Temper tantrums notwithstanding, we are a band of very serious Infidels here at IBA.
J, from Justify This, brings us the news that Belgium is now prosecuting clergymen for teaching the truth about Islam:
One of the rare Belgian churches that is packed every weekend is the church of Saint Anthony of Padova in Montignies-sur-Sambre, one of the poorest suburbs of Charleroi, a derelict rust belt area to the south of Brussels. Holy Mass in Montignies is conducted in Latin and lasts up to four hours.
Yesterday over 2,000 people attended the service by Father Samuel (Pere Samuel). The priest's sermon dealt with his persecution. The Belgian authorities are bringing the popular priest to court on charges of racism.
Father Samuel has been prosecuted for "incitement to racist hatred" by the Belgian government's inquisition agency, the so-called Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism (CEOOR), because of a remark he made in a 2002 television interview when he said:
"Every thoroughly islamized Muslim child that is born in Europe is a time bomb for Western children in the future. The latter will be persecuted when they have become a minority."
Last Thursday the Belgian judiciary decided that the priest will have to stand trial before the penal court in Charleroi. He reacted by repeating his time bomb statement and added that he would be honoured if he had to go to jail for speaking his mind. He added that Jesus, too, had been convicted.
During yesterday's sermon he called upon the faithful to accompany him to court. "We will turn this into an excursion, driving there in full buses."
Father Samuel's passport gives his name as Charles-Clement Boniface. That is not entirely correct. He was born in 1942 in Midyat, Turkey, as Samuel Ozdemir. The latter is a surname the priest dislikes because, he explains, it was imposed on his family by the Turks. Samuel was a Christian:
"At home we spoke Aramaic, the language of Jesus." The Aramaics are a Catholic minority in Syria and Turkey. They speak an old Semitic language, which Jesus and the apostles used and which Mel Gibson had his actors use in his movie The Passion of the Christ.
In his sermons and on his website Father Samuel speaks out against secularism, but also fights on another front of the three-way culture war, warning against "the islamic invasion" of the West. He says he has witnessed in Turkey what the future has in store for Europe. He claims Muslims are invading Europe and warns for an impending civil war. According to Father Samuel "so-called moderate Muslims do not exist."Link...
Friday, March 31, 2006
FBI busts Hizb'allah attempting to cross Mexican border
FBI's Mueller: Hezbollah Busted in Mexican Smuggling Operation FBI Director Robert Mueller said this week that his agency busted a smuggling ring organized by the terrorist group Hezbollah that had operatives cross the Mexican border to carry out possible terrorist attacks inside the U.S."This was an occasion in which Hezbollah operatives were assisting others with some association with Hezbollah in coming to the United States,” Mueller told a House Appropriations subcommittee during a Tuesday hearing on the FBI's budget.
In a stunning revelation, Mueller admitted that Hezbollah had succeeded in smuggling some of its operatives across the border, telling the House committee: "That was an organization that we dismantled and identified those persons who had been smuggled in. And they have been addressed as well.”
Calling Mr. "Dubai Ports it's not racism" Schumer! I can't hear you.
Functionally speaking...
= 
Gates Of Vienna On Tammy Bruce Show
Fellow Infidels Baron and Dymphna will be on the Tammy Bruce Show today:
The show's producer just emailed us; our time is 2:05pm EST (11:05am for our readers in La-la Land).
Her program can be heard on Talk Radio Network. Go to the site and click on her image.
Tammy’s blog can be found here.
The show's producer just emailed us; our time is 2:05pm EST (11:05am for our readers in La-la Land).
Her program can be heard on Talk Radio Network. Go to the site and click on her image.
Tammy’s blog can be found here.
Infidel Babe Of The Week
The UPS girl, making sure my, uh, package arrives on time.
As the Fu2rman says, "Ain't Capitalism grand?"
Articles Worth Reading
Serge Trifkovic gives a lengthy interview on Front Page Magazine. I select some key passages here. Hugh Fitzgerald explains the French attitude and policy that blinds them to the threat of Islam as they dream of a pan-Mediterranean strategy in union with the Arab nations. James Arlandson reports on the criminalization of apostasy in
All of the above are part of what neo-con Francis Fukuyama calls “markedly alarmist literature” in another of his out-of-the-sky conceptual schemes that marries a paleo-social-conservative like Pat Buchanan with an openly gay ex-pat like Bruce Bawer as the strangest bed-fellows yet imagined. Try again Frank!
