[ April 19, 2024 ]
Robert Spencer eviscerates yet another mainstream media attack on our ads. You can tell by the frenzy that these ads arouse in leftist journalists that they are effective, truthful, and hitting right where they ought to hit.
“Gawker laments AFDI’s legal victories for the freedom of speech,” by Robert Spencer, Jihad Watch, April 27, 2015:
Story continues below advertisement
This article actually provides a helpful overview of the many freedom of speech victories we have won in U.S. courts, rolling back unconstitutional restrictions on speech and attempts to restrict the freedom of speech only to the anti-Israel, pro-jihad Left. But Hannah Block-Wehba is crestfallen by these victories, not recognizing that a victory for the freedom of speech is a victory for everyone all across the political spectrum; instead, she laments that “a downright weird amount of First Amendment litigation is being brought by an organization that fights only for the right to say disparaging things about Muslims.”
Why exposing uncomfortable and unwelcome truths about the jihad threat is “to say disparaging things about Muslims” rather than “to expose the elements of Islamic theology that jihadis use to justify violence and supremacism” and “to challenge Muslims of good will to affect genuine reform,” she does not explain.
More below.
“How New York City Buses Are Becoming Vehicles for Hateful Speech,” by Hannah Bloch-Wehba, Gawker, April 27, 2015:
Last week, the federal courts chalked up another victory for the defense of American freedom—or, rather, for the American Freedom Defense Initiative. Judge John Koeltl of the Southern District of New York ruled that the MTA must display an advertisement known as “the ‘Killing Jews’ advertisement.”
“Killing Jews” (the court’s abbreviation, not mine) is a response to an ad campaign run by the Council on American-Islamic Relations about the concept of “lesser jihad.” As part of its #MyJihad ad campaign to “take back Islam from Muslim and anti-Muslim Extremists Alike,” that group ran a series of ads attempting to promote tolerance and understanding of the concept of “jihad,” or “struggle.” In response, the American Freedom Defense Initiative developed a series of ads with quotes from Islamic extremists, including the one from “Hamas MTV” at issue in the most recent case: “Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah.” MTA refused to run the ad, and the group sued.
At least Bloch-Wehba acknowledges that the quote is genuine, while other mainstream media reports have assumed, or disingenuously claimed, that it was a “parody.” But she does so off-handedly and in passing, noting that the series of which this one is part feature “quotes from Islamic extremists.” She never stops to ponder the implications of that fact, or to consider the possibility that to shed light on such statements might not be intending to disparage Muslims or anyone, but to increase people’s general awareness of the nature and magnitude of the threat we face.
The “Killing Jews” case is the latest result of a flurry of litigation activity from the American Freedom Defense Initiative, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and individual rights under the law.” Judging by its lively federal court docket, the organization takes its responsibility to exercise its free speech rights very seriously: this is its third suit against the MTA and its ninth against a transit authority.
In practice, the group—which is run by Pamela Geller, a right-wing activist—is largely devoted to creating incendiary ads for display on public transportation, then litigating when transit authorities shy away from accepting the ads. “Killing Jews” thus joins the pantheon of offensive advertising that the group has placed on public transit around the country, teaching everybody an important lesson about the First Amendment and causing innocent commuters’ eyes to bleed. Beyond their utility at getting travelers from point A to point B, Geller has noted that “[Buses] are a very effective form of advertising,” adding, “I like the bus purely as a marketing vehicle.”
“Incendiary”…”offensive”…”causing innocent commuters’ eyes to bleed.” According to whom? Hannah Bloch-Wehba, and those in power. But the charges, for all the bleating repetition with which they’re made, remain unproven. Only one perspective is allowed in Gawker and the mainstream media in general, but that doesn’t make it any more true.
…This is the organization’s third victory against the MTA. The first was a bit anticlimactic: in 2010, it bought space for its “Original Ground Zero Mosque Bus Advertisement” from the MTA. This ad “has at one side a picture of the Twin Towers aflame with a plane headed toward them. On the opposite side of the banner is a tower with a crescent moon and star. The text between the two buildings is: ‘Why There?’” MTA’s ad agent, CBS Outdoor, rejected the ad. After the Initiative sued, MTA backed down, ran the ad, and the group dismissed its lawsuit.
In 2011, it came back to MTA with its “Savages” ad. The ad read: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. / Support Israel / Defeat Jihad.” The MTA again rejected the ad, this time on the basis that it was “demeaning,” and the group again sued. (It’s worth noting that until this episode, the MTA had a lackadaisical approach to advertisers: it had never before rejected an ad as demeaning, which explains why the letter from Isabel to Dr. Zizmor continues to run, year after year.) The court applied the most exacting level of First Amendment scrutiny—“strict in theory, fatal in fact”—to hold that MTA’s bar on “demeaning” speech violated the First Amendment. Another win for freedom!
