The nation's leading newspapers were under fire this weekend after publishing opinion pieces seen as "Bigoted," "Islamophobic," "Racist," and "Reckless."
A Wall Street Journal opinion piece published on Friday afternoon read 'Welcome to Dearborn, America's Jihad Capital.'
And on Saturday, The New York Times published a piece by long-time columnist Thomas Friedman titled "Understanding the Middle East Through the Animal Kingdom."
February 2, 2024:
— Mohammad Alsaafin (@malsaafin) February 3, 2024
The conservative Wall Street Journal publishes an op-ed calling a largely Arab American city a 'jihad capital'.
The liberal New York Times publishes an op-ed comparing Arabs and Iranians to insects and animals. pic.twitter.com/Q9mmgpLeM5
Dearborn, Michigan, a city with the largest Muslim population in the US, has increased its police presence, fearing hate attacks after the Wall Street Journal branded it America's 'jihad capital.'
The Islamaphobic article was written by Steven Stalinsky, who is a commentator on' terrorism' and has served as executive director of the pro-Israel Middle East Media Research Institute based in Washington, DC.
The mayor of Dearborn, Abdullah H. Hammoud, said Saturday that the city's police officers were ramping up their presence across places of worship and major infrastructure points following the publication of Stalinsky's piece that he called "bigoted" and "Islamophobic." The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee condemned the piece as anti-Arab and racist for suggesting the city's residents, including religious leaders and politicians, supported Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and extremism.
Effective immediately - Dearborn police will ramp up its presence across all places of worship and major infrastructure points.
— Abdullah H. Hammoud (@AHammoudMI) February 3, 2024
This is a direct result of the inflammatory @WSJ opinion piece that has led to an alarming increase in bigoted and Islamophobic rhetoric online…
In response to the Wall Street Journal piece, President Joe Biden tweeted Sunday afternoon:
"Americans know that blaming a group of people based on the words of a small few is wrong. That’s exactly what can lead to Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate, and it shouldn’t happen to the residents of Dearborn – or any American town. We must continue to condemn hate in all forms."
Shortly after Biden's tweet went out, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer tweeted:
"Dearborn is a vibrant community full of Michiganders who contribute day in and day out to our state. Islamophobia and all forms of hate have no place in Michigan, or anywhere. Period."
Friedman's piece in the New York Times entitled, "Understanding the Middle East Through the Animal Kingdom," posited Iran as a metaphorical "parasitoid wasp" with proxies in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria as caterpillars. Friedman claimed, "We have no counterstrategy that safely and efficiently kills the wasp without setting fire to the whole jungle," suggesting that the US militarily destroys the entire Middle East to annihilate Iran and its allies. He concluded that he could "contemplate" the Middle East by watching Animal Planet.
Abed A. Ayoub, Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, tweeted:
"Go ahead and say this about any other people and see the reaction - @tomfriedman would be fired before the ink dries. This election season kickoff is a reminder that anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia are mainstream. That’s why this trash is acceptable to so many, and there will be no accountability."
Erin Overby, former Archive Editor at The New Yorker, tweeted:
"This @nytimes column by Thomas Friedman comparing countries in the Middle East to animals, pests & insects is so virulently racist it could have run in Der Sturmer or on Radio Rwanda pre-‘94 genocide. It’s appallingly offensive & Friedman should be fired."
Did no editor or headline writer at the ‘liberal’ New York Times think twice before publishing this drivel, with this headline, from Friedman? https://t.co/zrVzQE4CMs
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 3, 2024
Not only is Dearborn an innovation hub for America partnering with Silicon Valley but @AHammoudMI is one of the most dynamic mayors! He has delivered more for the working & middle class than the WSJ ed board that recommended policies that hollowed it out! https://t.co/GA1TaqzHz6
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) February 3, 2024
This is disgusting. @WSJ should be ashamed of itself for promoting this kind of Islamophobic BS, and should immediately apologize to the residents of Dearborn and to Muslims everywhere. Thank you @AHammoudMI for your leadership as Mayor. https://t.co/QmtLrG6M8a
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) February 4, 2024
@WSJ, you must know how the people of Dearborn have been targeted by anti-Muslim extremists. Just wrong. https://t.co/byd68Arjvi https://t.co/jJlkr4JBzT
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) February 4, 2024
The @WSJ & @nytimes' Thomas Friedman peddle racist hate. They are part of a bigger problem of bigotry & dehumanization in mainstream media.
— Sina Toossi سینا طوسی (@SinaToossi) February 3, 2024
These outlets should apologize publicly & diversify their staff & perspectives to meet their ethical and moral obligations as journalists. pic.twitter.com/oTsfGtFylH
2 reasons why antisemitism is on the rise:
— Jen Perelman (@JenChangeFL) February 4, 2024
1. Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.
2. Zionists like Thomas Friedman & Steven Stalinsky who opine Jews as ethnically superior to Arabs.
This is why we say Not In Our Name. We must end the genocide now. pic.twitter.com/zZcJEHzj2c
It’s 2024 and the editors at the New York Times approved Thomas Friedman comparing Arabs and Iranians to insects.
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) February 4, 2024
The paper of record is the paper of genocide.
