Wall Street Journal in support of anti-jihad ads
“Call a Terrorist a ‘Savage’? How Uncivilized”

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Despite the army of sharia enforcers in the media and the Islamic supremacist thugs, the voices in support of freedom are getting louder and louder:

"Call a Terrorist a 'Savage'? How Uncivilized" William McGurn, Wall Street Journal, October 1, 2012 10:12 pm

An anti-jihad message is 'hate speech' by today's topsy-turvy standards.

Story continues below advertisement

"In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad."

So reads an advertisement that went up a week ago in New York City
subway stations. Sponsored by Pamela Geller's American Freedom Defense
Initiative, the ads were meant to provoke, and they did. Denunciations
poured in, activists plastered "racist" and "hate speech" stickers over
the ads, and an Egyptian-American activist even got herself arrested
after spray-painting one poster pink.

Establishment opinion quickly rallied to a consensus. As the
Washington Post put it, while the words could be read as "hateful," "an
offensive ad" nonetheless has the "right to offend." A rabbi summed up
the media orthodoxy in the headline over her column for CNN: "A right to
hate speech, a duty to condemn."

Columnist Bill McGurn on the reaction to a
New York City subway ad that urges people to "support Israel" and
"defeat Jihad." (Photo: AP)

Certainly that's one way to read this ad.
Then again, most Americans probably read it the way it is written:
Israel is a civilized nation under attack from people who do savage
things in the name of jihad. Whatever the agenda of those behind this ad
might be, the question remains: What part of that statement is not
true?

Ah, but the use of the word "jihad" inherently indicts all Muslims,
say the critics. There are millions of peaceful Muslims for whom jihad
means only a spiritual quest. So why do so many people associate jihad
with murder and brutality?

Might it be because violence is so often the jihadist's calling card?
Might it be that some of these killers even incorporate the word jihad
into the name of their terror organizations, e.g., Palestinian Islamic
Jihad? That may not be the exclusive meaning of jihad, but surely it is
one meaning—and the one that New York subway riders are most likely to
bring to the word.

The same goes for "savage." Exhibit A is Oxford's online dictionary,
which defines a savage as "a brutal or vicious person." There are
innumerable Exhibit Bs, but let me invoke one of the most powerful.

This is a Reuters photo that ran on the New York Times front page for
Sept. 1, 2004. It shows an Israeli bus after it had been blown up by a
suicide bomber. Neither bloody nor gory, the photo is nonetheless deeply
disturbing, because it shows the lifeless body of a young woman hanging
out a window.

The Times news story added this detail about the reaction to that
attack. "In Gaza," ran the report, "thousands of supporters of Hamas
celebrated in the streets, and the Associated Press reported that one of
the bombers' widows hailed the attack as 'heroic' and said her
husband's soul was 'happy in heaven.' " What part of any of this is not
savage?

Two years ago, Time magazine ran a cover photo of an 18-year-old
Afghan woman whose nose and ears had been cut off by the Taliban. This
weekend, an al Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group in Kenya threw grenades
into an Anglican church, killing a 9-year-old boy attending Sunday
school. In light of these atrocities, "savage" seems profoundly
inadequate.

The point is that what makes someone a
savage is not the religion he professes. It's the actions he takes.
Notwithstanding the many Jews and Christians who have been attacked,
those bearing the brunt of this savagery are innocent Muslims who find
themselves targeted—at their mosques, in their markets, at a wedding
reception—simply because they belong to the wrong political party or
religious tradition.

The people of Libya appear to understand this better than the
president of the United States. The Libyans know that a civilized
society is one where the strong protect the weak. In July they voted for
such a future when they rejected Islamic radicals in their first free
elections since toppling the dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The Libyans'
problem is that the extremists are better armed and better organized
than their elected government, which leaves the strong free to prey upon
the weak.

Back home in America, amid all the gooey indignation about how the
subway ads are hate speech but must be defended, the idea seems to have
taken hold that the beauty of the First Amendment is that we get to
insult each other's religions. Certainly that's sometimes the price of
the First Amendment. Its glory, however, is as the cornerstone for a
self-governing, free society whose citizens know that someone saying
something disgusting about your faith is no excuse for murder.

What a curiosity our new political correctness has made of our public
spaces. Let your sex tape loose on the Internet and be rewarded with
your own TV show; photograph a crucifix in a jar of urine and our
museums will vie to exhibit it; occupy someone else's property and you
will be hailed by the president for your keen social conscience.

But call people who blow up, behead and mutilate "savage"—and polite society will find you offensive.