To whom was this ad demeaning? Leftists and Islamic supremacists claimed it was demeaning to all Muslims, but that was only true if every Muslim supported the savage jihad against Israel — the murder of civilians, the passing-out of candy to celebrate those murders, etc. We made this point again and again at the time, but it was always brushed aside, as it didn’t fit the mainstream media narrative.
Though known for its libertine ways, the MTA is by no means the only transportation authority in the country that’s been saddled with these ads. The group also successfully sued the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in 2012 for the right to run the “Savages” ad. And in March of this year, it prevailed against the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in federal court in Philadelphia, winning the right to run another, separate, advertisement displaying a picture of Hitler meeting Haj Amin al-Husseini and advocating an end to U.S. aid to “Islamic countries.”
Why does Hannah Bloch-Wehba put “Islamic countries” in sneer quotes, as if there really aren’t any such things? Has she never heard of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan? Does she think the Kingdom of the Two Holy Places refers to the Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral?
…Also, a downright weird amount of First Amendment litigation is being brought by an organization that fights only for the right to say disparaging things about Muslims. So there you go.
No, what is downright weird is that Bloch-Wehba and her colleagues believe that telling unwelcome and unpopular truths disparages anyone.
The Truth Must be Told
Your contribution supports independent journalism
Please take a moment to consider this. Now, more than ever, people are reading Geller Report for news they won't get anywhere else. But advertising revenues have all but disappeared. Google Adsense is the online advertising monopoly and they have banned us. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter have blocked and shadow-banned our accounts. But we won't put up a paywall. Because never has the free world needed independent journalism more.
Everyone who reads our reporting knows the Geller Report covers the news the media won't. We cannot do our ground-breaking report without your support. We must continue to report on the global jihad and the left's war on freedom. Our readers’ contributions make that possible.
Geller Report's independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our work is critical in the fight for freedom and because it is your fight, too.
Please contribute here.
or
Make a monthly commitment to support The Geller Report – choose the option that suits you best.
Quick note: We cannot do this without your support. Fact. Our work is made possible by you and only you. We receive no grants, government handouts, or major funding.Tech giants are shutting us down. You know this. Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Adsense, Pinterest permanently banned us. Facebook, Google search et al have shadow-banned, suspended and deleted us from your news feeds. They are disappearing us. But we are here.
Subscribe to Geller Report newsletter here— it’s free and it’s essential NOW when informed decision making and opinion is essential to America's survival. Share our posts on your social channels and with your email contacts. Fight the great fight.
Follow Pamela Geller on Gettr. I am there. click here.
Follow Pamela Geller on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social. It's open and free.
Remember, YOU make the work possible. If you can, please contribute to Geller Report.
Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spammy or unhelpful, click the - symbol under the comment to let us know. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
If you would like to join the conversation, but don't have an account, you can sign up for one right here.
If you are having problems leaving a comment, it's likely because you are using an ad blocker, something that break ads, of course, but also breaks the comments section of our site. If you are using an ad blocker, and would like to share your thoughts, please disable your ad blocker. We look forward to seeing your comments below.
20 Comments
8 years ago
I guess she doesn’t believe in Free Press/National Security when it doesn’t conform with her ideology.
“Hannah Bloch-Wehba is the first Stanton Foundation Free Press/National Security Legal fellow at the Reporters Committee. She will spend the two-year fellowship working on issues related to national security, privacy, and free expression.”
8 years ago
Great piece Pamela….. you sure show up Bloch-Wheba. You’re the real journalist…. Wheba comes across as an unethical, POS poseur beside you.
8 years ago
Reply to
cdnmohamhater
For copying and pasting something written by her attack dog?
Right. JOURNALISM!
There was a lot of whining, but Spencer couldn’t actually refute anything Bloch-Wehba wrote.
And Gawker is now “Mainstream Media”?
8 years ago
Reply to
HeGG
Nothing Bloch-Wehba wrote made any sense whatsoever. Her contention that speech she doesn’t like isn’t covered by the first amendment is stunning. And you’re stunned, HeGG
8 years ago
Keep up the great work
8 years ago
Keep up the good fight, Robert and Pamela. The West needs to wake up before it’s too late.
Don’t want to sound like a harbinger of doom, but if too few people are made aware of the Muslim threat to the civilized world then it WILL be too late sooner than most of us think.
8 years ago
Nice resume. This is exactly what we need.
Here in Britain we don’t have this First Amendment and although speech is supposed to be free in our country, Muslims and the henchmen in media, councils, police and government go through hoops to justify defence of Islam.
Amazingly, although the situation seems bad right now it was even worse a few years back when cultural differences were almost what defined the narrative.
