6 Reasons Why Fox News Has More In Common With ISIS Than Muslims

By Rawan AbuShaban on August 19, 2015

“They thrive on fear…”

“…An organization that promotes hate-mongering though illogical interpretations of canonical texts…”

“This shouldn’t be on TV…”

“They’re directly responsible for putting Muslims in the cross-hairs. They’ve become walking targets.”

These are some of the things we would expect to hear or read about ISIS, perhaps in the news, on a blog, or from your friends and family. However, these are some of the ways that students describe another source of terror: Fox News.

Faux news? (Image source: twitter.com)

The so-called “Islamic” State of Iraq and Syria, known as ISIS (ISIL, IS, Da’ish, etc.) has been on a rampaging mission to dominate the Islamic World as of 2014 when ISIS declared itself the “caliphate,” or the all-encompassing religious, political, and military authority, of the global Muslim population.

The organization is responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Iraqi Christians, as well as the persecution of Shia Muslims. ISIS has faced waves of criticism from both the Middle East and the West, which is constantly fueled by their extensive, highly-funded social media campaign, which features propaganda and various videos of the executions of soldiers, journalists, and other civilians.

Needless to say, the world is outraged — Muslims included.

However, a familiar organization is implementing similar techniques to instill fear at home. Fox News, one of the most popular news channels in the United States, is often criticized for imposing their right-wing extremism while reporting events that are skewed or fabricated to antagonize other political, ethnic, and religious groups.

More than ever, American Muslims are being “otherized,” and face persecution in their home country due to the same bigotry reinforced by Fox News.

A typical headline at Fox News. Since when does anyone have to declare war on 1.7 billion people to take out a small radical group? (Image source: foxnews.com)

It is clear that both organizations threaten the safety of Muslims — but what else do they have in common? Indeed, Fox News has more in common with ISIS than Muslims ever will.

Here are only some of the things that are scarily similar between the two groups.

1. Neither Fox News nor ISIS practice their respective beliefs.

ISIS calls itself an “Islamic” group, yet ignores fundamental aspects of the religion of Islam. What are these “fundamental” elements of the faith system which boasts over a billion global followers? (Spoiler alert: Islam, the world’s fastest-growing religion, and Christianity, the world’s largest religion, share the same basic core values).

How about this: “If one murders a person… it would be as if he murders all of mankind; and if one saves a life, it would be as if he saves the life of all of mankind” (The Qur’an, 5:32). According to this quranic verse, whoever murders one innocent person is charged with the murder of all of humanity, which is objectively a big deal.

Islam preaches peace and coexistence, and numerous examples of the Prophet living side-by-side with non-Muslims are evident in history. Not only are Muslims the historical friends of Christians, but are also their protectors prior to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Until this day, the majority of Muslims living outside of Muslim-majority countries live in peace beside their non-Muslim neighbors. On the other hand, this summer ISIS has committed the mass murder and expulsion of Christian Arabs living in Iraq.Islam and the vast, vast majority of its followers condemn such acts of hate and violence.

Fox News, on the other hand, seems to stimulate it. The channel has its own belief system, if not a marketing ploy. It’s slogan is “fair and balanced,” yet they impose their extreme right-wing agenda through blatantly biased news coverage.

Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq_LpS2BLkA. (Image source: youtube.com)

There are a plethora of examples of completely unfair, blatantly biased news reporting sponsored by Fox News.

In a heated interview hosted by Fox’s Megyn Kelly (whose faulty knowledge of Shari’ah law and fundamental Islam reflect more than questionable credibility) with CAIR executive Hassan Shibly, Kelly’s refusal to accept the fact that Islam and the vast majority of its followers are moderate perfectly represents the intolerant views Fox asserts onto its audience.

From “White Santa” to the xenophobic interrogation of guests, Fox News has built quite the reputation for caring more about “otherizing” and antagonizing non-white Americans than reporting the truth.

2. Fox News and ISIS both engage in fascist hate speech.

“As soon as an illegal alien commits a crime, no matter what the crime is, on the next plane unless it’s a felony and you try them and put them in prison. We don’t give them probation and let them walk out the door. That’s insane” – Bill O’Reilly, Fox News.

“If you can kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French – or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be. Do not ask for anyone’s advice and do not seek anyone’s verdict. Kill the disbeliever, whether he is civilian or military, for they have the same ruling. Both of them are disbelievers” — Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, ISIS spokesman.

3. Fox News and ISIS both spread fear.

Indubitably.

Fear is a tool mainstream media has been using for ages to stir public outrage and gain support for their hidden white-power agendas. Remember the #KillAllMuslims hashtag? Yeah, ISIS is pretty on top of that.

While Fox News uses TV to broadcast rhetoric to promote fear and intolerance of certain groups, ISIS does, too, and through the exact same medium using their video-recorded beheadings of hostages and fear-fueling speeches.

Sometimes, it’s not even rhetoric Fox News relies on; sometimes, it’s complete fabrication, which is why the city of Paris decided (I kid you not) to sue Fox News. Remember the “No-Go Zones,” or the places in the French capital which were supposedly completely dominated by angry Muslims, threatening to non-Muslim citizens, or so it was told by Fox? Completely false.

4. Fox News and ISIS are both harmful to Muslims.

Members of both organizations do what’s in their power to persecute a specific faction of individuals because of their religious beliefs. Just turn on the television and see for yourself (if you haven’t already thrown yours out the window).

5. Neither Fox News nor ISIS seem to know the basic teachings of Islam.

A YMCA facility decides to provide extra privacy for Muslim girls who want to swim while covering up. Fox’s conclusion? “Sharia law is now changing everything.” #CreepingSharia. For a simpler explanation about Shari’a law (and why no one should be afraid of it), please refer to this nice, readable article.

The maintenance of five daily prayers is a pillar of Islam, meaning it is almost unanimously agreed upon throughout every Islamic sect there is. Does ISIS know that Muslims are supposed to face one direction when they pray, which is towards Mecca? Nope.

6. Neither Fox News nor ISIS accurately represent the respective demographics from which they emerge.

Well, that’s disturbing. (Image source: twitter.com)

Fox News anchors are pretty much all white Americans; however, it would be unfair and completely inaccurate to say that every white individual living in America is as racist, hateful, and bigoted as Fox News makes them out to be.

ISIS is a self-declared “Muslim” group; however, it would be equally wrong to consider them as an accurate representation the 1.7 billion Muslims on earth (for obvious reasons).

Just as ISIS needs to be discredited as a religious organization that accurately represents the Islamic faith, Fox News must also be discredited as a reliable source of news, and especially one from which so many of us base the opinions we have about other people. It’s time for us to see both organizations for the facades they are, to grasp the fabrications they sell as facts, and to start thinking for ourselves instead.

Muslims are not the enemy, and neither is Islam. It’s time to approach ISIS with a mindset that actually is fair and balanced — and we can start by pulling the plug on Fox News.

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