Call to Arms - Again
There have been several posts around the Blogosphere addressing the dhimmis' response to the very important and informative symposium being sponsored by America's Truth Forum in the D.C. area a month from now (April 29th).
Many of us recognize that the success or failure of efforts such as this is opposed by many of the Big Boys because of 1) ignorance, 2) PC, or 3) disagreement.
We still have a month. We can help. As the old saying goes, "If you want a job done right, do it yourself." We can obviously not depend on any support from Our Protectors or the Big Boys of Industry.
If any of us can spare even a very modest amount, please contact America's Truth Forum at: (866) 709-3474, by emailing staff@americastruthforum, or by logging on to www.americastruthforum.com .
Here are some excerpts from another post about the refusal of large companies, even those who have been directly affected by terrorism, to help in any way:
If you were a securities company who actually lost employees in the WTC September 11, you would jump at the chance to support a symposium on terrorism, right? How about if you were a major airplane manufacturer who watched helplessly as four planes you might have had a hand in crafting disintegrated on television? Or maybe a supplier of weapons for the law enforcement who bravely and selflessly ran into those burning buildings? Surely companies such as these would recognize the need for such a symposium, and quickly respond to requests for support, right?
So why are so many American businesses choosing the side of Islam? And more importantly, why aren't we - as their customers, their bottom line, their paychecks - screaming bloody murder at their apparent choice? Jeffrey Epstein has spent a huge amount of time - and his own money, I might add - preparing for his Terrorist Symposium that is scheduled to take place on April 29 in Washington, DC.
Joe Kaufman has written extensively about Jeffrey's struggle, as well as his own. And along the way, Jeffrey has been refused airtime by CBS/Infiniti radio, and there was no room at the Marriott for his group, but plenty of room at another near-by Marriott to host the annual CAIR banquet. (Also, how many of you are aware that Marriott was the hotel of choice for the 9/11 hijackers? Something's up with Marriott.)
But the most shocking part of all is the list of companies who turned him away when he approached them for donations. These weren't little mom and pop companies, or those limited to small areas of the country. These were corporate giants; they read like a "Who's Who" of America's best and most lucrative, and not one of them had the money - or even the interest - in helping to fund a terrorist symposium. Not a single one.
Even when Mr. Epstein asked them a second time to aid in his OPERATION FIRST RESPONDER - which bridges the gap between concerned citizens that share America's Truth Forum's concern for future generations, but can't attend due to a variety of reasons, and those law enforcement agencies that lack the financial wherewithal to be adequately represented at the forum - by purchasing one airplane seat for these important men so they might attend, their excuses, or flat out lack of response, were infuriating, and absolutely inexcusable. List of Islam-lovin', American-hatin' companies:
ATK - not involved in war on terror, makes ammo for military and law enforcement.
Boeing - no interest, then refused to purchase seats for first responders due to budgetary considerations.
BAE systems - not interested.
General Dynamics - left messages. no interest.
Halliburton - unable to fund our request at this time.
Maersk Line - no formal reply.
Northrop Grumman - no interest.
Lockheed Martin - no money.
Raytheon - already budgeted out - most likely no funds.
Dupont - declined, because they can't favor every request; subsequent requests for purchase of a couple of seats for law enforcement agents went ignored.
Motorola - no response.
DRS technologies - won't fit with their overall plans.
Zodiac - no funds.wished us well.
Honeywell - no outside solicitation accepted, not interested in program.
L3 Communications - no response.
Rolls-Royce North America - no response.
United Technologies - can't support due to budget limitations.
Pepsi-Cola Military Sales - can only afford to support a small number of worthwhile projects.
Voight Aircraft Industries, Inc. - no interest.
Red Lobster - our request doesn't fit into their brand's strategy.
Anheuser Busch Companies - directed me to local distributors, no response.
Coors - no interest or funds.
American Airlines - no money.
Southeast Airlines - no response.