As example a Muslim mayor in the London district of Tower Hamlets has just been deposed.
His name is Lutfur Rahman and he was basically running the place as a virtual Bangladeshi enclave.
Interestingly, the police harried not the Muslim corrupt law breakers but the four who mounted the private prosecution.
It has been well noted and this will not go away.
However people at last are taking note.
Our patience is running thin.
8 years ago
Reply to
logdon
I feel sick for you guys. Please, don’t give up. You know you’re right in fighting this evil. We need you.
Love, America. 🙂
8 years ago
Reply to
JacktheRipper
Thankyou JtR. Much appreciated.
It’s a hard struggle especially when the Muslim supporting cultural marxists have infiltrated the system.
However as day follows night they are being rumbled and the pushback is growing.
There’s an air of turmoil as our General Election grows closer but at least that’s better than blind apathy.
8 years ago
Gawker is trash and has a long history of antisemitism. Goes back years.
8 years ago
I covered the NY Times annual meeting in 2007, as an internet journalist (I own one share of their stock). Gawker wrote a misleading and malicious post about the things I said during the open to the public question and answer period. And I didn’t even say anything aggressively critical of the Times, but said some politely critical of them.
8 years ago
Is it just me people, or does it look to you that the media and politicians break their pens propagandizing for the religion of murder? It’s astounding the nonsense that comes out of their mouths in defense of this death cult. It’s both embarrassing and maddening, the degree to which they grovel to please this dirty dog. My opinion, these leftist sympathizers brand themselves traitors to freedom and good morals. They are the “Julius Streicher” of our day–Google it.
There’s a reason Pam’s winning the 1st amendment war: Morally and legally she’s right. The day she stops winning is the day America needs to load and cock their boom sticks.
8 years ago
Reply to
JacktheRipper
If they want death so badly, lets give it to them. I am ready, willing and able. The Afgani will attest to that!
8 years ago
This how the Islamists and their fellow travellers work. Their aim is to shut down ALL criticism of Islam however vilely it behaves. If they want to counteract so called ‘islamophobia’ they should mobilise themselves and protest loudly against the evils of jihad and the caliphate. They won’t though because IS has too much ‘moral’ support throughout the umma. It is like Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, spies and informers are everywhere and their fellow Muslims will denounce them as apostates.
You all know, even the pro Islam types, what happens to them!!
8 years ago
It amazes me that these morons assume you are disparaging muslims. THEY are the ones who keep coming to the conclusion that you are talking about muslims. No one can help it that terrorists are saying they are muslim. OK, so you did your research to find it why they think this behavior is in the quran. And oops, they’re right.. It is! The ads are only proof of what you found or what terrorists “true beliefs” are. They also prove who the terrorists and their supporters are. After all, who made the quotes?
If the terrorists were claiming to be Catholic and you put up ads, no one would utter a peep, including most Catholics. I sure wouldn’t, because I would know you weren’t talking about me. But then again, Catholics know we’ve had a whole bunch of crazies up top almost since the beginning. See? We can admit to it. When was the last time you heard a muslim admitting to anything like that?
The archbishop of San Francisco has caught far more heat proportionally speaking than the terrorists have. So has a local parish pastor for his antics.. And both these guys deserve the heat they’re getting.
8 years ago
The truth is simply that our so-called media has turned a blind eye to reality. Those who report have disabled themselves from recognizing and reporting the obvious out there. While not all believers who follow Islam are extremists, the extremists have taken control of that belief system, and the silent majority, if one exists, are powerless to do anything about it. Don’t they recognize that these extremists wrongly but actually believe that their destiny is a Jihad (war) against the non-Muslims of this world. Yet; our media seems to ignore the actual horror the extremists are creating and the fact that they will continue their obscene ways of violence against the non-Muslim world. History is repeating itself, as the conduct of these Islamic extremists mirrors the conduct of the Nazi’s and other world events of the past. Our media, and I must add to that those leaders of our country today, are, from my perception, ignoring the facts that exist out there, which I see as cowardice. It is people like Pamela Geller who willingly place the truth out there for all to see, in the hope that our leaders will accept that truth and actively change this present horrific course of history. No cowardice from her and her colleagues. Keep it up. Maybe our leaders and our people we see the truth before it is too late.
8 years ago
That woman is just another mainstream media sicko! Sooner or later she will get what she deserves!
8 years ago
Wehba is a moslem name and this person was obviously multiculturally enriched to the point where she has her suicide vest ready and only waiting for the signal.
8 years ago
Pam, now I am begining to look around and WATCH any muslim I see. Who knows WHAT these obama-loving idiots will do next! Nothing evil while on MY watch. Obama, you will be ____ next time you F-up, I promise. Enough of your hatred of America. LOVE IT, OR LEAVE IT!
