NY Times Mismatches Headline And Text To Remain On Message

Here is an interesting guest piece in the Times by Kamel Daoud, an intriguing Algerian:

ISIS’ War on Christmas

Despite the headline, the theme of the column is that Islamists, not limited to ISIS, are at war with Christmas:

Oran, Algeria — IT might have been an occasion for collectors of omens to rejoice: For the first time in nearly five centuries, in 2015 the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday coincided with Jesus’ birthday. A cause for hope? Too little, it turns out.

Throughout the Muslim world, a harsh campaign was conducted against people who celebrate Christmas. In Algeria, Islamists worked the streets under the regime’s tolerant eye, distributing leaflets denouncing the day as unholy, discouraging customers in pastry shops from buying Yule logs and cakes, and sermonizing in mosques. In Brunei and Somalia, celebrating Christmas could lead to imprisonment.

The Islamists’ argument came down to one essential point: To celebrate Christmas or New Year’s was to imitate the “Kuffar,” or atheists, which is to say, basically, Westerners. At all cost the man in the white beard had to be kept away from the men with black beards.

The "lead to imprisonment" link leads to a French-language article about Brunei. An English version by way of Google Translate is excerpted below:

In the Sultanate of Brunei, it is forbidden to celebrate Christmas

Under Sharia applied in this small oil-rich state of Southeast Asia, Christmas celebrations were banned. Offenders are liable to severe penalties of up to five years in prison.

Christmas is not synonymous with celebration in all countries. In the Sultanate of Brunei, the celebrations were banned under the sharia applied in this small oil-rich state in Southeast Asia. Offenders are liable to severe penalties of up to five years in prison.

Companies that have put Christmas decorations were asked to remove them, and the controls have multiplied in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Popular hotels welcoming Western tourists are now deprived of fairy lights and Christmas trees which once brightened their facilities by year's end.

"A Christmas sadder than ever"

The almighty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest men in the world, announced last year the gradual introduction of Islamic law (Sharia) Forward providing heavy penalties such as stoning or amputation.

This month, the authorities of this country of some 430,000 inhabitants of which two thirds are Muslims warned against the strict ban Christmas celebrations, arguing that the decorations for this holiday celebrated on December 25 by Christians risked diverting Muslims astray.

That is not ISIS waging war on Christmas. That is the leader of a majority-Muslim country adopting what to the West seems radical but to many Muslims seems to be, well, straight out of the Koran.

So why the mismatch between headline and story? I don't know. Normally the headline is not provided by the writer. We all understand that, like Obama and Hillary, Times editors are wedded to the notion that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam. Obviously, suggesting that semi-mainstream Muslims are at war with Christmas doesn't fit the "Islam is peace" narrative either.

Mr. Daoud refers repeatedly to "Islamists", the meaning of which is somewhat ambiguous. From the AP stylebook:

"An advocate or supporter of a political movement that favors reordering government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam. Do not use as a synonym for Islamic fighters, militants, extremists or radicals, who may or may not be Islamists. Where possible, be specific and use the name of militant affiliations: al-Qaida-linked, Hezbollah, Taliban, etc. Those who view the Quran as a political model encompass a wide range of Muslims, from mainstream politicians to militants known as jihadi."

By this meaning, Mr. Daoud is referring to Muslims well beyond ISIS. And let's note that he may be using his own terminology and metaphor. In an earlier NY Times piece on Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism and ISIS he wrote this:

Saudi Arabia, an ISIS That Has Made It

Black Daesh, white Daesh. The former slits throats, kills, stones, cuts off hands, destroys humanity’s common heritage and despises archaeology, women and non-Muslims. The latter is better dressed and neater but does the same things. The Islamic State; Saudi Arabia. In its struggle against terrorism, the West wages war on one, but shakes hands with the other. This is a mechanism of denial, and denial has a price: preserving the famous strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia at the risk of forgetting that the kingdom also relies on an alliance with a religious clergy that produces, legitimizes, spreads, preaches and defends Wahhabism, the ultra-puritanical form of Islam that Daesh feeds on.

