I will be off for the homeland of Ankeny Iowa soon. I may or not may have an internet connection at my mom's, so there may be a lapse in new musings. I'm sure my small reader community will survive.
I intend to catch some Triple-A baseball and a Barack Obama speech while I am in the Des Moines area, so look for some thoughts when I return.
Have a safe and fun holiday!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
The New Boogeyman
Over the last few days al-Qaeda has been linked to three terrorist attacks outside of Iraq: Yemen, Scotland, and London.
Perhaps I under estimate the power and reach of bin Laden and al-Zawahiri but it seems like anything that goes wrong is linked to al-Qaeda. They are the modern day boogeymen. The Yemenese are blaming al-Qaeda for the deaths of Spanish tourists in an attack that echoes the much deadlier attack at Luxor in 1997. An attack that was not committed by al-Qaeda but Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya and Jihad Talaat al-Fath - while al-Qaeda claims al-Gama'a Islamiyya has since joined the ranks of al-Qaeda they were autonomous in 1997. While the Yemenese government believes "al-Qaeda could be involved" the article also mentions that they are prone to blame unrest on al-Qaeda.
The car bomb threat in the UK is also being linked to al-Qaeda. The UK officials stated that the threat is linked to al-Qaeda personnel or associates in a "general way."
If al-Qaeda is as far reaching and influencial as the media and government agencies tell us then the "war on terror" is going to end up with the "evil" side winning. Al-Qaeda is like The Hand or the Illuminati. They seemingly control the world and are behind every crime committed on the planet. It may be true they al-Qaeda inspires regional groups to cowardly attack civilians but that doesn't mean that al-Qaeda organized it or aided the attack in anyway. If inspiration is enough the United States would be behind every attack linked to al-Qaeda. The United States not only trained and aided some of al-Qaeda's top officials, it inspires them to kill noncombatants through our Israeli support, "immoral" lifestyle, and prescence in the land of Islam's holiest cities.
While linking every terrorist attack on the planet to al-Qaeda certainly rallies the victims to support their repsective governments in their fight against Islamist radicals and the "war on terror", it also has the equally damning result of making al-Qaeda that much more mythic. We are feeding the myth that al-Qaeda can take down the "Crusaders" and the powerful West.
Perhaps I under estimate the power and reach of bin Laden and al-Zawahiri but it seems like anything that goes wrong is linked to al-Qaeda. They are the modern day boogeymen. The Yemenese are blaming al-Qaeda for the deaths of Spanish tourists in an attack that echoes the much deadlier attack at Luxor in 1997. An attack that was not committed by al-Qaeda but Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya and Jihad Talaat al-Fath - while al-Qaeda claims al-Gama'a Islamiyya has since joined the ranks of al-Qaeda they were autonomous in 1997. While the Yemenese government believes "al-Qaeda could be involved" the article also mentions that they are prone to blame unrest on al-Qaeda.
The car bomb threat in the UK is also being linked to al-Qaeda. The UK officials stated that the threat is linked to al-Qaeda personnel or associates in a "general way."
If al-Qaeda is as far reaching and influencial as the media and government agencies tell us then the "war on terror" is going to end up with the "evil" side winning. Al-Qaeda is like The Hand or the Illuminati. They seemingly control the world and are behind every crime committed on the planet. It may be true they al-Qaeda inspires regional groups to cowardly attack civilians but that doesn't mean that al-Qaeda organized it or aided the attack in anyway. If inspiration is enough the United States would be behind every attack linked to al-Qaeda. The United States not only trained and aided some of al-Qaeda's top officials, it inspires them to kill noncombatants through our Israeli support, "immoral" lifestyle, and prescence in the land of Islam's holiest cities.
While linking every terrorist attack on the planet to al-Qaeda certainly rallies the victims to support their repsective governments in their fight against Islamist radicals and the "war on terror", it also has the equally damning result of making al-Qaeda that much more mythic. We are feeding the myth that al-Qaeda can take down the "Crusaders" and the powerful West.
Pack Your Knives
It seems Padma Lakshmi is in the market for a new 'Top Chef' of her own. At her bequest, Salman Rushdie has agreed to end their marriage. I don't mention this as a matter of gossip, but because I found the BBC blurb to contain unnecessary information.
