NY Times Interview of Brigitte Gabriel

The New York Times Interview of Brigitte Gabriel:
Political Correctness Rears Its Head Again!

This past Sunday the New York Times magazine carried an interview with Brigitte Gabriel in advance of the release of her new book They Must Be Stopped.

In what can only be described as a remarkable illustration of political correctness, Brigitte was described as a “radical Islamophobe” in the introduction.

The e-mail below was sent out by our friends at CAMERA, urging their readers to contact the New York Times in protest. We thank CAMERA for their action and encourage our members to do the same!

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In the August 17th New York Times Magazine, the author Brigitte Gabriel is unfairly and inaccurately labeled as a "radical Islamophobe" (page 6 Table of Contents blurb).

To be a radical Islamophobe means to have an irrational fear of radical Islam/Muslims, or to be prejudiced against them. (It's not clear from the Times' phrase which word "radical" is meant to describe. I presume "radical" was meant to describe the Muslims Gabriel is supposedly irrationally afraid of, rather than Gabriel herself, since Gabriel is always very clear in her speeches to differentiate between extremists and moderates.)

It's interesting that the Times' editors apparently believe that opposition to Islamic totalitarianism must by definition be irrational or arising from prejudice. Since when did it become irrational or prejudiced to oppose supremacists who scorn, harass and/or murder people for not being the "right" religion? Does the New York Times similarly label as crazy or bigoted the many Americans who oppose white supremacists?

* What oh-too-clever title did the Times use for this article about a Lebanese Christian activist who opposes the spread of Islamic totalitarianism? "The Crusader."

While normally calling an activist a "crusader" is a compliment, in the context of a Christian opposing Islamic totalitarianism, it inappropriately juxtaposes Gabriel's legitimate criticism of Muslim extremists with the Christian Crusaders who murdered thousands of Muslims (and Jews) in the Crusades.

* Furthermore, in the interview itself, reporter Deborah Solomon posed several inappropriate questions, such as:

"Are you an agent of the U.S. government?"

"Are you underwritten by the C.I.A.?"

"But I see that R. James Woolsey, a former director of the C.I.A., serves on the board of American Congress for Truth, your educational foundation."

Apparently in Deborah Solomon's world, one must be on the U.S. government payroll to want to sound the alarm about militant Muslim supremacists.

Another stunningly absurd question from Solomon:

"If you are worried about death threats, why would you put a glamorous photograph of yourself on the cover of your new book?"

Presumably Solomon feels that Brigitte Gabriel should wear a burka, or hide altogether, to appease the Islamists who want to kill her for speaking out against them? Why does Solomon feel it is somehow questionable for Gabriel to be "glamorous"?

Earlier Complaints about Solomon from Tim Russert, Ira Glass and her own editor

This is not the first time that Deborah Solomon's journalistic judgment and professionalism have been called into question. Times' Public Editor Clark Hoyt and New York Times Magazine Editor Gerald Marzorati did so themselves in a long column last year about Solomon's questionable questions and quotations. Click here to read their complaints, as well as those from Tim Russert, Ira Glass, and the current "Ann Landers."

ACTION ITEMS

Please write to the New York Times.

* Write to the corrections editor and public editor. Urge the Times to publish an apology/ correction regarding the inaccurate label of "radical Islamophobe" for Brigitte Gabriel. Urge the Times to also remove the inaccurate description from their Web site. Protest reporter Solomon's obvious lack of objectivity toward Gabriel and Solomon's often inappropriate questions, as well as the inflammatory title "The Crusader."

corrections: nytnews@nytimes.com or call 1-888-698-6397

ombudsman or "public editor": public@nytimes.com

Call NY Times Magazine editor Gerald Marzorati: 212-556-1234

* Write a letter to the magazine for publication about Brigitte Gabriel's work, militant Islam, Gabriel's description of Israel, or your thoughts on Deborah Solomon's prejudicial questions and language.

Write to: magazine@nytimes.com
(Be sure to include your name, address and daytime telephone number)

* Please send CAMERA a blind copy of your letters: letters@camera.org

The NY Times Magazine blurb and article are below.

With thanks,
Lee Green
Director, National Letter-Writing Group
http://www.camera.org/