CAIRO: In what can only be described as shocking, Pulitzer Prize-winning professor of journalism at Stanford University Joel Brinkley has joined in the conspiracy theories over Egypt's Giza Pyramids being destroyed. In an article published in Newsday, Brinkley conspires to join the anti-Islam and Islamophobia cause by lashing out at Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi, saying his “silence” over the Pyramid destruction debacle – which has been proven to be hoax by right-wing outlets – is appalling. “Mohammed Morsi has been Egypt's president for less than a month, and already senior clerics in his country and around the Islamic world are loudly calling for the demolition of the pyramids, Egypt's most important tourist attraction and among the Seven Wonders of the World,” Brinkley writes. He then continues to point to other radical Islamic militant groups who have destroyed heritage sites in recent years, including the militants in Mali who recently attacked UNESCO World Heritage sites in Timbuktu. Linking the Muslim Brotherhood to the Taliban in Afghanistan – who destroyed ancient Buddha statues – and the Islamic rebels in Mali, is not only poor judgement, it belies the reality of who the Brotherhood are. They are not radical, terrorist-minded individuals rather Egypt's Brotherhood is a democracy-oriented organization that has entered the political fray in Egypt with force. Certainly, there are fears over their conservatism, but most knowledgeable observers of the reality of Egyptian politics sees the Brotherhood as similar to the Republican Party in the United States. For a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and professor at Stanford to become a part of the Islamo-scare that is currently engulfing the United States is disgusting, if not appalling in its shoddy argument. Brinkley cites a Bahraini cleric who reportedly called on Morsi to destroy the Pyramids. Ironically, that same sheikh, Abdel Latif al-Mahmoud, said the use of his name and making up the statement is part of the “conspiracy" to paint Islam in a poor light. “I did not write this tweet, which has been fabricated by traitors to damage my image," the Sheikh was reported as saying shortly after the news broke. The purported tweet was first reported by Egypt's Rose al-Yussif newspaper and taken by ultra-conservative right-wing Frontpage magazine in the United States as “proof" Morsi wanted to destroy un-Islamic relics. The publication, known for its virulent anti-Islamic sentiments and meandering between reality and truth and fiction pertaining to Islam globally and in the United States, argued that the country's Salafist al-Nour party has brought forth plans to demolish the country's iconic monuments to take down “symbols of paganism." Brinkley then writes: “What's surprising is that Morsi has had nothing to say about this, not a word. Neither has he said anything about numerous “freelance” efforts to enforce other elements of Shariah law across Egypt, even though his new government hasn't said that's his plan.” What Brinkley supposedly doesn't realize, or is leaving out on purpose, is that in Egypt this is a non-issue. Nobody, not even the ultra-conservative Salafists, are pushing for the Pyramids to be taken down. Few people are even talking about the issue. It seems Brinkley has fallen victim to the right-wing conservatives who are working hard to tarnish the new government of Egypt, which until now, has done little in terms of governing. Egyptians largely laughed off the reports as ridiculous, as they should. There was simply no substance to any of the claims, and Morsi, as president of Egypt, has more important issues to deal with than what is truly an issue that does not affect the country. The Pyramids are going nowhere. He then attempts to link the “calls” for the destruction of Egypt's top tourist attraction to anti-Christian sentiments. “Well, his [Morsi] extremist allies are already trying to enforce an ancient Koranic commandment that directs Islamists to collect a tax called the jizya from Coptic Christians and other ‘non-believers',” continues Brinkley. While there are considerable fears surrounding Morsi's presidency, especially from the Christian ranks, diatribes that have little basis in fact should be condemned. Brinkley asserts Morsi's “extremist” allies as if they are the ones making arguments that will sway the new president. Morsi is battling a number of issues, most importantly the power struggle between the military and civilian rule, with liberals as well as conservatives siding with the supposedly “extremist” president. This article once again shows what little knowledge of the Muslim Brotherhood that is out there is being co-opted by the right-wing pundits who want to label the Brotherhood a terrorist organization. One could easily say the same about the American government under George W. Bush, who pursued a “Crusade” against the Iraqi and Afghani populations in the name of democracy. The Brotherhood, while conservative, has not caused the death of millions of innocent civilians, nor have they even thought of destroying Egypt's ancient heritage.
