Nbc: Staging The News Again?

[Annie]

Lots of links:

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=19938_NBC_Setting_Up_a_NASCAR_Sting&only

Tuesday, April 04, 2006
NBC Setting Up a NASCAR Sting?

Dateline NBC is apparently trying to set up a sting, asking “Muslim males” to go to sporting events such as NASCAR accompanied by NBC’s hidden cameras so they can film all the gawking “bigots.” Michelle Malkin has the story: NBC: Staging the News Again?

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 13:05:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Subject: Looking for Muslim Males to participate in NBC Dateline Segment
[Forwarded]

Salam,

I hope everyone is doing well.

I have been talking with a producer of the NBC Dateline show and he is in the process of filming a piece on anti-Muslim and anti-Arab discrimination in the USA. They are looking for some Muslim male candidates for their show who would be willing to go to non-Muslim gatherings and see if they attract any discriminatory comments or actions while being filmed.

They recently taped two turbaned Sikh men attending a football game in Arizona to see how people would treat them. They set them up with hidden microphones and cameras, etc.

They want to do the same thing 2 or 3 other times (in various parts of the USA) with one or two Muslim men in each setting. They are looking for men who actually “look Muslim”. They want a guy with no foreign accent whatsoever, a good thick beard, an outgoing personality, and someone willing to wear a kufi/skullcap during the filming.

They also want someone who is fairly well accomplished and has contributed to American society at large in some meaningful way.

That said, I’m urgently looking for someone who can be filmed this April 1st weekend at a Nascar event (and other smaller events) in Virginia. NBC is willing to fly in someone and cover their weekend expenses. The filming would take place all day on Saturday and Sunday.​

UPDATE at 4/4/06 12:40:13 pm:

This email is posted at The Haba’ib forum at MSN. (Hat tip: sugiero.)

UPDATE at 4/4/06 12:49:08 pm:

Czech TV recently did another sort of hidden camera documentary using Muslims to expose bigotry and hatred: lgf: Czech TV Documentary Enrages Muslims. (Hat tip: Allah.)

UPDATE at 4/4/06 2:08:23 pm:

The purported author of this email, Tarek El-Messidi, is mentioned in this piece from the Wall Street Journal about Muslim Brotherhood influence in Tennessee. According to the story he’s a former Muslim Student Association activist who studied Islam with a radical Muslim Brotherhood preacher: Student Journeys Into Secret Circle Of Extremism. (Hat tip: WriterMom.)

Mr. Saied started meeting weekly with a handful of students — a subset of Muslim fundamentalists who were deemed hardcore enough for admission to the Brotherhood. They drank tea and ate baklava or other sweets, and then discussed, theoretically and practically, how to motivate Muslims to return to a way of life entirely shaped by the Quran and Islamic law. They talked of the need to keep the movement’s existence secret.

The leader of the group, who has since returned to the U.A.E., recounted with admiration how the Brotherhood has functioned as a wellspring of jihadist factions. The subject of using violence in the U.S. came up, but the Knoxville Brotherhood circle’s attitude was, “We don’t do that here, unless necessary,” Mr. Saied says. The trigger would be “the Muslim population being in danger, as it is in Palestine,” and that didn’t seem likely.

Some meetings were hosted by Dr. Bahjri, the former biology major. But he says the participants “were not involved as a direct group with the Muslim Brotherhood.” He adds: “Indirectly, we were impressed by the Muslim Brotherhood understanding of Islam, yes, and we discussed the comprehensive view of Islam. But this is not membership.”

Whatever the precise status of these students, other Muslims in Knoxville eventually became aware of the Brotherhood-influenced circle on campus, says Tarek El-Messidi. As a teenager, Mr. Messidi took religious classes from Mr. Saied on Sundays. Sitting at a table in the mosque’s library with three or four other students, he listened to Mr. Saied discuss Islamic history and sometimes ridicule other religions.

When Mr. Messidi moved on to the university, he headed the Muslim Student Association in 2000 and 2001. “The Ikhwan influence was still there,” he says, using the Arabic name for the Brotherhood. Mr. Messidi says that he considered Brotherhood ideology and strategy to be irrelevant in the U.S., and banned it being taught within the MSA.​

 

[fuzzykitten99]

C'mon, the sport is dominated by southern white males, because thats where it all started and who started it. Not that there isn't the occasional person of any other race interested, but I would say even a person of middle-eastern appearance would be the last person I would expect to even be remotely interested in the sport.

I don't care if I sound racist, but if I saw a middle-eastern person at a NASCAR race, I would wonder what the motive was or what he was REALLY doing there. I have yet to see anyone of any other color than white at NASCAR Silicon Speedway at the Mall of America, and I am typically the only female racing when I go.

 

[Stephanie]

By Michelle Malkin · April 04, 2006 08:25 AM
***update: a reader sends another message notifying Muslim activists that taping will take place April 8...see below...update: NBC confirms Dateline is working on the story...***

A source who monitors political e-mail lists sent me an intriguing message disseminated last week, which involved an apparent Dateline NBC solicitation to Muslim groups. Check this out:

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 13:05:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Subject: Looking for Muslim Males to participate in NBC Dateline Segment

[Forwarded]

Salam,

I hope everyone is doing well.

