Fox's Varney Complains That American Muslims Haven't “Demonstrat[ed] On The Streets” To Denounce Terror

Stuart Varney: “I'm Simply Saying That Muslims In America Have Yet To Show A Sizeable Street Demonstration Condemning Terror”

Written by Media Matters Staff

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On the November 17 edition of Fox Business' Varney & Co., host Stuart Varney complained that American Muslims have not condemned the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, demanding of his guest “a public demonstration of where you're coming from” with “tens of thousands of Muslims” and “a big sign.” Varney failed to note that numerous American Muslim organizations have condemned the attacks, calling them “ruthless and senseless acts of violence” and saying ISIS has “hijacked our religion.”

STUART VARNEY (HOST): Muslims around the world condemning the attacks in Paris on social media. Mike Ghouse is with us, and he's with the America Together Foundation, which represents some Muslims in the United States. Mike, here's what I would like to see, and here's what I think most Americans would like to see. We would like to see tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Muslims, demonstrating on the streets of America, openly, overtly saying no, we reject terror. We reject ISIS. So far, sir, I've not seen anything like that. Will we? 

MIKE GHOUSE: Well, the planning is underway. I think Muslims are getting together to put a beautiful plan together to condemn terrorism. Stuart, every mosque in Washington, D.C., and in the America, we have done the candlelight vigil. Everyone has issued a statement condemning the terrorism. First of all, blaming your religion is the dumbest idea out there.

VARNEY: No, no, no, I am not blaming the religion, sir, I'm not. I'm absolutely not blaming the religion. I'm simply saying that Muslims in America have yet to show a sizable street demonstration condemning terror. I've not seen it, and I think a lot of Americans would like to see it. 

GHOUSE: Well, we are planning on it, as I said earlier. 

VARNEY: When is it going to take place? 

GHOUSE: I'm sorry? 

VARNEY: When is it going to take place? 

GHOUSE: We are planning somewhere towards the end of December or January, throughout America -- 

VARNEY: Why? Why does it take so long? If you feel so strongly about something -- Paris has just been devastated by terror. If you feel strongly about it, if you want to state your position, you get out thereand you do it. 

GHOUSE: Well, we are writing an op-ed, I'm here with you, and today there is a big op-ed coming up. War on terror is the dumbest idea floated ever. Bush terror -- war on terror didn't work. Obama's didn't work. There is an Islamic way to deal with this terrorist and the Islamic way is the right way to deal with now. 

VARNEY: What is it? Tell us now, sir, what is it? What's the Islamic way of dealing with Islamic terror? 

GHOUSE: Absolutely. President Obama to go on the television with the consensus of United Nations and tell Mr. [Abu Bakr al-] Baghdadi [leader of ISIS], you got three days to lay down your arms. If not, we're going to hunt you down and get you. And this - we are doing it for the Islamic way. In Islam, God has created everything in balance. You are messing up with that balance. And because of that, Islam allows you to go get you wherever you are, ambush you, and kill you. We are not intending to kill you, but we are wanting to do is put you on the trial and prove to the world that you are dead wrong. Quran does not support the work you are doing and Islam does not support. It is you are a crazy nut and that's why we are going to get at you. We are going to gas one square mile at a time in Iran and -- not to kill you but to capture you and put you on the trial.

VARNEY: Why don't you, or some of your supporters or some of the people in your organization, just get a sign? A big sign, all walk outside in New York City or Washington, D.C., and say, “Hey, you, ISIS, we're coming to get you. We're going to kill you the Islamic way because you are the scum of the Earth.” Would you like to make that kind of -- I'm not being facetious and sarcastic, but I'm waiting for some action here. 

GHOUSE: Stuart, thanks for suggesting that. I will take the lead, we will get this sign made, and we will do it right here in Washington, D.C. And you will be the first one to be informed about the date and time. 

VARNEY: Very good. Sir, that's excellent. We look forward to it, Mike Ghouse, we look forward to it, yes we do. I'm sorry, I'm out of time, and I'm not trying to cut you off here. But that's important, we need a public demonstration of where you're coming from. Not on Facebook, not on some web posting. Out there, in public, where everybody can see you and tell how you feel.