ADL Demands Beck Apology for Reform Judaism/Radical Islam Comparison

The Anti-Defamation League demanded an apology from Glenn Beck today for what league official Abraham H. Foxman decried as “highly offensive and outrageous” remarks on his radio program in which Beck compared Reform Judaism with radicalized Islam.

During Beck’s radio program Tuesday, he described Reform rabbis as “generally political in nature. It’s almost like Islam, radicalized Islam in a way . . . radicalized Islam is less about religion than it is about politics . . . When you look at the Reform Judaism, it is more about politics.”

Abraham H. Foxman

Foxman, the league's national director, issued the following statement:

“Glenn Beck’s comparison of Reform Judaism to radical Islam demonstrates his bigoted ignorance. Despite his feeble attempt to suggest that he was not equating Reform Judaism with Islamic extremist terrorism, the simple fact that he would mention them in the same breath is highly offensive and outrageous.

“The truth is that every religious body has political points of view, whether one agrees with them or not. To compare Reform Judaism, which supports democratic institutions, to Islamic extremism, which supports anti-democratic movements and the repression of basic rights — including, for example, the denial of women’s rights — is beyond the pale.

“Glenn Beck has no business discounting the faith of any people, and he should think twice before commenting on something he doesn’t know much about. He owes the Reform movement an apology.”