Jacaylbaro Posted April 13, 2008 In America, you would presume that minority communities like the Somalis face only the racial slurs from the hateful groups such as, the Ku Klux Klan KKK, Aryan Nations, Church of Creator, Skinheads and other hatemongering organizations. But you are wrong. Shockingly, in some cases, elected politicians, Church leaders, decorated Generals, and more important the Media in fact stirs up hate propaganda towards the minoritiesâ€"which in effect infuriates some of the Americans who to begin with cannot stand these minority groups coming to the U.S. in large numbers. A case in point: recently, a Somali man named Rage Ibrahim sexually assaulted a young American girl, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. The horrendous crime was caught on tape. But rather than seek help from the Somali community to apprehend future criminals and obtain much needed facts to solve this case, the Media went on about its usual unopposed and unchallenged assault against the Somali community in the U.S. And by far, CNN has delivered the most devastating blows against the Somalis who were not only shocked about the sexual assault but also disgusted about it because the perpetrator hails from their community. Soon after the sexual assault incident happened, the witch-hunt against the Somali community began. As always, Somalis expected a backlash, however, no one imagined it would come from CNN. The Glenn Beck's show on CNN rather than encourage the Somali people to assimilate into America, it alienated them. The host of the show, Glenn Beck himself portrayed the Somalis as if they were about take over America where they will bring their culture and Islam to the streets of the U.S. And what is wrong with bringing our culture and faith to America? Isn't America supposed to be a nation of tolerance? Or are the Somalis supposed to convert to Christianity and denounce Islam? Was that the expectation of Media people like Glenn Beck? Sorry to disappoint you Glenn. Relentlessly, he went on about how allegedly America was about to accommodate the Somalis and bend the rules for them instead of Somalis assimilating into America's mainstream society. He even said this was like the beginning of how immigrants supposedly took over England. Truly, this was a classic example of instilling fear into the hearts and minds of the American peoples' a well-known fear-mongering tactics. See the Glenn Beck's rants towards the Somali people: www.tinyurl.com/39b7vz Worse yet, Glenn Beck shamelessly even accused one of the hosts of his show Tom Walsh, a public information office with St. Paul Police Department, for allowing the Somalis to swamp his city and take over it. But bravely and politely Mr. Walsh rejected Glenn Beck's stereotype attitudes towards the Somali community and its culture. Furthermore, M. Zuhdi Jasser, from the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, the second guest at the Glenn Becks's show reminded Glenn not to generalize the Somali people. But did Glenn Beck even realize that he was maliciously attacking the Somali community? Of course not! He turned a deaf ear to his guest's concerns and viciously went on lashing out the Somali people. Meanwhile, as usual, neither the perpetrator nor the victim is the subject of interest. However, the community which the criminal hails from often faces the wrath and the backlash of the public. And the Media always takes advantage of the situation. When emotions are running high, people are susceptible to believing things that are normally inconceivable. For instance, Glenn Beck's report barely mentioned the victim and how her family was coping with the horrific experience that the victim went through. Instead, he viciously pounded the Somali community, its culture and its faith, not the criminal himself. This collective punishment is somewhat accepted or at least tolerated in North America. And unfortunately because the Media's low-level inflammatory remarks towards the Somali community sometimes unwary Somalis pay the price. The lucky ones face some insults and frowns from the viewers of Glenn Beck's show. Others may not be so lucky. They may face violent retribution from the public for something that they aren't even aware of who did it or how it happened. Thanks to news outlets like CNN. Paradoxically, the same Media that reports crimes against minority communities, in fact, time and time again, instigates hatred towards these minority groups by infuriating the public. That is every time a minority person commits crime, the Media as well as some of the public focuses on the community. However, when a white perpetrator victimizes a Somali person, the culture and the faith of the white criminal is never mentioned. For instance, a dozen people watched and did nothing while a Somali man named Ahmed Ali Hashi was savagely beaten to death by a group of white people, in Ottawa, Canada, in 2006. None of the people who have witnessed this barbaric murder neither called the police nor testified the crime in the court. Yet, the Media didn't reflect the crime committed against the Somali victim and the lack of cooperation from witnesses on the faith or on the culture of the perpetrators and witnesses. It is unthinkable to insinuate because of the white people's culture and their predominant Christian faith they condone the crimes committed against the Somali victim. Similarly, every year, a number of women are raped and killed in the U.S. Furthermore, many women hide in shelters where they seek police protection. Does that mean somehow the American culture or it's predominant Christian values endorse the mistreatment of women? Of course not! By the same token, for Glenn Beck to insinuate that the Somali culture and Islam tolerate the mistreatment of women is beyond *********. Maybe, instead of having preconceived notions towards the Somali culture and Islam, Glenn Beck should hit the library and enlighten himself once and for all. As it seems, Media people like Glenn Beck somehow didn't learn how stereotype and mild racism can hurt people's feelings, and most certainly alienate them. Instead, folks like Glenn Beck constantly reinvent the wheel of ignorance. