The O'Reilly Factor: Is Media Sympathetic to Terrorist?

Bill O'Reilly
FoxNews
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html

Fox News Network
THE O'REILLY FACTOR 8:00 PM EST
May 5, 2010 Wednesday
Is Media Sympathetic to Terrorist?

O'REILLY: "Impact segment" tonight, the nation is justifiably angry that yet another terror plot was directed at America. But some in the media are disappointed that it was a Muslim allegedly involved. Listen to this sound bite by an NBC News correspondent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONTESSA BREWER, MSNBC ANCHOR: I get frustrated. And I was -- there was part of me that was hoping this was not going to be anybody with ties to any kind of Islamic country, because there are a lot of people who want to use terrorist intent to justify writing off people who believe in a certain way, or come from certain countries, or whose skin color is a certain way. I mean, they use it as justification for really outdated bigotry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: All right, joining us now from Washington, Hussein Ibish, senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine. And with us in the studio, Daisy Khan, the executive director of the American Society of Muslim Advancement.

So are you happy that the mainstream media largely cuts Muslims a break? I mean, if you had a Tea Party member arrested for parking a van full of explosives, by God, you know what would happen. It's too bad it's a Muslim. What do you think?

DAISY KHAN, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MUSLIM ADVANCEMENT: Well, I think in general we can't, you know, we can't, you know, afford to remain ignorant anymore. And I think what's happened over the past since 9/11, the media has had -- has gotten educated about the fact that there was no monolithic Islamic community, that the extremists do not represent the broader Muslim community.

O'REILLY: But everybody knows that. The problem, as I told Mayor Bloomberg on the air yesterday, is that there are millions, millions, Ms. Khan, of jihadists, of people who want to kill not only me, but you, but you.

KHAN: Exactly.

O'REILLY: You're an American. They want to kill you. There are millions of Islamic jihadists. There are literally hundreds of thousands of madrasses preaching hatred. You can't just say it's a few bad apples. It's a lot of people.

KHAN: Yes, I know. And that's what's frightening to us. We Muslims fear them more than anybody else, because not only are they defining the agenda for Muslims in America, they're defining the agenda for Muslims globally.

O'REILLY: Sure, they make you look bad. Now Mr. Ibish--

HUSSEIN IBISH, SENIOR FELLOW, AMERICAN TASK FORCE ON PALESTINE: More than looking bad. Yes.

O'REILLY: Are you surprised--

IBISH: No.

O'REILLY: --you didn't cut a break on the big media?

IBISH: Well, I don't think I'm being cut a break or anybody else is being cut a break. I think it's a silly equation to compare the Muslim religion of the world 1.2 billion people, a fifth of humanity with, say, the Tea Party movement. I mean, there's no doubt--

O'REILLY: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait, wait.

IBISH: People, hold on.

O'REILLY: Let me challenge you. Hold it, hold it. Let me challenge you.

IBISH: All right fine. Go ahead.

O'REILLY: You're going to sit there and tell me--

IBISH: Yes.

O'REILLY: --hat if it was a Tea Party guy arrested in Times Square.

O'REILLY: --in Times Square--

IBISH: No.

O'REILLY: --the media wouldn't be celebrating? Come on.

IBISH: Let me try to explain it to you. Okay? People like this man Shahzad are extremely dangerous. Yes, they have to be confronted. And they have to be defeated. But they do not represent the Muslims of the world or the Muslims of the United States.

O'REILLY: But there are millions of jihadists, Mr. Ibish. Millions.

IBISH: I don't know that there are millions. There are certainly hundreds of thousands for sure. There are many of these people. There's no question, which is what makes it dangerous. But I don't think you can equate that with the Muslims of the world. It's a big mistake.

O'REILLY: Is it problem for the Muslim community worldwide.

IBISH: I agree. Absolutely, absolutely.

O'REILLY: Enormous.

IBISH: There is no doubt. I agree with that of course.

O'REILLY: And you're being -- by the American media?

IBISH: No, I don't -- no. No. Now the quote you just played at the beginning of your segment--

O'REILLY: Yes.

IBISH: --was a reasonable one in the sense that the woman was worried about the possible unhealthy impact of this feeding into stereotypes and collective guilt and blame.

O'REILLY: Do you think she would have been worried about the same thing with the Tea party people?

IBISH: She should have been. Why not?

O'REILLY: Do you think she would have been?

IBISH: I have no idea. I don't know the lady.

O'REILLY: All right. And that's an honest answer.

IBISH: But she should be.

O'REILLY: Do you think she would have been, Ms. Kahn, worried about the Tea Party people or if that were right wing militia crew? Do you think Ms. brewer would have been worried about it?

IBISH: This analogy is so wrong.

KHAN: I can't really speak for Ms. Brewer, but what can I tell you is that yes, the extremists do represent a fraction of our community. And it's true. It's a large group.

O'REILLY: It's millions of people.

KHAN: I know, but the more important story is what are Muslims doing about it? Systematically Muslim organizations the last couple of days have sent out statements abhorring this act. Community leaders are galvanizing saying we are distancing ourselves from people like this. So there are huge efforts going on in the Muslim community to push back at this extremist element.

O'REILLY: But are they going on in Pakistan? Are they going on--

IBISH: Of course they are.

O'REILLY: --in Iran?

IBISH: well, no doubt, yes.

KHAN: There are lots of efforts going on.

O'REILLY: I'm not sure about that.

KHAN: But we're not hearing about it.

IBISH: In Pakistan--

O'REILLY: Go ahead. I'll give you the last word.

IBISH: Almost all the major arrests of al Qaeda figures were done in Pakistan by the Pakistanis. I hope and I think the Pakistanis have changed their minds about the Taliban in Afghanistan, for example. It's become a real threat--

O'REILLY: All right.

IBISH: --to every single Muslim society.

O'REILLY: All right. And that's legitimate point . And under President Obama--

IBISH: They've got to do it.

O'REILLY: --that has happened. And we have to give everybody credit for that. Very good discussion. Thanks for helping us out. We appreciate it.