[ April 19, 2024 ]
Here’s an article from the Hollywood Reporter. It is typically Hollywoodish, using rampage to describe me and my work — “to rush around in a violent and uncontrollable manner.” Actually that’s what jihadists do. No surprise…..it’s Hollywood, after all. But it is a Q & A, so while Mr. Bond of the Hollywood Reporter was typically hostile (he even got a couple of things wrong in the text), it’s not terrible.
The headline is out of context, too. Here is what I said when asked if Hollywood should care about the threats made against me: “They may think they’re exempt, but they aren’t. Islamic supremacists will be demanding they adhere to Sharia as well. Of course, most producers already are careful not to show anything that might offend Muslims, including accurate representations of jihad plotting and activity, so Hollywood is mostly already in their pocket. But this is their issue, and the entertainment industry should be on the front lines in the information battle space. The jihadists aren’t just coming for me, they are coming for all of us that believe in freedom.”
So why do you think Hollywood, which routinely claims to push the envelope in its art, hasn’t supported you?
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They’re afraid of being ostracized.
Here’s the headline:
“Pamela Geller: Hollywood Is “In the Pocket” of Jihadists (Q&A)”
by Paul Bond, Hollywood Reporter, 6/9/2015
Pamela Geller has been on a rampage against radical Islam for years, beginning notably in 2010 by spearheading of the opposition to what she called the “Ground Zero Mega Mosque” near the site of the destroyed World Trade Center. Her most recent controversy was the organization of a “Draw the Prophet Muhammad” contest in Texas.
At the event, two self-described jihadists shot a security guard before police killed them. Then, on June 2, police killed a knife-wielding Muslim man in Boston whose goal was allegedly to behead Geller in retaliation for the contest. Even though the contest was a major news story, few media outlets published the winning cartoon. Geller’s group, American Freedom Defense Initiative, put the image on billboards, 100 of which debuted in St. Louis on Monday with the tagline “Support Free Speech.” She spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about how the (largely hostile) media is portraying these events.
Why are you being overly provocative, purposely insulting Muslims?
I am not being overly provocative or purposely insulting Muslims. Islamic jihadists, not I, made Muhammad cartoons the flash point for the defense of the freedom of speech when they began killing over them. If we don’t stand against them on that point, the only alternative is surrender and submission. I did not make the cartoons a flash point, the jihadis did.
But if you just don’t insult their prophet, they’ll leave you alone, no?
No. The death penalty for insulting Muhammad is just one aspect of Sharia. There is much, much more of infidel behavior that violates Sharia. If we refrain from drawing Muhammad, more demands to adhere to other aspects of Sharia will follow. Millions are suffering or have been slaughtered under Islamic Sharia law in Muslim countries. Islamic supremacists mean to impose it in the West.
Why shouldn’t cartoons insulting a religion be regarded as hate speech instead of protected free speech?
There is no hate speech exception to the First Amendment. “Hate speech” is a subjective judgment. If it were outlawed, the authority with the power to decide what constitutes it would have the power to control the public debate.… If a group will not bear being offended without resorting to violence, that group will rule unopposed while everyone else lives in fear, while other groups curtail their activities to appease the violent group. This results in the violent group being able to tyrannize the others. Cartoons have been used as satire since the beginning of satire — especially in our country — and no one gets a pass. Not the Pope of Rome, president of the United States or Hollywood’s biggest movie stars.… If you don’t like it, don’t look at it, boycott the network that airs it, don’t buy the publication, make counter-images, make a million, fine, but you have to adjust to us, not we to you, and if that’s too much, don’t come here. Threaten violence? Commit violence? The consequences are yours to bear.
It seems many media pundits who claim allegiance to the First Amendment aren’t persuaded by your arguments.
They are afraid of being killed by Islamic jihadists and camouflage their fear and cowardice as “respect” for Islam and Muslims.
Are there any TV hosts who have been particularly hostile to you during interviews?
Yes. Martha MacCallum, Erin Burnett, Alisyn Camerota, Chris Cuomo — although he let me speak and make my case.
How about behind your back?
