Tag Archives: islam

JLA/The 99: Where’s the Outrage!?


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JLA/The 99 #1We’ve chronicled the controversy surrounding the comic books series The 99.  You can read our past posts about it here, here, here and here.  The short version of the issue is simple, the right wing hates Muslims.  Well, this week DC comics released a crossover with The 99‘s publisher Teshkeel Comics which saw the super team meet DC’s Justice League of America.

A threat from beyond the stars brings the World’s Greatest Heroes together with the World’s Newest Heroes to stop a globe-spanning invasion of Earth in this 6-issue miniseries! DC Comics’ JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA joins forces with Teshkeel Comics’ THE 99 to create an unstoppable army of super-powered beings the likes of which the world – and comic shops – have never seen before!

We’re not going to go into the review of the comic (it’s bad), but more importantly the significance of it and what a missed opportunity this is.  The right’s issue with The 99 stems around their belief that it’s goal is to brainwash our children and turn them into Muslim terrorists.  Often incorrect statements are made about the characters and of course hyperbolic statements whose only goal is to cause fear are thrown around.

So here’s a rundown of the points we see about this comic book both good and bad:

  • It’s an introduction to The 99 – Most folks have not read this comic series, and I’d imagine most have never heard of it.  So, this is their first introduction to them.  I myself have never read an issue.  So, right away it gives us an introduction to these new characters.
  • The word Muslim is uttered 0 times – For a “Muslim” super hero team, the word Muslim or Islam appears zero times in the entire first issue.  A missed opportunity here.  We do see one female character in a burka, that’s the only hint we’re given.  Maybe The 99 will save the day, and then there’ll be a reveal giving us a moment to reflect on their religious beliefs and our thoughts towards them.  My guess is, that’s not going to happen.
  • Where’s the outrage!? – Isn’t this just an easier way for the Muslims to gain a mass audience and brainwash the comic reading public!?  You’d think the right wing nuts would be all over this calling for boycotts of DC comics.  They went apeshit over one panel in a Captain America comic and that caused Marvel to lose their balls and apologize for free speech.  The comic has only been out for a week, so we’ll see.

But, I’ll give credit to DC.  They knew what they were getting into with this, and they published it anyways.  The problem with highlighting this comic is, it depicts the characters in a totally reasonable light.  There’s nothing controversial about it.  I fully expect some outrage to eventually manifest, and expect us to cover it.

But, unless that outrage manifests, those hating on The 99 comic book series and soon to be cartoon are nothing but hypocrites who pick and choose what they want to rage against to get attention and spread hate and fear.

What Is It About Religion and Comic Books!?


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It’s been a few weeks of this nuttiness when it comes to religion and comic books.  First we had the right wing’s numerous attacks on Islam and the “Muslim” comic book The 99.  Now we have censorship in Spain over a political cartoon commenting on the cost of the Pope’s trip to the country.

What the hell is going on here!?  What is it about censorship, religion, comic books and free speech that doesn’t seem to mix?

Censorship

WisCon Rescinds Invite to Elizabeth Moon


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WisCon which bills itself as a “feminist science fiction” convention has rescinded it’s Guest of Honor invitation to science fiction author Elizabeth Moon.  The reason for the cancellation of the invitation was due to a blog post where she covered 9/11, religion and remarks about the Islamic community center in lower Manhattan.  All pretty touchy subjects.

Organizers had expressed concern over the post but decided to rescind the invitation.

The convention will be held in Madison, Wisconsin in May, 2011.

Take on Hate, Support Free Speech and Sign This Petition


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We’ve been chronicling the right’s march against the comic book series The 99 and their attempt to get the soon to be animated series canceled.  We’re asking the comic book community to stand up for free speech.  Speak out against this hate and sign this petition.

We’ll be presenting this petition to Hasbro and The Discovery Channel in hopes it shows enough support to make sure they’re not intimidated by these hate mongers.

TAKE ACTION NOW

World Net Daily Continues Right’s March Against “Muslim” Comics


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the 99In what shouldn’t be a shocker, right wing website World Net Daily continues the march against comic book characters with Muslim roots.  This follows Family Security Matters who began the right wing drumbeat against the comic book series and soon to be animated show the 99.  Most recently the right leaning and Fox tie-in the New York Post also ran an article.  The story has also been picked up by various right wing and Tea Party blogs.

The article goes on to quote Dr. Ted Baehr of Movieguide.