Wahhabism, a messianic radicalism that arose in the 18th century, hopes to restore a fantasized caliphate centered on a desert, a sacred book, and two holy sites, Mecca and Medina. Born in massacre and blood, it manifests itself in a surreal relationship with women, a prohibition against non-Muslims treading on sacred territory, and ferocious religious laws. That translates into an obsessive hatred of imagery and representation and therefore art, but also of the body, nakedness and freedom. Saudi Arabia is a Daesh that has made it.

If Mr. Daoud provided the "ISIS at war with Christmas" headline it is because he has expanded the ISIS name to make a larger point, which may be clear to him but not to Times editors. Or maybe he just needed the head-fake headline to sneak this column past the editors - "Mainstream Muslims and US Allies At War With Christmas" seems like something Donald Trump would say, not something the Times would promulgate.

Comments

[henry]

OK, 2016 is the Year of the Lie at the NYT.

[Jeff Dobbs]

The 21st Century is the Second Consecutive Century of the Lie at the NYT...

[clarice]

The Saudis and Iranians are now at each other's throats.2016 is definitely an anything an happen year.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!l]

Hey, let me have the 97 Silver Shadow Rolls in Brunei for a New Year's celebration, like my old associate did once and you'd be surprised how I could forget about Christmas.

He built the the Sultana (Palace) for the Sultan. And that was his tip.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

In keeping with Henry's theme, the below is simply false;

The Islamists’ argument came down to one essential point: To celebrate Christmas or New Year’s was to imitate the “Kuffar,” or atheists, which is to say, basically, Westerners. At all cost the man in the white beard had to be kept away from the men with black beards.

Muslims detest Christmas because it celebrates the birth of Christ the coequal son of God rather than Jesus the lesser prophet prior to Muhammad.
The black beards can sit on Santa's lap, but they must not hear of their Savior.
To contend the Sultan of Brunei, the owner of a vast collection of western automobiles has some large problem with jolly old Nick dropping an Alfa Romeo in someone's stocking is either pig ignorant or intentionally misleading.

[clarice]

*can* happen year.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!l]

Iggy,

Hate to disagree with you. But living in the ME and Indonesia both during Christmas I never saw any Muzzie protests to JC's birth. Now that was back in the 80's and 90's but it could change by now. In fact, I went to Chritsmas eve mass in Holy Family Cathedral in Kuwait City in 1993.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

JiB, I should have said 'those muslims who protest Christmas' not all muslims.

The thousands of rounds of fireworks in Dubai for New Years demonstrate most don't seem to have a problem with it either.

[glasater]

I picked up on a comment on Fox not long ago who explained Islam this way, it's a form of government with religious overtones.

I heart this from the previous thread:

I also think the rather obvious observation that politics is religion on the left doesn't really explain the viciousness. "Unbelievers must be punished?"

This may explain why the left is so cool with Islam. They can relate.

Posted by: jimmyk

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The Week in Pictures; Happy New Year Edition.
The quality of TWIP varies greatly but this week's edition has a lot of very funny ones.
Take a look.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!lash]

glasater and Iggy,

Yes it is a form of goverment but actually a class of disicipline. Lots and I mean lots of Muslims (born that way) would love to escape the collar and leash but there is no way out considering where they all are now.

There are a few but I mean a few who are fed up enough to try to escape. Good luck.

Basically they are potential suicide bombers.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!lashat]

Another SEC beatdown. How about the Big 10 or whatever it is now.?

Next Monday will answer all questions and Dabo knows that. Has DeShaun ever been hit this hard? Lots of those like that. Welcome back to the SEC.

[JMHanes]

Very funny, Ignatz! I don't follow Power Line closely enough to keep up with "TWIP," so I appreciate the links. Sandy Koufax is looking good, isn't he? I loved that one. And the smart watch, and the Heisenberg floorplan….

