Entire City of Birmingham "Off-Limits" to Non-Muslims

[The greater Vakolicci Haven]

No, fox news shouldn't be disbanded. This was said by a person being interviewed, not someone employed by Fox News.

Still reported by them.

Doesn't matter. A privately-funded tv channel doesn't have an obligation to tell the truth.

[Liberty and Linguistics]

I also live in Birmingham, and I can confirm this is bullshit.

Dejanic confirmed as Muslim.

I didn't know Tony Blair was a Muslim. What do you know?

[Greater Mackonia]

If this was actually true, wouldn't you be concerned? It is true in some places in Europe.

Where exactly?

[Old Tyrannia]

If this was actually true, wouldn't you be concerned? It is true in some places in Europe.

The rest of Europe isn't my concern. That said, I would be interested to hear where these mysterious places are.

No, fox news shouldn't be disbanded. This was said by a person being interviewed, not someone employed by Fox News.

If they interview someone credited as an "expert" on a contentious issue, they should be held responsible for checking that "expert's" credentials and making sure he really is an expert and not a whackjob who knows nothing about what he's talking about.

[Sediczja]

I live near Birmingham (Halesowen, to be exact) and I too can tell you this guy has no idea what he's talking about, which isn't really surprising.

[The greater Vakolicci Haven]

If this was actually true, wouldn't you be concerned? It is true in some places in Europe.

The rest of Europe isn't my concern. That said, I would be interested to hear where these mysterious places are.

No, fox news shouldn't be disbanded. This was said by a person being interviewed, not someone employed by Fox News.

If they interview someone credited as an "expert" on a contentious issue, they should be held responsible for checking that "expert's" credentials and making sure he really is an expert and not a whackjob who knows nothing about what he's talking about.

The places mentioned are clearly somebody's house. That would make sense.

Also, Fox news don't have any obligation to tell the truth, so no government action should be saught.

[Dejanic]

Dejanic confirmed as Muslim.

I didn't know Tony Blair was a Muslim. What do you know?

"Over my many years as peace envoy of the Middle East, I have learnt a great deal from local Islamic scholars and educators, and now I have made the decision to revert to Islam, the truth faith of man kind. From this day onwards, I shall be know as "Tony bin Abu al Qaasim Blair".

[Ifreann]

Birmingham? Isn't that what they used to call Islamingham?

[DesAnges]

They've actually set up a Twitter account to threaten everyone who has made a #foxnewsfacts joke with a lawsuit unless they remove the tweet. Fuck me. They just keep on giving.

[Imperializt Russia]

The rest of Europe isn't my concern. That said, I would be interested to hear where these mysterious places are.

If they interview someone credited as an "expert" on a contentious issue, they should be held responsible for checking that "expert's" credentials and making sure he really is an expert and not a whackjob who knows nothing about what he's talking about.

The places mentioned are clearly somebody's house. That would make sense.

Also, Fox news don't have any obligation to tell the truth, so no government action should be saught.

There's a difference between an editorial bias and outright fabrication of lies and reporting them as facts or as truth.
The latter is physically dangerous.

[The United Colonies of Earth]

I didn't know Tony Blair was a Muslim. What do you know?

"Over my many years as peace envoy of the Middle East, I have learnt a great deal from local Islamic scholars and educators, and now I have made the decision to revert to Islam, the truth faith of man kind. From this day onwards, I shall be know as "Tony bin Abu al Qaasim Blair".

Hilarious, mate!

Birmingham? Isn't that what they used to call Islamingham?

Who called it Islamingham? Seems pretty cool to me, they have toll roads.

EDIT: And how many people live there again, 2 million? How many Muslims are there in Britain, and how fast would they ever be able to completely replace the present population? My guess is definitely more than a century of illogically long-running immigration.

[MERIZoC]

I didn't know Tony Blair was a Muslim. What do you know?

"Over my many years as peace envoy of the Middle East, I have learnt a great deal from local Islamic scholars and educators, and now I have made the decision to revert to Islam, the truth faith of man kind. From this day onwards, I shall be know as "Tony bin Abu al Qaasim Blair".

