Izzy Mo’s Blog

Salaam alaikum,

I received this letter from one of the coordinator’s for the Muslim Film Fest in California. Because they have decided to use their First Amendment right to show the controversial, Golden Globe nominated film Valley of the Wolves, they have been subjected to hate mail and possible protesters. You see…it’s okay to flush a Qur’an. It’s okay to show Muslim women in being raped in pornographic films online. It’s okay to mock the Prophet (alayhi salatu wa salaam) and call him a pedophile, a terrorist and a twisted epiletic. But please, PLEEEZ, do not dare use the first amendment to do something useful like, as my father put it, “puttin’ the stink of their deeds in their face.” I swear, I see proof of God everyday but little proof of American’s right to criticize this inept, corrupt, useless administration, its policies and its murderous alliance with the rouge state of Israel.

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Dear Brothers & Sisters,

Assalamualaikum, Peace be with you,

Most of you know that this Saturday we are holding the Muslim Film Festival, insha’Allah.

What you may not know is the negative publicity we have been gettingalong with some HATE mail and blogs and news articles and negative phone calls about it. One of the film we are screening is ‘Valley of Wolves, Iraq‘. It was an international hit and golden globe nominee and was shown at Cannes last year. The film is a feature from Turkey and it gives a unique perspective about the Iraq war and brings up critical issues. It’s an action pack movie and has American actors, Billy Zane and Gary Busey.

However, because Gary Busey happens to play a ‘Jewish’ doctor involved
in the black market trade of organs, many press media and non-Muslims
have hailed the movie as ‘anti-Jewish’. And because the film shows a
point of view from the ‘Muslim’ or ‘Iraqi’ perspective and shows
Americans playing the ‘bad’ guys as soldiers, it is considered an
‘Anti-American’ film.

So…we, at the Muslim Film Festival would like to get your MORAL and
PHYSICAL support by being at the festival and being vocal in making
‘positive’ comments about us and the film and the right to free speech.
We welcome ALL audiences. However, there will be many negative people
and non-Muslims who might attend the festival with intentions of
protesting and causing disruption to the festival or voicing out loud
negative comments.

We request to our fellow Muslim bros and sis, to be staunch supporters
of our festival and also voice out your thoughts and let the Muslim
voices be heard loud and clear. Our festival is a platform for
independent and mainstream Muslim filmmakers to offer unique
perspectives and viewpoints from the Muslim cultures and world. We
believe that ‘Freedom of speech and creative expression’ is a world
value and not just an American value.

With all the news coverage of the war and politics happening in the
world, our festival is giving a voice to Muslims so that they maybe
heard and showing that Muslims have a lot more to their identity than
the stereotypical images shown in media/films.

So we welcome you to attend our festival and show us your support.
Also write up on your experience at the festival in your blogs,
websites and postings on discussion boards to counter the negative ones.

Sincerely,

MFF Staff