https://worldmuslimcongress.org/fox-news-hannity-sultan-cagney-ghouse/ghouse.html
Tuesday, August 17, 2010, Carrollton
Mike Ghouse on Fox News with Sean Hannity.
I had an open schedule for Iftaar tonight, lo and behold; I get the call from Fox TV to join them to night at the Hannity show. Unlike the previous programs that were live, this one was taped due to tight schedules and getting three guests together with Sean Hannity; Dr. Wafa Sultan, Frank Cagney and myself. The topic was Sharia Laws and Ground Zero Mosque (a misnomer).
Isaac Entebbe came to pick me up in his Limo and off we went to the Fox Studios, on the way Isaac and I carried some great conversation. His take on the topic seemed clear and he presented how two sides think and fee; the right wingers and the moderates. His sentiments were similar to the sentiments of Michael Bloomberg and most religious leaders of America who have shared that we should be open to all.
He graduated from high school in Richardson a year before my son Jeff Graduated and went on to serve in Israeli Army for two years and was looking to find a job in criminal defense court here in Dallas. I mentioned to him that I am heading to Jerusalem in two days and asked if it was safe, without batting an eye he said it is safer out there than here in Dallas and said, what you see on TV is not the true picture. He shared that neighbors know each other unlike here.
I appreciated that and immediately shared it with my wife so she feels comfortable on my trip.
At the Studios Guy Morton was the man behind the camera and had me set up in less than 5 minutes and we waited for Sean Hannity to finish the interview with Ambassador John Bolton about the imminent Israeli attack on Iran, which he did not believe will happen as it would be disastrous to every one.
I was prepared to deal with Wafa Sultan, a smart woman who knows how to dupe the right wingers and cash on their stupidities. She is full of hate against Islam and Muslims; she blames her personal problems on religion instead of the men who have possibly messed with her life. Here is one such article about her by Tarek Fateh. http://hatesermons.blogspot.com/2010/03/hate-talks-coming-out-of-synagogues.html
Wafa Sultan is so full of it that even Daniel Pipes reminded his Jewish audience that Islam was not the bogeyman it has been made out to be. He remined the same audience, “Remember, for over 1,000 years, whenever Jews needed a place for sanctuary, they got it in Muslim lands … A Jewish audience in Los Angeles walked out on her as they could not bear her bullshit any more.
Good Lord, she did not get much time to say much and I did not want to question her and turn the conversation to her agenda.
Frank Cagney made some sense and you see me nodding with agreement on a few issues.
I am thrilled at the change in Sean Hannity since I have been on his show for over 7 times now, if you have noticed over the last six weeks; he does not attack Sharia in wholesale. He has learnt to differentiate between the mis application, and men’s interpretation in Saudi, Iran and Afghanistan. I have kept up relentlessly to differentiate between Personal and Public Sharia/ http://sharialaws.blogspot.com/2010/07/sharia-law-not-in-america.html
The one point I really wanted to make but did not get to make was this; If Saudi is a bad country, why do we want to emulate them? Should some one point their fingers and say the same things about us, we say to the tin pot dictators and fascist regimes?To ban any Muslim presence from the neighborhood because of the actions of 19 terrorists is to fall into the same flawed ideology of the terrorist who label all Americans as evil.
America has led the world in Science, technology, innovation and has remained a beacon of morality and a defender of human rights. Our constitution is an exemplary document of democracy and now the time has come to lead the world in Pluralism and co-existence.The other nations need to look up to us and not the other way around. We need to set higher standards of civility and NOT stoop down to the level of Talibans or some dictators and monarchs around the world. If we want other nations to behave, we need to lead the way. We need to stand tall and on a moral high ground and be an example of morality and civility to the world.
A friend of mine called me up and shared his wisdom, “It is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission” it is now etched on my mind in the context of getting a point across on the brief moments on the TV and here is what I will do next time, “I have to make this critical point to add value to the discussion…. Thank you my friend.
Link to the Video – http://www.youtube.com/user/OmniChristianVids2#g/c/9632B96DB326E155
Mike Ghouse is speaker and thinker on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the public on issues of the day. His work is captured in 22 blogs and 3 websites listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/