NYT: Brigitte Gabriel is a "radical Islamophobe"

Cross posted from Radarsite

The New York Times Interview of Brigitte Gabriel: Political Correctness Rears Its Head

This past Sunday the New York Times magazine carried an interview with Brigitte Gabriel in advance of the release of her new book They Must Be Stopped. In what can only be described as a remarkable illustration of political correctness, Brigitte was described as a “radical Islamophobe” in the introduction. The email below was sent out yesterday by our friends at CAMERA, urging their readers to contact the New York Times in protest. We thank CAMERA for their action and encourage our members to do the same! In the August 17th New York Times Magazine, the author Brigitte Gabriel is unfairly and inaccurately labeled as a "radical Islamophobe" (page 6 Table of Contents blurb). To be a radical Islamophobe means to have an irrational fear of radical Islam/Muslims, or to be prejudiced against them. (It's not clear from the Times' phrase which word "radical" is meant to describe. I presume "radical" was meant to describe the Muslims Gabriel is supposedly irrationally afraid of, rather than Gabriel herself, since Gabriel is always very clear in her speeches to differentiate between extremists and moderates.) It's interesting that the Times' editors apparently believe that opposition to Islamic totalitarianism must by definition be irrational or arising from prejudice. Since when did it become irrational or prejudiced to oppose supremacists who scorn, harass and/or murder people for not being the "right" religion? Does the New York Times similarly label as crazy or bigoted the many Americans who oppose white supremacists? * What oh-too-clever title did the Times use for this article about a Lebanese Christian activist who opposes the spread of Islamic totalitarianism? "The Crusader." While normally calling an activist a "crusader" is a compliment, in the context of a Christian opposing Islamic totalitarianism, it inappropriately juxtaposes Gabriel's legitimate criticism of Muslim extremists with the Christian Crusaders who murdered thousands of Muslims (and Jews) in the Crusades. * Furthermore, in the interview itself, reporter Deborah Solomon posed several inappropriate questions, such as: "Are you an agent of the U.S. government?" "Are you underwritten by the C.I.A.?" "But I see that R. James Woolsey, a former director of the C.I.A., serves on the board of American Congress for Truth, your educational foundation." Apparently in Deborah Solomon's world, one must be on the U.S. government payroll to want to sound the alarm about militant Muslim supremacists. Another stunningly absurd question from Solomon: "If you are worried about death threats, why would you put a glamorous photograph of yourself on the cover of your new book?" Presumably Solomon feels that Brigitte Gabriel should wear a burka, or hide altogether, to appease the Islamists who want to kill her for speaking out against them? Why does Solomon feel it is somehow questionable for Gabriel to be "glamorous"? Earlier Complaints about Solomon from Tim Russert, Ira Glass and her own editor This is not the first time that Deborah Solomon's journalistic judgement and professionalism have been called into question. Times' Public Editor Clark Hoyt and New York Times Magazine Editor Gerald Marzorati did so themselves in a long column last year about Solomon's questionable questions and quotations. Click here to read their complaints, as well as those from Tim Russert, Ira Glass, and the current "Ann Landers." Brigitte Gabriel Links For those unfamiliar with Brigitte Gabriel's compelling life story and work, click here and here. You can also see her videos on her Web site and on http://www.youtube.com/ ACTION ITEMS Please write to the New York Times. * Write to the corrections editor and public editor. Urge the Times to publish an apology/correction regarding the inaccurate label of "radical Islamophobe" for Brigitte Gabriel. Urge the Times to also remove the inaccurate description from their Web site. Protest reporter Solomon's obvious lack of objectivity toward Gabriel and Solomon's often inappropriate questions, as well as the inflammatory title "The Crusader." corrections: nytnews@nytimes.com or call 1-888-698-6397 ombudsman or "public editor": public@nytimes.com Call NY Times Magazine editor Gerald Marzorati: 212-556-1234 * Write a letter to the magazine for publication about Brigitte Gabriel's work, militant Islam, Gabriel's description of Israel, or your thoughts on Deborah Solomon's prejudicial questions and language. Write to: magazine@nytimes.com (Be sure to include your name, address and daytime telephone number) * Please send CAMERA a blind copy of your letters: letters@camera.org The NY Times Magazine blurb and article are below. With thanks, Lee Green Director, National Letter-Writing Group http://www.camera.org/ Questions for Brigitte Gabriel The Crusader Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON The best-selling author and radical Islamophobe talks about why moderate Muslims are irrelevant, the lessons we should have learned from Lebanon and dressing like a French woman. -------------------------------------------------------- A note from Radarsite: In the last article at Radarsite about the infamous NYT, we wondered if the they could get any lower on the moral ladder. Now here they go again. This latest is beyond outrage. The loaded questions, the blatant distortion of facts and the obscenity of calling the courageous Ms. Gabriel a "radical Islamophobe" is just so far over the top that it leaves us breathless. This type of traitorous "journalism" does more damage to our ability to prosecute the GWOT than any suicide bomber could hope to do. And it must not go unchallenged. Brigitte Gabriel deserves our support. I am writing my letter right now. Will you? - rg Here's a copy of my email to the NYT magazine editors: Dear editors -- This article represents to me a new low point in what passes these days for journalism -- even for the notoriously biased and leftist NYT. To have subjected the courageous and widely-respected Ms. Gabriel to these inane or loaded questions is a disgrace to your profession. Did Ms. Solomon even bother to read Brigitte Gabriel's first book? And if she did, how in the world could she be so stupid and disrespectful? I have posted my article on this subject to my website, Radarsite and to Real Clear Politics. So far the reactions have been unqualified anger and outrage. Anger and outrage at you and at the ignorant Ms. Solomon. You are hurting this country more than you can possibly imagine. And yet you keep on. Have you no shame? Roger W. Gardner Radarsite