Pajamas Media and the Washington Times have done a terrific job in expanding our knowledge of what really happened with the Flying Imams and their interrupted flight to Phoenix. But there seems to be more to the story. Unfortunately, the natural outlet for pursing it would be the Star Tribune. This story with national import occured in the backyard of the state's dominant news outlet. Yet, they've done little more than the routine. A sketch of the basic facts, unquestioning publication of claims by the aggrieved party, casting suspicion on the critics, a condescending editorial or two, then move on to more important things.
It is a shame they can't see the potential to add some real value to this story. And show the vast majority of readers that perhaps, on an occasional issue, they're on their side.
Adding to this shame is the fact they've been handed on a silver platter a lead to a fascinating angle. From an employee of the Star Tribune, no less! From the past couple weeks on the Bleat, Lileks, practically begging his bosses to take it and run with it:
I was talking today with a guy I know; he'd been at a suburban hotel for an annual company sales meeting. The regional manager was having a difficult time speaking, since the party in the next conference room was praying about as loudly as is humanly possible, and had followed the prayers with a speaker who expressed in rather . . . forceful terms the depth of Muslim oppression in America. Unless there are several Muslim religious conferences going on in Minneapolis at the moment, I'd guess that might be the one. If so, I wonder if the reported truculence of the men might have been influenced, or at least reinforced, by the speaker. Whoever he was. I phoned the info in to the paper, as a good citizen. Wonder if there's anything to it.
And . . .
Back to work now; more tomorrow, including a discussion of the piece in the local paper about the background of that fellow who was kicked off the plane last week. I mean, given the questions and peculiarities of some of his associations, I am certain a full accounting is forthcoming.
Because I can't see any reason why such a piece wouldn't be written.
Ergo, I'm certain it's en route.
Quite certain.
Absolutely dead-bang positive.
Really. I also expect that a reporter will have called the hotel where the conference took place, found out who was in the adjacent room, contacted a representative of that organization, asked for a recap of what they heard, and ran the assessment past a newly prominent local politician [Keith Ellison] who was in attendance to see if it squared with his recollection. Said politician would also be asked about the deplaned imam's connections, regardless of whether this seemed like recrudescent Islamophobia, because these are crucial issues.
Now that's an article that would create a buzz in town, no matter what facts are actually uncovered in the investigation. But so far from the Star Tribune, nothing.
Perhaps their inability to tell this story isn't surprising. When is the last time any story requiring this level of investigation and insight was published in the Star Tribune? Not even getting a hold of Alan Fine's expunged arrest record and splashing that across the front page counts - they were handed all the details on that by compliant axe grinders.
I suppose it's possible that their crack investigative unit is still tying down some loose ends and we'll still see the story. Or maybe they're just waiting for Hendrik Hertzberg to finish the legwork on this one before they're ready to run with it.
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