Yes. Bill O’Reilly and Laura Ingraham. They said I was insulting the entire religion, one held by our moderate allies such as Egypt and Qatar. They are wrong in assuming that we must submit to Sharia to placate moderates, rather than that moderates need to accept the freedom of speech. Roman Catholics don’t like their religion mocked or the mockery of other religions, but Roman Catholics don’t kill when their religion is mocked — and so no one talks about “provoking” them or “respecting” them. In any pluralistic society, we have to put up with being offended and even with our core beliefs being mocked. Roman Catholics have learned that. Mormons and others have learned that — look at The Book of Mormon on Broadway. Why must we condescend to Muslims and think they cannot learn that? It’s the low expectation of soft bigotry.
So this isn’t entirely a partisan issue where conservatives stand by you and liberals don’t?
No. Chris Hayes stuck up for me on MSNBC. This is not a left/right split, it is a free person/slave split.
Did any TV host say something that struck you as particularly wrongheaded?
They all say I have the right to draw Muhammad but shouldn’t out of respect. They don’t seem to realize that any surrender on this point will only be seen by the jihadists as a victory and embolden them to make more demands. CNN’s Erin Burnett said I relished being the target of a beheading. It’s madness. Who self-promotes to get killed?
So you’re not purposely courting danger, as Burnett and others have insinuated?
Of course not. I love life. But I will not live as a slave.
Are there any TV hosts you’d like to face off with but who won’t have you on?
Bill O’Reilly. I expect he knows he would be shown up.
We know about the man arrested who intended to behead you. Any other threats you can share?
I have received many threats. The FBI and NYPD are aware of them and on the case.
Anyone in Hollywood reach out to you to offer support?
No.
Should Hollywood care about threats against you?
They may think they’re exempt, but they aren’t. Islamic supremacists will be demanding they adhere to Sharia as well. Of course, most producers already are careful not to show anything that might offend Muslims, including accurate representations of jihad plotting and activity, so Hollywood is mostly already in their pocket. But this is their issue, and the entertainment industry should be on the front lines in the information battle space. The jihadists aren’t just coming for me, they are coming for all of us that believe in freedom.
So why do you think Hollywood, which routinely claims to push the envelope in its art, hasn’t supported you?
They’re afraid of being ostracized.
Your “Draw Muhammad” event certainly got a lot of news coverage. Should mainstream media outlets have published the winning cartoon?
Every media outlet should publish the Muhammad cartoons. They can’t kill us all. By kowtowing to violent intimidation, they are inviting more of it. Instead, they should be showing that we will all stand together for free speech. If the media had published the Danish cartoons back in 2005, this would never have become an issue. The submission by media, entertainment and academic elites empowered the savages.
The Southern Poverty Law Center included you on their list of “hate groups.” Are they right?
Of course not. They’re the hate group, using that label to demonize and stigmatize all who don’t share their hard-left agenda. The SPLC smear machine does [not] profile jihad groups, but they target and libel patriots, veterans, Tea Party organizations and other groups that work in defense of freedom. They named [Republican presidential contender] Ben Carson as a hate group. That should tell you everything you need to know about them. Their [sympathizers] have violently attacked family groups, and one tried to assassinate Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. And a few months back an SPLC [sympathizer] killed three Muslims in a parking dispute in North Carolina.
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38 Comments
8 years ago
Hollywood really needs to sit down and view the movie. The Greatest Story Ever Told.
8 years ago
The only one that comes to mind with any “balls” is Clint Eastwood who produced ‘American Sniper’ and told it like it is. Just look at the uproar that caused when Universities attempted to show the film on campuses!
8 years ago
How to earn money with pamelageller … kEEP READING
8 years ago
Well Bill, Ms. Geller’s thrown down the gauntlet. It’s in your court now.
8 years ago
Reply to
Lacouray Too
ORongly found out from his “base” how much they disagreed with him almost instantly as hundreds, perhaps even a few thousand of his viewers wrote to tell him how wrong he was.
He than ran a poll to prove his sanctimonious ego was right and he got toasted on it. In fact, so badly, he made some lame excuses and refused to post the poll. It’s the first time that I know of that he ever did that and the audience was too smart to fall for it.
I think at least to some extent, it’s hurt his viewership. It certainly caused his esteem as a champion of free speech to be discredited.