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Hope Forpeace
Hope Forpeace
11 years ago

In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.
Support Obama. Defeat Fundamentalist Zionist Neo-Cons.
Order your bumpersticker now!

reliapundit
reliapundit
11 years ago

HI HOPE 4 PEACE.
OBAMA ENABLED AND EMPOWERED THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD.
THEY WOULD NOT BE IN POWER WERE IT NOT FOR OBAMA.
THEY ARE NOT FOR PEACE. OR FREEDOM. OR WOMAN’S RIGHTS.
OR ANYTHING YOU BELIEVE IN IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND DEMOCRACY AND PLURALISM AND A SECULAR STATE.
SO DOING SO WAS NOT PRO-CIVILIZATION.
WAKE UP.

Chris Wolf
Chris Wolf
11 years ago

Hope is Not a Plan.
(As in the Islamic jihadists’ plan to destroy all we are and everything we have.)

GaryS
GaryS
11 years ago

Pamela,
Portland Oregon’s TriMet transit system recently began running an anti-Isreal ad, here it is: http://www.kgw.com/news/Pro-Palestinian-ad-campaign-on-TriMet-buses-spurs-controversy-171619231.html Could you put your MTA ad in Portland as well?

InfidelForLife
InfidelForLife
11 years ago

My God. I can’t believe my eyes. An INTELLIGENT article in the media?
Maybe the times they are a-changing… !

InfidelForLife
InfidelForLife
11 years ago

@Hope for peace: congratulations on spelling the word “bumpersticker” correctly. That must have caused you quite some mental strain. Have a rest now and some KoolAid.

Chris Wolf
Chris Wolf
11 years ago

You’ve been right all along, Pamela: The ads are not controversial.

Evan Kaplan
Evan Kaplan
11 years ago

Arabs are so uncivilized!

Polymath
Polymath
11 years ago

Congratulations. A ‘ civilized’, unclouded brain responds. Thank G-d!

Sujith
Sujith
11 years ago

Pam,
Here’s one way you can make your Ads unstoppable.
ADD ….”Support Israel/USA/Every civilised nation
Defeat Jihadi Savagery”
—————-
Lets face it, not everyone in USA supports Israel. That includes
the ignorant dhimmis, leftists nuts, useful ignorant idiots
paid shilllers for jihadis like the media.
Now , How can anyone who considers themselves American citizens
speak against Support to USA ? And in support of Jihadi savages ?
If they do, they stand exposed.
No court in USA can stop it.
———————
Tip : Make the Jihad in White Font for maximum clarity.
Just add blood splatters within the words “jihadi Savagery” .
Or Go one step further add a knife with blood pictured within the
words ….or next to it.
In fact make the All Letters in White to make them stand out.

Life by the Drop
Life by the Drop
11 years ago

I think the ads are exposing the savages just fine the way they are.
the last part of the article says it all in my opinion:
“What a curiosity our new political correctness has made of our public spaces. Let your sex tape loose on the Internet and be rewarded with your own TV show; photograph a crucifix in a jar of urine and our museums will vie to exhibit it; occupy someone else’s property and you will be hailed by the president for your keen social conscience.
But call people who blow up, behead and mutilate “savage”—and polite society will find you offensive.”

Dsinc
Dsinc
11 years ago

Bill McGurn, a brilliant article in the Wall Street Journal. This is how the MSM should be responding to the assaults on our freedom. Thanks Bill.

BobbyandPeg1976
BobbyandPeg1976
11 years ago

Leave my amendment right alone. Stop bowing to the murderous muslims instead, stand up for the rights of all Americans. Obama is a muslim, he will protect the savage because it is his duty as a muslim to do so. I will continue to protect the Constitution of the United States, even though the Representatives in Washington do not.

Madeleine
Madeleine
11 years ago

The article was clear and his reporting accurate. It’s what we are all supposed to expect from journalists and the MSM. Cut the article out and keep it, it’s something I fear is losing it’s honor and dignity.
Most rags I read, or News shows I watch, are nothing but bogus reporters, reporting their spin. Shame on them to take the road most traveled. How weak, how utterly cowardice!

sheik yer'mami
sheik yer'mami
11 years ago

“There are millions of peaceful Muslims for whom jihad means only a spiritual quest. So why do so many people associate jihad with murder and brutality?”
First of all, there is no spirituality in Islam.
So how do we know that there a millions of peaceful muslims for whom jihad means something other than what the ideology teaches?

