Judge OKs Muslim Film Ads Rejected by MTA

NEW YORK (AP) —

A federal judge gave a green light Wednesday to light-hearted subway advertisements promoting a documentary about American Muslim comedians, saying the MTA improperly labeled them political in nature.

Judge Colleen McMahon said ads for the film created by two Muslim comedians, were not primarily political.

“That the advertisements at issue gently mock prejudice and employ Islamophobia as a comedic device does not make their message ‘prominently or predominantly’ political,” she wrote.

The advertisements, originally scheduled to run in April and May, were designed to promote the concept that American Muslims are ordinary people. They were being placed in the subway system in part to counter a campaign by an organization seeking to display ads critical of Muslims, the judge noted.

One among six proposed ads included the statement: “The Ugly Truth About Muslims: Muslims have great frittata recipes.”

Another said: “Muslims hate terrorism! They also hate: People who tell you they went to an Ivy League school within 10 seconds of meeting them … When the deli guy doesn’t put enough schmear on your bagel … Hipsters who wear winter hats in the summer … the pickling of everything…”

The MTA said it was reviewing the judge’s decision.

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