An Open Letter to O'Reilly
Posted by Mufti Admin on Monday, November 1, 2010
Under: Statement
October 17, 2010
Bill O' Reilly
The O'Reilly Factor
Fox News
Dear Mr. O'Reilly:
We are writing to you to express our alarm and disappointment at your public statements about Muslims.
We were shocked and dismayed to hear you say that "Muslims killed us on 9 11".
We thought that you have uttered those words in the heat of argument with your TV hosts. But you have continued to show both recklessness and insensitivity to Muslims and especially American Muslims. You have also put your credibility on line as a well-known media-person.
You must be aware of the growing tide of Islamophobia and attacks on mosques and Muslims including women and children all across America. You must also be aware of the recently completed study by the Ohio State University that concluded that Fox news coverage of Project 51 has contributed to the confusion about the subject.
You are certainly aware that many Muslims were killed in the World Trade Towers on 9 11 during the terrorist attacks. Does your heart not go out to their families?
You must be aware that Muslims all over the world and their governments expressed solidarity and sympathy with us, Americans, on 9 11. Muslims all over the world themselves have been the victims of Al-Qaida and its allies.
You must be aware that Muslims have been living in this country for generations. They built this country with their slave labor and have continued to contribute to its progress prosperity and security. Why should they abdicate their fundamental rights as American citizens because a small group of deviant and deranged people who were born in their faith and who were foreigners and who have killed thousands of Muslims worldwide chose to attack the US?
To equate 9 11 with Pearl harbor should be an insult to your journalistic training and intelligence. The country of Japan and its government attacked Hawai, neither Islam nor any of its mainstream organization nor a Muslim country attacked us on 9 11. And what has the American Muslims got to do with the 9 11 terrorist attacks?
The largest symbolic attack on us was when the British army attacked the White House and set it on fire. The English king headed both the English army and the Church of England. Yet a short distance from the white house stands the Episcopalian church!
Mr. O'Reilly your stand not only endangers American Muslim lives but it undermines the American constitution and American way of life. It is an affront not only to Muslim Americans but all decent Americans and is an insult to the memories of our founding fathers and the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have given their lives to secure and maintain America's freedom.
We urge you to publicly retract and apologize for you above mentioned statements.
Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely,
Seemi Ahmed
Muslim Peace Coalition
In : Statement