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Here's an explanation of the Barth-Bultmann gag at TWIP if for you, like me, it was a bit too esoteric.

[Thomas Collins]

OK, I do this grudgingly, but I cannot tell a lie. Trumpster is my Homo Sapiens Sapiens of the Year award winner for 2015. Unlike Perot or Forbes or Carson or Fiorina, Trumpster the non-politician has put himself in a position in which he should be considered to have a legitimate chance to become POTUS (note that I still happen to agree with those who argue that Trumpster's negatives are too high to reach 270 electoral college votes against The Hill or Biden or Warren). He is also the candidate who has been most relentless on the danger of accommodating jihadism. Finally, he is the one who is willing to attack The Hill on her qualifications to be POTUS and on her ethics. I still think he is too much of a blowhard, but I must tip my hat to a great 2015 performance.

[glasater]

Lots and I mean lots of Muslims (born that way) would love to escape the collar and leash

I hear you, JIB. I have an Iranian friend who did escape when he was about 17 years old. He goes back to his home country from time to time and has to turn off his FB account when he does. He says the 'powers' over there watch for that activity.
He's an ardent Christian and tells me his family in Iran are also but its getting tougher for them daily.

[lyle]

Jan. 27, 2016 is the date AlGore warned us about in '06, people! It was then he claimed that we only had ten years before the world as we know it ends due to climate catastrophe. 24 days is all we have left. It's been nice knowing all of you... :)

[narciso]

we still have nearly a month, lyle,

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/donald-trumps-anti-muslim-rhetoric-shows-up-in-al-qaeda-recruitment-video/

they went to the underverse,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Have any of you watched the documentary on Scientology, Going Clear? One of my daughter's friends did the editing for it and sent me the DVD; when I send her a thank you note I'll ask if she's received any threats. They are very evil people who made the IRS cowards blink. The documentary is very well done imo.

On a completely unrelated matter until around 3 pm today I thought Dusty Springfield was from the South instead of the U.K. In my defense she didn't have a obvious Brit accent like some of her contemporaries like Petula Clark or Lulu, she wasn't known to do heroin with Jagger and Richards, and "Dusty" doesn't sound like a common Brit name.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!lashat]

lyle,

I am taking a cruise in February to ride the wave back into Port Everglades. That will show them.

[lyle]

I'm going to let my car idle 24/7 in my driveway, Jack. Since we recently learned that CO2 cools our fevered earth, I figure it's the least I can do. Heck, maybe I'll do the same with the wife's car as well...

I'm interested in hearing what all you caring, Gaia-loving JOMers will do to save the Earth in the final days.

[narciso]

you're right, she doesn't sound British,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9NY3P1QwWw

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Another SEC beatdown. How about the Big 10 or whatever it is now.?

Ohio State and Meeechigan did well as did Wisconsin. I don't think anybody didn't think Iowa was a fraud and one lonely poster here believed in Michigan State. Beyond that you're deep in the BOD mix where mediocrity rules the roost. The Indiana/Duke game was very exciting as I got to learn, courtesy of a missed Hoosier field goal in OT, that if a kick goes over any part of the goal posts it's no good because it has to be entirely within the extended line. Los Diablos Azure had their first bowl win since 1961.

[narciso]

then again, Mary Isobel Catherine Obrien, is kind of a mouthful,

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!lashat]

CH,

You need to move down to the SEC region. We welcome all lost souls.

We even have two ACC teams to make your tea time comfortable in Miamie and FSU.

[lyle]

PSU QB declares for the NFL draft. I'm guessing he figures he has really good odds that he'll get sacked less in the pros. NFW he gets sacked more...

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Lots of quality stuff in that link, narc.

When she recorded "Dusty in Memphis" I thought "well why not; that must be only a couple zip codes away".

