Salon: Bill Maher’s nasty new Islamophobia recruit: Tulsi Gabbard

[Renew Deal]

Bill Maher hates religion, but he really hates Islam. On Friday evening’s “Real Time,” the host spoke to Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii about their shared quest against Muslims.

Gabbard told Maher she believes it is “crazy” that Secretary of State John Kerry says that extremism comes from poverty — and that President Obama won’t say “Islamic extremism” instead using the words “violent extremism.” She thinks it’s important to “identify our enemy so that we can defeat them.” Secretary Kerry’s comments are particularly absurd to her because she thinks that giving someone a house to live in and a skateboard isn’t going to solve the problems of violence abroad.

Maher went on to attack liberals for what he says is a refusal to discuss the “barbaric” beliefs by some Islamic people in the west and Gabbard agreed. She thinks liberal philosophy “gets in the way” of being able to address it. Apparently, when Gabbard went to Iraq she was tasked to train the Kuwaiti army on counterterrorism, women weren’t even allowed on the base.

Gabbard went on to say “words mean things” which is presumably why the liberals she is attacking refuse to paint an entire group of people as the same.

http://www.salon.com/2015/10/31/bill_mahers_nasty_new_islamophobia_recruit_real_time_turns_ugly_on_barbaric_muslim_beliefs

[blueintelligentsia]

1. She's half wrong....

He doesn't say it because it comes across as a blanket statement against all people who practice Islam.

They are Islamic Extremists though, but I agree Obama shouldn't use that term for political reasons. Her military background might have something to do with her rhetoric?

[closeupready]

2. Who cares? Maher's only an authority on how best to express your inner Islamophobe,

not liberalism or the Democratic Party or how to be a progressive. (Not directing that remark at the threadstarter, just saying, over and over and over, some seem to consider him a liberal; he may even say he is, but he's as liberal as Hillary Clinton or Alan Greenspan.)

[cpwm17]

3. Bill Maher is a CT'er

Along with his anti-vax nonsense he believe in a great Muslim conspiracy.

[basselope]

4. Bill Maher attacks ALL religions.

He also happens to be correct about the current state of Islam. Unfortunately, the MAJORITY of people who practice Islam believe in some pretty horrific things. Does that apply to ALL.. no. However, when you polls Islamic countries you get frightening responses on basic human rights questions from a large majority of the people.

[Dems to Win]

5. Pretending Islam is a religion of peace allows Wahhabism to spread worldwide

Saudi funded mosques with Wahhabi clerics are a scourge on humanity.

[melman]

6. Nothing wrong with anything they say in that clip

Sarah Burris and Salon can fuck right off.

[Surya Gayatri]

7. "The Curious Islamophobic Politics of Dem Congressmember Tulsi Gabbard"

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/curious-islamophobic-politics-dem-congressmember-tulsi-gabbard

“She's particularly a favorite of right-wing media. Appearing with Fox's Neil Cavuto last week, she lashed out at the White House for holding an extremism summit with Muslim Americans.”

“But the case of Tulsi Gabbard becomes less curious and more expected once you look at her links to a different set of ethnic and religious hardliners: the Hindu nationalist Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since her election to Congress, Gabbard has tied herself closely to this party, which has a history of condoning hatred and violence against India's Muslim minority. Many of her stateside donors and supporters are also big supporters of this movement, which disdains secularism and promotes religious sectarianism.”