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? His provocative attacks against the Somali people were bizarre but one expects more comments like that from the Media. Also, Glenn Beck not only twisted the rape incident deliberately but conveniently he avoided mentioning that a large number of the Somalis in the U.S are in fact American citizens who not only have embraced the American culture and its values but also have never seen the birth country of their parents. Worse yet, in his show not a single Somali person was invited to defend the Somali community. In fact, Glenn even twisted the Executive Director of Somali Justice Advocacy Center, Omar Jamale comments. For instance, Mr. Omar states, the only system they know is a military. Totalitarian government that tortures and executes...people have no rights. They are used to keeping quiet and not saying anything. But Glenn shamelessly and deliberately took Mr.Omar's comment out of the context. Instead of clarifying Mr. Omar's statement which essentially meant, that the Somali new cameras are usually afraid of authority because they used to live under a brutal regime... Glenn Beck took advantage of the lack of clarification and insulted the entire Somali people. He repeatedly hinted that the Somali people that you see on the streets of America are no different than the rapist in question and: The only system they know is a military. Totalitarian government that tortures and executes...people have no rights. They are used to keeping quiet and not saying anything. That is exactly how Glenn Beck conveyed Mr. Omar's statement. This was a deliberate character defamation of the entire Somali community. How fiendish? That was evil. In any event, today the American Media may deliberately or inadvertently alienate these Somalis but undoubtedly, in the near future, it will be these Somali-Americans who will bring the U.S. and Somalia closer to each other. Some of these Somali-Americans will very likely serve as U.S. diplomats in Somalia. And one wonders what it would feel like for Glenn Beck when he ends up interviewing one of these Somali-Americans. It would be embarrassing for Glen Beck to realize that it was only few years when he offended the entire Somali community on a national TV. Ideally, new cameras should not commit crimes and should respect the rules and laws of their host countries. But realistically that never happens in the real world. These immigrants too have all characteristics of human's that is, whether we expected it or not, unfortunately, some of them will commit crimes. And in the event that few of them go astray, through the eyes of the Media and some narrow-minded people not only will the perpetrators action reflect on their culture but also it will smear their faith. Now, once generalized and tainted the community, it could be at the mercy of some angry anti-immigrant white folks. For crying out loud, it should be common sense that Mr. Ibrahim action reflects on neither Islam nor the Somali culture. But instead, in fact, CNN deliberately portrayed the Somali community as if the criminals behaviours were inherently part of the Somali culture and its Muslim faith. Shockingly, the CNN beat the well-known Islam-phobia and xenophobia drums. Pathetically enough, the perpetrator claimed that he was too drunk to recall what has happened. But what about Glenn Beck was he drunk too when he trashed out the entire Somali community? Undoubtedly, Glenn Beck imitates another fear-monger and a hate-monger "Bill O'Reilly, the host of O'Reilly factor show on FOX news. Mr. O'Reilly is frightened by the Mexicans and Muslims. And both Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly seem to appeal to an angry white folks who feel that their country is already taken over by immigrants and Muslims. See this clip: Rivera Geraldo confronts Bill O'Reilly's ignorant and fear mongering tactics towards Mexicans immigrants. www.tinyurl.com/2t4gn5 So you may ask, "what does it truly feel like to see your people trashed by the Media over and over again? It feels awful. And only those who fit the characteristics of a pathetic human being and clearly there are one too many out there would spit out a load of rubbish against the minority groups. In short, the Somali community in North America condemns Mr. Ibrahim's the perpetrators of this action and we would like to send our prayers to the victim and her family. Contrary to CNN's show and in fact common sense, what Mr. Ibrahim did was against the Somali culture and Islam. Equally, we condemn CNN's hate-mongering and fear-mongering tactics towards the Somali-American community. Glenn Beck's bigotry and stereotypical attitude towards the Somalis may be forgiven but not forgotten. Both CNN and Glenn Beck awe an apology to the Somali-American community. Additionally, the Media should encourage the Somali immigrants to integrate into America, not alienate them. Undoubtedly, the more the new cameras are encouraged to participate in all as aspects of the American society: the Media, government, police forces, court systems and so on, the sooner they will feel at home. And above all, CNN and Glenn Beck may take cheap shots at the Somali culture and Islam but remember "today's Somali immigrants in America will bridge the gape between the U.S. and Somalia tomorrow. Dalmar Kaahin Ottawa, Canada Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted April 13, 2008 As Ngonge would say: stuff and Nonsense Inaga Hate Mongering isku hayna.... maxa cnn......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted April 13, 2008 The American media is not what it used to be. Remember the days when all watched CNN for world news? Today we have many other options and I can't recall the last time I watched CNN/Fox News. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted April 13, 2008 Yeah I know we all got Universal T.V and Aljazeera TV in our homes. Add to that BBC Somali and VOA. ... who needs CNN? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacaylbaro Posted April 13, 2008 Don't like watching CNN ,,,, But is good to watch CNN, then BBC, then France24 then Al-Jazeera ,,, just to have the whole picture from more than one agnle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted April 13, 2008 ^^The BBC has changed BIG TIME! It has gone full circle! LoL@Universal TV. If you want the news shouted at you rather than simply read out then yes,,,, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AfricaOwn Posted April 13, 2008 Originally posted by Northerner: Remember the days when all watched CNN for world news? Today we have many other options and I can't recall the last time I watched CNN/Fox News. Was there ever a time when that happen? And I live in North America..lol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted April 13, 2008 Was CNN not the first 24/7 world news channel? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adna Posted April 13, 2008 salaam to ya'all Glenn Beck is freak hater and only his point of view matterts on his show, however, i watch his show often sometimes just to for sake of haterism. if any of you see his show i don't think he is perticular on any group, rather i think he critical on any given group. although, his criticism is far too extrem when it comes to muslim issues, the dude hates muslims, period. Yet if you see someone telling him the truth about islam he cuts them off. As far as this perticular somali isuue I don't think it was haterism it was plain and simple that our beleoved people vailed the systme, and vailed our dignity, and i don't understan how one could watch such an act and not do anything about. i know some of you might disagree with me, and might say well they were drunk, that i think is beside the point.. there was Rape and it needed to be stopped, period. see ya'all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites