The Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel's religious agenda.

Tis the season.  It's that time of year again, when the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel will write glowing articles about how various religions -  especially  the Muslim faith - celebrate their various traditions.  Oh, there will be an obligatory article or two about  the Christian celebration of Christmas, and maybe even a picture as we get closer to December 25th.    But yet, the Journal/Sentinel will be hesitant or may not even use the word "Christmas" in it's reporting.   (It's got to be called a  "holiday" or we risk offending someone!)    The same attempts to disregard aspects of certain faiths cannot be said about stories on Muslims and their celebrations.  Recently, while perusing the usual liberally-biased garbage that masquerades as news in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel (11/28/09), I came across the following story on the Muslim celebration of "Eid al-Adha." 

The headline read:

"Islamic community celebrates festival of sacrifice - Imam calls for standing up against extremism." - by Mark Johnson

Wow!   I was surprised.  This article caught me off-guard.  Oh, I expected the slobbering over the Islamic community celebration, but not a write up on an Imam who was finally speaking out against Islamic terrorists that wish to kill all those who do not follow their beliefs!  Does that ever happen?   Where did the Journal/Sentinel find this guy?  He's got guts.  But then, I read the entire story.  Here's what I discovered (some of the paragraphs are reprinted from Johnson's article):

The story began with a description of  a Muslim event that celebrated  "Eid al-Adha" - being held at the Wisconsin Exposition Hall at State Fair Park.  (Wonder how this would have been reported if Christians had assembled to pray?  There probably would have been outrage over using a public facility to worship God!)  The reporter even printed a prayer that the Muslims recited during this service:

"God is Great.  There is nothing worthy of worship except God.  God is great.  And for God is all praise."

We were also told how the men and women were decked out in colorful Muslim garb, men and boys at the front, women and girls toward the back (where are those feminists when you need 'em?).  

Prior to the ceremony, the Imam - Ziad Hamdan greeted people, shaking hands. The assembly then prayed and Imam Hamdan began his sermon.  He spoke about how men were not supposed to "abuse their wives with words or actions." He also told Muslims to be good to the poor and needy.   Good messages all around... 

(I was still waiting for the admonishment against Muslim extremists.)

Imam Ziad Hamdan then spoke about the negative image associated with their religion.  (I think it's coming!)  He blamed this negative image on the violent actions of Muslim extremists who try to justify crimes against Muslims and non-Muslims by tying them into the teachings of Mohammed.  He blamed also what he called a "campaign of hate" against Muslims by some non-Muslims.  Hamdan called on Muslims "to stand up against the extremist Muslims and the hate-mongers."  The Imam also called upon President Barack Obama to work against the harassment of Muslims in this country."

Huh?  I guess if you blinked you would have missed it.  Pray tell, one sentence in which the Imam criticizes both Muslim extremists and those who aren't "full of love" towards them is a call to stand up against extremism?  Seems the Imam spent more time attacking those who question this "religion of peace" that DOES have very violent aspects to it.  Our country discovered this fact on 9/11 and most recently at Fort Hood, Texas.  And lest we forget who we are currently fighting in the Middle East.

Given that Muslims are 2.11% of the entire United States population with only 26 mosques in the entire state of Wisconsin (from IslamiCity.com),  and that  76% of Wisconsinites say they are Christians , why does the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel feel it must give special attention to the Muslim faith?  I also find it curious that they attempt to mislead readers with the headline:  "Imam calls for standing up against extremism."   Where was this call? One sentence in which the Imam speaks out against Muslim extremists and those who hold them in contempt?  Believe me, if the Imam had been truly vocal about speaking out against Islamic terrorists, his words would have been printed in their entirety in the paper.   Journalists don't even bother going to mosques after events like the terrorist attack at Fort Hood to interview Imams - because it is difficult to find Imam's willing to condemn such actions.   This was the best that the Journal/Sentinel could do - and they ran with it.  Hence the misleading caption:  Imam calls for standing up against extremism."    The agenda here is that we must believe that Islam is a religion of peace and Imam's are against the violence.   (And I do realize that there are many good Muslims out there - earning a living, raising families, and practicing their faith in a peaceful manner.)  But we must also be aware that there are very dangerous factions of Islam - calling for the murder of non-believers - and many Muslims follow such a calling.  And many mosques promote such beliefs.  Our media and others are not doing us any favors by trying to downplay this fact.  

Imam's DO need to speak out against radical extremist Muslims within their faith.  Honestly and with conviction.  Yet, what the Milwaukee Journal tried to pass off as such falls flat.   And we are finding that many mosques across America have radical Imam's as their spiritual leaders - preaching hate and the commands to kill non-believers.  The Fort Hood killer attended such a mosque -where a hatred of America and its people was part of the sermon.  Yet, what was done?  Nothing.  If America continues to ignore the fact that there are extremist Muslims within our own borders - and instead continues to promote the Muslim religion without question as a religion of "peace" -  we are setting ourselves up for a dangerous future.  In our efforts to be politically-correct and offend no one, we are sealing our own fate.