The Tampa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Tampa) announced today that a local television station has dropped a program that promoted hatred of Islam and Muslims.
CAIR-Tampa said WTOG-TV (CW 44) dropped “Live Prayer with Bill Keller” after the station and its parent company CBS received a letter from and had discussions with the Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.
Keller told the St. Petersburg Times: "Ultimately, it was pressure by CAIR that intimidated these people into taking me off the air. It was not mutually agreeable. They told me they were taking me off the air, period."
SEE: Televangelist: I Lost My Show Over Muslim Remarks (St. Petersburg Times)
In its letter to CBS President Tom Kane and WTOG-TV’s general manager, CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier wrote:
“In the hate-filled program, ‘Live Prayer with Bill Keller,’ Islam and Muslims are referred to in the most vicious and bigoted of terms. For example on May 2, 2007, host Bill Keller said: ‘Islam is a 1400-year-old lie from the pits of hell. It’s leading a billion peoples [sic] to hell. . .those who follow this false religion will die and be lost for all eternity.’ On the same program, he also said, ‘The false religion of Islam is about hate, lies and death.’
CAIR-Tampa said WTOG-TV (CW 44) dropped “Live Prayer with Bill Keller” after the station and its parent company CBS received a letter from and had discussions with the Islamic civil rights and advocacy group.
Keller told the St. Petersburg Times: "Ultimately, it was pressure by CAIR that intimidated these people into taking me off the air. It was not mutually agreeable. They told me they were taking me off the air, period."
SEE: Televangelist: I Lost My Show Over Muslim Remarks (St. Petersburg Times)
In its letter to CBS President Tom Kane and WTOG-TV’s general manager, CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier wrote:
“In the hate-filled program, ‘Live Prayer with Bill Keller,’ Islam and Muslims are referred to in the most vicious and bigoted of terms. For example on May 2, 2007, host Bill Keller said: ‘Islam is a 1400-year-old lie from the pits of hell. It’s leading a billion peoples [sic] to hell. . .those who follow this false religion will die and be lost for all eternity.’ On the same program, he also said, ‘The false religion of Islam is about hate, lies and death.’
EXTERNAL (NON-BLOGSPOT VIDEO LINK): To view examples of Bill Keller’s Anti-Muslim Bigotry, go to: http://www.cairfl.org/video/0705-bill-keller-attacks-islam.wmv
“It is our belief that anti-Islamic rhetoric like that used in ‘Live Prayer with Bill Keller’ is exactly the type of language that is likely to incite hate crimes against the American Muslim community.”
“While we strongly support freedom of speech and religion, the public airwaves should not be used to promote hatred and bigotry,” Bedier said today. “We commend WTOG-TV and CBS for rejecting any association with those who would demonize a minority group.”
Bedier noted that a Muslim family’s home in Sarasota, Fla., was recently torched by arsonists who spray-painted Islamophobic slurs on the walls.
SEE: CAIR-Tampa Announces $10K Reward in Arson Case
“It is our belief that anti-Islamic rhetoric like that used in ‘Live Prayer with Bill Keller’ is exactly the type of language that is likely to incite hate crimes against the American Muslim community.”
“While we strongly support freedom of speech and religion, the public airwaves should not be used to promote hatred and bigotry,” Bedier said today. “We commend WTOG-TV and CBS for rejecting any association with those who would demonize a minority group.”
Bedier noted that a Muslim family’s home in Sarasota, Fla., was recently torched by arsonists who spray-painted Islamophobic slurs on the walls.
SEE: CAIR-Tampa Announces $10K Reward in Arson Case
2 comments:
I'm not fully understanding why the words of this preacher are considered to promote hate and bigotry. His words seem to be based on his belief and don't seem to attack the individuals involved in Islam. He is only saying the belief system of Islam is fouled as far as his belief system is concerned. The consequences for his words to those targeted are not within this life. He claims these people are going to hell. When a reasonable Christian says people are going to hell it is based on a concern for the eternal well-being of the person's soul. Christians are never called to hasten a souls descent. They would prolong the descent with hope and prayer.
I've heard Muslims explain the belief of Jesus as God is a sin and this belief condemns those who hold it.
Should these Muslims be silenced as the Christian was?
Nobody is debating that he doesn't have his right to free Speach and the right to his own beliefs. The problem is he said "Islam is a 1400-year-old lie from the pits of hell" and that the Prophet Muhammad is a "Murdering Pedophile." If that's not an attack on a religion, then answer what is. What kind of concern is he showing for any muslim, by spewing these remarks... it's all accusations in the form of hatred. There's a right time, place and way to spread his message of Christianity... how in his or anybody's right mind would this manner be taken seriously. It doesn't matter if he's not targeting people within this life, the fact of the matter is the billions of Muslim he speaks of are alive and are listening. In the end every religion has its beliefs, but as a doctrine in the Islamic faith.. Jesus is considered a Prophet and any attack on him would forfeit one's belief in the One God. You don't see Muslims coming on air targeting Jesus, and if you do which I highly doubt... this person is an imposter and or not a devout Muslim. We should all spread responsibility in our speach, mannerisms, and respect for other religions. Hatred is a sign of weakness, and Bill Keller showed much of that
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