Uh…what? One Direction’s Zayn Malik is being under fire by an American blogger for exploiting his Muslim heritage.
According to The Sun, Debbie Schlussel has warned parents to “keep their daughters away” from the British boy band because she claims that Malik had posted tweets for fans about Ramadan and Allah.
“The scary thing is that millions of girls in America and around the world are infatuated with the members of One Direction, including Zayn. He knows the power he has over these mindless girls and is using that influence to preach the Islamic faith. It’s dangerous.”
Continuing her rant, she also said, “With the boy band One Direction, it’s all about pimping Islam amid the deceptive visage of angelic, effeminate boys in a band. Yup, for them there is definitely One Direction: facing Mecca.”
To see this being said is incredibly upsetting. Living in 2012, we should be learning to have more open minds about different religions and races. Not living in a world of fear and hate.
But while Malik hasn’t responded to these comments yet, American Muslim campaigner Wajahat Ali has come to support Zayn, saying it is “empowering” to have a Muslim in a popular boy band.
He said that even though conservative Muslims may disagree with Zayn’s actions (tattoos, ear piercings, smoking), he can “really help open those minds.”
A group of Muslim activists who challenged 24 bosses over the show’s portrayal of Islamic terrorists two seasons ago are attacking the programme again.
Officials at the Council on American-Islamic Relations met with producers back in 2005 when the 24 plot revolved around Muslim fundamentalists, and now they’re upset again because the new season seems to portray members of their religion in the same shady light.
Council spokesman RABIAH AHMED says, “The overwhelming impression you get is fear and hatred for Muslims.
“After watching the premiere, I was afraid to go to the grocery store because I wasn’t sure the person next to me would be able to differentiate between fiction and reality.”
The activists urged the show’s bosses to meet with them again, but this time only succeeded in bringing them around a table for a conference call.
Following original meetings in 2005, 24 star KIEFER SUTHERLAND appeared in a TV commercial urging viewers not to assume all Muslims were like the terrorists portrayed in his series.
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