If he ever has Pamela on, I suspect he’ll so highly control the interview in an attempt to handcuff her like so many of the other “hosts” have tried. Pamela usually has none of it.
I can already hear his final thought in such an interview – “Alright Ms. Geller, you absolutely have the right to do what you did (Re: Cartoon event), BUT, I think you went about it the wrong way”. Whenever the “BUT” enters the free speech debate, you can ignore anything said that came before the word, “BUT”.
Frankly, I think he realized after the fact how wrong he was and will not have her as a guest. Bill never likes to be shown up. His ego is too big and too fragile.
Kudos to Sean Hannity.
8 years ago
Hollywood and the rest of the leftist click in America will eventually find out the ugly truth when eventually they begin to become targets inspite of all the enabling and lip chaffing ass kissing they have done.For those type the irony they find suddenly upon them will be even more terrifying and confusing for them mainly because of the bubble world they live in has allowed them to live in a manufactured reality versus the one we all live in.Self delusion reacts very poorly to being intruded on by the world as it truly exists.
8 years ago
Reply to
Donald Howard
>”Hollywood and the rest of the leftist click in America will eventually find out the ugly truth when eventually they begin to become targets inspite of…”
Methinks that will happen only when al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin believes that it has advanced through its milestones in the this county, and won so many victories here, and has the elite so cowed and submissive, that the shock of the kinetic force of jihad violence being suddenly unleashed on them will cause them to fold like a cheap tent, with mass conversions among the elite immediately following.
Power is so lopsided in this country right now, and the common man so shut out of the opinion-making and policy process, that a mass conversion to Islam at the top, under the direction of the Ikhwan would be disastrous.
Assuming it did not result in a rapid and complete “circulation of elites”, it would mark the beginning of the final chapter in the history of Western civilization.
>’For Malik, victory in the preparation stage comes in the form of political subversion and psychological demoralization through the calculated application of terror. The objective of jihad, he points out, is the destruction of faith: “To instill terror into the hearts of the enemy it is essential in the ultimate analysis to dislocate his faith. An invincible faith is immune to terror. A weak faith offers inroads to terror.”[ 356] In this effort, he insists that such destruction be complete:
>’Terror cannot be struck into the hearts of an army by merely cutting its lines of communication or depriving it of its routes to withdraw. It is basically related to the strength or weakness of the human soul. It can be instilled only if the opponent’s faith is destroyed.[357]’
quote from Coughlin, Stephen (2015-05-04). Catastrophic Failure: Blindfolding America in the Face of Jihad (Kindle Locations 3388-3396). Center for Security Policy Press. Kindle Edition.
Numbers in brackets above refer to Maj. Coughlin’s endnotes. They are both references to Quranic Concept of War, by Brigadier S. K. Malik, of the Pakistani Army, p. 60.
8 years ago
Reply to
Covadonga
I agree with you that once they have felt they have passed through certain markers that they will then feel confident to make their major play.I think however that due to their shear arrogance they assume that the people are more or less as feckless as our politicians.It will be at this tipping point I believe they are going to discover to their misfortune just how little they actually know r understand about the you and me and the guy down the street,ect.Politicins do the things they do for reasons that are alien to the majority of americans,there is already existing among americans today a distrust and overall very strong digust and loathing of islam.Couple that with traditions and even Judeo-Christian value that are being shunted so the muslims aren’t offended.My feeling Covadonga is ,the islamists are going to discover just how viscious and unforgiving americans are when we have finally had enough.They really don’t understand the American psychological mind set,that will be their undoing.
8 years ago
Reply to
Donald Howard
Interesting observations.
Of course I hope you are right.
The state of our schools, with many problems when I attended them decades ago, and declining since then, and the type of indoctrination that our youth who have graduated from them have been subjected to, is what worries me.
8 years ago
The Hollywood Elite are afraid – absolutely terrified at alienating anyone they see as “their audience, their customer base”. They will take the politically correct position on any issue as it gets more sympathetic eyes on them which translates to bigger box office profits.
They are sanctimonious charlatans. A few actually believe their tripe (Sean Penn for example) and at least we can challenge him intellectually.