These are not the types of heroes you want your children to have.  These heroes, at their core, because they represent values contrary to humanity, at the core these heroes are more villain than hero.

Baehr however shows his true feelings about Islam later on in the article:

With all due respect to President Obama and contrary to his opinion, the Muslim faith is known for its lies about Christians and Jews, lies about the Bible, lies about Jesus and His apostles, violence, warrior mentality, abuse of women, slavery, persecution of non-Muslims, and terrorism against peaceful civilians, from the alleged founder of the faith, Mohammed, down to the present day.

Cause the right wing isn’t lying or distorting facts now about Islam and Christianity has never committed atrocities in it’s name.  The article refers to the President as a “Muslim,” and as a whole is full of shit in what the comic book series actually depicts.

But lets look at “Dr.” Baehr and his organization.  It states as it’s goal:

…to redeem the values of the mass media of entertainment, according to biblical principles, by influencing industry executives and artists and by informing and educating the public about the influence of the entertainment media and about how to train their families to become media-wise, so they can choose the good and reject the bad.

Nope, no slant or agenda there.  It’s completely on the up and up.  Wikipedia gives a good rundown of this moral upstanding hate monger.  Other websites have also chronicled his less than ethical dealings.

Baehr also drops this genius nugget:

A small percentage, he said, are very likely to be influenced toward the violence that is inherent in Islam – it’s admonitions to “kill infidels” and the like.

Lets think about that for a moment.  If all media that causes people to kill is banned, there goes the Bible and the entire Christian movement.  Pretty sure the Crusades, Inquisition, murder of Abortion doctors in the name of God and hate crimes to begin with would make a strong enough argument.  This is the same line of thinking that ruins the fun for the rest of us when a couple of idiots take things too far.

Baehr worries this will convert and create home grown terrorists, I guess we need to lock down all religions then, since they’ve all created their own nutcases throughout the years and ages.  He acknowledges at least that “not all kids [who watch] are going to become violent.”  Just like not “all” Christians kill abortion doctors.  But since there’s a few….

Family Security Matters pipes in with some “facts”:

In the Islamic world, cartoons have a more sinister purpose. In Iran, on Al-Quds Day, Iranian TV schedules are filled with cartoons about evil Israelis with red eyes, shooting and murdering innocent doe-eyed Palestinians. For older kids, the heroes fight back, and even get martyred in the cause of Allah. Al-Quds day, named after the Arab term for Jerusalem and initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1983, is a time for Iranian media to reinforce Holocaust denial and anti-Semitic propaganda.

That in fact is true, but for those who actually know anything about the 99, it was created in opposition to a radical Imam and it’s goal is to teach tolerance and combat the hate.  It’s the antithesis for what these right wing hate mongers are raging against.  Instead of finding an ally in helping combat the radicalization of the Middle Eastern youth, they’re alienating a fine upstanding individual.

We don’t deny there’s cartoons and comics being used to indoctrinate children.  There are on all sides.  White Power movements use comic books and music to warp impressionable minds, just like Hamas has.  But you can’t lump in all “Muslim” comics with other material that’s clearly reprehensible.

Adrian Morgan of Family Security Matters, which is a think tank, wondered, “Are we going to see a**-kicking Christian superhero nuns called Faith, Hope and Charity … sending Satan into Hell? It’s doubtful!”

Again this lie is repeated over and over.  Warrior Nun, Magdalena, Davey and Goliath are just some of the examples of Christians kicking ass.  There’s many more but three debunks this and puts the whole argument in doubt.

There’s so much worries about Shariah-compliant Muslim superheroes – “including one who fights crime hidden head-to-toe by a burqa.”  As you can see from the cover above that the series clearly shows the subjugation of women and forces them to cover up.  Nevermind there’s been a burqa wearing comic book character for years in the X-Men’s Dust.  On the cover shown above we see three women with no covering at all.  Where’s the outrage from the Islamic radicals?

This is the perfect example of the rage and hate that pervades the right, and if nothing else interesting to see it make it’s way through their media machine.

Again, expect this to hit Fox News any day now.  And we’ll keep fighting the misinformation and outright lies.


