Easter has come early for Todd Starnes and Fox News this year. Not only have they found their latest excuse for “War on Easter” Christian victimhood, they were able to demonize American Muslims at the same time. This was probably sweeter than chocolate or marshmallow to Fox's culture warriors!
As an article in the Detroit Free Press explains – and it’s the same article that Starnes used for his own article - some Muslim parents are upset because a church is handing out flyers for a church event at a Dearborn, Michigan public school. The flyer requested students RSVP.
It really bothered my two kids,” said parent Majed Moughni, who is Muslim and has two children, ages 7 and 9, in Dearborn elementary schools. “My son was like, ‘Dad, I really don’t feel comfortable getting these flyers, telling me to go to church. I thought churches are not supposed to mix with schools.’ ”
Moughni said he’s concerned about “using school teachers paid by public funds ... to pass out these flyers that are being distributed by a church. I think that’s a serious violation of separation of church and state.”
… Moughni said his children received flyers for Halloween events at another church last year.
Moughni is also on record as saying he’d be just as opposed to Dearborn schools advertising events held at a mosque. Greg Lipper, senior litigation counsel at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, is reportedly taking an interest in the case.
But leave it to Starnes to twist the facts and paint Muslims as anti-Christian fanatics. He untruthfully wrote that it was the egg hunt and bunny rabbit that offended. The dishonest messaging began in the title: "Muslims Object To Easter Egg Hunt," complete with a photo of brightly-colored easter eggs:
Starnes’ dishonesty continued in his text:
Muslim moms and dads in Dearborn, Mich. are upset after students received flyers promoting an Easter Egg hunt at a local Presbyterian church. The parents say the egg hunt violates the U.S. Constitution.
The Muslims told the Detroit Free-Press that they were concerned about the religious implications of Cherry Hill Presbyterian Church’s “Eggstravaganza!” They were also troubled by images of a bunny rabbit.
Wow, that’s such a false framing of the narrative that all people should be offended. Not only did Starnes distort Moughni’s words to the point of borderline libel, but he also suggested the Muslims are abusing the Constitution to push their radical objections to harmless fun and a bunny rabbit.
He closed with a further sneer at the Muslim families: “Fear not, peeps. I not a theologian, but I’m fairly certain Peter Cottontail was not at The Last Supper.”
Not surprisingly, the “civil, tolerant” folks over at Fox Nation heard the dog whistle and came running with their Islamophobic pitchforks:
Flemming had purchased 666 copies of his own movie for what might well be described as an ideological/promotional giveaway.
waroneaster.org is a hub for a campaign in which Flemming recruited believers in the film to distribute copies of the DVD to churches over the upcoming Easter holiday. Those recruited were intended to place the film surreptitiously—in pew racks, in restrooms, in bushes, by the door, or in any place where it might later be found with a little effort. Plastic Easter eggs, too, were used for distribution to the younger set; though these would contain messages such as, “Jesus is no more real than the Easter Bunny." Once these trinkets were placed. those recruited could return to the website and tell the story of how they proudly placed Flemming’s markers.
Funny how Fox would leave out that part…
“…a serious violation of separation of church and state.” Really???
How ignorant. Many churches do not even entertain an egg hunt, these days, citing that it has no relation to the Cross of Christ, and His resurrection.
Further, the flier has NO word about Easter, or Christianity…. “Egg hunt. Egg toss”. You know, fun for the kids – even yours, Mou’.
Wise up, Mou’, and stop trying to cause trouble for Americans – especially in America, the “land of the free”. You must harbor a great fear of Christianity, to browbeat your kids into having such “discomfort” and confusion.
I forgot all about Toddles.
With all my love,
Aunty Headly
P.S. I’m very proud of my highest ranked blog post at Not Now Silly. Check it out.
The Detroit Riots ► http://notnowsilly.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-detroit-riots-unpacking-my-detroit.html