While I understand the reference to the knighthood and the international row that it caused. I found the mention of the life threatening fatwa and "Islamic condemnation" to be superfluous in an article about a celebrity split.
The article doesn't even place the mentioning of the fatwa in succession with the blurb about the knighthood row. Not to mention that the statement referring to "Islamic condemnation" strikes me as essentializing the Islamic world. Not every Muslim condemned the novel. And when did the BBC News turn into a tabloid rag reporting celebrity gossip?
While I understand the reference to the knighthood and the international row that it caused. I found the mention of the life threatening fatwa and "Islamic condemnation" to be superfluous in an article about a celebrity split.
The article doesn't even place the mentioning of the fatwa in succession with the blurb about the knighthood row. Not to mention that the statement referring to "Islamic condemnation" strikes me as essentializing the Islamic world. Not every Muslim condemned the novel. And when did the BBC News turn into a tabloid rag reporting celebrity gossip?
So it begins...
The Bush Adminstration has finally stated that Iran is responsible for the death of American troops in Iraq. NY Times article and a
BBC article on the subject.
Prayer to whomever it is you pray that we don't invade Iran.
BBC article on the subject.
Prayer to whomever it is you pray that we don't invade Iran.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Mouse Trap
It appears the Islamists are starting to recruit school children now for their campaign to defend the umma against the "Crusaders and the Jews." The Hamas affiliated TV station in Palestine was using a Mickey Mouse look-a-like to indoctrinate children with Islamist dogma and racism. Farfur's - the Mickey wannabe - last show was Friday after complaints from Israelis and some Palestinians. Of course Farfur couldn't just leave the show to go on a pilgrimage or something benign, oh no. Farfur was stabbed to death by an "Israeli agent" and proclaimed to have died as a martyr.
It's as if Hamas wanted to get the last jab in by making sure Farfar died under the same banner and cause that he lived. It's not bad enough that radical Islamist imams and leaders are indoctrinating poor unemployed young men to kill themselves in contradiction to Islamic law and basic Islamic values, now they are targeting children too. Reaching the disaffected youth of Palestine is hard enough with limited access to a free flow of information about the world. It would be like Big Bird giving speeches about the benefits of waterboarding and why habeas corpus shouldn't apply to the prisoners of Gitmo.
I'm an advocate for free speech as much as the next guy. But using brainwashing techniques on small innocent children to incite them and spread hate speech is not acceptable. If Islamists want to target young adults with their hate filled propaganda, then fine target individuals that have the free will to listen or not. Don't disguise your murder and hatred with giant Mickey Mouse suit. If yours is the "divine" cause then people will be drawn to it because it is the will of Allah not because you are targeting innocent children.
It's as if Hamas wanted to get the last jab in by making sure Farfar died under the same banner and cause that he lived. It's not bad enough that radical Islamist imams and leaders are indoctrinating poor unemployed young men to kill themselves in contradiction to Islamic law and basic Islamic values, now they are targeting children too. Reaching the disaffected youth of Palestine is hard enough with limited access to a free flow of information about the world. It would be like Big Bird giving speeches about the benefits of waterboarding and why habeas corpus shouldn't apply to the prisoners of Gitmo.
I'm an advocate for free speech as much as the next guy. But using brainwashing techniques on small innocent children to incite them and spread hate speech is not acceptable. If Islamists want to target young adults with their hate filled propaganda, then fine target individuals that have the free will to listen or not. Don't disguise your murder and hatred with giant Mickey Mouse suit. If yours is the "divine" cause then people will be drawn to it because it is the will of Allah not because you are targeting innocent children.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Surf's up
It appears the "religious police" have arrived in Iraq. Internet cafe patrons are being kidnapped, tortured, and even killed for viewing website that a group of vigilante religious police have deemed "offensive to Islam." Most of the cafe owners or patrons are abducted and killed for accessing chat and/or pornography sites.
Prior to the fall of the Baath regime the "offensive" sites were blocked; however now the access is laregly unrestricted in internet cafes. The article discusses how the Iraqi government or law does not officially prohibit the access of any genre of sites. The government has however, refused to comment on requests for protection of its citizens and private business owners. Schools have started to compile lists of banned sites that are blocked on their computers.