Najis Kuffar
Najis Kuffar
11 years ago

The eventual logical consequence of criminalizing criticism of Mohammed is that the mere existence of all other religions will become blasphemous.
Mohammed is worshipped as ‘The Perfect Man’ and the last and best of the prophets. So to believe in the superiority of any other religion is to imply that he was none of these things, with the further implications that he was either deluded, or was deliberately deluding his followers – in other words a fraud and conman. This, of course, is the ultimate blasphemy as far as Muslims are concerned, as it renders their entire religion worthless.
Consequently, the outlawing of criticism of Mohammed is the first step towards outlawing all competing religions, as we see in Pakistan.

Florida Infidel
Florida Infidel
11 years ago

Outstanding article from the WSJ! Finally, a small bit of common sense in the media.

shweegamutti
shweegamutti
11 years ago

When words speak the truth and there is a severe blow back, you know you are doing something right! Thank you and keep up the difficult work of exposing the truth, which nowadays is a difficult task that should not be. Shine the light wherever you can to disinfect the cockroaches.
Please, let’s remember the ignorant among us are here as planned due to the deliberate removal of our history and truths. Forgive them for they know not what they believe in. It is up to ALL of us to continue (as difficult and frustrating as it is) to educate.

Brandy
Brandy
11 years ago

Finally!! Great article. Let’s see if it gets any traction.

Brandy
Brandy
11 years ago

I added my two cents over there too. Have to give them thumbs up when they do right.

Hannah Westcoast
Hannah Westcoast
11 years ago

Bravo Wall Street Journal. I had given up any hope for any newspaper that would have a backbone.

James Smith
James Smith
11 years ago

Bill McGurn — Nice Article!

Canadianna
Canadianna
11 years ago

Finally, a sensible article coming from the MSM. Bobby and Peg, I agree with you.
Obama is a muslim. In view of the significant exposure he’s had to this ideology, it is impossible to believe otherwise. He may portray himself as a Christian (taqiya), but in reality he identifies with the muslim. Think about it. This guy speaks with more passion for this religion than he does for any other. What else could it possibly mean? Look at his behavior, and how he has consistently elevated islam throughout his presidency. How he has allowed infiltration in every government department. Something is deeply sick with this picture.
Thank God for people like Pamela Geller, who stand up for the truth.

Urban Infidel
Urban Infidel
11 years ago

Hillary Clinton called the Libyan terrorists ‘savages’ after the attack on the US Consulate. I guess the mainstream media must have missed that one.

Bob W
Bob W
11 years ago

Well written.. there have been so many incidents of savage acts going on it boggles the mind, and guess what folks, some of these savages are not Muslim. However I must say the Muslim savages who cloak themselves under the word jihad, and commit murder are IMO the most insane of the lot. Blowing one’s self up under jihad is an act of insanity driven by insane Islamic clerics. Our ‘peaceful’ Muslim brothers and sisters should be far more concerned with the insane savage behavor that has gripped their religion, than some film or subway ad. People in America do ‘get it’… it’s only the media, and some fools in the White House that don’t. Now I just heard there was a ‘leak’ that Obama may be planning some attack. Seems his reelection team may have lit the fire the embassey deaths did not.

Janice
Janice
11 years ago

Just goes to show that the answer to bad speech is more and better speech. Whatever you think about the ad and the content, it’s got people talking (even if it’s that evangelical guy saying “Stop talking” – sheesh).
If we all keep talking about these things, they can’t hide in shadow or be twisted. People will at least be aware that there is a problem out there that MSM is ignoring!

Tony Bamber 66 Greenbank St Preston Lancs
Tony Bamber 66 Greenbank St Preston Lancs
11 years ago

Love you Pam you are a civilised person and I support you. We should all fight the religion of “……..”

Laura
Laura
11 years ago

Excellent article.

Person of the Book
Person of the Book
11 years ago

The First Amendment provides a way for us to “talk it out”, so that we don’t resort to “fighting it out”. And we can talk individually, or we can talk via publication (i.e. the subway and bus ads).
Also, by being able to talk it out, everybody gets the opportunity to talk, not just the “strong”.
Also, by being able to talk it out, information can get out about the bad things that some people are doing, which helps to keep that bad in check.
We should all be suspicious of those who want to silence free speech.

Sarastro
Sarastro
11 years ago

The ads are not hate speech, they are the truth. But I do hate Islam and everything it stands for, so I am a proud Islamophobe, why should we shrink from owning up to this name? It is a noble name and everyonw who knows an iota about Islam must be an Islamophobe.

Kufar Dawg
Kufar Dawg
11 years ago

Innocent scuzzlums, like innocent nazis is a concept without validity.

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