-religious person. I'm not sticking up for Christianity here, just describing this inconsistency I've observed not only in the MSM but on these forums.

The minority always has the preferential treatment in America, but muslims have always seemed to get good treatment regardless of where they go. Here in Australia they keep complaining about their conditions when they get a better deal from the government than anyone else does besides aboriginals.

reply to post by Gannicus


I think perhaps they are trying to humanize them so masses of people do not unfairly target them as different or others as they have been doing. I think they are trying to show they are not all frothing at the mouth terrorists who are just waiting for the day they can blow themselves up and kill Israelis.
They play games like you and I. WOW. We should start to see them as human. You are right...MSM is ignoring the division of Church and State...but ooops, they don't have our division of church and state so why should they make a big deal out of it?

I say God bless them. The icon of Muslims as fire breathing terrorists is wholly a creation of the military industrial complex funded by the CIA and covered by the MSM.

The global awakening is opening our eyes to the futility of war and the fact that human beings are much more alike than different. There is a groundswell of support for Palestinians in Israel amongst a growing part of the population which will soon comprise a majority of the population.

Here's a couple of gross generalizations. Muslims are peaceful people. Jews are the smartest ethnic group on earth. I was fortunate enough to go to college in Washington DC in the early 80s when thousands of Iranian Muslims were fleeing the revolution.

At the same time, the percentage of jewish students at my school had been historically very high, so much so that some kids named it "U-Jew-U." As a kid from a homogenous Virginia suburb, I suffered initially from culture shock.

It was then I drew the conclusions stated above. The Jewish kids had a cultural appreciation for the value of education that became increasingly undeniable during my four years there. As a result of my friendships with a diverse group of students, I excelled and achieved the best grades since grammar school.

One of my fraternity brothers, a devout Egyptian Muslim, was the voice of reason in our house. When I tried to lead the charge of violent retribution towards fraterniies that had challenged us.

Long story short, I applaud any media piece that undoes the dehumanization that has been perpetrated against Muslims over the last 40 years. We don't need anymore enemies. I prefer to imagine the potential of a safe Israel where their scientists use their incomparable genius to turn the desert into a verdant productive valley capable of feeding the world's malnourished.

I love my Muslim and Jewish brothers. Hatred is so 20th century.

Originally posted by newcovenant

I think perhaps they are trying to humanize them so masses of people do not unfairly target them as different or others as they have been doing. I think they are trying to show they are not all frothing at the mouth terrorists who are just waiting for the day they can blow themselves up and kill Israelis.

So instead the demonize white people/Christians as frothing at the mouth racists who are just waiting for an opportunity to mistreat Muslims?

.but ooops, they don't have our division of church and state so why should they make a big deal out of it?

They don't have our division of church and state? Do Muslims live by a separate set of rules in America?

reply to post by Gannicus

I'm not sticking up for Christianity here, just describing this inconsistency I've observed not only in the MSM but on these forums.

Indeed, there seem to be many atheists that are surprisingly positive towards muslims. I never understood this phenomenon, as an atheist myself, considering that it is one of the more extremist-friendly religions out there.

Originally posted by zarp3333
I say God bless them. The icon of Muslims as fire breathing terrorists is wholly a creation of the military industrial complex funded by the CIA and covered by the MSM.

Funny, I thought it was the actions of Islamic extremists around the world. So instead of demonizing Islam, they're demonizing Christians and white people.

Long story short, I applaud any media piece that undoes the dehumanization that has been perpetrated against Muslims over the last 40 years.

The same media does all it can to dehumanize Christians, white people, tea party members, Republicans, conservatives and libertarians. So back to my original question, why the inconsistency?

Also, Muslims actions around the world go a long way to dehumanizing them you know? Its their inhuman actions that hurt their image.

Mixing religion with sport is such a great idea. Just go to Glasgow Scotland, and see for yourself.

Originally posted by Gannicus

Originally posted by newcovenant

I think perhaps they are trying to humanize them so masses of people do not unfairly target them as different or others as they have been doing. I think they are trying to show they are not all frothing at the mouth terrorists who are just waiting for the day they can blow themselves up and kill Israelis.