WND Exclusive 


MEDIA MATTERS
 

Islamic kids cartoons praised by Obama draw terse warning

 

 

‘These are not types of heroes you want your children to have’

 

 


Posted: October 16, 2010
10:40 pm Eastern 

By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily


New Shariah-compliant Islamic cartoon “superhero”

A coming series of “superhero” cartoons promoting the tenets of Islam under the title of “The 99” – which has been praised by President Obama – is drawing a terse warning from an expert who has analyzed media impact on people for decades.

“These are not the types of heroes you want your children to have,” Dr. Ted Baehr, chief of MOVIEGUIDE®,” told WND today. “These heroes, at their core, because they represent values contrary to humanity, at the core these heroes are more villain than hero.”

Get the latest reports on what Hollywood is doing, subscribe to “MOVIEGUIDE,”

Reports already have circulated about the plans by The Hub, which formerly was Discovery Kids, to produce the series featuring characters portraying the 99 attributes of Allah, at Family Security Matters and others.

(Story continues below)

The New York Post ran a column describing plans for the Shariah-compliant Muslim superheroes – “including one who fights crime hidden head-to-toe by a burqa.”

“These Islamic butt-kickers are ready to bring truth, justice and indoctrination to impressionable Western minds,” the report said.

That’s the problem, according to Baehr, with the Middle East cartoon that reportedly is being picked up and scheduled for a launch early in 2011 by Hasbro toys and Discovery Communications.

A preview of the program has been posted online:

Baehr’s organization said the program includes “hair-hiding headscarves” that are “mandatory for the five female characters, not including a ‘burqa babe’ called Batina the Hidden.”

“Curiously (or not so curiously considering his track record), President Obama, who was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather in Indonesia but supposedly converted to Christianity, praised this work created by Kuwaiti psychologist Naif al-Mutawa, saying at an April meeting with Arab entrepreneurs, ‘His superheroes embody the teachings of the tolerance of Islam.'”

That message also is online:

Adrian Morgan of Family Security Matters, which is a think tank, wondered, “Are we going to see a**-kicking Christian superhero nuns called Faith, Hope and Charity … sending Satan into Hell? It’s doubtful!”

Haters Gonna Hate on The 99


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We brought you the news first on how the bigoted right’s heads are exploding when it comes to the “Muslim” comic book series The 99.  So much so, one of the close minded, dickless hatemongers wished for my head to be cut off for covering the story and calling them out.  ICv2 is reporting that the cartoon series that was to debut on the new television station The Hub is being delayed and may never get released.

Andrea Peyser of the conservative New York Post, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch and News Corps. the parent company of Fox News, went on the attack after being alerted by the right wing blog post from Family Security MattersThe Street is reporting that this hate-mongering is enough to push the already delayed cartoon’s release into doubt.

Peyser went on her tirade, titled “Trading Cape for the Burqa,” sight unseen.  Her ill-informed rant starts off with a full frontal assault:

Hide your face and grab the kids. Coming soon to a TV in your child’s bedroom is a posse of righteous, Sharia-compliant Muslim superheroes — including one who fights crime hidden head-to-toe by a burqa. These Islamic butt-kickers are ready to bring truth, justice and indoctrination to impressionable Western minds.

Naif Al-Mutawa the creator of the series was inspired to create it after hearing a hate filled Imam.  Al-Mutawa, who’s been praised by President Obama for his positive work, says the series goal is to spread tolerance and understanding:

It is finally time that all of us became more accountable for that which our children will be hearing; tiny differences setting us apart rather than celebrating those positive things that bind all good people together. If we allow small-minded men to spout fear and hate in the name of our religion, we will enable them to brainwash another generation as they did our own. And soon, the next generation will fall into a pit of dissonance. To sit by silently makes us all complicit.

Peyser who defends the objectification of women (she wants more cleavage!) clearly has no fucking clue in what she’s talking about:

How can a secular nation endorse a children’s show aimed at pushing one religion?

A Times of London columnist wrote last year that the show’s mission was “to instill old-fashioned Islamic values in Christian, Jewish and atheist children.”

Then last month, the conservative Family Security Matters think tank published a piece titled “Meet the Muslim Superheroes Who Are Ready to Indoctrinate American Kids.”

Acknowledging Mustawa’s efforts to bridge cultures, editor Adrian Morgan asked, “Are we going to see ass-kicking Christian superhero nuns called Faith, Hope and Charity whooping sinners’ butts and sending Satan into hell? It’s doubtful.”

