Scheduled anti-Islam ads on New York buses draw criticism

New York City politicians and religious leaders on Tuesday criticized a series of anti-Islam advertisements due to appear on 100 city buses, with many critics calling for the campaign to be blocked. The ads, one of which features an image of American journalist James Foley moments before he was beheaded by an Islamic State militant in August, suggest that Islam is inherently violent and extremist and call for the end of American aid to Islamic countries. Melissa Mark-Viverito, the speaker of the City Council, and Comptroller Scott Stringer joined a rally outside City Hall organized by the Arab American Association of New York and other groups to criticize the display ads.

No religion or faith should ever be subject to attack ads, and I’m appalled by this latest attempt to divide our city.

Speaker of the City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito

The ads are sponsored by a group run by Pamela Geller, who writes a blog criticizing Islam. Geller was behind a similar ad campaign in 2012 on the city’s transport system that also drew criticism, and many of the ads were vandalized. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a state agency, originally rejected that campaign on the basis of prejudice, but a federal judge ruled that the MTA’s standard was unconstitutional. The MTA has since revised its standard, and so-called viewpoint ads like Geller’s now run with a large disclaimer saying the MTA does not endorse the views expressed.

Why didn’t these Muslim groups call a press conference to institute programs that teach against the ideology that gave rise to the Islamic State?

Pamela Geller

Americas