So instead the demonize white people/Christians as frothing at the mouth racists who are just waiting for an opportunity to mistreat Muslims?

.but ooops, they don't have our division of church and state so why should they make a big deal out of it?

They don't have our division of church and state? Do Muslims live by a separate set of rules in America?

We don't have racist here? Is that what you are telling me?

So somebody covered them on the news, big deal.
I don't even remember seeing the racist on the news so couldn't have been that big a story.

What is your point?
You complaining about a bunch of men engaging in a sport?
Does that bother you? Is it because they are Muslims?

You think the news shouldn't have covered it the way they did?
I think it is possible you have the issues.
Probably a fill piece anyway.
They were all out of puppies.

Originally posted by blah yada
Mixing religion with sport is such a great idea. Just go to Glasgow Scotland, and see for yourself.

Notre Dame?


I think we are all getting crazy now and just looking for things to pick at.

This is why nothing constructive gets done in this country. People have way too much time on their hands and no good way to use it. People would rather pick, pick. pick, jab, jab jab, wheres the remote, insult, insult, pick, pick pick, change the channel. pick, pick, pick, jab jab jab, insult, insult, insult.

Change the channel.

Originally posted by newcovenant
We don't have racist here? Is that what you are telling me?

Islam is a race? So that means when people bash Christians they're actually being racist?

What is your point?
You complaining about a bunch of men engaging in a sport?
Does that bother you? Is it because they are Muslims?

I was pretty clear what my point was in several posts. I don't understand the inconsistent treatment of religion by the MSM and people on these forums. Anytime the MSM talks about Christians prayer (especially at school), its reported negatively. Yet, in this case the MSM is inspired by the prayer. When the topic of prayer and Christians comes up on the forums, Christians are ALWAYS treated as if they're subhumans. It's also pretty main stream in our media to belittle people who pray.

I don't like any religion, so spare me your PC distractions and diversions.

You think the news shouldn't have covered it the way they did?
I think it is possible you have the issues.

I want to know why they dont cover Christians and they're prayer like the do Islam and theirs.

For example:


nation.foxnews.com...

As final preparations were underway for Friday's football game at Marianna High School, one thing will be missing- pre-game prayer.

Marianna senior Cassidy Wade said she's upset at the school board's decision to end the tradition.

"It surely hurts. It's very odd and feels like a slap in the face," said Wade.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, it's against the law for school administrators or teachers to promote prayer. So Jackson County School Superintendent Lee Miller decided to start something new.

"The best course of action would be a moment of silence," said Miller.
/quote]


Sooooo, where the hell is the ACLU on this prayer?

Originally posted by Gannicus
Normally a left wing outfit like CBS would be trashing an all christian football team that prayed and set special play times to accommodate religion

Really? Can you find ONE instance of this? Please provide links, proof, that CBS has done this even ONCE.

I am sick of people coming on here and spreading this blatant BS and propaganda, generalized statements as though they were truth with no proof. As someone who doesnt follow an organized religion, I would love to see hyprocritical christians such as yourself skewered by the mainstream news media, but it doesnt happen.

Originally posted by Gannicus
The same media does all it can to dehumanize Christians, white people, tea party members, Republicans, conservatives and libertarians. So back to my original question, why the inconsistency?

Yes, the white conservative christian has a long history of being oppressed in America. I mean they were genocided, forced onto reservations, forced to pick cotton for their colored and native masters, and were victims of a banking system designed to keep them poor and the colored money changers on top....oh wait. No they werent, thats all the stuff they did.

Carry on with your delusional rant. People like you make me sick that I am part white.

reply to post by aching_knuckles


www.cbsnews.com...

As CBS News Correspondent Randall Pinkston reports, the town is ground zero in the battle between church and state—the town that lost the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case banning school sponsored prayer.

In June, by a 6-3 vote, the Court ruled that public school districts cannot let students lead stadium crowds in prayer before high school football games—specifically, that allowing a student to deliver a Christian prayer over the loudspeaker before kickoff violates the constitutional requirement on separation of church and state.

Nothing in this report about inspiring prayers, or diversity. Of course if these were Muslims students being kept from praying, the CBS piece would be about the Islamophobia that lead to the ban.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
Yes, the white conservative christian has a long history of being oppressed in America.