[lyle]

Dux pounding TCU. 28 zip and almost 300 yds of O in one qrtr. I know of a certain Publius who should be enjoying himself tonight.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I'm a big SEC fan and have been pimping them for a long time. Same with the CrimiNoles although jumping on the Cain Train just ain't in the cards.

[Jack is Back (but On Alert)!lashat]

Long day, early evening. Tots morgen.

Sllaap Lekker.

[narciso]

well being a Hurricanes fan, requires a certain degree of masochism,

[DrJ]

Since CH brought it up, TCU's quarterback seems to be a rocket surgeon:

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin was arrested and charged with a felony early Thursday morning in San Antonio after fighting at a bar and then allegedly striking a bicycle patrol officer.

Boykin was formally charged with assaulting a public servant -- a third-degree felony -- posted a $5,000 bond and was released from custody late Thursday morning.

TCU is playing Oregon on Saturday in the Alamo Bowl.

And he was suspended. Way to go!

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

I meant Cane Train and can't blame that on autocorrect. Yes DrJ; pure rocket surgery move. Congrats on the Maize and Blue winning.

[DrJ]

Congrats on the Maize and Blue winning.

Thanks! It is nice to see them win one in the post season. It is not that common!

[lyle]

Boykin should be a verb connoting stupid shit behavior.

[narciso]

je likes the taste of shoe leather,

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/_/id/2628/tcu-horned-frogs

[Jeff Dobbs]

The Arby's take on Auld Lange Syne once wouldn't be enough to make me vow to never go there again. After the 15th time, I'm rethinking it.

The Land Rover ad would be a good premise for pron.

There. I said it.

Can ESPN stop talking about Kannell's turtle neck? Magic 8 Ball says "Doubtful".

[narciso]

qui demoni et tu, 'what the hell is wrong with you'

https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/683435203822407680

[narciso]

quelle surprise,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/12078537/Jihadist-propaganda-found-on-computer-of-man-who-deliberately-drove-into-French-soldiers.html

[jimmyk]

On topic for a moment...

We all understand that, like Obama and Hillary, Times editors are wedded to the notion that ISIS has nothing to do with Islam. Obviously, suggesting that semi-mainstream Muslims are at war with Christmas doesn't fit the "Islam is peace" narrative either.

So the NYT "logic" is something like this:

1. Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, and brotherly love.

2. ISIS are these bad guys who only pretend to be Muslim, and do un-Muslim-y stuff like behead Christians.

3. Ergo, if someone professes to be Muslim but does intolerant stuff like imprison people for celebrating Christmas, they must be ISIS and not true Muslims.

I'd have to ask Taranto whether this is more like 'begging the question' or 'Not true Scotsman.' Maybe it's both.

[lyle]

Land Rover ad with the female musher, Jeff?

[narciso]

if one watches ESPN, 'if needs must' do it on mute, it cuts the idiocy down by 30$

[Jeff Dobbs]

You got it, lyle.

mrs hit and run gets that credit for that observation, btw...

[narciso]

of course, carlos slim's ignored this, it's like the zombie plague on Walking Dead, no one knows what triggers it,

http://libertyunyielding.com/2016/01/02/israeli-police-investigate-whether-shooting-in-tel-aviv-was-first-attack-by-isis/

[lyle]

Ah, frigid pron with a soupçon of bestiality. She DOES seem a little underdressed for the territory. But with rampant globull warmening, maybe not...

[narciso]

algeria is berber for syria, shocking daoud, did not bring up this point, more forcefully,

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/magazine/stranger-still.html?_r=0

[Jeff Dobbs]

TCU: My mom, dad and sis all went to TCU. Not my team, but I'd pull for them if the game were close. I did visit TCU with friends back when I was in college (a high school teammate played baseball there). I got throw-up-in-the-street drunk that night. Yike.

San Antonio: mrs hit and run's family live just north of SAN and we go there every year. I've been on the River Walk once in my life. I've never been to the Alamo. If we go into town these days, it's for a medical or shopping trip. Not sure I feel like I'm missing anything.

