Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Irony had a busy day yesterday.
Some of you may know Pamela Geller who runs the blog Atlas Shrugs. Pamela has devoted her life to letting folks know the violent side of Islam – not the big events that make the news but the equally awful everyday stuff of honor killings and the like. The photos she presents are not for weak stomachs. If you are looking for proof of a gigantic cultural divide between Islamic run countries and the West, you’ll find it on Geller’s blog.
In August Geller won in Court the license to run pro-Israeli ads on the New York subway in response to some anti-Israeli ads. In addition to supporting Israel, her Ayn Rand inspired message also opposes “savages" and "jihad.”
Enter Mona Eltahawy. She is a journalist born in Egypt who became an American citizen. She is a guest pundit for CNN and MSNBC. Why folks like her who at worst don’t like America or at best don’t understand America want to join us as citizens is baffling.
The video below shows Mona’s reaction to seeing the advertisement. If only she actually understood its message she might not have acted the way she did.
While watching her vandalize the advertisement with spray paint, an odd position of the “occupy” movement came to my mind; the one where they say “vandalism” is not “violence.” Speech however, particularly what they call “hate speech,” is treated by them as the most violent thing you can do to a person.
As she vandalizes the property of others, Mona commits the following acts of Irony:
She claims to have the “right” to destroy the posters, while denying the right of others to have them.
She claims stopping the free speech of others is a legitimate furthering of free speech.
She claims the woman trying to stop her is “defending racism” while the ad she paints over protests those who wish to kill Jews.
After the police arrived, she insisted on her American right to know what she was being charged with. That fact that the police officer pulled the paint can out of her hand mid-spray seemingly escaped her. She began yelling “I hurt no one! Non-violent protest!” That must be that “vandalism isn’t violence” rhetoric clogging her thinking.
Then came the whopper. She yelled, “You see this America? This is what happens to non-violent protestors in America in 2012!”
Listen Mona - what happened to you is SUPPOSED to happen in America. If you vandalize the property of others you get arrested. Absolutely. If there was a legitimate “Americanization School” required prior to becoming a citizen that stressed our culture as well as our laws, you might understand that.
What great irony it is that a woman who both CNN and MSNBC have on television to talk about rights and freedom has such little understanding of the interplay between the two.
There was a bit of comedy toward the end of the video. Mona’s outrage turns to opportunity as she implores the growing crowd to tweet that “Mona Eltahawy has been arrested for non-violent protest!” Thoughts of cable news appearances must have been dancing through her head. Harrowing as the moment of her arrest was, Mona musters the clarity of mind to spell her name for potential tweeters. Then she starts shouting her bio for good measure. When she says she is an Egyptian-American, a bystander says, “Oh, that’s why.” She stops her bio and says, “What do you mean that’s why?”
There is a conversation we haven’t had in America that we need to start having, so folks like Mona can better understand us. Let’s talk about the “sanctity of our stuff.” Our stuff is important to us. We work hard to buy our stuff. If you vandalize our stuff, it’s a violent act that will get you arrested. The importance of our stuff goes back to our founding. The indictment of King George in our Declaration of Independence contains American protestations of his taxing and taking our stuff. So important is our stuff that we protected our right to buy stuff by putting the Contract Clause in our Constitution even before we amended it with the Bill of Rights.
So Mona – if you really want an American aesthetic to go along with your citizenship papers, start respecting our stuff.
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Comments:
Jul '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
That was basically My comment:
She proved the poster's point: her reaction towards Israel was uncivilized; some would say "savage."
Jul '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
I guess Mona will be loudly defending the guy the Barry administration pulled out of his house in the middle of the night, because he posted something offensive to Muslims online.
Right? Wrong? No idea? It's so hard to keep things straight when you have no moral center, support equivocation rather than standing on principle, and are completely glued to the idea that people actually care what you think.
Jul '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Nice post Tommy.
I guess you have the answer to your question from awhile back.
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Palaeologus: Nice post Tommy.
I guess you have the answer to your question from awhile back. · 1 minute ago
For sure! I didn't catch back then that this woman was equating the American right with the Islamic right. Toward the end of that video she hints at it.
She appears to fight against oppression right up until the time she gets to be the oppressor.
Fool me once...
Edited on September 27, 2012 at 4:18amAug '12
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Defending free speech is now the same thing as defending racism? Could someone please start a wiki for all the different contortions that the liberal argument has made this year?
Sincerely,
A Confused Conservative
Feb '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
That's some priceless liberalism going on right there.
Jul '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
?Liberal. This isn't a liberal. This is an islamist. I grant that the liberals have been defending the islamist as if they are wonderful, liberty-loving people, but that isn't quite the same as being an islamist.
For a long time I was convinced that moderate muslim was an oxymoron. Then the other night on Hannity he actually had two American muslims who defended free speech and decried the actions in the Mideast. That was a first for me. Still, they form a serious minority in the islamic world.
The muslims have gotten quite good at abusing our own rules and laws to promote their positions. They understood long ago the value of TV time, so we got the initial plane hijackings. They have been excellent in twisting exposure to aid them.
They have, with the complicity of the left, been active in dominating the terms of debate - so often the most important part of winning the debate. So as usual we are playing catch-up.
Still, the treat is real. Islam is an ideology with religious overtones. When we grasp that, and figure out it is our enemy in its present form, we may be salvageable.
