The city of Kingman, Ariz., wants you to know about its dazzling history along Route 66, the weekly farmers market with local produce and that its residents are not uniformly racist.
Kingman became the latest target for Sacha Baron Cohen’s social satire program “Who Is America?” on Showtime after a Sunday segment featured Cohen, posing as a member of a development firm, bringing together locals to comment on a multimillion-dollar project.
The gathering of at least 21 quickly learn the proposal: the world’s largest mosque outside the Middle East, Cohen, in disguise, explains at the front of the room. The mood sours. One man links the word “mosque” to terrorism. The mosque will bring problems, another explains. One man says black people aren’t welcome in town.
City officials were unhappy about the depiction and public outcry, of course, releasing a Facebook statementyou might expect. There are criticisms of Cohen for “baiting” locals. The statement takes a shot at the show’s reach in a Trumpian insult of “very low ratings.” And every town has intolerant people, the city explains.
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O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). ~ Quran 49:13