[lyle]

I love San Antonio. The Riverwalk is touristy but still pretty cool.

The lyles visited the TCU campus in '03 for a bowl game. Impressive, old money (oil money, if you wish) campus.

[lyle]

BTW, Forth Worth is meh. One giant stockyard and not much else. We stayed at the Marriot and the pillows were about the size of an airline pillow. Maybe those were the special BSU guest pillows...

[Jeff Dobbs]

Oh, those horny toads don't want to just let this go.

[narciso]

didn't realize it was that long ago.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2016/01/first-the-saturday-people-then-the-sunday-people/#comments

[narciso]

a long time ago, in a galaxy, far far away,

http://imgur.com/gallery/005s3

[Jeff Dobbs]

Nigel Farage attempted assassination..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3382294/Nigel-Farage-s-car-wheels-sabotaged-assassination-attempt-Ukip-leader-lost-control-Volvo-wheel-fell-motorway-police-confirm-foul-play.html

[Sandy Daze]

TCU working hard this second half... !

[Jeff Dobbs]

TCU QB Kohlhausen - a fifth year senior and career backup - just got himself a serious look in the NFL draft.

Thanks Boykin!

3 point game with 3:32 left to go.

[Sandy Daze]

Glad I didn't turn it off when I tuned in late finding 31-zip
.
.
.
.
now 31-28 !

[Sandy Daze]

A little over three minutes to play...

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Go Frogs!

[Janet]

narciso's 9:32 link is very good.

[lyle]

Get on a treadmill every now and then, Gary.

[narciso]

I think jack london captured it,

http://www.trevorloudon.com/2016/01/escape-from-chicago-an-illustrated-tale/

[lyle]

Two starting QBs, one arrested, the other injured. One got a half, one didn't suit up.

Signed,

Capt. Obvious

[narciso]

this puts that story from a while back into perspective,

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2015/12/duma-and-return-of-king.html

[clarice]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/three-of-cliven-bundys-sons-militia-seize-federal-building-in-oregon/article/2579459

[Sandy Daze]

Beginning THIRD overtime !

[narciso]

what sensitivity, seems along the line of every left wing media platform,

http://twitchy.com/2016/01/02/rolling-stones-national-affairs-reporter-has-some-clever-names-for-rural-america/

[Jeff Dobbs]

HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

I've always been a Horned Frog fan.

[Jack Is Gay]

The Pope is a Commie.

[Sandy Daze]

Heh.

Heh-heh.

Heh-heh heh!

Great game ☺👍

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Under Armour beats Nike U.

[Jeff Dobbs]

#Kohlhausen2016

Jerry Jones - don't go get Manziel........draft Kohlhausen to be groomed under Romo.

HAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAHA!

[Frau Steingehirn]

I agree with Janet about narciso's 9:32.

G'nytall...

[narciso]

this is how chaos theory works, if that twit, Boykin hadn't knocked himself out of contention,

[narciso]

clearly they were dipping into his snuff box,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/12078074/Sherlocks-suffragette-mansplaining-irks-Abominable-Bride-viewers.html

[Publius]

lyle, I'm totally embarrassed and am now going to bed with my friend Jack D.

I can understand only getting two first downs after they take out the core of your offense, but as David Pollock says, the defense couldn't stop a nose bleed.

I didn't know that Ducks can lay eggs.

[narciso]

well minitrue won't admit it.

http://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/top-16-things-that-won-t-happen-in-2016-t17377.html

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--three-of-cliven-bundys-sons-militia-seize-federal-building-in-oregon--

That's the underlying case I linked last summer a couple of times where the old geezer and his son were sentenced to several years for a controlled burn on BLM land they held the grazing lease on.
The Feds claim they set it to cover up illegal deer poaching they had done but couldn't prove that.
They don't sound like angels but the sentence was over the top.

