File:Bell boeing osprey ad.jpg

osprey ad, offensive to many Muslims

The following are two press releases by The Council o famerican-Islamic Relations regarding this advertisement. The graphics file was derived from

www.cair.com/mosqueattackad.pdf.

--Hugh Manatee 20:41, 3 Oct 2005 (EDT)

• Council on American-Islamic Relations
• News Releases - September 30, 2005
• Boeing, Bell, and National Journal Asked to Pull 'Mosque Attack' Ad

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOEING, BELL HELICOPTER ASKED TO PULL ‘MOSQUE ATTACK’ AD
Magazine ad shows U.S. special forces rappelling onto mosque roof

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/30/2005) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on aerospace giants Boeing Co. and Bell Helicopter Textron to pull a print advertisement depicting U.S. troops attacking a mosque.

The ad for the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, published in the September 24 issue of National Journal magazine, depicts soldiers rappelling onto the roof of a building, labeled “Muhammad Mosque” in Arabic. The building has a dome, crescent moon and minaret, all common features of a mosque.

To view the ad, go to: [1]

Headlines on the ad read: “It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell.” Ad copy states: “The CV-22 delivers Special Forces to insertion points never thought possible.”

In a letter to Textron Chairman Lewis B. Campbell, Boeing Company President James A. Bell and Bell Helicopter Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Redenbaugh, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote:

“[The ad] clearly portrays special forces assaulting a mosque, a structure dedicated to civilian worship purposes. This gives the impression that ‘the insertion points never thought possible’ are Islamic places of worship. . .This advertisement reflects poorly on Bell Helicopter, Textron and Boeing, and offers a questionable picture of your companies’ collective opinion of Islam and Muslims.”

Awad asked the companies to withdraw the advertisement and conduct an investigation into how it was approved for publication.

Both Boeing and Bell have extensive interests in the Muslim world. To view an article outlining Boeing's interests in the Middle East, go to: http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2004/december/mainfeature.html

Bell Helicopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron. To view an article showing Bell Helicopter’s interests in the Middle East, go to: http://investor.textron.com/newsroom/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=156288

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

To read CAIR's Mission, Vision Statement and Core Principles, go to: [2]

• Council on American-Islamic Relations
• News Release - September 30, 2005
• Boeing, Bell, and National Journal Apologize For 'Mosque Attack' Ad

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOEING, BELL, NATIONAL JOURNAL APOLOGIZE FOR ‘MOSQUE ATTACK’ AD

Boeing: ‘We consider the ad offensive, regret its publication and apologize’

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/30/2005) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group said this afternoon that Boeing Co., Bell Helicopter Textron and National Journal magazine have apologized for a print advertisement depicting U.S. troops attacking a mosque.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it had received a statement of apology from Boeing, which sponsored the ad along with Bell.

Boeing wrote:

“The CV-22 advertisement that appeared in the National Journal is clearly offensive, and did not proceed through the normal channels within Boeing before production.

"’We consider the ad offensive, regret its publication and apologize to those who like us are dismayed with its contents,’ said Mary Foerster, Vice President of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Communications.

“’When the Company became aware of the advertisement we immediately requested that our partner's agency withdraw and destroy all print proofs of the advertisement and replace it with one that was appropriate,’ Foerster said. ‘Unfortunately despite our best efforts to have the ad replaced, a clerical error at the National Journal resulted in its publication this week.’"

Representatives of Bell Helicopter and National Journal also contacted CAIR to express regret for the publication of the ad.

National Journal Executive Vice President Elizabeth Baker Keffer wrote: “[T]he advertisement for Boeing/Bell's V-22 Osprey that ran in the September 24 issue of National Journal was run as the result of a clerical error on our part. We had received specific direction from the agency representing Boeing/Bell to not run the ad. We have apologized to Boeing, their partner Bell, and their advertising agency for this mistake.”

A Bell statement sent to CAIR said in part: “We recognize that some organizations and individuals may have been offended by its content and regrets any concerns this advertisement may have raised. Bell and our partners are evaluating creative processes to prevent this from happening again.”

The ad for the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft depicted soldiers rappelling onto the roof of a building, labeled “Muhammad Mosque” in Arabic. The building has a dome, crescent moon and minaret, all common features of a mosque.

CAIR sent a letter yesterday to top officials of Boeing, Bell and Textron asking the companies to withdraw the advertisement and conduct an investigation into how it was approved for publication. (Bell Helicopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron.)

“We thank Boeing, Bell and National Journal for their swift and decisive response to our concerns,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. “Mistakes can happen, but the true test of a company’s integrity comes in acknowledging and dealing with those mistakes.” He said CAIR will follow up with all parties involved to determine how the ad was produced and to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Awad added that American Muslim groups are always ready to consult with corporations and media outlets on issues related to religious diversity and culturally-sensitive advertising.

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

To read CAIR's Mission, Vision Statement and Core Principles, go to: [3]

• CAIR
• Council on American-Islamic Relations
• 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
• Washington, D.C. 20003
• Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
• Fax: 202-488-0833
• E-mail: cair@cair-net.org
• URL: http://www.cair-net.org