The rest of the “I’m ready for my close up” types are pure limousine liberals (Leonardo Di Caprio for example). DiCaprio flies around the world in his private G4 jet spewing out more “carbon footprint” in an hour than most Americans do in a year, yet chides us all on the evils of CO2. Though a bit off topic, it’s an easy and blatant example for even the low information voter to absorb.
These people have money and power and will do or say almost anything to protect it. It’s we the public that have bestowed upon them that money and power as well. Anyone notice how George Clooney’s recent film “Tomorrowland” has become one of the biggest box office failures the entertainment industry has ever seen? When trying to spew falsehoods to the public, eventually, the public will take notice and punish these elitists where it hurts them most. In their power craving egos last, but their wallets first.
What they don’t realize, is by slandering the truth, the crocodile will just come for THEM last. But – he will come for them too.
They are afraid, not just of alienating their customer base, but know that they’re visible targets just like Pamela Geller is now. The leftist elites have fewer “cajones” than Pamela Geller has in her little finger.
If they were truly brave, they speak out against the tyranny of Jihad and Sharia. They’d stand up for women and gays and yes even Judeo/Christian values. But few are that brave in the Halls of Hollywood.
The least they could do is simply keep quiet (which most in Hollywood actually do) as to not offend, rather than take their popular misunderstandings to levels beyond stupid. I doubt any of the center left in Hollywood know anything about Islam other than what they’ve heard on MSNBC or CNN.
Actually, I know this for a fact. I USED to be a Democrat and grew up in the “Industry”.
8 years ago
Other than “rampage” and “overly provocative” (which are subjective anyway), I thought the questions were excellent because those are exactly the questions those who might be convinced are asking. I found Geller’s responses convincing and I think others (who haven’t made up their minds about the issue) may as well.
8 years ago
Reply to
Bret
You forget this was in The Hollywood Reporter. That crowd doesn’t understand arguments not pre-approved by left-wing dogma. But at least it was published for them. Too bad it wasn’t a longer interview. I sensed sparks were about to fly, then it ended.
8 years ago
The Story of Mohammed would make a great film if told as it really was.Here are just a few things that would have to be left out:(1)the murder of Asma bint Marwan who criticised the “profit” in her poetry,(2)the consummation of his marriage to Aisha at 9yo,(3)his lusting after his son’s wife and subsequent marriage to her,(4)the attack on the pilgrims’ caravan in the holy month,Mo’s first ‘military’success,(5)the slaughter and enslavement of the jews in Medina.On second thoughts there’d be so much to leave out so as not to offend that maybe the movie would end up rather hollow.
8 years ago
Reply to
faraway
Devout muslims aren’t offended by any of that. That’s their “religion”. They”re offended by our being offended by it. I don’t understand the more secular muslims -or non-violent western converts. They must compartmentalize and rationalize up the kazoo
8 years ago
Reply to
faraway
the problem taking these things out. there wouldn’t be any thing left to make a movie. would be watching a blank screen.
8 years ago
Pamela, excellent exchange. Even the title is good, because of its shocking value will make most readers to notice and read, which is the intended goal. Your presentation was excellent. I do not know the journalist, but through the questions, which gave you the platform to present your/our case, we can see the guy understands what is happening, and is well aware of the mine field of opinions that surround those who see and want to expose the truth. Great interview. Your message is on point, clearly thought and presented. Good job! Keep it up, and God bless you.
8 years ago
Some day, Pamela, even the biggest collabos among the Hollywood crowd, whether producers, directors, actors… everyone will beg to be able to make, or to be in, movies about you and your story. They will be smash hits, become classics, and the ba$tards will make tons of money out of it.
As the world turns… so does everything else.
8 years ago
One of my favorite examples of Hollywood then and Hollywood now is a couple of scenes in the movie “Blazing Saddles.”
The Harvey Korman character is proposing to assemble a group of really bad dudes, he says: “I want rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperadoes, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists.”
In a follow-on scene when all the above are assembled, among them there is an Arab.
Would Hollywood dare to produce scenes like those today? No way.
8 years ago
the hollywood crowd is far too busy with their coke, porn, and gender addictions to even understand an article like this.
8 years ago
80 years ago, they were in Adolf’s pocket.
So what else is news?