Wynn Las Vegas - Mrs. Wynn had no interest.
Wal-Mart - no response.
National Beer Wholesaler's Association - no response.
Airline Pilot's Association - no response.
International Association of Firefighters - no response.
Outback Steakhouse - no response.
Wendy's Restaurants - no response.
Yum Brands - no response.Brinker International - no response.
National Truckers Association (NTA) - no response.
Chevrolet Corporate Relations - no interest.
Insurance carriers that underwrote 9/11 losses:
QBE - won't support.
Chubb Insurance - no response.
American Reinsurance - no response.
Zurich American - no response.
One Beacon Insurance - no response.
Crum & Forster - no response.
Oil companies contacted:
Sunoco - no response.
BP P.L.C. - terrorism isn't of concern.
Bresnan Communications - no response.
Kantor Fitzgerald (securities company that lost employee in trade center) - no interest.
Hotels that suffered recent bombings:
Radisson Hotel - no response.
Grand Hyatt - no response.
Days Inn - no response.
Yep, only four years out from the greatest attack on American soil, and not a single American company wants to be seen supporting a group whose goal is to inform and at least try to prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. Those scheduled to speak - Brigitte Gabriel, David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, and many others - are the top minds and voices against terrorism and its Islamic base. They have much to teach us, and we have much to learn.
But why do that when we can just hit that snooze button for a few more minutes? Doing something sucks compared to veggin' out, right? Just ask any American company out there; they're counting on you doing just that. After all, they're on the side of Islam.
Many of us recognize that the success or failure of efforts such as this is opposed by many of the Big Boys because of 1) ignorance, 2) PC, or 3) disagreement.
We still have a month. We can help. As the old saying goes, "If you want a job done right, do it yourself." We can obviously not depend on any support from Our Protectors or the Big Boys of Industry.
If any of us can spare even a very modest amount, please contact America's Truth Forum at: (866) 709-3474, by emailing staff@americastruthforum, or by logging on to www.americastruthforum.com .
Here are some excerpts from another post about the refusal of large companies, even those who have been directly affected by terrorism, to help in any way:
If you were a securities company who actually lost employees in the WTC September 11, you would jump at the chance to support a symposium on terrorism, right? How about if you were a major airplane manufacturer who watched helplessly as four planes you might have had a hand in crafting disintegrated on television? Or maybe a supplier of weapons for the law enforcement who bravely and selflessly ran into those burning buildings? Surely companies such as these would recognize the need for such a symposium, and quickly respond to requests for support, right?
So why are so many American businesses choosing the side of Islam? And more importantly, why aren't we - as their customers, their bottom line, their paychecks - screaming bloody murder at their apparent choice? Jeffrey Epstein has spent a huge amount of time - and his own money, I might add - preparing for his Terrorist Symposium that is scheduled to take place on April 29 in Washington, DC.
Joe Kaufman has written extensively about Jeffrey's struggle, as well as his own. And along the way, Jeffrey has been refused airtime by CBS/Infiniti radio, and there was no room at the Marriott for his group, but plenty of room at another near-by Marriott to host the annual CAIR banquet. (Also, how many of you are aware that Marriott was the hotel of choice for the 9/11 hijackers? Something's up with Marriott.)
But the most shocking part of all is the list of companies who turned him away when he approached them for donations. These weren't little mom and pop companies, or those limited to small areas of the country. These were corporate giants; they read like a "Who's Who" of America's best and most lucrative, and not one of them had the money - or even the interest - in helping to fund a terrorist symposium. Not a single one.
Even when Mr. Epstein asked them a second time to aid in his OPERATION FIRST RESPONDER - which bridges the gap between concerned citizens that share America's Truth Forum's concern for future generations, but can't attend due to a variety of reasons, and those law enforcement agencies that lack the financial wherewithal to be adequately represented at the forum - by purchasing one airplane seat for these important men so they might attend, their excuses, or flat out lack of response, were infuriating, and absolutely inexcusable. List of Islam-lovin', American-hatin' companies:
ATK - not involved in war on terror, makes ammo for military and law enforcement.
Boeing - no interest, then refused to purchase seats for first responders due to budgetary considerations.
BAE systems - not interested.
