"Jihad" Car Ad

[Monica]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A car dealership's tongue-in-cheek radio advertisement declaring "a jihad on the automotive market,'' will not be changed, the company said, despite drawing sharp criticism that the ad's content is offensive to Muslims.

Several stations rejected the spot from Dennis Mitsubishi, which boasts that sales representatives wearing "burqas'' -- the head-to-toe traditional dress for some Islamic women -- will sell vehicles that can "comfortably seat 12 jihadists in the back.''

Jihad is a holy war waged by Muslims in defence of Islam.

"We firmly believe the ad does not in any way disrespect any religion or culture, but we feel, I guess, that maybe poking a little fun at radical extremists is fair game,'' dealership president Keith Dennis said on Saturday. "It was our intention to craft something around some of the buzzwords of the day and give everyone a good chuckle and be a little bit of a tension reliever.''

While Dennis defended the ad as a harmless attempt to bring levity to a serious situation, the Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called it disrespectful.

"Using that as a promotional pitch when so many are dying from the criminal activity of suicide bombers, that's not funny,'' chapter president Asma Mobin-Uddin said. "I don't think it's appropriate when it causes real pain. It exploits or promotes misunderstanding in terms already misunderstood or misused.''

In the ad, Dennis talks about "launching a jihad on the automotive market.''

"Our prices are lower than the evil-doers' every day. Just ask the Pope!'' the ad says. "Friday is fatwa Friday, with free rubber swords for the kiddies.''

A fatwa is a religious edict.

Some radio stations are balking at the dealership's attempt to poke fun at extremists.

"With no disrespect to their creativity or their desire to build business, everything we're about is promoting the values of diversity. To air things of that sort would go against our mission statement,'' said Jeff Wilson, general manager of three Radio One stations in Columbus.

The dealership claims nothing in the ad is intended to promote a negative stereotype of Islam. A group that previewed the ad didn't raise any objections, although no one from the group was Muslim, Dennis said.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060923/jihad_ad_060923/20060923?hub=TopStories

Hmm, dunno what to think of this... Everything else is allowed to have satire, no reason Islam should be any different, or else things wouldn't be equal... Thoughts?

[Beldaran]

Muslims and the people who patronize their cry baby tantrum bullshit should shut the god damn fuck up.

[Jigglysaint]

Muslim outrage---it's the new Jew.

[Aegix Drakan]

...that's not funny. whoever made that add is a dumbass, because terrorism and its associated methods ARE NOT FUNNY. there's a difference between being stupid and being satirical, and these people don't realize that.

and what's this?


The dealership claims nothing in the ad is intended to promote a negative stereotype of Islam.

Downright bullshit. They had people in stereotypical muslim dress next to a car they say can hold 12 jihadists? How is that NOT promoting a negative stereotype?

*sigh*

*hope for humanity takes a hit, and decreases again...*

[ZTC]

People bitch about being treat equal and crap along with funning with stuff; but if it happens to them it's racism (or something of the sort). If you want equality, take the good with the bad.

[Monica]

...that's not funny. whoever made that add is a dumbass, because terrorism and its associated methods ARE NOT FUNNY. there's a difference between being stupid and being satirical, and these people don't realize that.

and what's this?



Downright bullshit. They had people in stereotypical muslim dress next to a car they say can hold 12 jihadists? How is that NOT promoting a negative stereotype?

*sigh*

*hope for humanity takes a hit, and decreases again...*

I agree, but they probably did it simply because it's the "hot" topic of the year and would get them attention and sales. Although a bit tactless is it any different than the "blackface" art that used to be used? "Mammie" cookie jars? When people get bored of it, it'll pass, but it's not hurting anyone and every group has something like this at one point, right?

[AtmaWeapon]

I think the ad was in bad taste and the complaints are valid but the dealership has no obligation to change it (other than the possible consequences of negative PR).

There are plenty of followers of Islam that don't believe in the same things the fanatical followers believe. They actually practice and follow a religion of peace and I feel sorry for them because their image is being ruined by the bad apples in their bunch.

To illustrate the difference in the Islam I support and the faux-Islam this commercial portrays, consider the recent dramabomb over the political cartoons portraying Mohhamed. The governments and peoples requesting apologies and threatening sanctions are the actions of rational people who are responding something that offends them in a civil manner. The fatwas and bounties on the cartoonists' are the actions of fantatical people who should not be considered followers of Islam.

The quotes in the article show that the offended parties have issued statements that they believe the ad promotes views of Islam that are misrepresentational. I believe they have a valid claim.

I imagine they feel about this commercial the same way I feel when Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church get publicity. Here I am trying to relate to others that my religion is a postive thing and all you see in the media is a madman who claims to be of my faith.

