How international news media tried to find conflict in Hamtramck’s new city council — and missed it

[marmar]

from the Metro Times:


How international news media tried to find conflict in Hamtramck’s new city council — and missed it entirely
Caniff and Quran

By Michael Jackman




As the rest of the city council meets for a work group at Hamtramck City Hall on a Tuesday evening, one Muslim council member is off in a side room where national news media are doing interviews. They happen to be in town for the North American International Auto Show, but they're also using this trip as an opportunity to report on the city's new Muslim-majority city council, elected in November.

I know this because I'm lost, and happen to accidentally head into the room where these interviews are taking place. I back out and listen at the door to the line of questioning from our national news media. In this particular interview, they seem to be turning over every stone looking for evidence of conflict. Or are they simply playing devil's advocate? It's hard to tell.

The Muslim councilman is telling the interviewer emphatically that "Sharia Law" won't be a factor in politics. The interviewer changes his tack: how about in their own lives? Doesn't Sharia Law enter into the day-to-day life of the community? The interviewer almost pleads, "In daily matters, outside of politics, do you ever say, 'This doesn't conform to Sharia Law?'" The interviewee is too clever for this trap.

Soon the interviewer is trying to appeal to the emotions, asking about a Muslim candidate's campaign signs that were vandalized. The Muslim councilperson says it was unfortunate.

.....(snip).....

It's an odd scene. The representative from the national media seems almost determined to get one of these Muslim council members to say anything controversial, anything that can be taken out of context, and to no avail. ..............(more)

http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/how-international-news-media-tried-to-find-conflict-in-hamtramcks-new-city-council-and-missed-it-entirely/Content?oid=2399323

[annabanana]

1. Isn't "Sharia" kind of the Muslim word for "Kosher"? . . . . .n/t