General Dynamics - left messages. no interest.
Halliburton - unable to fund our request at this time.
Maersk Line - no formal reply.
Northrop Grumman - no interest.
Lockheed Martin - no money.
Raytheon - already budgeted out - most likely no funds.
Dupont - declined, because they can't favor every request; subsequent requests for purchase of a couple of seats for law enforcement agents went ignored.
Motorola - no response.
DRS technologies - won't fit with their overall plans.
Zodiac - no funds.wished us well.
Honeywell - no outside solicitation accepted, not interested in program.
L3 Communications - no response.
Rolls-Royce North America - no response.
United Technologies - can't support due to budget limitations.
Pepsi-Cola Military Sales - can only afford to support a small number of worthwhile projects.
Voight Aircraft Industries, Inc. - no interest.
Red Lobster - our request doesn't fit into their brand's strategy.
Anheuser Busch Companies - directed me to local distributors, no response.
Coors - no interest or funds.
American Airlines - no money.
Southeast Airlines - no response.
Wynn Las Vegas - Mrs. Wynn had no interest.
Wal-Mart - no response.
National Beer Wholesaler's Association - no response.
Airline Pilot's Association - no response.
International Association of Firefighters - no response.
Outback Steakhouse - no response.
Wendy's Restaurants - no response.
Yum Brands - no response.Brinker International - no response.
National Truckers Association (NTA) - no response.
Chevrolet Corporate Relations - no interest.
Insurance carriers that underwrote 9/11 losses:
QBE - won't support.
Chubb Insurance - no response.
American Reinsurance - no response.
Zurich American - no response.
One Beacon Insurance - no response.
Crum & Forster - no response.
Oil companies contacted:
Sunoco - no response.
BP P.L.C. - terrorism isn't of concern.
Bresnan Communications - no response.
Kantor Fitzgerald (securities company that lost employee in trade center) - no interest.
Hotels that suffered recent bombings:
Radisson Hotel - no response.
Grand Hyatt - no response.
Days Inn - no response.
Yep, only four years out from the greatest attack on American soil, and not a single American company wants to be seen supporting a group whose goal is to inform and at least try to prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. Those scheduled to speak - Brigitte Gabriel, David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, and many others - are the top minds and voices against terrorism and its Islamic base. They have much to teach us, and we have much to learn.
But why do that when we can just hit that snooze button for a few more minutes? Doing something sucks compared to veggin' out, right? Just ask any American company out there; they're counting on you doing just that. After all, they're on the side of Islam.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
I hate it when that happens, Chapter 1 or When you're a jet you're a jet all the way...
BADSHAHKILI, Pakistan (AP) -- A battle for the airwaves between two Islamic preachers with their own FM radio stations in Pakistan escalated into bitter fighting that killed at least 24 people.
I'm envisioning Howard Stern and Imus with knives under an overpass a la West Side Story here ... The government threatened action unless tribal militiamen vacated the scene of the heaviest clashes Tuesday in Khyber Agency, where thousands of security forces were on alert.
Well maybe the gangs are bigger
The violence in Pakistan's northwestern frontier with Afghanistan raised new doubts about the government's grip over the lawless region, where Islamic radicals, including Taliban sympathizers, wield growing influence.
No really?
There's only one question, how long until they blame americans and the jooooooooooooooooooooooze?
Osama's Bodyguard Speaks
From Drudge:
In the First Television Interview of an Al-Qaeda Member Close to Osama Since 9/11, Abu Jandal Offers First-Hand Details About the Most-Wanted Man in the World. A former personal bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden says he is certain the al-Qaeda leader is planning an attack on the U.S.
In the first television interview with an al-Qaeda member close to bin Laden since 9/11, Abu Jandal tells Bob Simon first-hand details about the world's most wanted man for a 60 MINUTES report to be broadcast Sunday, April 2 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Abu Jandal, who was with bin Laden in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2000, says bin Laden's last tape on which he threatened consequences to the U.S. is not a threat, but a promise.
"When Sheik Osama promises something, he does it. So I believe Osama bin Laden is planning a new attack inside the United States, this is certain," he tells Simon in the interview conducted in Yemen earlier this month.