Well to answer that brilliant and misinformed statement, we already have “Christian” based characters and series such as Veggie Tales, Magdalena, Warrior Nun and so many more are examples than just those.  But don’t let facts stop you from your blind hate and disgust.  And how is this a “secular nation” endorsing a “children’s show”?  It’s a corporation seeing a possible market for a television series.  I thought you right wing folks believed in free markets and capitalism?  Guess not when you disagree with the product.

Peyser’s idiotic rant concludes:

“Muslim superheroes?” asked Rich Pecorella, who lost his fiancée on 9/11. “They’re dragging religion into an area that we don’t drag religion into in this country.”

Now we’re getting a comic book based on a wheelchair-bound Muslim superhero. What’s next?

I have no doubt Muslims are as fast and strong as any Supermen. But we don’t need religious icons masquerading as good guys.

Cancel “The 99” before it starts.

Comic books dipping into religion is nothing new.  Religious iconography is rampant and exists in comics.  If you were to pick one up, you might know that.  I ask is it the wheelchair that bothers her or is it the fact the person is Muslim?  The story behind that brought children of all kinds of backgrounds together and that’s what they came up with.  But again, why interrupt this with facts and actual context.  And no we don’t need religious icons masquerading as good guys, Jesus has that niche covered, we only need blind patriotic “American” characters like Captain America, dipshit.

Expect to see this firestorm hitting Fox News in 3…2…1…

20+ Newspapers Pull Non Sequitur Comic Strip for Mentioning Mohammed


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On Tuesday The Daily Cartoonist that over twenty newspapers have refused to print an upcoming Non Sequitur strip that mentions the word Muhammad.  They have demanded a replacement strip instead.

The cartoon is described as:

The cartoon by Wiley Miller depicts a lazy, sunny park scene with the caption, “Picture book title voted least likely to ever find a publisher… ‘Where’s Muhammad?'” Characters in the park are buying ice cream, fishing, roller skating, etc. No character is depicted as even Middle Eastern.

This is the second time that Miller’s has stirred controversy while focusing on free speech.  He previously caused controversy with the cartoon below from 2006.  It satirized the controversial Danish cartoons that also depicted Muhammad.

Non Sequitur

Fighting Terror Through Comics


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Fighting Terrorism Through ComicsThe fight for the future of Islamic youth is underway and comic books are playing a role.  In an attempt to prevent the young impressionable minds from being corrupted and turned into radicals, a group in Indonesia called Lazuardi Birru are looking at new and creative ways to strike directly at the root of the problem.

Lazuardi Birru was founded two years ago in Jakarta, Indonesia and the nonprofit advocates nonviolence and pluralism.  For a year it has had writers and artists working on a 130 page graphic novel whose audience is potential youth who are targets to be radicalized.

Dhyah Madya, head of Lazuardi Birru says:

This comic book was made to emphasize the importance of peace, the correct understanding of jihad and the awareness of movements that promote violence in the name of religion to the youth of Indonesia.

The graphic novel tells the story of the 2002 Bali bombing that occurred in the tourist district of Kuta.  The attack was the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Indonesia, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.

The true story is from the perspective of three main characters, Ali Imron, one of the terrorists involved in the attack; Haji Agus Bambang Priyanto, a man who helped rescue people after the bombing; and Hayati Eka Laksmi, whose husband was killed in the attack.  Interviews gathered the stories and the graphic novel is well researched.

Ali has become known as the brains behind the attack, but due to his remorse and cooperation with the police, he received a life sentence while his cohorts — Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Ali Ghufron — all got the death penalty and were executed in 2008.  Over time he opened up to the team to tell his story.

Lazuardi Birru has printed more than 10,000 copies of the graphic novel and plans to distribute the bulk of them for free to mosques, Islamic boarding schools, universities and public libraries in all 33 provinces.

More Muslim Super Hero Hate


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Tea Party and RacismAs if it’s a shock, this morning we brought you the story of some good being done with the introduction of a handicap Muslim super hero.  No sooner did this good news break than some pre-brain hate monger decides to shit all over it.

The WordPress blog “Muslims are Terrorists” on Sunday ran a I’m sure well researched and not at all biased article about the future super hero.  From the blog that pretty much sums up the thoughts of the author:

I can see his powers…

He can kill jews faster than a speeding bullet

Rape a dozen little girls in a single night

Behead non muslim with his bare hands

Um, yeah…. This is on top of another right wing blog, AmericanNation.info running the previously covered hate post against The 99.

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