Following the explosive debate on 'Real Time with Bill Maher', the author takes to his blog to hit back at Affleck who said Harris and Maher's view about Islam was 'racist.'
- Oct 9, 2014
AceShowbiz - Ben Affleck, who is promoting his new movie "Gone Girl", recently made headlines following a heated debate about Islam during an appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher". Back on the Friday, October 3 argument, Bill Maher compared Islam with mafia while author Sam Harris said it's the "motherload of bad ideas." Affleck, meanwhile, thought that the two's opinion overlooked other people who practice Islam.
On Tuesday, Harris took to his site to comment on the debate. He seemingly thought that Affleck had something against him. "I suspect that among his handlers there is a fan of Glenn Greenwald who prepared him for his appearance by simply telling him that I am a racist and a warmonger," he wrote.
Harris also defended his original statement. "The most controversial thing I said was: 'We have to be able to criticize bad ideas, and Islam is the Mother lode of bad ideas.' This statement has been met with countless charges of 'bigotry' and 'racism' online and in the media," he said.
"But imagine that the year is 1970, and I said: 'Communism is the Mother lode of bad ideas.' How reasonable would it be to attack me as a 'racist' or as someone who harbors an irrational hatred of Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese, etc. This is precisely the situation I am in. My criticism of Islam is a criticism of beliefs and their consequences - but my fellow liberals reflexively view it as an expression of intolerance toward people," he continued.
During the heated exchange last Friday, Maher asked the "Argo" star, "Why are you so hostile about this concept?" Affleck replied, "Because it's gross, it's racist, it's disgusting." Affleck further mentioned other Muslims who do not share same hostile view as some of their counterparts, saying, "How about the more than a billion people, who aren't fanatical, who don't punish women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches, pray five times a day, and don't do any of the things that you're saying all Muslims do?"
