Documentary "Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center" suppressed by PBS

The film, which was supposed to be part of a PBS series, cost taxpayers more than $600,000. Now after spending that money making it, PBS is not going to show it, because they have decided it is "one-sided" and "alarmist." Here are some excerpts from an article at CNSNews.com:

PBS Accused of Same Tactics Radical Muslims Use Against Moderates

[...] "Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center," a 52-minute, taxpayer-funded documentary, was originally slated to be screened as part of an 11-part PBS series called "America at a Crossroads," examining post-9/11 challenges facing the nation.

The series began airing for the first time last week on WETA, the Washington, D.C., PBS affiliate, but "Islam vs. Islamists" has been dropped from the lineup.

Hollywood veteran Martyn Burke of ABG films co-produced the film with Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, and Gaffney's CSP colleague Alex Alexiev, who specializes in Islamic extremism.

The film, which cost more than $600,000 to produce, focuses on conflicts that have erupted within the Muslim community in the U.S., Canada, Denmark and France.

[...]

Burke told the audience that PBS and WETA advisors and producers had objected to the participation of conservatives Gaffney and Alexiev. A "bitter fight" ensued over the content of the film, and the PBS/WETA criticisms became increasingly "hysterical," he said.

"PBS is doing what the Islamists are doing," Burke charged. "They are silencing these people [Muslim moderates]."

The producers said PBS replaced their film with another one, "The Muslim Americans," which Gaffney called "a triumph for the Islamists," saying it promoted a perspective in line with that of America's enemies. For his part, Alexiev claimed that the replacement film paints a "fawning portrait" of U.S. organizations with extremist ties. [...]

(bold emphasis mine) PBS once again is using taxpayer money to promote their own agenda. Where is the balance? There was also a conflict of interest involved with the selection of the replacement film, you can read the full article for details.

The cut film featured Naser Khader, the Muslim member of the Danish Parliament, whom I've posted about before. He is a very articulate moderate Muslim, who has been receiving death threats for speaking out. Voices like his need to be heard, not suppressed. We have already heard plenty from extremists pretending to be moderate in order to promote their own world view.




Related Links:

Moderate Muslims Speak Out, But Not on PBS

Where is the support for the REAL moderate Muslims?

Nasar Khader, moderate Muslim politician, is largely ignored by MSM