ABC News set out Monday night to rehabilitate the reputation of the
iman behind the proposed mosque near Ground Zero, Feisal Abdul Rauf,
trying to discredit criticism of him from the right as
Sharyn Alfonsi
portrayed him as a model of religious tolerance who condemns suicide
bombers, terrorism and Hamas and who deserves admiration because he
"eulogized Daniel Pearl."
The night before, in a Sunday World News story on protests over the
mosque, ABC expressed sudden respect for former President Bush as
reporter Linsey Davis used him to undermine opponents: "In an attempt to
make a clear distinction between Islam and terrorism, within days of
9/11 President Bush went to a mosque."
Alfonsi generously began with how "he candidly discussed his beliefs
with Barbara Walters for her 2006 special on Heaven" where he promised
her "the Jews, the Christians, whoever believes in God and does good
will be saved." As for whether "one man's suicide bomber is another
man's martyr?", Alfonsi assured viewers:
In his book, the imam wrote: "The truth is that killing
innocent people is always wrong and no argument or excuse, no matter how
deeply believed, can ever make it right."
Playing a clip of Rauf saying "United States policies were an
accessory to the crime that happened" on 9/11, Alfonsi noted that's why
"critics called him a terror sympathizer," but, she countered, "a
spokesman for the imam tells us the comments were, quote, 'taken out of
context.'"
She concluded with another endorsement for Feisal Abdul Rauf's character:
And
while all of the imam's writings and interviews are now being
thoroughly examined, many critics have overlooked one of his more
memorable speeches. The imam actually eulogized Daniel Pearl, the
journalist murdered by Islamist terrorists in Pakistan, and, Diane, he
asked forgiveness for what's been done in the name of Islam.
Sawyer chirped in: "That's right, he was there at that memorial."
A couple of columns with facts and concerns ignored or dismissed by Alfonsi:
From the August 23 New York Post, "Rauf: a moderate? Beware imams' doubletalk ,"
by Hoover Institution media fellow Paul Sperry. And from National
Review online over the weekend, a piece by Andrew C. McCarthy: "Which Islam Will Prevail in America? That is the real question at hand in the Ground Zero mosque debate ."
Sunday night, anchor David Muir announced: "Tonight, we take you to
the protest, and we take you back to the days right after 9/11 when
then-President Bush offered his own words about Islam."
From that story:
LINSEY
DAVIS: In an attempt to make a clear distinction between Islam and
terrorism, within days of 9/11 President Bush went to a mosque.
FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, SEPT 17, 2001: That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace.
DAVIS: But in recent weeks, many prominent Republicans have suggested otherwise...
Earlier on Sunday: "
Amanpour on One-Sided This Week: 'Profound Questions About Religious Tolerance and Prejudice in the U.S .'"
The story on ABC's World News from Monday, August 23, transcript provided by the MRC's Brad Wilmouth:
DIANE SAWYER: Back here in New York, several hundred
people spent Sunday in loud and dueling protests about the mosque near
Ground Zero - for and against. The head of the mosque is on his third
stop in the Middle East sent by the U.S. to spread a positive word about
being Muslim in America. And Sharyn Alfonsi asked some more questions
today about who he is.
SHARYN ALFONSI: He candidly discussed his beliefs with Barbara Walters for her 2006 special on Heaven.
BARBARA WALTERS: Do only Muslims go to Heaven?
IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF: The fundamental thing is you must accept God.
You have to believe that there is a creator. The Jews, the Christians,
whoever believes in God and does good will be saved.
ALFONSI: Rauf, who watched his father, a Muslim scholar, pioneer
interfaith dialogue in the 60s in New York, went on to do the same thing
after the September 11 attacks. Rauf was the imam - or head priest - of
a New York mosque just 12 blocks from Ground Zero.
WALTERS: Do you believe that a suicide bomber goes to Heaven?
RAUF: One of the things that we are taught is never to say somebody
will go to Hell or somebody will go to Heaven. It is up to God to
decide.
WALTERS: So one man's suicide bomber is another man's martyr?
RAUF: Well, the expression that I've heard is, "One man's terrorist is another man's hero."
ALFONSI:
But, in his book, the imam wrote, "The truth is that killing innocent
people is always wrong and no argument or excuse, no matter how deeply
believed, can ever make it right." He's been praised for being moderate.
But it was this interview with CBS's 60 Minutes after the September 11
attacks that has drawn scrutiny.
RAUF: I wouldn't say that the United States deserved what happened,
but United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened.
ALFONSI: Critics called him a terror sympathizer. But a spokesman for
the imam tells us the comments were, quote, "taken out of context." He
went on to describe the mistakes the CIA made in the 1980s by financing
Osama bin Laden and strengthening the Taliban. And what about claims
that the imam sympathizes with Hamas? Asked if the State Department was
correct to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization:
RAUF CLIP #1: I do not want to be placed, neither will I accept to be
placed, in a position where I am the target of one side or another.
RAUF CLIP #2: The targeting of civilians is wrong.
ALFONSI: And while all of the imam's writings and interviews are now
being thoroughly examined, many critics have overlooked one of his more
memorable speeches. The imam actually eulogized Daniel Pearl, the
journalist murdered by Islamist terrorists in Pakistan, and, Diane, he
asked forgiveness for what's been done in the name of Islam.
SAWYER: That's right, he was there at that memorial. Good to see you tonight, Sharyn. Thank you.
- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
