Like I promised you all, this is the email I sent to N&O and this is the "generic" response they are giving everybody. Hence, we are complaining to a wall. This is not a human response. It's like getting a voice message or having one of those voice systems we all get when we call any big corporation or company;"if you'd like this and this, please press 1, if you'd like this and that, please press 2, if you'd like to talk to a representative, please press 6", etc . . . . ., except, we don't get a representative to talk with and vent our frustrations.
At least my complaint has been documented. Now it's our turn to seek someone else to write our story and publish our frustrations so the whole world can know.
My daughter had an MSA meeting today at her high school where they viewed the "Obsession" DVD. She is not a politically inclined and can really care less about politics, but when she saw this video, she was devastated and very upset. The MSA leader at her school requested all the students to write down how they felt after viewing it on an index card and she collected them. Let us see where it will go from there.
Meanwhile, I suggest that you all send in your views in any which way, email, phone, tv, reporters of another newspaper but we should not keep quiet.
May Allah help us, Ya mu3'eeth, i3'ithna!
Maysa
Volume 8, Book 76, Number 472:
Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few." He added, 'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability."
--- On Tue, 9/23/08, John Drescher
From: John Drescher
Subject: Re: Distribution of "Obsession" DVD
To: maysahammoud@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 6:42 PM
Thanks for your e-mail. We believe in free speech. We don't pass
judgment on our advertisers, except in extreme cases. I believe
"Obsession" falls within the mainstream of American political debate.
However, I realize reasonable people can disagree with our decision.
I am glad you care about The N&O. I hope you will continue to be a
reader.
Best regards,
John Drescher
On Sep 22, 2008, at 10:11 PM, maysahammoud@yahoo.com
wrote:
> Dear Mr. Drescher,
>
> We were prospective readers and subscribers of the N&O. Recently, we
> moved into the area and were considering signing on to receive your
> most esteemed paper. Honestly, we only heard good things about your
> newspaper and were encouraged by many to become regular readers.
>
> However, just when we were to sign on, we were slapped with the
> horrible news that you were about to distribute over 160, 000 copies
> of the "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West” DVD
with your
> Saturday, September 13th edition.
>
>
> Mr Drescher, I know that you are a reasonable man that is just trying
> to run a profitable business. In addition, your main objective is to
> be successful without trying to please all the people most of the time
> since this is impossible to do
anyway.
>
>
> If you only took the time to come and get to know this population of
> readers (however small they may be), you will realize how inconsistent
> the content of this DVD is.
>
> We are in the last 1/3 of a fasting month we call "Ramadhan".
The
> amount of charity, community care/assistance, and worship that goes on
> through this month is beyond anything you have ever heard of or even
> experienced. Anyone that comes to the IAR mosque in Raleigh to
> observe will surely discredit the content of the DVD simply because it
> talks about a few among millions of a peaceful people. They don't
> make up but a grain of salt. For this grain of salt to be amplified
> through such a video is ludicrous. And you, being an Executive Editor
> for such an esteemed newspaper should take the time to discover
this.
>
> Mr. Drescher, you have aided in victimizing an entire nation of
> peaceful people through your decision to allow such an advertising
> tactic to spread hate to your readers and their relatives and
> acquaintences. What is worse is that you used a new, "1st of it's
> kind" advertising gimmick to spread this hate rather than use it to
> spread love and unity and goodness.
>
> With a very sad heart, I regret to announce that we will not even
> consider being customers of a newspaper that allows biased opinions to
> be advertised allong with their exemplary reporting on local and
> other news. It just leaves a bad taste in the mouth of Muslims and
> non-Muslims alike.
>
> I suggest as a way to clear the air with your existing readers that
> want to cancel their subscription, you cover the news of Ramadhan in
> the Triangle
Area to show an unbiased picture of the true Muslims
> living in this area. This picture will be an actual example of all
> Muslims communities in the US and abroad.
>
> Please forgive the long email. Honestly, there is a lot more to say,
> but I believe that I covered the main points I wanted to cover.
>
> In the end, I ask you to forgive any comments or words I could have
> used to offend you or your paper since this was not my intention as
> God is my witness.
>
> Maysa & Ahmed DiarBakerli
> Cary, NC
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