Today the Seattle PI has a puff-piece on a Muslim rap group called Sons of Hagar—and no, they don’t mean Sammy Hagar, although, knowing Sammy, they just might be his sons. (Hat tip: Erik.)

Here is group leader Ahmad (stage name: Allahz Sword), leading off with a self-righteous lyric about humiliation and persecution:

“It’s the Arab hunting season, and I ain’t leavin’
I’m pushing the conscience button on you people
Where is reason?”

Ahmad has no need for his Arab Islamic “conscience button” to be pushed. Don’t even mention it, in fact; it will only cause him to seethe. He’s a devout Muslim, and his group is united by strong ties of faith. And homicidal hatred of Israel.

Charismatic and well-spoken, Ahmad says what’s on his mind, including what he thinks about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Check out “Revolution,” off “Is The Only Way Towards,” their latest CD:

“The revolution’s gonna shine
Shine its light on Palestine
Armageddon round the corner kid I’m cockin’ my nine
Israelis fightin’ coz they think its theirs I’m fightin’ coz I know it’s mine
I’ma kill Sharon that devil’s mine.”

Got a conscience button, Ahmad?

He can call Ariel Sharon a devil and threaten to kill him, in a “song” about driving the Jews out of Israel (“I’m fightin’ coz I know it’s mine”), but he’s not anti-Semitic. It’s utterly impossible for him to be anti-Semitic. After all, he’s a charismatic, well-spoken Arab.

Although he makes no bones about loathing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government (“I disagree with every aspect of Sharon”), Ahmad maintains that neither he nor anyone in the group is anti-Semitic.

“I am a Semite, so I can’t be anti-Semitic,” says Ahmad, pointing out that the correct definition of the word “Semite” is anyone speaking a Semitic language, including Arabs.

“We all come from Abraham … the Quran says that if you don’t follow all the prophets, you’re not a real Muslim,” he says as the others nod.

Sons of Hagar members insist they do not hate Jews and don’t see a connection between Israel’s government and the Judaic faith.

Man. Sometimes you read these oh-so liberal, oh-so understanding stories in lefty papers like the Seattle PI and you just want to scream, “Hey! He just said he doesn’t hate Jews in the same sentence with a denial of the Jewish state of Israel! Is anyone paying attention???” but of course the writer lets this slide right on by. Elephant sighted in living room, 12 o’clock.

A more accurate way to write that sentence might be:

Sons of Hagar members insist they do not hate Jews, BUT they don’t see a connection between Israel’s government and the Judaic faith.

Another gem of idiocy from this budding terrorist rapper:

“Sharon, he wants to kill all Palestinians and kick them out of Palestine … so if I was there, he’d be killing me. I’d be defending myself, no compromise.”

Does Sharon want to kill all Palestinians first and then kick them out, or kick ’em out and then kill ’em? Ahmad al-Einstein doesn’t say, and the PI’s reporter doesn’t ask.

But you know, Ahmad, you probably wouldn’t be able to get a clear shot at Sharon himself; you might have to settle for murdering random civilians, like the people you’re praising do. You OK with that?

Ahmad sees the issue in black and white, but when talk turns to suicide bombers, he sees gray areas.

“Myself, I would never do that… . I could never kill some little girl or other innocent people,” he says. “BUT I can imagine living in a county where you feel so oppressed.”

So even Ahmad has a limit. (That’s what he gets for living in the West. He’s been corrupted.) No problem if his Palestinian brothers do it though. He can understand that. Just don’t let him get anywhere near Ariel Sharon.

(By the way, if Sharon really wanted to “kill all Palestinians,” he would need to have the approval of the people of Israel; he’s elected, after all, unlike the fearless leader of the Palestinians. And if that decision was ever made, the Palestinian Arabs would be a footnote in history before nightfall. Let’s not let reality intrude on our paranoid fantasies, though.)

The Seattle PI writer (D. Parvaz) who produced this moony-eyed whitewash glosses right over the murderous attitudes above, and sympathizes with the Sons of Hagar over the terrible prejudice they face:

The climate of fear and suspicion toward Muslims also might make it difficult for major record labels to market political Muslim acts, which may be just as well for Sons of Hagar.

Let’s see:

1. Expresses desire to kill Ariel Sharon. Check.
2. Expresses desire for a revolution that will wipe out Israel. Check.
3. Justifies suicide bombing. Check.

Nothing to be fearful or suspicious about here. Just some nutty high-spirited Islamic kids engaged in positive, creative expression.

Now, people who practice mainstream Islam might be feeling a similar need for positive, creative expression, such as members of Sons of Hagar, who explore their religion as well as politics. They are among the very few Muslim MCs who rap about elements of Islam that might be hard to swallow for mainstream America.

“Hard to swallow” is a great description for this article. I know it made me want to gag.