alexrpt
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
This is getting out of control.
Via SFGate…
The newest round of vitriolic banners, 50 of which went up Jan. 9, feature an image of Adolf Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini, a 20th Century Palestinian Muslim leader who opposed Zionism, with the words, “Islamic Jew-Hatred: It’s In The Quran.”
The ads are already attracting attention on social media.
City leaders have already been through rounds of debate over ads purchased by the far-right anti-Islamist organization — most recently in 2013. Back then, the ads were posted on 10 buses and featured photos of Osama bin Laden, a victim of the Fort Hood mass shooting and others, with incendiary quotes linking them to Islam.
One quote attributed to “Hamas MTV” read: “Killing Jews is worship that brings us closer to Allah.”
City leaders, including Mayor Ed Lee, District Attorney George Gascón and several supervisors, condemned those advertisements as racist and Islamophobic.
Even so, they are protected by freedom of speech. So in years past, Muni the sent the ad revenue to the city’s Human Rights Commission.
In 2012, the American Freedom Defense Initiative unrolled an ad campaign saying, “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.”
Muni also gave the money from those ads to the Human Rights Commission.
“We understand and apologize that people could be offended by these ads,” Muni spokesman Paul Rose said Tuesday. “Neither the city nor Muni endorse the content of these negative ads. However, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, including speech that is considered offensive.”
Yuck! American fascists attempt to paint Muslims as Nazis — the latest in the Islamophobic ads on San Francisco MUNI pic.twitter.com/Iov2ajjm2h
— Anirvan Chatterjee (@anirvan) January 12, 2015
@sfmta_muni these ads are hateful and offensive. Please remove them. pic.twitter.com/kFv7mNJF5U — Alex Carter (@alexblueneon) January 12, 2015
References:
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
##SanFrancisco public transportation sports ads equating #Islam to Hitler [Video]:… http://t.co/BrztKpOobH #Politics http://t.co/kQDH09Efq6
I love that those anti-Islamic anti-Semitism ads are appearing at ground zero of Progressivism. They are the fascists.
Excellent point. Coming from “ground zero of Progressivism” one would expect more tolerance and logic. When does free speech give way to full hate?
Regardless of the argument where people in SF will say that the ads are part of the right to free speech, you cannot close your eyes to the fact that these ridiculous ads are extremely hateful, absolutely inaccurate (from a fact base, historical perspective) and will, without a doubt influence people’s feelings about islam.
They should have not been allowed to be placed on public transport.
Frankly I’m in favor of what some people call “radical” free speech; however, I think an argument can be made for abolishing the use of public transportation as a billboard for advertising of any kind. Call it “beautification.” I think it was back during the Johnson administration that Lady Bird Johnson started and ran with a “beautify” America program. Part of that effort resulted in abolishing all advertising billboards on the country’s highways. Maybe SF’s public transportation should be “beautified.”
I love that those anti-Islamic anti-Semitism ads are appearing at ground zero of Progressivism. They are the fascists.
Excellent point. Coming from “ground zero of Progressivism” one would expect more tolerance and logic. When does free speech give way to full hate?
Regardless of the argument where people in SF will say that the ads are part of the right to free speech, you cannot close your eyes to the fact that these ridiculous ads are extremely hateful, absolutely inaccurate (from a fact base, historical perspective) and will, without a doubt influence people’s feelings about islam.
They should have not been allowed to be placed on public transport.
Frankly I’m in favor of what some people call “radical” free speech; however, I think an argument can be made for abolishing the use of public transportation as a billboard for advertising of any kind. Call it “beautification.” I think it was back during the Johnson administration that Lady Bird Johnson started and ran with a “beautify” America program. Part of that effort resulted in abolishing all advertising billboards on the country’s highways. Maybe SF’s public transportation should be “beautified.”