The execution-style murder of three North Carolina college students has sparked global outrage. More so because they were Muslims and the US media didn’t give the hate-crime incident any coverage. Abed Ayoub, the legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, has blamed Clint Eastwood’s movie American Sniper for encouraging and giving further fuel to anti-Islam sentiment or Islamophobia fire in the US.
“[The North Carolina murders] may not be directly linked to the film, but the overall way that Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment are moving in this country is portrayed in the words of those who watched American Sniper. The film gave us a look into how these individuals were feeling and for the first time we were getting raw, real messages – and they were frightening,” said the civil rights activist.
“This country needs to realise that acts of terrorism are not confined to a single religion or ethnicity. This [Islamophobia] is something that needs to stop and we would like the media to pay more attention and cover this more to show the impact of hate crime and hate speech. There are key individuals who could tone down the Islamophobic rhetoric. You have people on the extreme right that just push that Islam is an evil religion and Muslims and Arabs are these evil people,” he added.
There were many on Twitter who shared the similar sentiment:
Bet the #ChapelHillShooting terrorist saw @AmericanSniper
— TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonMessages) February 13, 2015
Reaction to the #AmericanSniper movie and the #ChapelHillShooting are a window into American racism. pic.twitter.com/EnGK2Dg2fc — Bipartisan Report (@Bipartisanism) February 11, 2015
Is anyone surprised that the #ChapelHillShooting occurred not too long after the anti-Muslim atmosphere generated by #AmericanSniper movie?
— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) February 11, 2015
Maybe the killer was inspired by American Sniper – a movie that teaches you killing young Muslim children is okay. #ChapelHillShooting — Sid (@SidulAli) February 11, 2015
What scares me most about the #ChapelHillShooting is that it came so quickly on the heels of #AmericanSniper. Hate is toxic & contagious.
— Neale Clunie (@AbeFroman) February 11, 2015
Shafi Khan, a friend of victims, blamed American media and right-wing politicians for intentionally fanning flames of anti-Muslim hatred. “There is (sic) certain sections of the media and political apparatus that are constantly dehumanizing Muslims. I want to take a minute to ask people like Fox News and Bobby Jindal to stop this dehumanization of Muslims. It’s really, really starting to take a toll”.
Recently, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, in an interview on the Family Research Council’s Washington Watch radio program, warned of the possibility of Muslim “no go zones” coming to America, a possible sharia “colonization” and “invasion” of America.
In 2014, Oklahoma Senator John Bennett called Islam “a cancer that needs to be cut out of society”. “And the Republican Party establishment, instead of condemning him, came out and made a point of saying they stand by him. These people need to reflect sincerely about what they’re doing to the social cohesion of this country. Imagine if someone had said that about the Jewish community,” added Khan.
Tweeps reminded Islamophobes that #MuslimLivesMatter
Anti racism campaigners outside BBC headquarters demand fair coverage #MuslimLivesMatter #CapitolHillshooting pic.twitter.com/v6wyzFbYWp
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaGeoNews) February 12, 2015
Great job guys, really excellent. Please keep up the journalistic integrity. @CNN @ABC @FoxNews @CBS @nbc #ChapelHill pic.twitter.com/0Hwsj8JhNj
— Adham Kassem (@Adham_Kassem) February 11, 2015
@BBCNews @PressTV @CNN @FoxNews @DailyMailUK Y SILENT ON CHAPEL HILL KILLINGS #JeSuisChapelHill #ChapelHillShooting pic.twitter.com/LLENnggFfV
— WOBBLER BUSTERS (@wobblerbusters) February 11, 2015
IF THIS WAS A WHITE FAMILY AND A MUSLIM SHOOTER PEOPLE WOULDNT STOP TALKING ABOUT IT #MuslimLivesMatter
— The Kentucky Gay (@OG_KG1) February 12, 2015
#Muslimlivesmatter and so do all lives regardless of religion, color or sect.
— Fawad Afzal Khan (@_fawadakhan_) February 13, 2015
Source:
http://rt.com/usa/231847-muslims-violence-media-fox/
I don’t believe this was a hate crime at all. It had to do witha parking spot, and it started long before “American sniper” came out. Apartments usually only get one parking spot (if you’re lucky). The students were always taking his,and he had spoken to them about it many times. Evidently, it didn’t help.
The media, should have reported “3 students killed”, but instead, reported “3 Muslim students killed”. Why? Had they wanted to ignite a fire? Since when do they announce the religion of those murdered ? And why only when they are Muslim or black. Seems to me that someone wants to keep people divided in this country and continues to fuel the fire. Still say headline should have been “3 Students Killed”.