Cops Forced to Rescue Egyptian Passersby from Hostile Wingnuts at Islamophobic Ground Zero Protests

[marmar]

from AlterNet:



Posted by Joshua Holland at 1:20 pm
June 9, 2010

Cops Forced to Rescue Egyptian Passersby from Hostile Wingnuts as Islamophobic Ground Zero Protests Turn Ugly


The North Bergen Record brings us the worst people in the world (via) …

As a hot, humid wind blew off New York Harbor, Mitzner joined some 500 others to stir up a rhetorical whirlwind of protest against a proposal to build a mosque and Islamic cultural center near the site of America’s bloodiest terror attack.

Unfortunately, this is what Ground Zero has now become — a scene of protests. (...)

Indeed, in tone and in the personalities it attracted, Sunday’s rally was far different from the many Ground Zero gatherings and memorial services of recent years.

Only a handful of victims’ relatives came on Sunday.

Sunday’s crowd included representatives of the conservative Tea Party movement, some of them wearing anti-tax T-shirts that had nothing to do with Ground Zero, Islam or terrorism.

“We must take a stand and we must say no,” shouted rally organizer Pamela Geller as the crowd roared approval. Moments later, another keynote speaker, Robert Spencer, sparked more cheers when he asked, “Are you tired of being lied to?”

Spencer, however, did not explain precisely what lies he was referring to. (...)

At one point, a portion of the crowd menacingly surrounded two Egyptian men who were speaking Arabic and were thought to be Muslims.

“Go home,” several shouted from the crowd.

“Get out,” others shouted.

In fact, the two men – Joseph Nassralla and Karam El Masry — were not Muslims at all. They turned out to be Egyptian Coptic Christians who work for a California-based Christian satellite TV station called “The Way.” Both said they had come to protest the mosque.

“I’m a Christian,” Nassralla shouted to the crowd, his eyes bulging and beads of sweat rolling down his face.

But it was no use. The protesters had become so angry at what they thought were Muslims that New York City police officers had to rush in and pull Nassralla and El Masry to safety.

“I flew nine hours in an airplane to come here,” a frustrated Nassralla said afterward.

The incident underscores how contentious — and, perhaps, how irrational — the debate over the mosque has become.

Perhaps irrational?

What assholes.


http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/06/09/islamophobic-ground-zero-protests-turn-ugly-passersby-harrassed-by-hostile-wingnuts/

[xchrom]

1. they weren't passersby -- they were there to participate in protesting the mosque.

the irony here overfloweth.

religious bigotry
racial bigotry
and the stupidity of not knowing who your friends are.

[Chulanowa]

2. It's not "debate over a mosque"

It's simply an anti-Muslim Fred Phelps-style bullshit party. But since Muslims and Arabs are the target, the media pulls its punches.

"I'm a Christian!" - I watched Agora last night. The Alexandrian prefect shouts this to a mob out for his blood, just before one of the good Christians howling for his death cracks his head open with a rock.

[annabanana]

4. Yup and Yup. .You'd think that not a single Muslim

died on 9/11. .

Ignorance run rampant is an ugly ugly thing.

[sabrina 1]

3. 'Contentious'? I would it call it ugly racism aimed innocent

people. It's okay to be a bigot if the bigotry is aimed at Muslims. It is getting uglier and uglier and our Congress, Democrats, are fueling these fires.

I just read that Democrats with Rep. Brad Sherman leading the way, are demanding that any American who participated in the humanitarian effort to break the Palestinian blockade, be prosecuted as 'having terrorist ties'. They are also demanding that the other 700 foreigners be barred forever from entering the U.S.

When the Bush administration started calling peace activists anti-American etc. the left was outraged at the dangerous precedent being set. But who ever thought it would Democrats who would actually demand the arrest of reputable people under these horrendous laws?

Never mind that the entire rest of the world has condemned Israel. This is why we now have innocent people being attacked on the street, because our government is encouraging it.

Shameful.

[Chulanowa]

6. You make an interesting point here

"When the Bush administration started calling peace activists anti-American etc. the left was outraged"

So... where are they now? There's you and I, but how about the rest? Why do I only hear crickets?

