Bill Maher on Islam spat with Ben Affleck: “We’re liberals! We’re not crazy tea-baggers” [View all]

[kpete]

MONDAY, OCT 6, 2014 04:00 AM PDT
EXCLUSIVE: Bill Maher on Islam spat with Ben Affleck: “We’re liberals! We’re not crazy tea-baggers”
Comedian tells Salon about his clash with Affleck, his "Flip a District" effort -- and a recent date with Rand Paul



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But I want to ask you how you felt the Ben Affleck/Sam Harris segment went. Did you feel frustrated as it was happening?

I think Sam and I and Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Salman Rushdie and everyone who is basically making the same point, I think we all feel frustrated because I think we feel like the people who are arguing with us are not listening.

We’re liberals! We’re liberals. We’re not crazy tea-baggers, y’know, and so it’s kind of hard to be making this case — based on facts, based on polling, I think based on what everybody really knows… I mean, do the people arguing with us, would they really open a lesbian art gallery in Ramallah? [Laughs] Or Karachi? Or Cairo? I don’t know if they would back up what they’re saying with actions.

We are not bigoted people. On the contrary, we’re trying to stand up for the principles of liberalism! And so, y’know, I think we’re just saying we need to identify illiberalism wherever we find it in the world, and not forgive it because it comes from [a group] people perceive as a minority.

Did you expect Affleck to get as upset as he did —

You know, I don’t want to talk about this. You just said we’re not going to talk about this and now we’re talking about it.

Well, I don’t want to debate the character of Islam with you, but I am interested in how the pushback you’re getting from liberals makes you feel about your place within contemporary liberalism. Do you feel like the intensity of the criticism is forcing you out of the community or do you more take the position that arguments can be painful but they’re ultimately healthy?

It is healthy; and also, I don’t care about any community. I’ve always said what I believed and anyone who does not like healthy debate probably isn’t watching [my] show to begin with.

And again: If you’re a liberal, stand up for liberal principles. I’m the liberal in this debate.


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http://www.salon.com/2014/10/06/exclusive_bill_maher_on_islam_spat_with_ben_affleck_were_not_crazy_tea_baggers/?utm_source=huffpost_politics&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_article