CNN to First Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison: "Prove to me that you are not working with our enemies"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JegKCAO6N7I

As a student and new practitioner of Journalism, a profession that requires the accurate and acute use of words, I found myself speechless after watching Glenn Beck interview newly elected Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim ever elected to Congress on the November 14th program of CNN Headline News.

Even though Beck acknowledges his political incorrectness, prefacing his questions with, “No offense, I know Muslims. I like Muslims. I’ve been to Mosques…I
don’t believe Islam is a religion of evil…” his approach is unnecessarily aggressive, continuing the framing of “us versus them”— only exacerbating an already sensitive situation. Beck went so far as to say he was nervous to conduct the interview, insinuating that Ellison’s support of withdrawing troops from Iraq might potentially be attached to some alternative agenda in cooperation with “our enemies.”

In any altercation it is easier, and instinctive to criticize the "enemy", especially when arguments are based on morality, belief, and personal values. The biggest injustive being done to the Arab world may well be inflicted by the Arabs themselves. The argument that the lack of freedoms and constructive criticism of Arab governments, leaders, and policies, can in some instances--though to a lesser extent--now be applied in America, the symbol of democracy.

Although Beck acknowledged Ellison is not an enemy (and said he wasn’t accusing him of it) he also said he felt that a lot of Americans would feel that way, prompting Ellison to respond with “Believe me, there is no one more patriotic than I am.”

So what makes a patriot?

“You are a Democrat. You are saying, 'Let's cut and run.' And I have to tell you, what I feel like saying is, Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies?” By framing the question that way it suggests that democrats who want to 'cut and run' must be working with the enemy or at least creating that correlation. But must it be either or?

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Glenn Beck at CNN interviewing the first Muslim congressman in American history says, "Prove to me that you are not working with our enemies." It's a pretty amazing thing to say (click on the link to see the video). The obvious question I would have for Glenn Beck, Prove to us that you are not working with our enemies.
Never mind the impossibility of proving a negative. The enemies I'm talking about are ignorance, intolerance, racism. The enemies I'm talking about are the people that don't want us to have a diverse, pluralistic society.

In the same breath Glenn Beck insists that he has been to many mosques and has many Muslim friends. Let me be the first to say, I doubt it.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-elliott/what-the-hell-is-wrong-wi_b_34289.html

On the November 14 edition of his CNN Headline News program, Glenn Beck interviewed Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), who became the first Muslim ever elected to Congress on November 7, and asked Ellison if he could "have five minutes here where we're just politically incorrect and I play the cards up on the table." After Ellison agreed, Beck said: "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' " Beck added: "I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way."

As Media Matters for America has noted, Beck previously warned that if "Muslims and Arabs" don't "act now" by "step[ping] to the plate" to condemn terrorism, they "will be looking through a razor wire fence at the West" and declared that "Muslims who have sat on your frickin' hands the whole time" rather than "lining up to shoot the bad Muslims in the head" will face dire consequences.

From the November 14 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: History was made last Tuesday when Democrat Keith Ellison got elected to Congress, representing the great state of Minnesota. Well, not really unusual that Minnesota would elect a Democrat. What is noteworthy is that Keith is the first Muslim in history to be elected to the House of Representatives. He joins us now.

Congratulations, sir.

ELLISON: How you doing, Glenn? Glad to be here.

BECK: Thank you. I will tell you, may I -- may we have five minutes here where we're just politically incorrect and I play the cards face up on the table?

ELLISON: Go there.

BECK: OK. No offense, and I know Muslims. I like Muslims. I've been to mosques. I really don't believe that Islam is a religion of evil. I -- you know, I think it's being hijacked, quite frankly.

With that being said, you are a Democrat. You are saying, "Let's cut and run." And I have to tell you, I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, "Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies."

And I know you're not. I'm not accusing you of being an enemy, but that's the way I feel, and I think a lot of Americans will feel that way.

ELLISON: Well, let me tell you, the people of the Fifth Congressional District know that I have a deep love and affection for my country. There's no one who is more patriotic than I am. And so, you know, I don't need to -- need to prove my patriotic stripes.

BECK: I understand that. And I'm not asking you to. I'm wondering if you see that. You come from a district that is heavily immigrant with Somalians. And I think it's wonderful, honestly, I think it is really a good sign that you are a -- you could be an icon to show Europe, this is the way you integrate into a country. I think the Somalians coming out and voting is a very good thing. With that --

ELLISON: I'd agree with you.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200611150004

On the November 16 edition of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart addressed a recent remark that CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck made to Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim ever elected to Congress. As noted by Media Matters for America, Beck said: "I have been nervous about this interview with you, because what I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies.' " After airing Beck's comment, Stewart declared: "Finally, a guy who says what people who aren't thinking are thinking."

On the previous day's program, Stewart addressed a report from Fox News' On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, in which, as Media Matters also noted, Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan underwent what he described as three "phase[s]" of the controversial interrogation technique known as "waterboarding" on camera. Harrigan concluded that the technique is "a pretty efficient mechanism to get someone to talk and then still have them alive and healthy within minutes." After airing Harrigan's conclusion, Stewart stated: "You know, it's nice to see a reporter discussing waterboarding with the same enthusiasm Ron Popeil uses for his oven roaster."

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http://mediamatters.org/items/200611180006