It's been long speculated that bin Laden is hiding in the tribal areas of Pakistan, but Abu Jandal says Afghanistan is the place. "Not Pakistan. I know the Pakistani tribe along the border very well. Yes, they can be very trustworthy and faithful to their religion and ideology, but they are also capable of selling information for nothing," he says.
Even if found, bin Laden will not be captured, says Abu Jandal, whho says the al-Qaeda leader gave him the authority to kill him if he was surrounded. "If he was going to be captured, Sheik Osama prefers to be killed than captured," he tells Simon. "There was a special gun to be used if Sheik Osama bin Laden was attacked and we were unable to save him, in which case I would have to kill him," says Abu Jandal.
"Going To Vegas, Baby": 700-Ton Explosive Will Send Mushroom Cloud Over Sin City
Damn, you can be sure I will be in Vegas for this:
The US military plans to detonate a 700 tonne explosive charge in a test called "Divine Strake" that will send a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas, a senior defense official said.
"I don't want to sound glib here but it is the first time in Nevada that you'll see a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas since we stopped testing nuclear weapons," said James Tegnelia, head of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Tegnelia said the test was part of a US effort to develop weapons capable of destroying deeply buried bunkers housing nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
"We have several very large penetrators we're developing," he told defense reporters.
He said the Russians have been notified of the test, which is scheduled for the first week of June at the Nevada test range.
"We're also making sure that Las Vegas understands," Tegnelia said.
Ohmydumbjihad, we hardly knew ye.
The US military plans to detonate a 700 tonne explosive charge in a test called "Divine Strake" that will send a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas, a senior defense official said.
"I don't want to sound glib here but it is the first time in Nevada that you'll see a mushroom cloud over Las Vegas since we stopped testing nuclear weapons," said James Tegnelia, head of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Tegnelia said the test was part of a US effort to develop weapons capable of destroying deeply buried bunkers housing nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
"We have several very large penetrators we're developing," he told defense reporters.
He said the Russians have been notified of the test, which is scheduled for the first week of June at the Nevada test range.
"We're also making sure that Las Vegas understands," Tegnelia said.
Ohmydumbjihad, we hardly knew ye.
Adverts Banned Because The Word "Muslim" Offends Muslims
You really couldn't make this stuff up :
This link directs to the official "Sleeper Cell" page and contains a brief clip. This link gives a short description of the program.
Posters with the phrase "America's latest hero is a Muslim straight out of jail" has been banned from the Tube by London Underground (LU).
LU said it will not show the posters from a £1m advertising campaign for new TV series Sleeper Cell until creators remove the word Muslim from the text.
It claims it will offend people and it is trying to be sensationalist.
A spokesman for the digital channel FX series said it had consulted with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
He said the poster was meant to sum up the show's plot and would still appear in newspapers.
"It is in no way intended to cause offence or upset to Muslims," the FX spokesman said.
"We ran the creative by the ASA who advised us we were not in breach of the British Code of Advertising so it has come as a real surprise that the London underground have refused to run it."
The channel described the show, starring Michael Ealy as FBI agent Darwyn Al Sayeed, as the first American drama to feature a Muslim as the lead heroic character.
The character poses as a prisoner in order to infiltrate a fundamentalist group.
An LU spokeswoman said: "Following consultation with Viacom, who manage advertising on the Tube, it was decided to ask for the words 'is a Muslim' to be removed.
"This decision was taken in line with our standard policies, which seek to avoid gratuitously insulting large groups of Londoners."
An ASA spokesman said: "If London Underground wants to do this, it is entirely at its discretion."
Link...
This link directs to the official "Sleeper Cell" page and contains a brief clip. This link gives a short description of the program.
Borders Books Policy: The koran Is On Top
Yes, that's right, the koran must go on the top shelf.
Yesterday, we saw that Borders will not carryan issue of a magazine they ordinarily carry, because the magazine ran the Mohammed cartoons.
Now, today, here's an email (sent to LGF) from a Borders employee:
I work for Borders Books and after reading the article you posted on Wed. 3/29 about our company not carrying the magazine due to it showing the dreaded cartoons of blasphemy, I thought I should write with another tidbit of information I learned about my company the other week.