[Imperializt Russia]

They've actually set up a Twitter account to threaten everyone who has made a #foxnewsfacts joke with a lawsuit unless they remove the tweet. Fuck me. They just keep on giving.

One person (several, actually) tweeted "Don't tell Fox News about the Black Country". Not sure what this is in reference to (the Black Country itself being a cultural region of the UK south-west).

@foxnewspress, the account "correcting mistruths from @foxnewsfacts against Fox News", replied to this person with the comment "Fox News has ever stated that Africa is a "black country". Please delete the tweet or face legal recourse."

Not sure who's trolling who there tbh.

[MERIZoC]

They've actually set up a Twitter account to threaten everyone who has made a #foxnewsfacts joke with a lawsuit unless they remove the tweet. Fuck me. They just keep on giving.

Kirby Delauter has killed Rupert Murdoch and taken his place.

[Dejanic]

Birmingham? Isn't that what they used to call Islamingham?

No, you're getting confused with Bradistan.

Honestly, it surprises me that the fox news twit decided to pick specifically on Birmingham. All of the Muslims where I live have dogs and aren't radical in the slightest. Oh and I walked past a pub the other day and a group Muslim men in heavy Islamic garments we're clinking their pints of Beer together before they got hammered. Nuff said.

[Liberty and Linguistics]

They've actually set up a Twitter account to threaten everyone who has made a #foxnewsfacts joke with a lawsuit unless they remove the tweet. Fuck me. They just keep on giving.

I don't know whether or not to be disappointed in the fact that so many people love Fox, or amused at it's mere existence.

[Old Tyrannia]

Birmingham? Isn't that what they used to call Islamingham?

Aye, that was before we all saw the truth and converted to the one, true faith. Now Islamingham is the capital of the United Islamic Caliphate of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and we're preparing to launch a glorious jihad against Ireland.

[Bandwagon]

What about areas of Dublin being "Off-Limits" to non Eastern Europeans.

[DesAnges]

They've actually set up a Twitter account to threaten everyone who has made a #foxnewsfacts joke with a lawsuit unless they remove the tweet. Fuck me. They just keep on giving.

One person (several, actually) tweeted "Don't tell Fox News about the Black Country". Not sure what this is in reference to (the Black Country itself being a cultural region of the UK south-west).

@foxnewspress, the account "correcting mistruths from @foxnewsfacts against Fox News", replied to this person with the comment "Fox News has ever stated that Africa is a "black country". Please delete the tweet or face legal recourse."

Not sure who's trolling who there tbh.

South west? Booo. It's part of the Midlands.

[Republic of Mezoamerican States]

EDIT: Additional sources for the sceptical:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30773297
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/j ... am-muslims

If you want t get accurate information about the US,
you need to read UK papers.
I don't know where you can get accurate info on the UK.
Le Monde?

[Norstal]

Birmingham? Isn't that what they used to call Islamingham?

Aye, that was before we all saw the truth and converted to the one, true faith. Now Islamingham is the capital of the United Islamic Caliphate of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and we're preparing to launch a glorious jihad against Ireland.

It all went downhill when the Vizier of Canterbury banned female ejaculation.

[Dejanic]

One person (several, actually) tweeted "Don't tell Fox News about the Black Country". Not sure what this is in reference to (the Black Country itself being a cultural region of the UK south-west).

@foxnewspress, the account "correcting mistruths from @foxnewsfacts against Fox News", replied to this person with the comment "Fox News has ever stated that Africa is a "black country". Please delete the tweet or face legal recourse."

Not sure who's trolling who there tbh.

South west? Booo. It's part of the Midlands.

Aye, the Black Country is North West of Birmingham.

[The Leodensian Republic]

.... Well, according to Fox News at least.

Britain’s legion of amateur satirists reacted with delight to comments by a “terrorism expert” on America’s Fox News channel who said many parts of the U.K., including its second city Birmingham, were Muslim-only areas.

Steve Emerson, who is described on his website as “one of the leading authorities on Islamic extremist networks,” made the announcement in a Jan. 10 interview with the channel on whether Europe was a safe place for non-Muslims.

