Muslims Offended by the Apple Store! (Well, one Muslim somewhere was. Everybody Panic!) Muslims Offended by the Apple Store! (Well, one Muslim somewhere was. Everybody Panic!)
October 12, 2006
A story describing Muslim anger over the architectural similarities between the Apple store in New York and the Ka'ba in Mecca appeared on the news aggregator site Digg this morning. It originated from The Middle East Media Research Institute, which has been criticized in the past for acting as "propagandists" and "extreme right" in its politics. But the source doesn't matter. It's a story where technology, a popular American brand name, terrorism, and politics converge. It has already been passed around the web uncritically. And, as is the case with many big internet stories, it will likely be picked up by the mainstream media in a matter of days. Here's how MEMRI reported it:
On October 10, 2006, an Islamic website posted a message alerting Muslims to what it claims is a new insult to Islam. According to the message, the cube-shaped building which is being constructed in New York City, on Fifth Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets in midtown Manhattan, is clearly meant to provoke Muslims. The fact that the building resembles the Ka'ba (see picture below), is called 'Apple Mecca,' is intended to be open 24 hours a day like the Ka'ba, and moreover, contains bars selling alcoholic beverages, constitutes a blatant insult to Islam. The message urges Muslims to spread this alert, in hope that 'Muslims will be able to stop the project.'
Given the reference to "stopping the project" and the picture on the MEMRI site depicting the 5th Avenue store, which has been open for months, under construction, the comment is either older than MEMRI claims or was submitted by someone who is was a little behind in his reading.
One idiotic outdated "message" on one website? So here we go. Yet another story exaggerating Muslim intolerance, which in turn feeds an intolerant anti-Muslim backlash. Just check the comments at ZDNet, to see the how easily a single idiotic web posting can used as example of the unreasonableness of all Muslims:
Guess we'll all have to tear things down and rebuild as pyramids. Dammit, no, that won't work, as it might upset worshippers of Ra and Osiris. What about round? Do any religions specifically build round houses of worship?
I am tired of this. I really don't get the point. Will I have to throw away my coworkers rubicks cube if a muslim works at my office or the cube looking tissue holder in my bathroom because it has crayons on it. The United States has put themselves into this position...80%+ are christian, why should the minority dictate the mandates.
See, you're trying to use logic and reason in defending Apple against the moronic charges from the Muslim group. Unfortunately logic and reason have no effect with them. Any perceived slight is a slight - unquestionably. Why even bother trying?
Any bets on how many bigoted right-wing blogs and books run with this one uncritically? Worse yet, any bets on how many mainstream news outlets run with this one uncritically?
Related: ZDNet, MEMRI, The MEMRI's Wikipedia page, DIGG