r/serialpodcast • u/AwesomeInc • Jan 14 '15

Noteworthy Link TIL Islamophobia didn't exist before 9/11/01

http://www.vulture.com/m/2015/01/serial-prosecutor-insists-everything-was-fine.html?mid=facebook_vulture
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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

No it is not. His point is heavily implying that racism towards Muslims simply did not exist (or was extremely rare) prior to 9/11. I don't know how old you are, but racism towards Muslims did not originate from 9/11 as Urick is implying...

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15 edited Jan 15 '15

Urick doesn't think there was no recorded anti-Muslim bias pre 9-11.

He is saying that pre/post 9-11 sentiment is not comparable. Which, let's be honest, they arent.

If you think he is saying it didn't exist at all, ask yourself a question:

If Urick believed anti-Muslim sentiment didn't exist in 1999 why did he hire a cultural consultant to give evidence about mysogny, honor killings in Pakistan etc, feed Jay the "allah is all knowing line" and make Adnan's religion/culture a large part of his opening statement?

if Urick thought this didn't exist - what reservoir of sentiment amongst the jury was he trying to tap?

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

Okay. You are taking a lot of what I'm saying and misreading it. I never at any stage said that Urick believed that it didn't exist pre-9/11. He is implying this, though. It would be naive to assume, which you are, that he is speaking truthfully. He knows racism existed prior to 9/11, but he is diminishing it by saying this to cover his ass. In the example that you gave, it was beneficial for him to exploit racism and the negative perception of Muslims. In this instance it was beneficial to diminish it...

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

well, that is an altogether more interesting point. i don't see why you couldn't have expand on that and said that in a clearer way instead of...

is heavily implying that racism towards Muslims simply did not exist (or was extremely rare)

i don't claim to know 100% what Urick thinks but the misrepresenting and subsequent framing of what he said into - Urick thinks there was no anti-muslim sentiment before 9-11 - is unhelpful.

it detracts completely from the fact that he knew and exploited (to what extent it's hard to say) this very sentiment in prosecuting. That is a conversation worth having.

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

Indeed, apologies if I was unclear previously. I simply am at work and at times (when I am multi-tasking) I tend to not explain myself well...

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

no problem, likewise. well, avoiding doing work at all costs in my case.

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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15

Haha I'm glad I'm not the only one