A Canadian radio station was reprimanded on Tuesday for saying Muslims only traveled to the holy city of Mecca because they wanted to fund suicide attacks such as the one that hit New York on Sept. 11, 2001.
| Of course that's not true. They go for the night life... |
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council said the item on Calgary’s CJAY-FM had been "singularly unacceptable" and ordered the station to make a public apology.
| "... they like to disco..." |
As part of a spoof quiz, the station asked listeners why Muslims were going to Mecca. One of the possible answers was that it was "just a way to build up some frequent flyer miles so you don’t have to pay the next time you want to ram an airplane in the stronghold of the Western civilization".
| "... they like to boogey, oh-woe, oh-woe!" |
When a listener chose this answer, the two presenters replied "Absolutely right there" and "You nailed that one." The standards council said it was wrong to link all Muslims with the Sept. 11 attacks. "The implication that all Muslims...might travel to their holiest city in order to fund terrorist activities is outrageous," it said in its ruling. The radio station admitted the segment was "over the top" but stressed it was supposed to be funny. |