What does the history matter? We're talking about now? Wrongs of the past don't justify wrongs now. You understand that right?

I mean they were genocided, forced onto reservations, forced to pick cotton for their colored and native masters, and were victims of a banking system designed to keep them poor and the colored money changers on top....oh wait. No they werent, thats all the stuff they did.

Generalizations of a self hating white guy. Do you think being hateful and vindictive towards other people with white skin, that it somehow absolves you of the wrongs you (incorrectly) pin squarely on other white people?

People like you make me sick that I am part white.

Ditto, although I don't care so much about the color of skin. Its people like you who are obsessed with it.

reply to post by Gannicus


That article isnt negative. It is just reporting. If it were on TV, dont you think it would have been emotionalized, with music and all?

You are viewing it through your skewed lens.

Originally posted by Gannicus

Ditto, although I don't care so much about the color of skin. Its people like you who are obsessed with it.

Then why were you the first one to mention it in this thread? People like you are always the same. "Im not a racist! But these people that arent white are screwing us! Im just saying! But I dont look at the color of skin!"

Im half native american, half "white". My father was Hungarian. My native grandfather fought for the US forces in WWII. My Hungarian grandfather was conscripted by the Nazis. You dont know # about me, son, and if you were in front of me and insulted me like that youd get a punch in the lips and get choked out.

I like to think I have a world view that most people in America cant comprehend, as people like you prove time and time again. The world just revolves around you and your beliefs, there is no room for anyone else. You literally make me sick.

Originally posted by Gannicus

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
Yes, the white conservative christian has a long history of being oppressed in America.

What does the history matter? We're talking about now? Wrongs of the past don't justify wrongs now. You understand that right?

If this is true, why should any wrongs at all matter? I mean 10 years ago, 9/11 happened. But that is in the past right? Why does that wrong justify wrongs now? This muslim football teams game already happened, its in the past. WHy does it bother you now?

Jesus lived 2000 years ago. Why do you keep bringing him up? Hes in the past? Jesus lived 2000 years ago, slavery ended 150 ago. Why does your belief about something from 2000 years ago trump someones feelings from 150 years ago, or 10 years ago?

And, while we are at it, do you really believe Jesus would act and think like you? If so, I think you might have a surprise coming to you on judgement day. I remember Jesus saying to give up all your money to help your brother, I dont ever remember him saying "be hateful and bigoted to anyone who doesnt believe unto me". Maybe your pastor told you different.

Originally posted by aching_knuckles
Then why were you the first one to mention it in this thread?

I only brought it up in the context of how the media covers religion and race.

People like you are always the same. "Im not a racist! But these people that arent white are screwing us! Im just saying! But I dont look at the color of skin!"

Your problem is similar to those of the people at the Salem Witch Trials. You see witches (racists) everywhere. At no time did I complain that people of one race were making things difficult for white people. You just conjured that up in your head. I don't even believe in "race". To me, we're all just human beings. I've only brought up race, because the MSM uses it as a weapon. How can I talk about the media's race baiting without talking about race?

You dont know # about me, son, and if you were in front of me and insulted me like that youd get a punch in the lips and get choked out.

You don't know # about me either, son. People like you bug me, because you're such enormous hypocrites but are completely oblivious to it. Have you considered that maybe its YOU with the race issues? You're now threatening violence over internet posts. Take your meds.

as people like you prove time and time again. The world just revolves around you and your beliefs, there is no room for anyone else. You literally make me sick.

From my perspective, you're describing yourself here. You seem to have a set of standards that you hold other people to, but not yourself.

reply to post by Gannicus

I was pretty clear what my point was in several posts. I don't understand the inconsistent treatment of religion by the MSM and people on these forums. Anytime the MSM talks about Christians prayer (especially at school), its reported negatively. Yet, in this case the MSM is inspired by the prayer.

The negative reporting regarding on Christian prayer in school and everywhere else is a fairly recent development for this country. It is because Atheist are demanding to be recognized and treated with equal deference. That is another country with a whole other set of circumstances and salient facts and religious histories behind them. The news cannot be mechanically even handed. Things that work here do not work there. They are different people. At least I DO get what you are saying now but still think there are worse things to complain about.