February 8, 2007, - 12:12 pm

Top Conservative Blogger Rips Hannity Rip-Off; VIDEO: Best-Selling NYTimes Islam Expert Cites Schlussel on Al-Husainy

By Debbie Schlussel
Two of the classiest people I know in commentary-dom and on the blogosphere, La Shawn Barber–blogger & speaker extraordinaire–and Robert Spencer–New York Times best-selling author, Islam expert, and Jihad Watch director and blogger, Robert Spencer, have given credit where credit is due regarding my original work (here and here)–repeatedly ripped off by Sean Hannity–on the Dems’ fave Imam, Husham Al-Husainy.
La Shawn–whose blog, La Shawn Barber’s Corner is among the most prominent conservative sites in the blogosphere–agrees with me that Sean Hannity clearly plagiarized my work. An excerpt:

lashawnbarber.jpgrobertspencer.jpg

La Shawn Barber & Robert Spencer

For the past couple of days, Sean Hannity has been talking about this issue [Imam Al-Husainy] on “Hannity & Colmes.” Debbie has accused Hannity of citing her work without giving her credit. Since some of her information is exclusive, it’s obvious where he’s getting his information. . . .
If he’s “reporting” on al-Husainy and lifting material from Debbie’s exclusives without citing her work, it’s plagiarism. . . .
I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be to do all the leg work for a story, only to have someone, especially a fellow conservative, steal from you. . . .
Shame on you, Sean. But it’s not too late to make amends.

Read the whole thing. (I read La Shawn frequently. You should, too.)
Robert Spencer–all of whose books on Islam I always highly recommend–hosts today’s Hot Air/Jihad Watch video (which he hosts once a week). I also recommend Jihad Watch, which I read regularly. Robert’s expertise and mastery of Islam is so good that many CAIR officials are afraid to debate him.
In today’s video, Robert has a lot of very good points about Imam Al-Husainy, and you will learn something new from him. I certainly did and always do. Robert also cites my work on Imam Al-Husainy, and that is very much appreciated. I only expected a link from Robert, but he prominently cited me and showed a cut of my site in the video, which is very well done.
Watch the whole video. It’s only a few minutes and well worth it.
***
Regarding the Hannity rip-off, I’m getting tons of mail on this, and the mail (with the exception of one letter) has been 100% anti-Hannity. And these are Sean’s listeners and viewers. Big mistake and no legitimate reason to rip me off, Sean.
A sample is Reader Chris, who writes:

Deb,
I live up in Saratoga Springs, and I listen to talk radio often. I’ve listened to Sean Hannity’s show many times, and I’ve heard him discuss the topics that he clipped from your work. It is a low point in radio commentary when the host has to take refuge in denying stealing someone else’s work so that they can appear to be significant in public.
Moreover, it appears that Sean Hannity’s corner he has sacrificed personal integrity for ratings. Self-importance has certainly trumped integrity, and vanity is more important than the bibliography.
Mirror-mirror-on-the-wall, Sean’s the smallest of them all.




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11 Responses

One of the dangers of writing on the internet is that your stuff can easily be stolen…and Fox “news” is notorious for that…just ask Matt Drudge!

EminemsRevenge on February 8, 2007 at 12:45 pm

Kudos to Robert Spencer in his vidoe clip the debunked the real characterization of Al- HuINsainy which invoked more gulliblity in the GOP. Debbie, your blog entry on it was just as well fantastic. Shame on Hannity & Colmes for plagiarizing your work. Their credibilty is a lost cause anyways. No wonder their ratings are plummenting.

Jew Chick on February 8, 2007 at 1:35 pm

Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee. That’s our Debbie when it comes to Sean (the Great American, Great American Rip-off Expert). Look at the cycle. The butterfly quote is from Muhammad Ali (Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.) who fought Chuck Wepner who was the inspiration for the movie Rocky, which brings us right back to Debbie’s movie reviews. In the fight for the American way, Debbie is the Great American (not Sean). (Let’s not get into the Cassius Clay religious conversion. He simply was a great athlete.)