Sep '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
What's really kind of sad is that she doesn't recognize that she's the one causing herself pain. As I noted in a comment to a thread on the same subject started by 10 cents on the member feed, http://bloggingheads.tv/videos/2755
links to a Blogging Heads convo between our own Claire Berlinski and Mona Eltahawy that took place on October 20 of last year, if I'm not mistaken. Mona's Egyptian background and Islamic heritage seem very much more important to her identity than her situation as a Western woman (which I of course just don't get), but she seems like a decent, searching woman. Maybe she's just losing it for some reason.
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Palaeologus: Nice post Tommy.
I guess you have the answer to your question from awhile back. · 30 minutes ago
Found an interesting little piece where Mona said the outrage over Muhammad cartoons was manufactured and Yale University should not have pulled some that were published.
I think Leslie is right maybe Mona has blown a gasket recently.
http://www.newser.com/story/68097/yale-sides-with-dictators-by-censoring-cartoons.html
Edited on September 27, 2012 at 5:06amMay '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Simply put, individuals such as Ms. Eltahawy would cut down the Tree of Liberty if it blocked the view of the Kaaba.
May '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
"I asked her to get out of my way peacefully." Oh, well I guess it was OK for you to spray paint her in the face then. As long as it was non-violent.
Apr '12
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Note: The following is an 'insane conspiracy' theory that I will support and advance until you allow for its possible validity.
This is the way gravity flows. Islamism is gaining mass and attracting more adherents. At a certain point of critical mass it will decide it's time for everyone within it's senses must also Submit.
The Marxist Globalists are contributing to this development hoping to ride into uncontested power when Islam and Christianity/capitalism are too tuckered out to fight anymore.
Aug '12
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
It seems to me that the capacity Muslims have for "losing it" is always lurking just below the surface. Even when they may appear to be stable, (American Law) law abiding people. Remember the case of Muzzammil Hassan. He founded an Islamic TV station for the purpose of countering negative Muslim 'stereotypes, then he beheaded his wife. Wow.
May '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Great post, Tommy. I agree with every line.
What struck me as so hilarious was that she really seemed to have no idea whatsoever that what she was doing was illegal. She was completely confident that she was the good guy in this situation and the woman standing in her way was the bad guy. She was shocked when she was arrested.
Jul '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Tommy De Seno
Palaeologus: Nice post Tommy.
I guess you have the answer to your question from awhile back. · 30 minutes ago
Found an interesting little piece where Mona said the outrage over Muhammad cartoons was manufactured and Yale University should not have pulled some that were published.
I think Leslie is right maybe Mona has blown a gasket recently.
http://www.newser.com/story/68097/yale-sides-with-dictators-by-censoring-cartoons.html · 24 minutes ago
Edited 19 minutes ago
That is an extremely interesting juxtaposition. I suppose it confirms what Claire always said: stuff is really complicated.
Maybe she snapped, maybe she is working her way through pluralism, maybe she thinks Muhammad is fair game for free speech but Arab "freedom fighters" aren't... I just don't get her.
Edited on September 27, 2012 at 5:42amMay '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
oh, my. I feel that I should not have watched that video.
I seriously hope that she is charged with both the malicious mischief (or vandalism) and assault. I very much doubt that she will be prosecuted as strongly as she should be, though. It would be interesting to see a follow-up.
Tommy, you put it well.
May '11
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
also, I wonder if she is willing to argue on television against the outrage over the cartoons, etc..., but draws the line at the line "support Israel." Of course, revealing a deep-seeded racism. You know, kind of like the kind she is protesting.
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Palaeologus
Tommy De Seno
Palaeologus: Nice post Tommy.
I guess you have the answer to your question from awhile back. · 30 minutes ago
Found an interesting little piece where Mona said the outrage over Muhammad cartoons was manufactured and Yale University should not have pulled some that were published.
I think Leslie is right maybe Mona has blown a gasket recently.
http://www.newser.com/story/68097/yale-sides-with-dictators-by-censoring-cartoons.html · 24 minutes ago
Edited 19 minutes ago
That is an extremely interesting juxtaposition. I suppose it confirms what Claire always said: stuff is really complicated.
Maybe she snapped, maybe she is working her way through pluralism, maybe she thinks Muhammad is fair game for free speech but Arab "freedom fighters" aren't... I just don't get her. · 5 minutes ago
Edited 4 minutes ago
In the interview with Claire, Mona denounces trials against free speech. Looks like she skipped the trial here and went straight to sentencing.
I don't know - is this a temporary moment of rage over what she considers an insult to her religion, or a manifestation of usually suppressed but true feelings about Israel?
Edited on September 27, 2012 at 5:56amJul '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
Tommy De Seno
In the interview with Claire, Mona denounces trials against free speech. Looks like she skipped the trial here and went straight to sentencing.
I don't know - is this a temporary moment of rage over what she considers an insult to her religion, or a manifestation of usually suppressed but true feelings about Israel? · 9 minutes ago
Edited 3 minutes ago
I dunno. My first comment (which seemed blindingly obvious when I wrote it) is clearly wrong.
The more I think about it, the more I think Leslie (and Ryan, in a more aggressive fashion) hit the mark.
I suspect that she prioritizes Arab nationalism over not only being an American, but also Islam. I suppose that would make her a moderate Muslim, though not a political moderate.
I still think the gist of your post is spot-on (i.e. she doesn't get free speech) but I think it may have more to do with being an Egyptian than it does with being a Muslim.
Of course, I've already missed the mark once...
Aug '10
Re: Mona Eltahawy Gets Her Jihad On In the NYC Subway
In a sane world, she'd have her citizenship revoked, and be on the next plane back to Egypt.