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Servicing the Narrative:  How Western Progressive Sensibilities Continue to Aid Radical Islamists in The Efforts to Control the “Muslim” Narrative

Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center, the documentary PBS finds, alternately, too long, too alarmist, too one-sided, and too devoid of scenes depicting the heroism of Latinos and American Indians to air, is reviewed at Ace’s place by commenter spongeworthy, a friend of the filmmakers who attended a New York premiere.

The review answers the PBS justifications for not airing the documentary (the final cut was 52 minutes), and concludes with this editorial note from AOS contributer LauraW:

You can’t have it all ways, PBS. You can’t exalt violent Islamists, call Islam a Religion of Peace, and then also suppress how radicals terrorize their peaceful coreligionists.

Sadly, yes they can.

For even as certain Democrats push for a return of the Fairness Doctrine (as a way to undercut the reach of rightwing talk radio), you’ll recall that they screamed and howled and eventually coerced the resignation of Kenneth Tomlinson as CPB chairman, alleging improprieties in his attempt to study the political leanings of certain PBS shows.

Meanwhile, Bill Moyers is still held up as a bastion of liberal integrity.

PBS can have it any way that want it, it seems—just so long as they don’t cross their liberal base, who argue that because CBS doesn’t lean left enough, it must necessarily therefore be leaning right.

Which is the kind of problem of perspective that happens when you begin using “horizontal” logic, I guess.

18 Replies to “Servicing the Narrative:  How Western Progressive Sensibilities Continue to Aid Radical Islamists in The Efforts to Control the “Muslim” Narrative”

  1. Matthew O. says:

    Meanwhile, Bill Moyers is still held up as a bastion of liberal integrity.

    Bill may not be a bastion of integrity, but he’s an excellent example of “liberal integrity”.

  2. happyfeet says:

    The documentary explores … church leaders’ attempts to curb criticism and keep financial and disciplinary records secret.

  3. bolivar says:

    Just as long as PBS doesn’t take Red Green or Monty Python reruns off I will watch these.  As for the rest of them they can go to hell.  I really cannot stand Moyers – what a pontificating ass.

  4. TonyGuitar says:

    Call me a racist, jumping to conclusions but. .

    ** The owner of the stolen used car parts lot, Nasser Mahmoud Aoude, . . [Canada*s biggest]

    size of a football field [huge, in photo]

    http://www.autoblog.com/

    and. . another fast money scam. .

    A local hotel complex was closed down owing suppliers far and wide. The people who scooted with the profits had a similar ethnic name.

    One tends to wonder if the funds are headed mosqueward and then on to those fun guys who like to fly planes into buildings for kicks. = TG

  5. A fine scotch says:

    Meanwhile, Bill Moyers is still held up as a bast(ard)ion of liberal integrity.

    There, fixed that for you.

  6. Blue Hen says:

    Ah, Red Green.

    The Man Prayer

    I’m a man

    but I can change,

    If I have to….

    I guess.

    Has anyone tracked how many uses he’s found for duct tape?

  7. mojo says:

    Well, personally I prefer the “horizontal bop”…

  8. DemocracyRules says:

    PLEASE stop calling the Democrats and Progressives LIBERALS.  These people are NOT liberals!  They are gradualist socialists.  If you don’t believe me, read a bit about the meaning of these terms.

    Do you honestly think that Nancy Pelosi is using the same political philosophy as John Stuart Mill?

    Pregressives are gradualist socialists.

  9. dicentra says:

    The documentary explores … church leaders’ attempts to curb criticism and keep financial and disciplinary records secret.

    Your point?

  10. corvan says:

    Red Green is a GREAT Canadian and a GEAT North American as well.  I’m proud to share a continent with him.

  11. happyfeet says:

    PBS is happy to take a look at what Mormons do to counter deviations from the authoritative narrative but when it comes to Islam… I forget what my point was.

  12. dicentra says:

    Oh yes, PBS has no problem casting aspersions on us by insinuating that we’re Up To Something and by letting bitter ex-Mormons have the floor, unchallenged (Jewish history as told by the Palestinians, anyone?).

    Because Mormons don’t slit people’s throats and threaten lawsuits, and because we believe in that Jesus guy, and because we’re mostly conservative, we’re fair game.

    Oh, and we deserve it. BECAUSE OF THE DOUBLE-STANDARD!

  13. happyfeet says:

    You have seen this, yes? (Scroll down to the “WAKE UP” bit.

  14. happyfeet says:

    )

  15. Blue Hen says:

    Mark Steyn said it best: ‘If you’re setting out to provoke somone, it’s best to provoke someone whom you know won’t be provoked.’ I’m paraphrasing. He was commenting on an inspid play involving a ‘cluster bomb from Jesus’, and he was wondering why there was no “Schoolgirl backpack bomb from Allah”? His answer? The evil Christians weren’t as likely to be waiting at the stage door for him, as Theo Van Gogh discovered. May he rest in peace.

  16. Jeff Goldstein says:

    DemocracyRules—I let your outrage over the way I phrased something yesterday go because I didn’t think you were familiar with this site. 

    Today, I’m inviting you to familiarize yourself with my writings on language, meaning, intent, ownership of narratives, narrative and memetic production and insinuation, and a host of other related issues.

    Many of the people who describe themselves as liberal are anything but.  That’s been discussed here on a thousand occasions.  If I occasionally use “liberal” to describe the Democrats (some of them still are, incidentally), then I am doing so with the understanding of the readers here that it is Democrats who self-identify as liberals.

    As a classical liberal myself, you have to trust me that I’m not at all confused by the difference. Nor am I unfamiliar with Mills, Gramsci, Said, Benjamin, Foucault, Marx, Nietszche, Butler, Fish, etc., etc.

  17. B Moe says:

    OMG! Romney is privatizing public money?

  18. TonyGuitar says:

    For Pelosi,

    Liberal is a good general reference when Taliban collaborator or al Qaeda assistant seems a little harsh. = TG

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