Happiness Pursuer on February 8, 2007 at 2:04 pm

one of spencer’s reader’s “sounder” posted this translation yesterday of Al-Husainy’s invocation:
“In the name of God (allah)(silly grin) the most merciful, the most compassionate (tongue in cheek). We thank you, God (allah), to bless us (muslims) among your creations (whole world). We (muslims) thank you, God (allah), to make us (muslims)as a great (Islamic) nation. We (muslims)thank you God (allah), to send us your messages through our father (as defined in Islam) Abraham and Moses and Jesus (i’ll mention these to make the dhimmis feel good)and Mohammed. Through you, God (allah), we (muslims) unite (in jihad). So guide us (muslims) to the right path (jihad). The path (jihad) of the people (muslims) you bless, not the path of the people (infidels) you doom. Help us God (allah) to liberate (subdue) and fill this earth (infidel lands) with justice (sharia law) and peace (for muslims when the infidels are dead) and love and equality (amoungst muslims). And help us to stop the war and violence, (by the infidels) and oppression (by infidels)and occupation (of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon by infidels). Ameen.” (you dhimmis)
and Dems: “Amen”

JBarsimson on February 8, 2007 at 2:38 pm

Debbie:
Foxnews has been ripping off lot lots people work lately.
I get up every morning and read my favorite websites then find that Bill O’Reilly or Hannity and Colmes are running stories without the people on or even being mentioned that did the hard work for their TV shows.
On top of that, the producers that do the work for the on air personalities rarely get all the information right and do a superficial story.
What is up with Hannity not wanting Debbie on to explain her own stories.
Lately Hannity has turned his back on conservatives and has become an apologist for GWB.One good example is illegal immigration. He talks about Illegal Immigration all the time without placing the responsibility for the mess we are in with GWB.
Maybe he is afraid Debbie may say something critical of his hero, GWB.

ScottyDog on February 8, 2007 at 3:13 pm

I didn’t know about Hannity ripping off your info, Debbie, ’cause I can’t stand listening to his show (and don’t have cable, so don’t watch that show, either). He’s like a commercial that repeats the phone number three or four times so it will “sink in” and a listener will remember it. I don’t need no stinkin’ regurgitations, and now that it’s clear he purloined your work, I’ve got another good reason not to pay any attention to him.

Bachbone on February 8, 2007 at 4:14 pm

Debbie, I saw on La Shawn’s blog that Hannity told you he’d have you on the show if they talk about that Imam again. Well I’ve got his radio show on right now and he just finished having Daniel Pipes and some Demo-head debate about the Imam. Seems you should have been there. He said they will have that Imam on the FoxNews show tonight, again no mention of you.
If you need audio from his show today or any day this week let me know ASAP and I can get you a copy. (The offer is to Debbie only in case she needs it.)

IndependentConservative on February 8, 2007 at 5:13 pm

Shawn is a very, very shallow guy.
And I am getting very tired of his simplistic “style”.

dbostan on February 8, 2007 at 6:25 pm

You think this is the first time he’s done something like this? I stopped listening to his “show” when he kept claiming he did “research” on a subject, and it turned out he was simply repeating stuff from blogs posted earlier, and he NEVER gave any credit to anyone.

rkrugger on February 8, 2007 at 10:31 pm

Debbie,
You have guts. Your efforts are important to saving our country. I’m not sure that I’m with you 100% on this though.
If you are a witness to the Imam being at a particular place and saying a particular thing – that does not mean you’ve become the only credible commentator on the event. You witnessed this, you reported on it. Perhaps you’re the only witness, perhaps not. Either way – it seems to me overreaching to say that whenever someone says the Imam supports Hezbollah they need to say your name.
I don’t catch Sean often – and have no opinion on his work. On the other hand, I read everything that Mark Steyn writes, and would be extraordinarily surprised if he made some attempt to steal something of yours. I never fail to see him credit sources – in print at least.
I also have a request of you – I wish you would write a book – on the invasion of America and the failure of DHS/ICE. You’re the best-informed on it. You have dug out the details. America needs a domestic wake-up call. America Alone was a good book about the demographic realities the world over – but the gross failures to take even the most basic steps to secure America are criminally negligent – and we will lose lives for it.
There’s no one better qualified than you to do it.
We need clarity. Islam is not a religion like all others, and we need to spell out what we mean by saying any religion can be freely practiced in the USA. If a religion requires that the state be overthrown, it surely cannot be a religion for which we have Imams working in prisons, or Chaplains in the Marine Corps.
How do we Americans, who treasure religious freedom for all, face the Islamic cover-story? If we continue on the path of treating Islam with the same deference we treat all other religions – we are in for a rough ride. Someone needs to define Islam in America as something more than, and other than a religion. You have done the footwork – please tell us the story.

Ground State on February 9, 2007 at 12:00 am

Hannity would not have a job if he did not have yesterday’s papers from the Government that he holds in his hands all the time. Also from persons like you. What you and others write today he will have them tomrrow. Also Allen (what’s his name) is more of a lap dog. What is he there for? I watch Glen Beck to offset Hannity and What’s his name.
Thank You

seealis on February 9, 2007 at 1:42 am

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