Monday, May 28, 2007

Breaking the PBS Log Jam

An unprecedented, but well-needed compromise has been reached to allow the film "Islam vs. Islamists" to be made available to the public.

There is no doubt that PBS is a much more popular outlet for documentary films than is Oregon Public Broadcasting, to whom the film "Islam vs Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center", has been released. Now, however, it will see the light of day, and one of the great fallacies of Islam will likely be shattered with the exposure of this film--that all Muslims hate America and think that liberty is antithetical to Islam.

The 52-minute film contends that moderate Muslims are being intimidated by radical Islamists in several Western democracies, including the United States.


The Corporation for Public Broadcasting stepped in when PBS wrongly concluded that the film did not meet documentary standards. And my uncle is a monkey. Several individuals who have seen the film, including 8 Congressmen, felt that the film was superbly done, and that it filled an important void not filled by any of the segments that were ultimately chosen by PBS for its "America at a Crossroads" series.

Everyone has some bias. I suspect that the producers of Islam vs Islamists will present a biased perspective. But how can a perspective be otherwise. Our opinions and our reportage are affected by what we know and what we see.

Now at least, everyone will get a chance to see and assess for themselves the quality and the bias of the film. I imagine that both will be as least as good as the usual PBS fare. It can't possibly be worse than what passes for reporting on the nightly news.

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