[narciso]

a bit of background on 'larry tate'

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/02/stan_pate_an_edgy_force_in_ala.html

the most objective piece I could find,

[Jeff Dobbs]

Buenas Fortworthes.

[narciso]

well that's kind of a weak response,

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-responds-al-shabaab-video/story?id=36059985

[Threadkiller]

What should he have said?

[narciso]

well it's ABC, so they might not have captured the whole story, but a few specifics might have helped,

[narciso]

maybe you can spot it,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgwIqXZBfbI

[narciso]

le error de categori

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/1/2/politically-correct-france-quarrels-over-revoking-citizenship-of-terrorists

[Threadkiller]

Spot what? A YouTube of the entire rally?

[Threadkiller]

Narciso, I'm not trying to start a battle with you.

I apologize for asking.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Wretchard's latest; on the competition between the state and the people.
Good comments as usual, also.

[narciso]

they are, the Journal provides insipid gruel in comparison,

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Roger Simon predicts a momentous year the end of which will either leave us much better or more much worse off than today.

[Threadkiller]

Nearly 150 Somali refugees say they hope to get their jobs back after they were fired from the Cargill Beef Plant in Fort Morgan after many of them left their posts following a dispute over workplace prayer.

http://therightscoop.com/cargill-fires-150-muslims-for-walking-out-over-prayer-dispute/

This is job Americans won't do?

[GUS]

TK, maybe the CARGILL "PORK" Plant is hiring.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Awesome comeback by the boys of the horned frogs.

Wow . . . Best bowl game this year.

[GUS]

Oregon lost it's qb and center, then apparently it's head coach.

[squaredance]

A good political readingon the BLM and the coming political cycle.

The Left is going to go all out now; the GOP is clueless.

I expect to have Obama create million of new voters almost immediately before the Nov election. They will more so fast and radically that it will not be stopped. They will get away with it.

The resulting illegitimacy will cause a rift so large in the nation that it will never be healed.

This is why they push so hard for gun control now even though to the naive eye it looks like an absolutely absurd political stance.

this year may well be the last year that America has a chance to change course.

It is by no means a done deal.

It seems absurd, but we stand a very good chance of have Hillary in the a Year from today.

Ponder what that means.

[GUS]

Squaredance, the thought scares the shyte out of me. But, the American public RE-FUGGING-ELECTED OBAMA. I mean, not only did AMERICA..ELECT...this fogging clown, WE RE-ELECTED HIM, after lies lies lies, failure, dysfunction, corruption, graft, pay-offs, massive massive debt and military non-sense. WE RE-ELECTED THIS CLUSTER-FOCK of EPIC PROPORTIONS. The unconstituional EXECUTIVE PUSH for more GUN CONTROL, isn't NAIVE, Obama and the LEFTISTS BELIEVE IT. It's not designed to stop MURDERS, it's designed as a STEP toward MORE STEPS to take away our guns and our rights.

[Stephanie]

Home from the Keys. Only took 15 hours and it was 20 mph from the turnpike at i75 to Gainesville. Yuck.

[GUS]

Stephanie, that sucks, where is home?

[GUS]

West Virginia got a ONE POINT lead with 2 minutes to go.
WHY ON GODS FUCKING EARTH would they POOOOOCH KICK on the ensuing KICK-OFF??
What has happened to US as a Society???? What has happened to LOGIC????

[GUS]

Excellent Clarice. I oft stay up specifically to see your PIECES. No PERV intended. You mentioned a IGNATZ in your PIECES. Who is this man???
Seriously. What we are witnessing, is SOMEONE/ANYONE....OZ... standing up to the LIES and peridy of the LEFT and the MFM....(SAME THING). It's obvious how to win.
FIGHT BACK and rip out their lying entrails.
TRUMP does. I'm not for TRUMP. I'm for any REPUBLICAN who fights back like TRUMP.

MY BALLS ARE SORE from years of abuse.

[glasater]

Super great article, Clarice. From your fingertips on a computer keyboard to God's ears.