“In Britain, it’s not just no-go zones, there are actual cities like Birmingham that are totally Muslim where non-Muslims just simply don’t go in,” Emerson said. “Parts of London, there are actually Muslim religious police that actually beat and actually wound seriously anyone who doesn’t dress according to Muslim, religious Muslim attire.”

This came as a surprise to the 78 percent of Birmingham residents who don’t describe themselves as Muslim, and Emerson was quickly mocked on Twitter. People posted pictures of a Mecca Bingo venue as supposed evidence of Birmingham’s Islamic domination, with the hashtag “#foxnewsfacts”. Someone else claimed the city’s BT Tower was in fact the world’s tallest minaret.

Raheb Othmani, a Tunisian engineer, reworked the offer of support made to Muslims in Australia after a gunman took hostages in Sydney in December: “If you are a non-Muslim and would like to visit Birmingham #illridewithyou”

‘Complete Idiot’

Prime Minister David Cameron, whose Conservative Party held its annual conference in Birmingham last year, weighed in during a television interview today. “When I heard this I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool’s Day,” Cameron told ITV News. “This guy is clearly a complete idiot. He should actually look at Birmingham and see what a fantastic example it is of bringing people together.”

Emerson subsequently apologized for his remarks. “I have clearly made a terrible error for which I am deeply sorry,” he said in a statement on his website. “There was no excuse for making this mistake and I owe an apology to every resident of Birmingham. I am not going to make any excuses.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-1 ... cmpid=yhoo

It appears that I may have to find somewhere else to live, as apparently the city I currently reside in is no longer safe for non-Muslim citizens. You think they might have at least dropped a leaflet or something. "Hi, this is your friendly neighbourhood Jihadi, we're just calling to let you know that this city is now a Muslim only area. You are politely asked to leave the city within the next forty-eight hours, or else we will be forced to cut your head off. Thank you for your cooperation!"

It seems that, in response to the recent tragedy in France, Islamophobia is once again in vogue here in the Western World. I find it deeply concerning- if not surprising- that Fox News, a major news channel in the United States, is peddling this sort of hysteria over Islam to its citizens. The last thing we need in the wake of events like this is to drive a further wedge between Muslim and non-Muslim citizens in Western countries, and yet that is exactly what the media seems intent on doing. It's cynical exploitation of people's fear to increase ratings and I hate it, but it seems to be par for course in the US- at least here in the UK, the fearmongering and dodgy journalism is mostly confined to the newspapers. Mostly.

Speaking of which, it somewhat offends me that an American, on an American news channel, is presenting the city of Birmingham (as well as areas of London and other parts of the UK by implication) as some sort of ethnic ghetto where it's not safe to walk the streets at night. Well, okay, so there's some truth in that, but after the recent race-related riots in America that we've all seen on the news it's hilariously hypocritical for an American to present the United Kingdom as some sort of wartorn nation divided by ethnic struggles. We're doing just fine, thanks, Steve. Perhaps you should think about getting your own house in order before criticising others.

So, NSG, what do we think? Should the US government regulate what can be said on screen by purported "news" channels more strictly, or is it important to allow freedom of speech even when it's blatant fearmongering lies presented as an expert's opinion? Is the UK and the rest of Europe heading towards the scenario outlined by Mr Emerson? Is now the time to panic, or do we need to just keep calm and carry on?

Also, now I get why you all call it "Faux News."

EDIT: Additional sources for the sceptical:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30773297
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/j ... am-muslims

I know Islam is extremely medieval but Faux News just being over the top about Anjem Choudary and his thugs and their "emirates" over small parts of major cities.

[The greater Vakolicci Haven]

As ridiculous as this is, Fox should have the right to mislead the public, as no one is directly harmed by its comments. People calling for it to be disbanded are seriously overreacting.

[Norstal]

Still reported by them.

Doesn't matter. A privately-funded tv channel doesn't have an obligation to tell the truth.

We have slander illegal for individuals. I don't see why it shouldn't be the same for a group of individuals.