Still, their intent was comedy more than social statement so I see no reason why they are obligated by law to alter the ad. I simply think it was a bad idea, particularly if the area has a relatively large market of Muslims seeking cars. Pulling the ad and making an apology would probably be better for business than continuing to exercise the right to offend your customers.

[MacWeirdo42]

I agree, but they probably did it simply because it's the "hot" topic of the year and would get them attention and sales. Although a bit tactless is it any different than the "blackface" art that used to be used? "Mammie" cookie jars? When people get bored of it, it'll pass, but it's not hurting anyone and every group has something like this at one point, right?
Whoa whoa whoa, you just proved your own point. Those things are incredibly offensive, and they do hurt people. In our day and age, it's hard to see exactly what impact racism can have, but you only have to go back a few years to see that at one time, it shaped our society.

[Monica]

Whoa whoa whoa, you just proved your own point. Those things are incredibly offensive, and they do hurt people. In our day and age, it's hard to see exactly what impact racism can have, but you only have to go back a few years to see that at one time, it shaped our society.

Yeah, now that I think about it, you're right. But my point is, it'll pass.

Also, the terrorists are the ones who started trying to victimize us, not the other way around. Now-a-days, black commedians and filmmakers can say anything they want about white people, because of the oppression they faced. I think in a way, doing Islam-terrorist comedy (or whatever that ad is) is similar, saying they can't scare us into force-respecting Islam.

I don't think the regular muslims should be too offended unless they support terrorists. However if that guy who made the ad had the intention to insult every muslim (and only he'd know if he did or not) that would make him a very mean person.

[lord_jamitossi]

There are plenty of followers of Islam that don't believe in the same things the fanatical followers believe. They actually practice and follow a religion of peace and I feel sorry for them because their image is being ruined by the bad apples in their bunch.
... The same can be said about christianity if you think about it.

I find this strategy incredibly inapropriate, but in a very funny way. I know how much it can hurt someone to have their essential values mocked in order, in this case, to sell cars. However, this really is a perfect image of the state of the world today if you ask me. The fact that you can have ads like this that get written, produced and aired without anyone blowing the whistle is pathetic in itself, but, I must admit, I laughed when I first read it, and I suppose that was their objective.
Plus 10 points for funny but minus several hundred for bad taste and ethno-centricism.

[Kairyu]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A car dealership's tongue-in-cheek radio advertisement declaring "an ethnic cleansing on the automotive market,'' will not be changed, the company said, despite drawing sharp criticism that the ad's content is offensive to Christians.

Several stations rejected the spot from Dennis Mitsubishi, which boasts that sales representatives wearing "uniforms'' -- the head-to-toe traditional dress for some nazi soldiers -- will sell vehicles that can "comfortably seat 12 Nazis in the back.''

Ethnic cleansing is a war waged by Nazis against the Jewish.

"We firmly believe the ad does not in any way disrespect any religion or culture, but we feel, I guess, that maybe poking a little fun at radical extremists is fair game,'' dealership president Keith Dennis said on Saturday. "It was our intention to craft something around some of the buzzwords of the day and give everyone a good chuckle and be a little bit of a tension reliever.''

While Dennis defended the ad as a harmless attempt to bring levity to a serious situation, the Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Christian Relations called it disrespectful.

"Using that as a promotional pitch when so many are dying from the criminal activity in concentration camps, that's not funny,'' the chapter president said. "I don't think it's appropriate when it causes real pain. It exploits or promotes misunderstanding in terms already misunderstood or misused.''

In the ad, Dennis talks about "performing an ethnic cleansing on the automotive market.''

"Our prices are lower than the Jew's every day. Just ask the Fuhrur!'' the ad says. "Saturday is swastika saturday, with free rubber rifles for the kiddies.''

A swastika is a Nazi symbol.

Some radio stations are balking at the dealership's attempt to poke fun at extremists.

"With no disrespect to their creativity or their desire to build business, everything we're about is promoting the values of diversity. To air things of that sort would go against our mission statement,'' said Jeff Wilson, general manager of three Radio One stations in Columbus.

The dealership claims nothing in the ad is intended to promote a negative stereotype of Christianity. A group that previewed the ad didn't raise any objections, although no one from the group was Christian, Dennis said.

Since most of us here are Christians, I thought I'd try and see what it'd look like if things were turned around using a famous radical Christian subsect.
What do you guys think? Would this have been popular during World War II?

[lord_jamitossi]

Wow, way to put it in perspective, Kaiyru. That's totally not okay.

