Women in Burqas, Nazis All the Same to 3rd Most-Listened to Radio Host in America
Just when you think you've heard and seen it all, right-wing radio host Michael Savage rings in with another hateful, divisive zinger -- this time saying that when he sees a woman wearing a burqa he sees a "hateful Nazi" who wants to "kill your children."
What's really makes this scary is that Michael Savage's show reaches more than 8 million listeners each week. That makes it the third most-listened-to talk radio show in the nation, behind only The Rush Limbaugh Show and The Sean Hannity Show.
No wonder the false stereotypes of American Muslims persist in our media and culture. What other examples have folks noticed lately?
Media Matters has the Savage quote and audio here. Here's the core of it:
SAVAGE: You know, when I see a woman walking around with a burqa, I see a Nazi. That's what I see -- how do you like that? -- a hateful Nazi who would like to cut your throat and kill your children. Don't give me this crap that they're doing it out of a sacred ritual or rite. It's not required by the Quran that a woman walk around in a seventh-century drape. She's doing it to spit in your face. She's saying, "You white moron, you, I'm going to kill you if I can." That's how I see it! What do you want me to do, mince words with you? I'm not going to mince words. We're too far gone in this country.
Posted by Katie on July 5, 2007 11:51 AM | Link |
Comments
Dear Mr. Savage,
I am very disheartened to read your hateful rhetoric about Muslims. Your comments show not only your ignorance about Islam but also your utter disregard for the very foundation of religious freedom. As a Jew, I wear a Kipa (also: Yarmulke) despite that it is not "required" in the Torah. Wearing a Kipa is a tradition, and in Jewish law, tradition is weighed equally with written law. To a non-Jew, it might seem curious that I wear this item on my head, when it is only "tradition," and it takes someone that understands Judaism to recongnize the importance of tradition in the Jewish religion.
So too with Islam -- Mr. Savage, you are not a Muslim, and you obviously don't care to learn about Islam -- if you did, you might wake up to the complexities within Islam (just like in any religion.) Islam, like all other faiths, has members who support violence -- and you don't have to agree with that -- but to assume that all Muslim women who wear a burqa are "oppressed" is to disregard their deep-seated religious beliefs as "oppressive."
You who claim to support religious freedom, should be the first to criticize your own comments. Instead, it will take some concerned people of faith to do that for you.
Best,
Adrian Shanker
Posted by: Adrian | July 5, 2007 12:25 PM
I heartily agree with you Adrian! As a practicing Muslim woman, who does not wear hijab or a burqa, I have to speak in defense of my sisters who are wearing the burqa by choice.
One of the great things that I hear from many Muslim women in America is the freedom that they have to practice Islam as they deem appropriate - for many of them, this is the only place that they are able to do that. For some of these women, it means being able to wear the burqa. In other words, these women are wearing the burqa to celebrate the religious freedom they find in this country - not to pose a threat to it.
Posted by: Zahreen | July 5, 2007 1:02 PM
Woah, so here's another example from today's news reel. Ethics Daily's Bob Allen reports "
Cal Thomas Compares Muslims to 'Cancer'": http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/content/news/2007/07/cal_thomas_compares_muslims_to.html
It's disturbing how easy it is to find examples of this stuff.
Posted by: Katie | July 5, 2007 1:23 PM
Michael Savage’s comments show how far right-wing media will go to polarize the American public by fostering xenophobia and then exploiting it. Savage’s distorted rhetoric should not be taken lightly. Savage, Limbaugh and Hannity are not providing mere entertainment or practicing “free speech.” Their endorsement of bigotry has made its way into American discourse.
I experienced the influence of racially motivated attacks on my way to National airport last Friday. I was taking a cab and got stuck in traffic because of roadside construction just outside the airport. My driver, who had been cut-off by one of these construction trucks, laid onto his horn so that we and others could get to the airport on time. In response, a roadside construction worker approached our cab, yelling at my driver with racial slurs. Infuriated, I lashed back successfully landing myself in the middle of a culture war. I realized that this kind racial harassment is taking place all over America. How many times a day does my driver and other Arab-Americans have to tolerate such abuse?
People like Michael Savage who use the air waves to promote bigotry are poisoning our public discourse and our identity as Americans. The week of July 4th should be a time to remember the greatness of our nation. Michael Savage’s remarks are a total affront to any nation that considers itself “under God.”
Posted by: Matthew Sudnik | July 5, 2007 6:03 PM
