Islamic Rage Boy Hits The BBC

I am so proud of Buckley and Potfry at The Nose on Your Face. They were the ones who saw the original photos of someone we now know to be a professional Kashmiri protester, and realized that he was the spot-on archetype for the unhinged, irrational, often violent rage that characterizes fundamentalist Islam. They dubbed him Islamic Rage Boy, and he's now an internet icon--at least among conservative websites--like a more intimidating version of Star Wars Kid or the Numa Numa Dance guy.

Often he's been mentioned without giving full credit to his creators at TNOYF, which is a shame. But today that may have changed: the BBC took note and interviewed Nose co-blogger Potfry about their little creation. And they did so opposite CAIR's chief tongue-clucker, Ibrahim Hooper.

A personal chewing-out by Ibrahim Hooper is a prize any right-wing blogger would aspire to. But this one is special because it shows Hooper at his clueless, blustery, and prevaricating best. He doesn't waste any time dragging out the Nazi analogy. Nor does Hooper bother to credit Potfry's assertion that he's not "judging Islam", but only the terroristic part of it--a point even the BBC news guy admitted was fair.

When asked if he would feel guilty if he learned that a young Muslim boy had been taunted and called "Islamic Rage Boy", Potfry quite reasonably responded that yes, he would, although that wasn't what he was intending to do my ridiculing terrorists. Of course, by the end of the interview Hooper has twisted this statement into an admission that Potfry knows that selling an IRB T-shirt "may lead to violence against Muslim children in America", when of course Potfry doesn't know that (nor, I would guess, even think it remotely likely) and had actually said nothing of the sort.

I notice that Hooper rushes to point out that what we should all do as "mainstream" people is to isolate true extremists. I am glad to hear that and also pleased to learn that critic of extremism Jamal Miftah will be the keynote speaker for the next CAIR fundraiser!

Nah, you didn't believe that for a second, did you?

Hooper thought he was scoring points off Potfry's admission that he hadn't read the Koran. But that's wacky, and Potfry told him so. I've read none of the sacred texts of, say Japanese Emperor Worship, but nonetheless I feel qualified to condemn the kamikazes that faith inspired. Never read whatever Bible the traveler-strangling Thuggees or the comet-worshipping Heaven's Gate suicide cult use, but I likewise feel qualified to pronounce upon the fruits of those faiths as well. The murderous rage and seething by militant Islamists in response to the slightest provocation--a speech by the Pope, a cartoon of their prophet, a false rumor of a flushed Koran, a sockhop in Greeley, Colorado--does not require Bernard Lewis to explicate. How widespread among Muslims these feelings are is open to debate. But however common or rare they may be, however close or distant from the true spirit of Islam they may be, these evil sentiments justly attract both loathing and ridicule. Of which Islamic Rage Boy is a fine vehicle.

If you'd like to hear the interview, here's the BBC page. The bad news is they make you download freaking Real Player to listen to it. I did, and the popups started immediately. So I converted a copy to MP3 and uninstalled stupid freaking murderous-seething-rage-inducing Real Player immediately. I'm certain the BBC wouldn't want me republishing their entire interview, but if there are any bloggers out there interested in hosting a fair-use portion, please let me know at goseedubgo, at ye olde g-mail.

PS As for the Nazi smear: glass houses, Mr. Hooper.