In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Ask Your Local Newspaper Editor to Follow the News & Record’s Lead in Saying ‘No’ to Obsession
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Sept. 17, 2008 – MAS Freedom (MASF), the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), commends Greensboro, N.C. News & Record editor, John Robinson for going ‘on the record’ through his blog in affirming the publisher’s decision to take a principled stand against distribution of the inflammatory DVD “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West”.
Although the New York Times, and publications in Miami, Philadelphia, Denver and Pittsburg participated in the Clarion Fund supported distribution of an estimated 28 million copies of the “Obsession” DVD in newspapers, magazines and direct mailing campaigns primarily targeting “swing” election states, the Greensboro News & Record declined to accept potential advertising revenue for distribution of the DVD stating that the film was “divisive, plays on people’s fears and serve[s] no educational purpose.”
The Editor & Publisher reported on Monday that, “an article at the group’s site, www.radicalislam.org, all but endorsed John McCain this past week, then was pulled down.”
“I am disappointed that Senator John McCain, who has always gone to such great lengths in the past to present himself as a straight-shooter, would not denounce the kind of Islam-bashing the nation witnessed this past weekend with the mass distribution of a film presenting an inflammatory view of the Islamic faith – a strategically constructed action orchestrated to propagate distrust and further divide the nation as Election 2008 heads into the back stretch,” stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.
Bray added, “But then again, as the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen points out in his aptly titled article, “The Ugly New McCain” – apparently neither the Republican Party nor its candidate are adhering to any semblance of integrity these days,” stated Mahdi Bray.
Robinson, in following up his original September 14 blog post added, “I wasn’t in on the decision so I can’t take the credit for it, although I believe it was the right one. As one editor told me on Twitter, the News & Record probably wasn’t the only newspaper that turned down the distribution of the DVD; we were just the only one to write about it.”
“As I’ve said on other occasions about news decisions, just because you can publish doesn’t mean you should,” Robinson concluded. Words of wisdom Raleigh News & Observer publisher Orage Quarles III might have heeded before authorizing the DVD’s distribution, comparing it to ‘harmless household samples’.
The News & Observer, owned by the struggling McClatchy news chain – reportedly suffering from plummeting advertising revenues – appears to now be auctioning off its journalistic integrity to the highest bidder.
In call for fair and balanced journalism and publishing practices, MAS Freedom-NC held news conferences in Raleigh, Charlotte and Ashville, on September 14 to announce that Bridges Media Group has agreed to donate 160,000 copies of a DVD portraying an authentic view of Islam that MAS Freedom-NC will be submitted to the News & Observer for distribution.
“We are asking you to join our effort to suppress the right-wing mandate to destroy Islamic credibility and disrupt the lives of Muslims who reside in this country. Contact your newspaper and ask them to follow the lead taken by Greensboro’s News & Record in taking a principled stand against distribution of the inflammatory DVD “Obsession”, stated MAS Freedom-NC Director, Khalilah Sabra.
Bray added, “And take a few minutes today to contact the Greensboro News & Record’s editor, John Robinson, asking him to let the publisher know you appreciate the paper’s position in standing by the principle, ‘Just because you can publish doesn’t mean you should’.”
If YOUR local newspaper has refused to distribute the “Obsession” DVD contact MAS Freedom and let us know by dialing at (202) 522-7417 or toll-free at 1-888-627-8471, or by email mas.freedom AT yahoo DOT com.
————————————————————-
MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational organization in America – with 55 chapters in 35 states. Learn more here – to donate click here.
————————————————————-
MAS Freedom
1325 G Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 552-7414
Toll Free: 1-(888)-627-8471
Fax: (703) 642-6191
