Monday, June 24, 2013

New York Times Editorial: "More Overreach by the N.Y.P.D.": Who Is Causing Whom "Suspicion and Mistrust"?

In an editorial entitled "More Overreach by the N.Y.P.D." (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/opinion/more-overreach-by-the-nypd.html?_r=0), The New York Times takes the NYPD to task for installing a surveillance camera at the entrance to a mosque in New York City. The editorial concludes:

"Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has responded to such complaints by insisting that the department’s surveillance program is perfectly legal and implying that critics are undermining public safety. This is the same response he offers when challenged on the stop-and-frisk program. This arrogant approach tries to discredit legitimate criticism while justifying further overreach by a department with a history of abusive behavior. It is up to the courts to determine whether the Muslim surveillance program and the stop-and-frisk program are constitutional. What already seems clear is that these surveillance policies create suspicion and mistrust, which does not help the Police Department or anyone else."

Needless to say, the editorial does not make mention of a recent Pew Research Center survey (http://www.pewforum.org/Muslim/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-exec.aspx), which determined:
"Few U.S. Muslims voice support for suicide bombing or other forms of violence against civilians in the name of Islam; 81% say such acts are never justified, while fewer than one-in-ten say violence against civilians either is often justified (1%) or is sometimes justified (7%) to defend Islam."

Only 1% of US Muslims "say violence against civilians is often justified," and only 7% say that such violence "is sometimes justified"? These numbers are astonishing.

Recently, we have heard repeatedly from left-leaning pundits, e.g., Thomas Friedman, who are willing to endure NSA surveillance of their phone calls, e-mails and Internet surfing to prevent another 9/11 (see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-calderone/tom-friedman-9-11-new-york-times_b_3429219.html).

But surveillance of mosques? How horrifying! How politically incorrect!

Query: Who Is Causing Whom "Suspicion and Mistrust"? Hint: It's not a corpulent, intellectually challenged (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/06/thomas-friedman-postcard-from-turkey.html) Thomas Friedman.

Yes, I'm mad. How mad? I'm not "mad enough" to go see "World War Z" (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.co.il/2013/06/maureen-dowd-zombie-scare-with-zombie.html), but consider the enduring relevance of "Network" from 1976: "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

3 comments:

  1. Interesting how the Muslim community views any kind of surveillance with "Suspicion and Mistrust" while every synagogue and Jewish school across the world would welcome surveillance cameras being installed and paid for by the State. With antisemitic attacks on the rise since 2006, perhaps these devices could act as a deterrent or at least assist in apprehending the perpetrators of these crimes.

    http://www.adl.org/anti-semitism/international/c/global-anti-semitism-select-2012.html

    As to what is 'Politically Correct' these days, you'll have to consult with Arianna Huffington who just launched a new version of her blog targeting French speaking North Africans.

    No, this is not Onion News:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/introducing-al-huffington-post-maghreb_b_3492847.html

    Marhaba!

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  2. Just another Tyranny Tuesday in the Middle East.

    "Qatar's emir Sheikh Hamad to hand power to son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim"

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/24/qatar-emir-steps-down-son-tamim

    I'm waiting for the official State Department statement welcoming Sheikh Tamim as Qatar's next great reformer.

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  3. NYC's City Council is far more dangerous than the NYT.
    Was there any warning that they were going to vote yesterday to force restrictive rules of engagement on the NYPD regarding "stop and frisk" even before the court rules?

    Must be something in the water...but I am now scared to death that NYC will revert to pre-Giuliani fear and terror that had nothing to do with jihadis.

    K2K

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