[sabrina 1]

12. Yes, where are they? There are still many people obviously

who feel the same way whether it is a Democrat or Republican violating people's rights. But if a Republican had made the demands now being made by Brad Sherman and other Democrats for the prosecution of those Americans and the banning for life of the other humanitarians who care so deeply about human rights, this board would be lit up with OPs slamming them and railing against the use of terror laws against peaceful protestors.

So, you have to question the sincerity of those who have different standard regarding our rights, when they can be abandoned based on personal idealogy.

[Chulanowa]

18. Well, while you have a point there

I was wondering where hte outraged masses are when it's "them" instead of "us" - treating Quakers as enemies of the state is reprehensible, and we protest and argue and demand inquiries. But when Muslims are treated this way? Silence. Dead air.

[sabrina 1]

20. Yes, I agree. I have been railing about how permission was

given to once again demonize a whole group of people by our government, since 9/11. But that is why I mentioned Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman's latest demands of the DOJ to prosecute Americans who participated in the humanitarian Flotilla where nine people were killed, claiming that THEY have 'terrorist ties'. This is once again, and coming from Democrats, an outrageous display of bigotry based on nothing, but using the already existing bigotry against Muslims, to gather support for his outrageous and imo, dangerous allegations.

If Muslims had not been so successfully demonized already, and if those murdered had been Europeans instead of Turks (they could be mistaken by the ignorant for 'ragheads') he would not have dared to try this. He is counting on the bigotry let loose by our government to get support for his disgraceful attempt to distract from the real crime and the killing of an American citizen.

I would have expected this of Republicans, but these are Democrats. I am so disgusted by what has become of this party to be honest. Going after peace activists under the terrorist act, even Bush wasn't this blatant.

It just dawned on my, you may not know what I am referring to. Here is an article about it which should help:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/06/08-12#comment-1528181

[frylock]

11. read the article again..

these weren't innocent bystanders. these two were there to protest the mosque as well.

[sabrina 1]

13. They were innocent of the 'crime' of being Muslim.

Aside from that, I was referring to the growing anti-Muslim sentiment in this country today where many decent Muslims live in fear.

Regardless of why those two were there, they were attacked for 'not looking American' and even worse, for looking Muslim'. The fact they had to shout 'I am a Christian' is particularly disturbing as they recognize that people are safe only if they belong to the right religion or ethnic group. I hope they learned a lesson about who they chose to associate with from this.

[frylock]

14. has the irony escaped you?

forgive me if i don't feel any sympathy for these "victims" whatsoever. lie down with bigots...

[alphafemale]

15. It is ironic. But I feel bad for them anyway.

Hopefully, they'll wake the fuck up now.

[frylock]

16. i hope they've learned something as well

[sabrina 1]

17. I didn't say I felt sympathy for them. They are not the issue really

The issue is the bigotry towards Muslims, even if they were imaginary Muslims, is what is important about this.

And yes, it was ironic that they chose to align themselves with such bigots and became themselves, the targets of the ugliness. Which is why I said I hope they learn something about who they chose to associate with from this.

[Echo In Light]

5. Oh, those nutty OCTers and their prejudice-justifying Belief Systems!

[IcyPeas]

7. Keith O. had this story on his show last night...

He said they were Coptic Christians:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copt

[pinboy3niner]

8. What it reveals is what the protest is REALLY about

Ironically, the victims of the protesters' racial profiling were two of their FELLOW Christian protesters.

[Geek_Girl]

9. I think this supports the theory that the Teabagger movement is more about racism than anything else

nt

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. Wow... Not only are they bigots --

but stupid bigots, to boot.

[Incitatus]

21. Is there any other kind? nt

[Hugabear]

19. These same assholes are the first to whine about "persecution" against Christians

These same wingnuts love to scream about how poor Christians are being persecuted all over the United States. They deliberately set up situations knowing full well the result. For instance, leading prayers before class, setting up overtly religious displays on government property, etc. When the inevitable happens, they start screaming that their beliefs are being persecuted.

Yet these same people have absolutely no problem ridiculing and persecuting anyone with different beliefs.

[Scurrilous]

22. K & R

:thumbsup: