Judith Miller on Saturday marvelously smacked down Time magazine and Ellis Henican over the contention that America is Islamophobic.
As the discussion on "Fox News Watch" turned to Time's cover story about the nation's view of Muslims, Henican said that he attended the protests in New York last week and "there were some views expressed that I think everyone at this table would find a little troubling."
This led Miller to ask, "But, is that America?"
She continued, "That's some people who turned out to protest."
Miller then asked a question that should be posed to every liberal media member accusing Americans of Islamophobica, "Where is there any indication that America as a country is beating up on Muslims or denying them their rights?" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
JON SCOTT, HOST: That's Daisy Khan the wife of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on ABC's "This Week" responding to questions about this week's Time cover story "Is America Islamophobic?" That cover sparked dueling protests in New York. It's being cast as an indication of the growing bitterness and anger surrounding the issue. So much of this, Ellis, I guess revolves around questions that are not being answered about this mosque in New York. People want to know where the money's coming from. Who's paying for it? Are there foreign governments involved? Is anybody in the media trying to get to the bottom of that?
ELLIS HENICAN, NEWSDAY: Well, yeah, there's real reporting on it. And, I gotta tell you, Jon, I'm a little slow to make these sweeping answers like, "Yes, America is Islamophobic." But I covered that hard-hat rally down there, and let me tell you, there were some views expressed that I think everyone at this table would find a little troubling.
JUDITH MILLER: But, is that America?
HENICAN: Yeah, they have a right to do it.
MILLER: That's not America. That's some people who turned out to protest. To say that America which has, I mean New York has 100 mosques and the country has 2000. Where, where is there any indication that America as a country is beating up on Muslims or denying them their rights?
SCOTT: You think they did that just to sell magazines?
MILLER. Yes.
SCOTT: Is that a, a cover story that's going to make for reads?
JIM PINKERTON: Shock, shock.
S. E. CUPP: Right, I mean just asking the question I think reveals a whole mind set that I think is really problematic. For all of their interest in tolerance and freedom of speech and freedom of religion, the liberal thought police are out in full force to tell you that you cannot have certain opinions...
HENICAN: Oh, S. E., come on.
CUPP: ...that you cannot...
HENICAN: Come on.
CUPP: ...that there is a line in this debate that you can't have one belief or you are Islamophobic or racist or nativist. I mean, it's absolutely, it's intimidating and it's akin to censorship.
HENICAN: No, it's an absolutely appropriate question. Let me speak as the white guy from Louisiana here. You know, that's part of what people think out there. There is an audience for wonderful tolerance and there's an audience for some pretty ugly stuff, too.
PINKERTON: But there seems to be audience for curiosity about where the money is coming from as John said.
CUPP: Right.
PINKERTON: The New York Times reported just offhand on Friday, "Oh, yeah, of course they'll get $70 Million in tax exempt bonds. Who approves those things? And does anybody investigate before the taxpayers end up chipping in for this mosque?
Not surprisingly, Henican ended up being alone on the issue of American Islamophobics.
Makes you wonder what the weather is on that island he's on.
