Letter to the New York Blade Editor and Publisher
August 8, 2007
Trenton Straube
Editor, New York Blade
Email: tstraube@hx.com
Gary V. Lacinski
Publisher, New York Blade
Email: glacinski@hx.com
Leave the Islam-bashing to the Experts
Dear Editor,
It is a shame that the New York Blade continues to publish the ranting of Michael Lucas, someone who clearly has so much internalized hatred, that his words lack any sense of wisdom or truth.
In his latest tirade against Islam titled "Burn the Koran? It's Gay Artwork," published as an "opinion" piece in the New York Blade on August 3, 2007 (http://www.nyblade.com/2007/8-3/viewpoint/opinion/koran.cfm), Lucas asserts that we should all celebrate Charles Merrill (a self-proclaimed "artist") for his latest publicity stunt.
After receiving little public outrage over "editing" the Holy Bible with a black marker and pair of scissors, Merrill turned his anti-religious fervor onto the Quran (note the correct spelling). According to media reports, Merrill burned a rare copy of the Quran in an "undisclosed location." According to Merrill (and I'm sure Lucas will agree), "the purpose of editing and burning Abrahamic Holy Books is to eliminate homophobic hate." He goes on to state that "both anicent books are terrorist manuals."
Hooray! Should we send roses and champagne to Mr. Merrill for his courageous act? Or should we send him a congratulatory letter for not being the latest victim of a fatwa from Iran or Saudi Arabia? Michael Lucas thinks so; in fact he goes a step further. Without overtly stating it, Lucas believes that all queer people living in Western societies should ban together and begin a pogrom of Muslims everywhere.
Unfortunately for Lucas, LGBT Americans are not as gullible as he might they are. Yes we'll buy your porn Mr. Lucas; in fact we'll even support the many philanthropic causes that your company supports. But we won't succumb to your vitriolic and ignorant proclamations. Because unlike you, most of us have a more enhanced understanding of Islam and the Muslim community – and here's the big shocker - many of us even have Muslim friends, neighbors, colleagues and partners. One might even venture to guess that one (or more) of the men featured in your porn videos is a follower of (what you call) the "Supreme Nincompoop" called Allah.
LGBT Americans also understand that berating Muslims and the religion of Islam does nothing to counter the agenda of Islamic radicals; in fact it further fuels the fires of hatred already being flamed by fanatics like Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush. By condemning a 1,400 year-old religion with more than 1.5 billion followers, Lucas only illustrates how ignorant he really is. As for the estimated 6 million Muslims in the United States (including 600,000 New Yorkers), is Lucas so delusional to think that we're ALL fag-hating queer-bashers?
Michael Lucas should really stick to what he knows best – producing and staring in gay male porn videos. Leave the Islam-bashing to the neo-conservative journalists who can at least back up their anti-Muslim rhetoric with some facts (as biased as they may be).
Hate crimes against Muslims in this country is at an all time high. It does no one any good to promote the obtuse views of a porn mogul like Michael Lucas.
I sincerely hope that the editors of the New York Blade will grasp the extent of damage they do (against Muslims – both straight and queer) every time they decide to publish "opinions" that are not only arrogant but extremely ignorant.
With sincere regards,
Faisal Alam
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Faisal Alam is a queer Muslim activist of Pakistani descent. As the founder and former director of Al-Fatiha, the only national LGBT Muslim organization. He can be reached through his blog Queer Muslim Revolution (http://queermuslimrevolution.blogspot.com) and by email at FaisalAlam@aol.com.
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