Anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller was a speaker (see the video above) at a pro-Israel rally in New York City Sunday that also featured Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat. Engel’s presence at a rally that invited Geller, a blogger and activist whose bread and butter is casting aspersions on Muslims, raised eyebrows on Twitter and elsewhere.
Engel is a liberal Congressional Democrat, though he is a hawk on foreign policy issues. Geller is a far-right anti-Muslim blogger whose organization Stop Islamization of America was labeled a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Geller has called President Barack Obama “a muhammadan” and floated theories that Obama is the child of Malcolm X and was involved with a “crack whore.” And she is allied with Tea Party groups.
But those stark political differences melt away when it comes to showing up to support Israel’s assault on Gaza. Engel’s and Geller’s speeches were delivered to a rally featuring hundreds of people chanting things like “Israel wants peace, Hamas wants war” and “We are the Jews and we are not afraid.” The show of support for the Israeli assault on Gaza, which has killed at least 375 Palestinians, the vast majority of them civilians, was reportedly organized by local New York Jews.
Here’s more footage of the rally from VIN News:
“I urge you to stand with Israel today,” Geller said at the rally. “But if you don’t, the devil will be at your doorstep tomorrow. Am Yisrael Chai!”
Geller is a staunch advocate for Israel, and has repeatedly created controversies by buying ad space in cities and putting up inflammatory anti-Muslim messages on them. One ad she has put up in New York and elsewhere reads: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.” Below those words and in between two Stars of David, the advertisement read: “Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.” She repeated that message at the rally.
Engel’s ardent support for Israel has lead him to appear alongside right-wing figures in other venues. In 2008, Engel came under criticism from progressives for speaking at the Christians United for Israel conference.
What a crowd– full of rapture, literally wrapping themselves in the flag and just itching to get at anyone who disagrees. Thankfully, this is the US and not Israel– the police are going to let them /help them attack those that disagree with them. NYPD did well in that short clip.
I could swear I heard Geller say “what would Jew do”.
Engel is an idiot for appearing with Geller. A total, complete Idiot. But then again, Congress is replete with them. Wonder why Islamophobe extraordinaire King didn’t avail himself of the wonderful opportunity.
Notice that second picture? I wonder if the photographer waited until the word “bodies” appeared over Engel to take it. Clever.
Meanwhile, over at 972mag, a “scholar” of Arabic literature (?) advises the Golani boys to take it up a notch. Take it away Dr. Mordechai Keidar:
“A terrorist, like those who kidnapped the boys and killed them, the only thing that will deter them, is if they know that either their sister or mother will be raped if they are caught. What can we do? This is the culture that we live in…”
What CAN you do? I hear ya buddy, and I’m sure that once the Hamas boys learn that the Israelis are coming to rape their womenfolk they’ll all surrender en masse.
Alex, speaking of the Christians United for Israel Conference: the 2014 CUFI Summit is today and tomorrow (7/21-7/22) in Washington. I hope someone from MW, EI or JVP attends and reports back.
She should be deported. She may have been refused aliyah in that the state of israel is unclean enough as it is. Does this crazy shit happen with any other place than israel?
For me, Geller is a grotesque caricature of the self-absorbed, Jewish conservative, Israel First crown. She’d be a joke to write off if she didn’t have a bullhorn and a stage so often. Her own quote she refers to in the short speech above in this article from Alex (civilized, savage, etc…) is of course from the racist and offensive ads she took out two years ago. Back then I made a short video mocking her grotesqueness. Maybe of interest here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdTCz3ZfKbY