Police officers pay their respects to the victims of September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks during the 8th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony in New York at Ground Zero on September 11, 2009. UPI/David Handschuh/Pool |
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NEW YORK, July 15 (UPI) -- U.S. TV networks CBS and NBC rejected an ad urging Americans to oppose the building of a mosque two blocks from New York's Ground Zero, the ad's sponsor says.
The 60-second spot, sponsored by the National Republican Trust political action group, mixes video and still images from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- including American Airlines Flight 11 hitting the World Trade Center and a man jumping from the building to his death -- with sounds of Muslim prayer and images of presumed Muslim militants.
"On Sept. 11, they declared war against us, and to celebrate that murder of 3,000 Americans, they want to build a monstrous 13-story mosque at Ground Zero," the spot's narrator says.
"This ground is sacred," the narrator says over images of the destroyed World Trade Center.
"Where we weep, they rejoice," he says. "That mosque is a monument to their victory -- and an invitation for more."
NBC Universal Inc. Advertising Standards Manager Jennifer Riley said in a letter the ad's vague language, not its content, was why it was rejected.
"An ad questioning the wisdom of building a mosque at Ground Zero would meet our issues of public controversy advertising criteria," she wrote.
"However, this ad, which ambiguously defines 'they' as referenced in the spot, makes it unclear as to whether the reference is to terrorists or to the Islamic religious organization that is sponsoring the building of the mosque," she continued. "Consequently, the ad is not acceptable under our guidelines for broadcast."
CBS Broadcasting Inc. also rejected the spot, NRT Executive Director Scott Wheeler said.
The word "they," refers "to the people who are putting up the money with the intent of provoking us," Politico quoted him as saying.
Walt Disney Co.'s ABC and News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting said they didn't know if the ad had been submitted to their networks, The Hollywood Reporter said.
NRT alleged during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign that candidate Barack Obama's illegal immigration plan would help terrorists carry out attacks.
An ad asserted Obama's plan would give drivers licenses to "any illegal who wants one" and showed a Florida license with a picture of Mohammed Atta, the Flight 11 hijacker.
