Video: Debra Burlingame on the flying imams
posted at 8:58 am on December 12, 2006 by Allahpundit
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She says she’s heard from plenty of Muslims who are mortified by the imams’ behavior. I believe her. Says M. Zuhdi Jasser, writing for FreeMuslims.org:
As a devout Muslim, I have watched this painfully protracted saga unravel, fearing what comes next. The media, especially print media, have bent over backward to hear minorities’ fears. Yet public opinion has not seemed to budge in favor of the imams. The lesson here lies in why. It has to do with credibility.
We are all creatures of passion. This fiasco has stirred the passionate cry of victimization from the Muslim activist community and imam community. But where were the news conferences, the rallies to protest the endless litany of atrocities performed by people who act supposedly in my religion’s name? Where are the denunciations, not against terrorism in the abstract, but clear denunciations of al-Qaida or Hamas, of Wahhabism or militant Islamism, of Darfurian genocide or misogyny and honor killings, to name a few? There is no cry, there is no rage. At best, there is the most tepid of disclaimers. In short, there is no passion. But for victimization, always.
Only when Americans see that animating passion will they believe that we Muslims are totally against the fascists that have hijacked our religion. There is only so much bandwidth in the American culture to focus upon Islam and Muslims. If we fill it with our shouts of victimization, then the real problems from within and outside our faith community will never be heard.
Thanks to the Jawas for that. The site Burlingame mentions in the clip is down at the moment, but you don’t have to wait until tomorrow to read the police report — Pajamas had it more than a week ago.
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I think I will strap on a pig costume, march to a mosque, throw myself down and demand reparations.
They are publicity whores. Nothing more. Jesse Jackson is getting upstaged….
seejanemom on December 12, 2006 at 9:13 AM
Eeeeslahm is NOT a religion of peace “hijacked” by extremists. It is an extremist religion being followed to the word and letter by a few of it’s believers. The millions of moosleems who DON’T kill infidels are the “hijackers” of their faith.
Tony737 on December 12, 2006 at 9:20 AM
Burlingame is a hero. Here’s a link to a NYT story about a suspicious fire in NJ. As the NYT tells us, one of the victims was DB’s niece:
Wonder if Burlingame’s clear post-9/11 thinking and WSJ pieces had anything to do with this kind of reporting.
BillLalor on December 12, 2006 at 9:21 AM
Debra Burlingame is very courageous and continues to work for her brother and all the thousands of people injured or killed on 9/11. In doing this work she makes the USA a safer place for everyone. She is indeed a heroine.
Wade on December 12, 2006 at 9:22 AM
BTW I meant to add the NYT piece was via a letter to ed at the CJ site.
BillLalor on December 12, 2006 at 9:23 AM
I’d like to add one thing to what Mr. Jasser said: Where are the denunciations of terrorism that don’t include a pro-forma exception for the Palestinians? (I.e., “We condemn terrorism, but recognize the right of people ‘under occupation’ to do what they must,” etc. etc.)
Farmer_Joe on December 12, 2006 at 9:23 AM
My son is in the U.S. Navy. During the course of his education, he took two years of Marine Corps hand to hand combat training. Just before he flew out of Pensacola for Thanksgiving I told him to stay alert on the plane. I told him he was our last defense and to think of himself as an unarmed air marshall.
This was a rather tall order as he, and most that serve in our military, know how to go to sleep fast whenever they get a chance…
After watching the movie Flight 93 I came away thinking the terrorists just don’t know who they are dealing with.
Babs on December 12, 2006 at 9:25 AM
I still believe that some of the passengers would do well to file civil suit against the imams for emotional distress. Throw those idiots into the legal grinder and watch the sausage come out the other end.
Any judge worth his/her salt would recognize that this was a staged event meant to incite fear.
natesnake on December 12, 2006 at 9:35 AM
Notice that Ms. Burlingame’s connection to 9-11 is mentioned by the network toady as a teaser. She doesn’t revel in it, because her message transcends whatever personal connection she has with the events of 9-11.
Cindy and the NJ widows spew anti-Bush bile from their self-proclaimed morally superior pedestal built upon personal grief, egged on by the MSM. Vapid arguments and weepy rhetoric convince no one.
Kudos to people like Ms. Burlingame who have triumphed over personal trajedy and loss to champion liberty for themselves and others.
windbag on December 12, 2006 at 9:38 AM
Shouting fire in a theater is a crime. I see very little difference in what these jacka$$e$ did.
natesnake on December 12, 2006 at 9:39 AM
She is a really articulate, courageous woman. Thanks for this clip. Unfortunately-we don’t get Fox News here in Canada :(
WriterMom on December 12, 2006 at 9:42 AM
Sorry lady, but your so called religion of peace has never know peace. Hamas and Fatah are killing each other in Gaza, Sunnis and Shi’ites are killing each other in Iraq, muslims are killing Hindus in India, Bhuddists in Thailand, Jews in Israel, Christians in Sudan, black muslims in Sudan because they’re not muslim enough, the list goes on and on. When muslims turn in all terrorists to the authorities and the killing stops we’ll believe in your claim to peace.
Tony737 on December 12, 2006 at 9:43 AM
There’s a big difference between having an AMA (Absolute Moral Authority) Card and actually playing it. Nowhere in the interview does she say, “You must believe me because I am a 9/11 widow and I can cry on cue. If you attack my arguments because they are unsound, I will call you a uncaring monster and get all weepy.” Everything she said makes sense and her argument is sound, not because of who she is, but because she has done her homework.
BohicaTwentyTwo on December 12, 2006 at 9:57 AM
Don’t kid your$elve$! It’s all just a matter of how much and how $oon!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on December 12, 2006 at 9:58 AM
FYI, when flying, all Federal Law Enforcement Officers are required, when possible, to travel armed. Happy Holidays.