8 years ago
Reply to
formwiz
I disagree. Hollywood did an excellent job in portraying Nazism for what it was. Even Disney stepped in with their great cartoon “In the fuhrers face” featuring Donald Duck. When you come right down to it, Pamela Geller’s cartoon event was an updated replay of Disney’s push-back, but with a new title “In the jihadi’s face.”
8 years ago
Reply to
pennant8
But that was after “BARBAROSSA’ when Beria ordered them to support the war effort. If the alliance had held,they would have toasted the 10th annaviersery with Stalin and Adolf !
8 years ago
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8 years ago
But if you just don’t insult their prophet, they’ll leave you alone, no? – Did The Hollywood Reporter really ask that question? Islamic Savages behead anyone who disagrees, including a 7 yr old girl in her pinafore dress and burn a pilot to death as he screams in agony. The Hollywood Reporter is so naive, they think Islamic State will leave us alone if don’t piss them off with Muhammed cartoons? What did the 7 yr old girl do to piss them off?
8 years ago
I have been thinking about this thing some call “hate speech” vs. Freedom
as a freedom loving person, I can accept if people hate me. In fact I encourage it. What do I care if another person doesn’t like me?
and if they say horrible things about me, who cares, if it is untrue reality will will be the judge of that, 🙂 and its funny how.the people who scream “hate speech” are the angriest hate filled people I’ve met, just funny.
and as a side note ( just asking the question not making a statement) if a book says when you meet the “unbeliever” strike their necks, and that is not hateful, then I say if you meet the “believer” strike (their) neck,,,,then that is hate speech? Please explain the difference to me, ?
8 years ago
For future reference: I believe the phrase is: “The soft bigotry of low expectations” (doesn’t make much sense the other way…) Soooo true!
8 years ago
Hollywood is scared to death of offending Islam, and Hollywood Jews should be especially ashamed of funding the campaign of the worst president ever to set foot in the White House. Don’t you realize that these jihadists won’t rest until you and your people are dead? Oh, but there’s such a beautiful sunset in “the bu.”
8 years ago
Rock ’em, sock ’em Pam. You worked that “journalist” like a speed bag. I particularly like your comment about O’Reilly. I agree with you and would go so far as to say he’s afraid to go one-on-one with you. O’Reilly is a self-promoting pseudo-intellectual bully who only spars with lightweights to keep his ego inflated brand intact.
8 years ago
Cuomo says the jihadists are crazy not devout. That would mean that islam has thousands of times as many crazy people as the rest of the world’s religions combined. It is a statistical impossibility and absurd on its face.
8 years ago
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8 years ago
hollywood is only interested in the bottom line. they never support any position that would risk losing any portion of a potential audience. and because so many of them are Jews they worry even more that their support be seen as biased. they hallucinate people with placards who refuse to pay for their entertainment. those with their heads chopped off on the other hand may be asked to star in something. the world has become a cesspool as bad as the rise of the fascists in the 1920’s as bad as rwanda and as bad as pol pot. none of which garnered much of anything in the way of seriously interfering with any of those agendas. Israel has the bomb. it’s the only reason the cesspool dwellers care at all. the strong horse. there is nothing else.
8 years ago
I would rather die taking a stance for free speech than live a subjugated life on my knees.
8 years ago
The media are still not showing the cartoon. They are not doing their job; the public should know what all the commotion is about so the media must show what is causing jihadists to want Pamela Geller dead. The cartoon is the news.
Not only Hollywood, but almost the entire media is “In the Pocket” of Jihadists. Pamela Geller attributes this to cowardice. I think there may be another reason though. I suspect journalists of writing and talking about Muslims and Islam without having made the effort of reading the Koran.
Islam is the result of the Koran. Islam teaches that the Koran was dictated to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel on Allah’s command. Therefore the Koran contains the words of Allah himself and is perfect and eternal as Allah is.
My website ( http://members.ziggo.nl/iiat/ ) is designed to enable visitors to take a closer look at the Koran and draw their own conclusions before reading mine. The Koran is not just another religious book as many people probably assume, like I did. If you think it is, spend 10 minutes and you may get a surprise.
8 years ago
Better the Geller Rampage than continuous Muslim outrages!
