Islam & Muslims in the Post 9/11 America
A source book

Coloring book demonizes Muslims and Islam

The latest attempt to demonize Muslims and Islam came in the shape of a children coloring book titled “We Shall Never Forget 9/11: The Kids’ Book of Freedom”

The 36-page “graphic novel coloring book” published recently by St. Louis, Mo. Publisher Wayne Bell virtually characterizes all Muslims as linked to extremism, terrorism and radicalism, which may lead children reading the book to believe that all Muslims are responsible for the tragedy of 9/11. It could give a message to children that followers of the Islamic faith are their enemies.

As ABC 7 reports, the book contains the phrase “radical Islamic Muslim extremists” at least 10 times. The publisher writes in the book that, “‘they’ also will never forget. Yes, they know of whom “they” are. Given the chance, ‘they’ would do it again” and in another passage, the books reads, “Some Muslim people believe the attacks were a conspiracy caused by Jews.”

The book could give a message to children that followers of the Islamic faith are their enemies since another section reads: “These attacks will change the way America deals with and views the Islamic and Muslim people around the world…”

Near the end of the narrative is an image of Osama bin Laden, hiding behind a woman as he’s confronted and killed by US Navy SEALs. Text under this picture reads: “Children, the truth is, these terrorist acts were done by freedom-hating radical Islamic Muslim extremists. These crazy people hate the American way of life because we are FREE and our society is FREE.”

A comment posted on ABC Chicago website exposes the real intention of the publisher: “It doesn’t take a genius to see the mask the publisher, Bell, is hiding behind. I am not Muslim, but a Christian, and I feel this coloring book is totally inappropriate for children, period! There is no need to depict a tragic incident such as 9/11 in a coloring book for kids. What other tragic events do you know of that are made into coloring books? Think about it.” [Kids' coloring book promotes intolerance ABC-Local Chicago - August 30, 2011]