I have been talking with a producer of the NBC Dateline show and he is in the process of filming a piece on anti-Muslim and anti-Arab discrimination in the USA. They are looking for some Muslim male candidates for their show who would be willing to go to non-Muslim gatherings and see if they attract any
discriminatory comments or actions while being filmed.

They recently taped two turbaned Sikh men attending a football game in Arizona to see how people would treat them. They set them up with hidden microphones and cameras, etc.

They want to do the same thing 2 or 3 other times (in various parts of the USA) with one or two Muslim men in each setting. They are looking for men who actually "look Muslim". They want a guy with no foreign accent whatsoever, a good thick beard, an outgoing personality, and someone willing to wear a kufi/skullcap during the filming.

They also want someone who is fairly well accomplished and has contributed to American society at large in some meaningful way.

That said, I'm urgently looking for someone who can be filmed this April 1st weekend at a Nascar event (and other smaller events) in Virginia. NBC is willing to fly in someone and cover their weekend expenses. The filming would take place all day on Saturday and Sunday.

We already have a hijabi sister who will be filmed there but a Muslim is also needed to join her. I also need candidates for the other filming segments which will take place in the following weeks.

A few weeks later, NBC will fly all the filmed participants to New York City to interview them as a group about their experience and thoughts on discrimination they've faced in America, especially in light of the times we live in (war on terror, 9-11, etc.). The show, if approved by NBC (highly likely), is expected to air sometime this summer.

What I need from interested candidates is an email with an attached clear photograph, a resume, and contact information. I also need basic information such as age, ethnic background, accomplishments, etc.

The sooner I can get this the better and please don't make emails too long. I will then submit a group of candidates to NBC so they can choose the people for the show.

Please forward this to all Muslim lists you can. Because of the upcoming filming in Virginia, this is pretty time-sensitive. My contact information is below.

Salam,

Tarek El-Messidi


Catch that? The apparent "sting" involves targeting Nascar and other sporting events. 'Cause that's presumably where the fair and balanced NBC news staff thinks all the bigots are.

Keep an eye on Dateline NBC here.

Send your questions to dateline-at-nbc.com

***

Update: Reader H. e-mails the following notice from an e-mail list...

Salam,
A couple of days ago, I sent out the email below regarding the NBC Dateline producer looking for Muslim males to be filmed. Alhamdulillah, I've been flooded with responses that will be forwarded to them soon. I just wanted to send an update that they decided to postpone the filming at the NASCAR event by one weekend (until April 8th). It's still not too late to submit your information but the sooner, the better.

Also, a couple of sisters have inquired about submitting info. While NBC did mention that they prefer male candidates (because they feel that people are less likely to show discrimination to a woman out of courtesy), I will also forward emails I receive from sisters. They may consider filming another hijabi sister if she's very qualified for the role. Please read the initial email I sent below about what to submit.

Again, please forward this out to as many email lists as possible.

Salam,

Tarek El-Messidi

Email: [email protected]

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/004920.htm

 

[insein]

damn. I didnt realize they went to THOSE lengths. I thought they just skewed the news. I didnt think they CREATED it. This is bigger than it appears.

 

[Stephanie]

damn. I didnt realize they went to THOSE lengths. I thought they just skewed the news. I didnt think they CREATED it. This is bigger than it appears.

:tng:

 

[Annie]

Merged to keep avoid dupe threads.

 

[Stephanie]

oops, I guess I should do more searches. Sorry :teeth:

 

[theHawk]

And what would be the reprecusions if someone noticed their wires hanging out from their shirts and security shoot them dead.


:2guns:

 

[Bonnie]

And what would be the reprecusions if someone noticed their wires hanging out from their shirts and security shoot them dead.


:2guns:

Oh that's easy.... blame Bush

 

[Annie]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060405/ap_on_sp_au_ra_ne/car_nascar_dateline_1

NASCAR: Dateline NBC's Plan 'Outrageous'

By JENNA FRYER, AP Motorsports Writer Wed Apr 5, 6:45 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -
NASCAR said it was "outrageous" that "Dateline NBC" targeted one of its race tracks last weekend for a possible segment on anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States.
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NASCAR said NBC confirmed it was sending Muslim-looking men to a race, along with a camera crew to film fans' reactions. The NBC crew was "apparently on site in Martinsville, Va., walked around and no one bothered them," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday.

"It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news," Poston said.

"Any legitimate journalist in America should be embarrassed by this stunt. The obvious intent by NBC was to evoke reaction, and we are confident our fans won't take the bait," he said.

NASCAR is in the final year of a broadcasting agreement with NBC Sports.

"'Dateline' is looking into this story," NBC said in a statement. "We were intrigued by the results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll and other articles regarding increasing anti-Muslim sentiments in the United States.

"It's very early on in our newsgathering process, but be assured we will be visiting a number of locations across the country and are confident that our reporting team is pursuing this story in a fair manner," it said.

 

[CSM]

I am sure the story will be as fair as they can make it given that they are making the whole thing up in the first place.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

So they are going to prove my theory...the muslim volunteers are not at all interested in the actual sport, they are going there to help start trouble...figures.

really, they can't just live by the philosophy: Don't start nuthin', there won't BE nuthin'!