Schools and private business owners decision to ban certain sites is an executive decision; the computers and internet service is their's and they can offer it in whatever condition they want for their customers or students. Hopefully the decision is in the best interest of their students, patrons, or their own well being and not just capitulation to the vigilante repression of freedom of speech and freedom of conscience.
It's easy to understand why the Iraqi government cannot respond to cafe owners concerns with police protection given the violent civil unrest present in the country. However, that doesn't preclude the government from standing up for the rights of its citizens. A statement that this type of terrorism is not acceptable and will not be tolerated may be a hollow statement in that enforcement is less important than stablizing the government and nation as a whiole, but it is a statement that needs to be made if the Iraqi government wants to maintain the appearance of and belief in the foundational elements of a democracy. If the Iraqi government refuses to remain strong in the face of Islamist and hardline religious fanatics, the long-term forecast for the Iraqi government is even bleaker than the military threats suggest.
Prior to the fall of the Baath regime the "offensive" sites were blocked; however now the access is laregly unrestricted in internet cafes. The article discusses how the Iraqi government or law does not officially prohibit the access of any genre of sites. The government has however, refused to comment on requests for protection of its citizens and private business owners. Schools have started to compile lists of banned sites that are blocked on their computers.
Schools and private business owners decision to ban certain sites is an executive decision; the computers and internet service is their's and they can offer it in whatever condition they want for their customers or students. Hopefully the decision is in the best interest of their students, patrons, or their own well being and not just capitulation to the vigilante repression of freedom of speech and freedom of conscience.
It's easy to understand why the Iraqi government cannot respond to cafe owners concerns with police protection given the violent civil unrest present in the country. However, that doesn't preclude the government from standing up for the rights of its citizens. A statement that this type of terrorism is not acceptable and will not be tolerated may be a hollow statement in that enforcement is less important than stablizing the government and nation as a whiole, but it is a statement that needs to be made if the Iraqi government wants to maintain the appearance of and belief in the foundational elements of a democracy. If the Iraqi government refuses to remain strong in the face of Islamist and hardline religious fanatics, the long-term forecast for the Iraqi government is even bleaker than the military threats suggest.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Female Form
I was looking at the news yesterday on the BBC News site and found three somewhat related articles on the first page of the World News section. I found the breadth of news relating to women and how they are portrayed to be intriguing.
A discussion of the revolting use of FGM treatment on young girls in Africa was right next to an article about the return of "Girl Power". And not too far away was an article about how not only is there going to be a witchcraft conference, but that it some regions of the world women are still labeled and killed for being witches. It seemed to be an odd series of articles and topics.
The first article covered the announcement that a complete ban is finally going to be enforced against FGM in Egypt after social unrest stemming from the recent death of a 12-year old girl following the procedure. The article mentions the practice is not common in the rest of the Muslim world, but is mainly an Egyptian (North African) practice and is believed to be founded in ancient Egyptian tradition. Sounds to me like they just want to give "legitimacy" to something that is revolting, dangerous, disfiguring, and completely aimed at keeping women subordinate in the sexual realm. The procedure is referred to as "a rite of passage" for the girl.
Next to this article is one about the worldwide return of "Girl Power" aka the Spice Girls aka sex appeal and eye candy. An article that is covering a group that promotes the complete opposite of FGM - a healthy appetite for sex and promoting the female form. Regardless of your views of the musical talent of the five ladies, there is no question they promoted "Girl Power" in the mid-nineties. Strong females out there having fun and being sexy and liking it.
Juxtapose that with an article about how witchcraft is so prevelant that it's getting its own convention. Withcraft is, of course, historically how men dealt with "Girl Power." We killed them. Women with too much power, influence, or knowledge were labelled witches and "put on trial." Harnessing the power of female sexuality could lead men astray, obviously the men were dupped by the power of darkness and the wicked. Unlike FGM, instead of removing a bodily part to destroy a women's sexual freedom, undermining her "girl power" if you will, - a procedure abhorred by the West and human rights organizations worldwide, and rightfully so - at least in the West we made sure to burn, drown, or stone them will all of their "power" intact, right?
image from www.thefrasergallery.com
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