[Kairyu]

I'm not trying to pass judgement myself, I just wanted to try and put it in a perspective more people here might be able to identify with (I don't think we have many [any?] Muslims who post at AGN even semi-regularly).

[Monica]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I'm really not offended by that version either... Christians didn't do that, German Nazis did, and I feel no connection with them whatsoever, and that's just backlashing the Nazis which they are an evil group anyway...: It seems like if that was aired during WW2 it would offend German-Americans...:shrug:

[AtmaWeapon]

Well I tried to touch on the issue that I would be offended if the commercial were cast in a tone that offended Christians but I forgot if I type more than three sentences in a post no one reads it.

Also since when are Nazis affiliated with Christianity? I'm not very well-versed on Nazi history but I was under the impression that Hitler held religion in general with disdain, and from what I understand the Nazi platform was based on the idea of the superiority of the Aryan race, not divine command.

I wanted to rewrite the article with a Christian-offensive slant but honestly couldn't come up with anything better than "Enough horsepower to carry your cross up any hill!" and honestly that wouldn't offend me.

*edit* Also the Nazi dealership is pretty lol imo tbqh

[Kairyu]

Well, I was gonna do the Crusades (which would have been a MUCH better example), but I completely ran out of phrases to put in. There aren't as many buzz words.

I know Christianity wasn't a major part of the Nazi regime, but I seem to remember hearing several times that a very large number of Nazis were Christians (not because they were Nazis, but just as a sort of correlation thing). Besides, the stuff that Islam is actually about is pretty far removed from most of the extremists.

[Monica]

Weren't the Crusaders Catholic? Can you try anything with Baptists? ^_^

Ehh, I dunno, I've just never been offended by stuff like that, even when KotH implied that people from Louisiana were imbred (maybe because the ones shown were Cajun), I guess you'd have to get EXTREMELY specific to offend me...

Of course I also have a strange view on Racial Profiling, if I was in another country where the majority was Asian or whatever and some white people had just bombed something, I'd completely understand them being nervous and needing to check my bags at the airport, they're probably freaked out with good reason. I know I don't have anything dangerous and they would too, and then I go on my way, and sometime they catch the real terrorists.

Meh, I'm probably way too passive...^^ But anyway...

[Mr. Jones]

The nazis and the SS came out of the same satanic cults as... many of the people who founded our western empire.
Nazis had absolutely NOTHING to do with christianity, they were just a bloody tool to make the allies look like the goodguys.:D

[DarkDragon]

Muslim, Nazi, Crusaders, who cares. The dealership should be allowed to exercise its free speech in whatever way it chooses. If you're offended you're under no obligation to buy a car there.

[Tygore]

I know Christianity wasn't a major part of the Nazi regime, but I seem to remember hearing several times that a very large number of Nazis were Christians (not because they were Nazis, but just as a sort of correlation thing). Besides, the stuff that Islam is actually about is pretty far removed from most of the extremists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler%27s_religious_beliefs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_Christianity

Basically, Hitler preached a form of Christianity that fit his views- mostly, changing Jesus to be white. Based on the wiki article, the conclusion I draw is that Hitler used Christianity- the all but universal religion in Europe at the time- as a method of drawing followers. He himself was by no means a follower.

[AtmaWeapon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler%27s_religious_beliefs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_Christianity

Basically, Hitler preached a form of Christianity that fit his views- mostly, changing Jesus to be white. Based on the wiki article, the conclusion I draw is that Hitler used Christianity- the all but universal religion in Europe at the time- as a method of drawing followers. He himself was by no means a follower.OK then yeah in that case the Hitler -> Christianity and terrorism -> Islam correlation is more appropriate than I thought. I was under the impression that Hitler tossed out religion entirely but it's not like I researched it or anything.

I still say it's kind of weird that I'm not offended at all by it; I guess it's because I'm not living in a country where I'm automatically categorized as a Nazi because of my physical features and religion, whereas many Islamic Americans are having to deal with this problem. Racism is stupid.

[Cloral]

Racism is stupid. At the same time though, the moderate Muslims in the world need to do a better job of coming out and showing that extremists do not really portray what Islam is. For instance, say you worked at a well-known business. A person in a prominant management position comes out and makes public racist remarks. When this happens, your company does nothing to distance itself from those remarks. What will happen? Clearly everyone will assume that those remarks represent your company's views. These public extremists are doing the same thing to Islam, and the Islamic community needs to do a better job of stepping up and showing that this isn't their view.

[moocow]

lol, Ohioans.

I could see the owners of the dealership I work at doing something like that.

Owners of car dealerships don't seem to care who they're offending, just as long as they get a few sales.