http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/27/anti.ahmadinejad.ads/index.html?hpt=T2
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/27/new.york.islam.ads/index.html?hpt=Sbin
It comes as no surprise that the first two cities that have what can easily be deemed Islamophobic advertisements on city transportation come in the two cities that were the main targets of the September 11th attacks: New York and Washington, DC. Both these articles from cnn.com illustrate the fears of Islamic fundamentalists and the religion of violence, that have emerged since 9/11.
On WMATA buses around Washington DC, Ahmadinejad's likeness is pictured next to text reading "Iran makes a KILLING every day we wait" supposedly referencing our nation's dependence on foreign oil. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued a report recently that includes the fact that changes from the clean energy legislation currently in Congress would reduce Iran's income by approximately $100 million per day. That's the "KILLING" the ad claims to be referencing, but with the nature of the ad and the capitalization of "KILLING" the links to Ahmadinejad's desires to wipe Israel off the map and his supposed links to terrorism are what come to mind.
Similarly, in New York City, a new series of ads sponsored by Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA) target those individuals that want to, "stand up against the evil of Islamic jihadi terrorism and Islamic supremacism." These ads read "Fatwa on your head? Is your community or family threatening you? Leaving Islam?" Once again the "unintended" message is that Islam is a religion of violence.
I would imagine that the public outcry against such ads would be much different had it been a religion other than Islam that was targeted. I find it shocking and frankly appalling that these two cities even accepted the ads. It just goes to show what really drives us...money.
14 years ago
Wow, thank you for sharing this, I'm pretty much ashamed and embarressed that the transportation systems of NYC and Washington would even consider putting ads up like this. If someone wanted to put an ad up like this that had to do with a prominent Jewish or Baptist, etc... figure, there would be protests and crazy things happening all over the country. I think it's a sad sign of the times and of the ignorance of Islam that runs rampant in this country.
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