Woman Buys More NYC Subway Ad Space For Islamophobic Posters

[ceg045]

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Conservative blogger Pamela Geller has purchased more ad space at New York City subway stops and Metro North stations displaying anti-Islam messages.

Ads began running in the subway a few months ago. The ads read: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat jihad.â€

Geller, of the American Freedom Institute, spoke with WCBS 880 about the ads. She said it is in issue of freedom of speech, and repeated the characterization of the targets of her anger in the ads “savages.â€

“It is freedom of speech, and I will not abridge my freedom of speech so as not to offend savages,†Geller said. “I cannot imagine why anyone would be outraged by the truth, but this is the era that we’re living in. Truth is the new hate speech, and just telling the truth is a radical act. There’s nothing that’s inaccurate in my ad. It’s merely a statement of fact, so what’s the problem?â€

Geller said she chose the MTA for the ads because of a new ad campaign also running that is critical toward Israel.

“A new anti-Israel campaign is currently running, which virtually everybody ignores,†she said. “But if you speak against jihad, or you take a pro-Israel stance, everybody seems to be outraged.â€

Geller said her posters have been defaced.

“There are literally thousands of anti-Israel ads running across America in every major city, and not one has ever been defaced, removed or destroyed, and yet here, I ran 10 – 10 little posters in the New York City subway system – and all 10 were defaced or destroyed within an hour,†she said.

She said “Hamas groups†and “Muslim Brotherhood groups in America†have been running subway ads touting Koranic verse.

Geller said the biggest issue was that her critics are seeking to censor free speech.

“It’s very dangerous. It’s really dangerous – the war on free speech, and I think every American should be more concerned about that than the content of my ads,†she said.

Geller has gained a reputation as a controversial figure for her criticism of Islam, and of President Barack Obama. In a Village Voice feature article last month, writer Greg Howard noted that on her Atlas Shrugs blog, Geller has previously called Obama a “Muhammadan†who “wants jihad to win.â€

In a feature article in the Village Voice late last month, Geller told writer Greg Howard that she is anti-jihad and not anti-Muslim. She said no when Howard asked her if she thought she was “inciting hatred†with the subway ads.

The ads have also appeared on mass transit property in Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/08/ ... d-posters/

Images of the posters here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/new- ... lam-poster

[debrand]

Maybe someone should start recording how happy some conservatives Christians become when they discuss what will happen to the unbelievers when Jesus returns.

[Conuly]

She's an awful person, but we were looking at yet another fare hike BEFORE the storm damaged so many stations. More people throwing their money away on stupid ads is more money in the MTA's budget.

Besides, she's right, freedom of speech even applies to appalling people. It'd be great to say "freedom for us, but not for that jerk over there", but we can't actually do that if we want to preserve the first part of that sentence.

“There are literally thousands of anti-Israel ads running across America in every major city, and not one has ever been defaced, removed or destroyed, and yet here, I ran 10 – 10 little posters in the New York City subway system – and all 10 were defaced or destroyed within an hour,†she said.

Now, that's an outright lie. And how can she think we'd believe that one, or that she could prove it?

[Arete]

I haven't been on the subway since this summer, but I sure as hell don't remember any anti-Israel ads or billboard. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Have to agree, the system needs the money.

[lilwriter85]

I agree with others, she is lying about "thousands of anti-Israel ads running across the country in major cities". When I was in college, a certain Latino/Hiispanic student organization did hand out anti-Israel flyers on campus.

[dairyfreelife]

She's an awful person, but we were looking at yet another fare hike BEFORE the storm damaged so many stations. More people throwing their money away on stupid ads is more money in the MTA's budget.

Besides, she's right, freedom of speech even applies to appalling people. It'd be great to say "freedom for us, but not for that jerk over there", but we can't actually do that if we want to preserve the first part of that sentence.

Now, that's an outright lie. And how can she think we'd believe that one, or that she could prove it?

My thoughts exactly. It is an outright lie. I live in the Bible Belt and I have never seen either an anti-Israel or anti-Muslim poster anywhere. i haven't seen anything about Israel period. Despite the confederate flags around (I live in West Virginia. Confederate flags always amuse me as a result when seen around here), and the high number of Christians around (including Catholics), after 9-11 the only Mosque around was defaced by a couple of idiots. A number of churches and businesses around here pulled together to raise funds and repaired the damages done. Let me guess, she also considers herself a Christian?

And as for the speech, I agree. She has the right to say her nonsense.

[mirele]

I suspect these ads will meet the fate of the first batch of ads--they were ripped down, pasted over or spray-painted. Mona Eltahawy spray-painted one ad and is up on criminal mischief charges. I don't know if she's in New York or Egypt right now (she moves around so much), but it wouldn't surprise me to hear she gets arrested again.

Also, Pam Geller's a first-class kook. Her seriously anti-Muslim talk verges on eliminationist and drove Charles Johnson (littlegreenfootballs.com) straight into left-leaning politics after years of supporting that kind of talk.

[Minerva]

Holy shit, what kind of advertising code does the City of New York have if these ads comply with it? I hope every last one of them gets torn down.

[Peas n carrots]

I just got back from NYC tonight, and I didn't see any of these ads while I was there, nor any anti Israel ads. No anti Israel ads in Chicago either to the best of my knowledge.

Pam sounds like a few fries short of a picnic. I wish the MTA could decline her $ for ads but like others said, they are in a financial bind.

[Burris]

1) I agree free speech is Very Good.

2) I read through half the headline for this post and I knew Pam Geller would have something to do with this fuckery.

She's a...a...well, she's just terrible, in the same way as the stench of a rendering plant is terrible.

[luckystone]

Actually, now she mentions it. I do know a lot of people who are very open about being anti-Israel. I'm not sure if they run ads. I have seen graffiti here in Australia. I know America has a lot of open pro-Israel people too. Is there actually an "anti-Israel advertising campaign running" like she says? Who is running it?

Her ads seem to be mostly about Israel not Islam. I mean, I think that's her main issue with the religion, not anything else. Which is a bit strange. What's her investment?

I agree that Islam is rather backwards. But I think the same about pretty much all religions particularly in their fundamental forms (and if you ignore half the directions you aren't being very religious), so she should at least be consistent, instead of stupid.

[JesusFightClub]

Anti-Israel tends to be in the eye of the beholder.

Some people treat any criticism of Israeli policy as "hating Jews and Israel".

[JoanHolloway]

I'd have to disagree with those that said these posters were more pro-Israel than Islamophobic. Certainly freedom of speech is a great thing, and Pamela Geller is allowed to have her opinion. To me, this seems to verge on being hate speech.

At least she makes her idiocy known, though. It's clear that she has no idea what "jihad" even means: you can't be anti-jihad...it doesn't even make any sense. One of my Muslim friends recently said that her jihad is going to be to put effort into getting good grades at school. Does Pamela Geller want my friend to get bad grades!? ;)