Anti-Muslim crusaders make millions spreading fear

[Joanne98]

First of Two Parts

Steven Emerson has 3,390,000 reasons to fear Muslims.

That's how many dollars Emerson's for-profit company — Washington-based SAE Productions — collected in 2008 for researching alleged ties between American Muslims and overseas terrorism. The payment came from the Investigative Project on Terrorism Foundation, a nonprofit charity Emerson also founded, which solicits money by telling donors they're in imminent danger from Muslims.

Emerson is a leading member of a multimillion-dollar industry of self-proclaimed experts who spread hate toward Muslims in books and movies, on websites and through speaking appearances.

Leaders of the so-called "anti-jihad" movement portray themselves as patriots, defending America against radical Islam. And they've found an eager audience in ultra-conservative Christians and mosque opponents in Middle Tennessee. One national consultant testified in an ongoing lawsuit aimed at stopping a new Murfreesboro mosque.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101024/NEWS01/10240374/The+price+of+fear

[ZombieHorde]

1. Fear sells. nt

[pinboy3niner]

2. Great find, Joanne!

Kudos to the reporter, Bob Smietana. It's refreshing to see that there are some still actually doing investigative journalism.

K&R :kick:

[Up Quark]

3. I don't make any money from it, but I despise all fundamentalist-style religions.

I guess I can't figure out how opposing one that makes women 2nd or 3rd class citizens and says killing homosexual people is acceptable, is an indication of bigotry...