BohicaTwentyTwo on December 12, 2006 at 10:06 AM
BABS—–
Give your son a big, wet, nasty kiss from this Marine’s wife. Just when I think I can’t love these heros any more than I do… I hear about YET ANOTHER story of selfless giving…Bless your entire family.
seejanemom on December 12, 2006 at 10:53 AM
It is simply mind-boggling that at this moment in history, in this post-9/11 world, as literally millions of Muslim extremists are working to destroy our society, as billions of mythical moderate Muslims stand by and do nothing …
… we STILL bend over backwards for the Muslims in our midst, even when they so clearly don’t deserve to be treated as special. This entire episode is such a no-brainer that the average 3-year old would grasp it: after 9/11, you simply do not look the other way when a group of Muslims begins praying and spouting off anti-Americanism before boarding a plane …
… and, of course, can you IMAGINE what liberals would say if their own political correctness had led to that plane taking off … and the worst had happened? Do you think they’d accept responsibility? Or would they gleefully blame the Bush administration for failing to stop a terrorist act? You decide which is more likely.
I can’t believe these people are playing the victim card, and getting away with it.
In a way, I suppose it ought to make me proud. What a strange, amazing, grand country we have, that would still – after so much pain – work so hard to treat these people with such care and respect. No other nation on Earth would do the same. Obviously, no world power in history would have done the same. Imagine this scene in ancient Rome. Imagine how these people would be treated.
Maybe it’s a testament to just how different America is. Maybe, in a way, it’s a good thing.
But it’s really too bad that the very thing that makes us what we are is almost certainly going to get millions of us killed, sooner or later ….
I think I prefer the Roman approach.
Professor Blather on December 12, 2006 at 11:00 AM
Flying is a privilege, not a right. They need to get over themselves and their 7th Century, mentality-retarding religion.
SouthernGent on December 12, 2006 at 11:46 AM
..the only good iman is a flying imam…never mind.
honora on December 12, 2006 at 12:57 PM
Those imams were trying to start an incident and are still trying to intimidate people in our culture. As loong as we cowtow to these types we are doomed. I wonder where the ACLU was? Surely there couldn’t be anything of real value if they didn’t stick thier hand into it. I guess we just have to wait and see who will stand and who will noy when the real pushing and shoving begins. The way I see it, it is coming sooner than later. I pity the poor imamies.
bones47 on December 12, 2006 at 2:23 PM
Raymond Ibrahim explains:
Islam get concessions; infidels get conquered
Pablo on December 12, 2006 at 2:29 PM
In Illinois (and many other states) the crime of Disorderly Conduct is defined as any person acting in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace. The police report describes their behavior in those exact terms. I am outraged that they were NOT arrested and are not being prosecuted for disorderly conduct.
As for servicemen and women traveling on airplanes, my son (a Marine) tells me that except for certain chartered flights, when he travels commercial on a government ticket, he is told to NOT wear his uniform and fly in civilian clothes, instead. He also tells me that any plane he or any of his unit are on, is NOT going to be hijacked by anyone.
Imagine the surprise the Jihadists would experience as this rather ordinary-looking, kind of slovenly dressed, tall, skinny kid gets out of his seat and proceeds to start kicking their butts into next Tuesday.
“Marines I see as two breeds, Rottweilers or Dobermans, because Marines come in two varieties, big and mean, or skinny and mean. They’re aggressive on the attack and tenacious on defense. They’ve got really short hair and they always go for the throat.” — Rear Admiral Jay Stark, U.S. Navy
georgej on December 12, 2006 at 3:45 PM
You mean…crucify the imams? Don’t you dare entertain thoughts like that. Legend has it that even Saint Peter felt unworthy to die in the same way as our Lord. I’m no fan of General Douglas MacArthur, but purportedly, he DID have an effective way of dealing with Muslim insurgents. Death by firing squad using bullets that had been soaked in pigs blood. That way, the executed criminal is defiled and his soul goes straight to “Muslim hell” (by virtue of their own stupid rules).
CyberCipher on December 12, 2006 at 8:04 PM
Cyber, that was Gen. Pershing. Anyway I just read a book called “Warrant for Terror” (it’s boring, skip it) and it said something about bullets dipped in pig blood don’t condemn these koranimals to hell but I really can’t remember why ’cause it was so mindnumbingly boring and I don’t wanna try to find it in there, but anyway that kinda let the wind outta my sails when I read that part.
HotAir People: Skip that book and read “Because They Hate”. Man, I burned through that book in 2 days and that was with me trying to save it to make it last until my 3 day trip was over. (No, not ACID trip)!
Sort of off topic, I was listening to Glenn Beck today, whom I normally agree with, but today he said “Islam is not evil, it’s been hijacked by extremists, blah blah blah…) Sorry Glenn, it IS evil, it’s TRUE followers kill infidels. The millions of muslims who *don’t* murder non-believers are it’s version of “Easter Catholics”. And there is NO seperation of mosque and state in the koran, Glenn. Still love ya anyway, ya sick, twisted freak!
Tony737 on December 12, 2006 at 8:50 PM
Franklin Graham said this a while back (viz. Islam is EVIL.) and when I first heard it, I thought he’d gone off the deep-end. I have since been doing some reading. I now believe that Franklin Graham is not only correct, but he is FAR TOO kind and FAR TOO politically correct. Read this people. ISLAM IS EVIL. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS. The world will never be at peace until this so-called “faith” is wiped off the map. Permanently. And yes, I AM proud to be “an intolerant extremist” on this issue.
CyberCipher on December 12, 2006 at 9:21 PM
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