First of all just about this so-called interview. It sounded more like a conversation to me and a slanted one at that. With the Luke Brinker taking the typical Salon leftist political correctness slant. Suggesting that by asking "does Bill Maher's criticism of Islam give rise to new Islamaphobia". Another example would be "does Bill Maher's criticism make him sound like a Neoconservative". You can click the link in this post to see the actual conversation yourself.
First of all if you saw the show yourself the Real Time episode that Rula Jebreal was on with Bill Maher, it was essentially three against one. Bill Maher, Senator Angus King an Independent by the way, hardly anyone's radical and General Wesley Clark a center-left Democrat. Especially Maher and Senator King were defending free speech and Maher's right to speak freely especially express the truth. With Rula Jebreal trying to put the focus on Maher and herself and debate Islam. With her comparing Maher to an anti-semite of all things.
Any criticism against Islam even when it comes from Liberals and other leftists and you get labeled as a racist or some other type of bigot by the political correctness Left. Even when Muslims such as Reza Aslam are quick to point out that Bill Maher is not a racist and besides Islam is not even a race to begin with. And that is what I at least saw on that show. Rula Jebreal making the politically correct argument against those who would criticize Islam. And Bill Maher as well as Liberals sticking up for free speech. Freedom of Speech vs. political correctness in America.
