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Vandals Label Hateful Subway Ads Hateful
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 25, 2012
Modified Sep 25, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 25, 2012
Modified Sep 25, 2012
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Virulent Islamaphobe Pamela Geller and her American Freedom Law Center went to court and successfully forced the MTA to run their advertisements reminding commuters to fear and loathe Muslims. The ads, which Geller says cost $6,000, went up in 10 subway stations this week, and they've already been augmented with the labeling you see here. And the Post reports that vandals tore down one ad at 72nd Street hours after it went up. On her blog, Geller savagely trashes Post reporter Jennifer Fermino:
Fermino seems to relish the defacing of the ads, but I think it’s nothing more than criminal activity. In a rational society, it would be looked down upon, but more importantly, the defacement is a metaphor for this entire conversation. Hundreds and hundreds of anti-Israel posters ran all over the country. Not one was defaced. One anti-jihad poster goes up, and it's defaced within an hour, while its creator faces defamation, smears and libel. Islamic supremacists and leftist thugs criminally defaced these ads within an hour.
This is a physical manifestation of the entire conversation, or lack thereof. Anyone who speaks about jihad and sharia is attacked, defamed, destroyed -- just like these ads. This is exactly what’s happening in the media regarding jihad coverage in general. Anti-American, anti-Israel, pro-sharia hate is all over the airwaves, but anyone who dares to speak the truth about Islam and jihad in the media is immediately smeared and defamed.
Even [Fermino's] headline is a lie. There are no fears, except on the part of the leftists and Islamic supremacists for whom Jennifer Fermino is carrying water.
A wide range of people have condemned the ads, including Rebecca Vilkomerson, New York-based Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace, who says, "As Jews, we remember our own history of facing discrimination and oppression based on religious status and thus feel doubly obligated to speak out against the vile bigotry and hate displayed in these ads. Pam Geller's cynical targeting of an entire religious community to drum up support for Israel is particularly noxious, but does helpfully reveal the links between Islamophobia and unconditional support for Israel."
And Yousef Munayyer, Executive Director of the Jerusalem Fund and the Palestine Center in Washington DC, adds, "At a moment when understanding is needed to calm tensions, Pam Geller chooses yet again to throw fuel on the fire." But Geller, for her part, argues that "if anyone commits violence because of these ads, the responsibility will be theirs, not mine." Her blog also argues that Obama may be Malcom X's love child.
Tagged
first amendment
Islamaphobia
MTA
Pamela Geller
subway ads
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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