Driving along South Carolina's Interstate 26 at this time of year, one is introduced to a number of wondrous scenes: trees slightly tinged with orange; a vast blue sky; generous 70-something degree weather. Oh yeah, and hate propaganda that could make a Chairman blush.
A billboard donning the words "Islam Rising" in bold red letters – with the tagline "Be Warned" – is a beacon for fearmongerers promoting a documentary of the same name produced by the ultra-conservative Christian Action Network for those who can only swallow information in two-word doses about the 'threats' of Islamic culture.
Well, here's another two-worder for you: That's racist.
The "Islam Rising" headline is accompanied by the angry eyes of someone who looks like a cross between Scorpion from Mortal Combat and the chain belonging to Plies the rapper. The caricature peering at you through a ski mask is, supposedly, an Islamic terrorist. Silly racists forgot that everyone knows it doesn't snow in Muslim Town.
Making my first roadtrip through the State of Smiling Faces and Beautiful Places, my first reaction to it was of course to immediately u-turn and snap photos (my parents love when I post travel pix). My next was to 'tap the Googles' and see what outrage has erupted around it. But coverage of the display is overwhelmingly in support of the billboard and its message, with only a couple of local networks acknowledging that some people might possibly kinda sorta have a problem with it.
The billboard has been up since May, which makes it the longest-standing documentary film billboard I've seen besides the one for Spy Kids which was up for two years in East Oakland. Some might argue that freedom of speech legally allows the billboard to stay standing for as long as it wants, and the cost of putting one up there ranges from $500 to $2,000 a month, chump-change for an organization like CAN.
But such a flagrant and coercive piece of propaganda in an area where Muslims have barely any platform to speak can lead to hatred and violence. The tone of CAN's We Will Never Forget 9/11 event held this past September is a further indication that this message of generalization and xenophobia is intentional and meant to spread far beyond just a billboard.
The Christian Action Network's central campaigns are based on spreading Islamphobia, so petitioning the organization would probably be as effective as tossing a Twinkie at an elephant. So we at Change.org suggest you go straight to the source: please take a moment to sign our petition to Revelation Outdoor Management, the South Carolina branch of the advertising agency which owns said billboard space.
Let's get this thing down.
I think the guy in the billboard looks cool. I want to look like that. Seriously, I do worry if people are taking that billboard seriously.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Lol I didn't realise it was a film. I just thought it was a general bigoted statement If it's anything like his last one I doubt it'll get many watchers.
Sad to say, but in the West and certainly in the UK, the majority of the non-Muslims now have a negative opinion about Islam. Just reading articles about letting a hate preacher enter the UK, in the comments the majority were in support of "what he had to say", knowing this guy was about to make a "burn the Quran day".
All I can say is, these are some real testing times for the Ummah in the west. But truth be told;
"No matter how much lies they like to spread against Islam, they can never succeed in extinguishing the knowledge and guidance of Islam. We need not worry about what they do, if they're working very hard to earn the punishment of the fire, we can neither stop them, nor save them. Only Allah can save whoever He wills, and Allah knows best." (Quran 61:8)
The way I see it, in the long run these jokers are shooting themselves in the collective foot. Let's see how many people revert to Islam down the line as an indirect result of this 'marketing'.
think about it in a positive light someone may see the sign and think why should i be warned? Then they may actually look into Islam and accept it inshallah Just like when people actually started to study Islam due to the whole Burn the Quran day scheme any attempts made to destroy Islam will only fail I thought some of them would have realized that by now..
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why we call it 'The Present'."
Islam is rising insha'Allah and shall reign supreme.. remind me to call south Carolina to thank them for this free advertisement..
you know what they say.. so long as they remember your name
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I don't care for these kind of statements. Movie or not, it can still breed fear and hate.
On a positive side, at least it exposes how easily some people can be mislead. When history comes back to judge this, it will be in favour of Muslims.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
Lol I didn't realise it was a film. I just thought it was a general racist statement If it's anything like his last one I doubt it'll get many watchers.
Islam is not a "race". It is not racist to be against Islam or any other religion.
im sure we can safety assume what the brother meant ..unless you are trying to stir some lame argument then it would be understood why you didnt understand it..
I fear when they have nothing else to counter their patent stupidity, warmongering, islamophobia, they'll end up lost in semantics.. You know that justifies their acts and makes it all better..
question remains really why do we let these cesspool dwellers on to an Islamicboard?
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
im sure we can safety assume what the brother meant ..unless you are trying to stir some lame argument then it would be understood why you didnt understand it..
No lame argument at all.
"Racist" has come to mean anything you want it to. Usually to stifle speech.
A belief system is what any religion is. And, criticizing a belief system is not racist. Any and all belief systems should be able to defend their beliefs. How else would any group gain followers?
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Seriously, I do worry if people are taking that billboard seriously.
If it's anything like his last one I doubt it'll get many watchers.
..unless you are trying to stir some lame argument then it would be understood why you didnt understand it..
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