Monday, February 16, 2009

Producer who fought Islamic stereotypes commits stereotypical Islamic killing.

This isn't mean to be amusing, but oh the irony of it all! A producer who started an Islamic TV station with the intent of battling Islamic stereotypes becomes, himself, a horrendous stereotype of Islamic psychopaths. Not to say all Muslims are crazy, like this guy is, but the typical fear-mongering image of hard-lined Islamic followers beheading or otherwise killing their wives, termed "honor killings", is a fairly common theme. It was, after all, the central premise of the very infamous Law & Order: SVU episode, Honor.

The founder of an Islamic television station in upstate New York aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes has confessed to beheading his wife, authorities said.

Muzzammil Hassan was charged with second-degree murder after police found the decapitated body of his wife, Aasiya Hassan, at the Bridges TV station in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, said Andrew Benz, Orchard Park's police chief.

Hassan was arrested Thursday.

His wife filed for divorce January 6, and police had responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple's home, Benz said.

Hassan went directly to the police station after his wife's death and confessed to killing her, Benz told CNN. Benz declined to give further details.

Attempts to reach an attorney for Hassan were unsuccessful, and his family didn't return calls from CNN.

He had two children, 4 and 6, with his wife. He had two other children, 17 and 18, from his previous marriage.

He launched Bridges TV, billed as the first English-language cable channel targeting Muslims inside the United States, in 2004. At the time, Hassan said he hoped the network would balance negative portrayals of Muslims following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The station's staff is "deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya Hassan and the subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan," a statement from Bridges TV said.

"Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victim," the statement said.

- Source

On a different, but somewhat related note, Bil Maher's Religulous comes out on DVD tomorrow, the 17th. Pick up a copy and mock the types of religious fundamentalist assholes that are so much like Mr. Hassan. And to continue with Bill Maher plugs, Real Time with Bill Maher begins airing again Feb. 20th. Catch it on HBO or look on your favorite torrent site.




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