Quotes from retracted GP article re Bob Mirch

Comment: It seems to me that [Bilal] has quite a resentment for the United States and specifically George Bush for the killing of one million Iraqis, which I think we went out of our way not to kill Iraqis. I think they’re probably doing more killing of each other at this point.

Bilal: I love this country. I spent two years in a refugee camp before I was given a new life in the United States. And what I’m doing here, I’m only trying to defend my country which is the United States of America, and I don’t want to see what happened in Iraq under Saddam’s regime happen here. Whether I resent Bush - I do. His policy is wrong, the execution of war is wrong, the war itself is wrong. But that doesn’t mean it’s terrorism when we come and took our point of view. I think people are mixing the facts here and people are terrified of anybody who speak a different language than us. It’s a sad reality when people are outraged about video games and not outraged about what is being done in their name in Iraq…

Comment: my question to the - quote - guest is, how would the Iranian children react to his , like, board game?

Bilal: See, Al, that’s what we facing… Somebody doesn’t understand the difference between Iraq and Iran… Are you asking about the Iraqi children?

Comment: Uh yeah, I’m talking about the Iraqi, uh, Iranian children. Iranian children. How would they react to your board game?

Al Roney: It’s a video game…

Comment: …of your video game. Ya got any idea? I’ve been told that Muslims - all Muslims - are liars. That’s from a Christian Arab who grew up in the Middle-east. And secondly, that all mosques should be closed. You’re not doing very good, man. You’re creating hatred for your kind. You guys have been warring for thousands of years. You ain’t gonna win this one. You ain’t gonna soft shoe your way into this country. You’re goin’ down. You and your like are goin’ down…

Bilal: It’s really sad. That’s the mentality I’m trying to bring to the surface to talk and to project that level of hatred…

Bilal: I just wanted to ask Bob if he have seen the game if he has played the game, if he even know what is my message? He is just taking a sound bite and hear I’m presenting a different point of view and he’s labeling me a terrorist… You said you believe in open dialogue. What is the open dialogue when you want to slam shut a show that is peaceful and that is trying to provoke thought and bring people to talk to each other?

Comment: The terrorism I think is… A.) I have not seen the game… B.) I only know about you from what I’ve read in the paper and I’ve seen on TV. Creating dialogue is an American way and I certainly support that. What I don’t support is some type of game - real or whatever - aimed assassinating our president. I guess that you’re missing the point of freedom of speech that you want to be involved in… If in my view I believe - and I do - that your video is a piece of terrorism, I’m allowed to say that just as you’re allowed to go out and say the things you’re saying that you want to open up diaogue. Well, this is part of the dialogue. From my point of view this dialogue is that a video playing a game to assassinate the president of the United States is nothing but terrorism. You can call it art. I call it terrorism.

Comment: …I’m outraged that that can take place… I view it as something that is wrong, out of bounds, un-American and terriorism…

Al Roney: Do you want this exhibit closed down, or do you just want to make a statement that you’re not appreciative of the tack that Wafaa is taking here? What’s the goal for tonight’s protest?

Mirch: …I’m not attempting to close down the discussion. I just want to protest the material.

Al Roney: Do you want the Sanctuary for Independent Media to pull the plug like RPI did?

Mirch: No, I have no opinion on that.

Al Roney: Do you have any plans yourself to go in and see the exhibit and see what Wafaa is trying to presnet here?

Mirch: No I do not…

Caller: Bob, I dont mean to call names, you almost come off sounding like a racist…

Mirch: I don’t know how you draw the conclusion that i’m a racist. That’s pretty far off the wall…

Al Roney: I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. Bob has issues with the presentation that Mr. Bilal is making here, but I don’t think calling him a racist here is a fair assessment.