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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Mainstream Media Disgrace of the Month: Hadji Girl
Weve been watching this develop, as earlier today the Council on American Islamic Relations sent out one of their infamous email alerts about an amateur music video of a song about a Marine lured into an ambush by a Hadji girl. At this point theres no verification that the singer is a Marine, although it looks authentic.
And now, right on cue, mainstream media is parroting the completely bogus claims of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
The Associated Press version: Video on Marine killing Iraqis draws ire.
The BBC version: Kill Iraqis marine song probe.
Both of these accounts repeat CAIRs blatant falsehood, that the song in the video tells a story about a Marine killing Iraqi civilians.
It does not.
The BBCs version:
The lyrics caught on video refer to the shooting of Iraqi civilians, especially children.Yes, this is true. The lyrics refer to killings of children by Iraqi insurgents. Not by Marines. Both the BBC and the AP seem to have missed this minor detail.
The BBC goes on:
The four-minute song includes graphic descriptions of killings, real or imagined.And what they dont tell you: the people who kill the little sister in this darkly humorous song are not the Marines but her father and brother.
The horror! We would never want anyone to hear such things, except of course in every movie made for the last ten years.
Dressed in a green T-shirt and military style trousers and boots, a man sings: I grabbed her little sister and put her in front of me.
As the bullets began to fly, the blood sprayed from between her eyes, and then I laughed maniacally.
The mainstream media have really gone too far this time, in their smarmy rush to smear US troops, because their vile claims, based on information fed to them by an Islamist front group, can be checked. Heres the video in question, for the record, so these lies dont stand unrefuted:
(Video player requires Flash Player 8.)
(This is a slightly better version than the one posted at YouTube now, which has a wobbly, out of sync soundtrack.)
UPDATE at 6/13/06 6:25:13 pm:
Aaarrrgggghhh.
CAIR: Pentagon Calls Online Song Insensitive, Inappropriate; Music Video Contrary to the High Standards Expected of All Marines.
"HADJI GIRL" MARINE: EXONERATED
By Michelle Malkin · June 27, 2006 02:41 PM
I talked last night with Marine Josh Belile, who was targeted by the Haditha exploiters at CAIR for a satirical song he sang to the troops. He has been exonerated and asked me to post his statement:
It's good to be able to breathe again. I have had a lot of support since this all began, and I want everyone to know that I've read every e-mail, and every message that came my way, and out of nearly 1300 messages, I had one single message that was negative. I can definitely say that this could have been a blessing in disguise. Before this all began, not many people knew of my band, The Sweater Kittenz... and we just played a concert at the largest venue in my local area this past Friday.
Judging from the many e-mails I recieved over the past week and a half, many people seem to have felt that I didn't have alot of support coming from the upper brass on the "Hadji Girl" situation. I can definitely say that I had plenty of supporters, military and civilian. Although I was reprimanded for performing such a song while in uniform, my rights as an American, to include the first ammendment, have not been compromised, and as long as I am not performing as a U.S. military representative... to put it bluntly, I can sing whatever I want. I told Chris Mazzolini (spelling?) from the Jacksonville Daily news that I was sorry for any feelings hurt in the Muslim community, and that fact remains true...My intentions were never to hurt or offend anyone, but as an entertainer, and songwriter...I now know that I am perfectly within my legal rights to compose and perform my thoughts as long as I am not doing so in a fashion that would represent the thoughts or opinions of the U.S. military, or our government.
I want to thank each and every person who has supported me during this... there are far too many people to list, you know who you are. If you sent me a message, I read it, and I am appreciative. I am leaving my myspace site open and viewable by the public, if you want to share your thoughts, good or bad, please feel free at www.myspace.com/zelph99. I am planning on recording and releasing a professionally produced and engineered version of "Hadji Girl" which will be aired on the Mike Church show, and will be available for sale through their web site within the coming weeks. I have decided to take this step to show that I am in full support of every American's right his or her own freedom of speech, military or civilian... to include my own. As long as I am representing only myself and my thoughts and opinions I am within my legal rights as an American.
If you don't want to listen to my music, I'm sure your volume knob works as well as mine.
I have a feeling Josh and his band will be getting a lot of invitations to speak and perform. (I think the band would be a great addition to the Freedom Concert Series!) Support the troops: Hire the Sweater Kittenz!
Take that, CAIR.
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LGF dissects al-Reuters' biased coverage.
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Previous:
VENT 6/15/06
Military musical double standard
CAIR's Haditha publicity grab
G.I. Says Song About Killing Iraqis a Joke
Jun 28 6:47 PM US/Eastern
Email this story
By WILLIAM L. HOLMES
Associated Press Writer
RALEIGH, N.C.
A Marine corporal who sang in a homemade video about killing members of an Iraqi family said Wednesday that the song was a joke and was not intended to offend anyone.
Cpl. Joshua Belile, 23, said the video was his way of "blowing off steam to a bunch of Marines and soldiers."
"It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to realize it was a joke," he said.
In "Hadji Girl," a four-minute video circulated on the Internet, Belile tells a cheering audience about a Marine who falls in love with an Iraqi woman and goes home with her. Family members shoot the woman and then confront him with automatic weapons, prompting him to retaliate.
Belile's performance was filmed while he was stationed in Iraq and was posted anonymously on the YouTube Web site, but was later removed. Belile learned of the posting after returning from his deployment in March. He is now assigned to Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 167 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, adjacent to Camp Lejeune.
"I'm a very nonpolitical person. I know that sounds very strange coming from a Marine," Belile told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I know about me and my little world. I write music and I sing music. I never intended to hurt anyone's feelings."
Marine Corps officials said Tuesday that Belile had not violated military law. He could face administrative action, which can include informal counseling, they said.
Belile said in a statement Tuesday that he plans to release a professionally recorded version of the song within a few weeks.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which brought Belile's video to the attention of the Pentagon, cautioned against a release, spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said Wednesday.
"It's a free country, but I don't know that it's the wisest choice. I would hope he would seek the advice of levelheaded friends and family and just put this sordid episode to a rest,"Hooper said.
Belile has said the video was not related to allegations that Marines killed two dozen unarmed civilians last year in Haditha, Iraq.