I was shifting rows of books in our religion section and it happened to be that all of our Koran books (a section on its own) ended up on the bottom shelf. The next day I was informed by my General Manager that it is Borders policy as a whole (not my particular store) that due to complaints in the past from Muslim customers, we are not allowed to put our copies of the Koran on any shelf other than the top.
When I heard of this I became so infuriated that the company I work for (and I do love working for it) has caved in to Islamic pressure and is still continuing to do so. I love my job and my company but it does deeply disturb me to see what is happening to it.
As I wrote in my post yesterday, I have done an incredible amount of CD, book, and magazine purchasing over the years. Here, let me tally it up for you:
1000 books at approximately $12 a book (conservative estimate) = $12,000
1000 CD's at approximately $12 a CD (very conservative, considering it is rare that I purchase bargain CD's and many of my purchases have been opera and classical, which are often closer to $30 a piece) = $12,000
A realistic estimate of my Coffee and pastry purchases is about $5,000 at least.
Total = $29,000 over the past 12 years that I can remember there being a Borders near my house.
Yes, that's right, over $2,400 a year.
How many Muslims spend that much? Isn't the koran the only book that has any truth in it?
Fuck Borders. I will never buy anything from them again.
This pandering to Islam has got to stop.
Yesterday, we saw that Borders will not carryan issue of a magazine they ordinarily carry, because the magazine ran the Mohammed cartoons.
Now, today, here's an email (sent to LGF) from a Borders employee:
I work for Borders Books and after reading the article you posted on Wed. 3/29 about our company not carrying the magazine due to it showing the dreaded cartoons of blasphemy, I thought I should write with another tidbit of information I learned about my company the other week.
I was shifting rows of books in our religion section and it happened to be that all of our Koran books (a section on its own) ended up on the bottom shelf. The next day I was informed by my General Manager that it is Borders policy as a whole (not my particular store) that due to complaints in the past from Muslim customers, we are not allowed to put our copies of the Koran on any shelf other than the top.
When I heard of this I became so infuriated that the company I work for (and I do love working for it) has caved in to Islamic pressure and is still continuing to do so. I love my job and my company but it does deeply disturb me to see what is happening to it.
As I wrote in my post yesterday, I have done an incredible amount of CD, book, and magazine purchasing over the years. Here, let me tally it up for you:
1000 books at approximately $12 a book (conservative estimate) = $12,000
1000 CD's at approximately $12 a CD (very conservative, considering it is rare that I purchase bargain CD's and many of my purchases have been opera and classical, which are often closer to $30 a piece) = $12,000
A realistic estimate of my Coffee and pastry purchases is about $5,000 at least.
Total = $29,000 over the past 12 years that I can remember there being a Borders near my house.
Yes, that's right, over $2,400 a year.
How many Muslims spend that much? Isn't the koran the only book that has any truth in it?
Fuck Borders. I will never buy anything from them again.
This pandering to Islam has got to stop.
FISA, spying on Al Qaeda in the USA and the Constitution
I had come to the conclusion a while back that congress cannot by statute limit the power of the executive as granted by the Constitution. It takes an amendment to do this.
I have seen some good arguments to the reverse like this one about default vs inherent powers, but in the end they failed to convince specifically because of THIS line of argument:
If it is true that congress can by statute limit the constutionally granted powers of another branch, then why can't congress require a supermajority, for instance of the Supreme Court (like 6-3 or 7-2) in order to reverse decisions already taken (like Roe vs Wade or more to the point, like Plessy vs Ferguson). After all, a simple majority is nothing more than a default setting.
However now via Powerline comes more on this.
Mohammed's Believe It Or Else!
Note: If PhotoBucket decides to remove the above image, you can view it here.
To read the introduction to the comic book, go here, and scroll to the bottom of the page.
The author of the above comic book had to go into hiding. From Infidel Bloggers Alliance:
"Greetings,Three things I've learned from Mohammed's Believe It or Else, according to the author's citations from the Hadith:
"It is with great regret that I must go into hiding.
"This is a result of the multiple death threats I have received for my comic book, which depicts the truth about the teachings of the prophet Mohammed. I am earnestly confused about this matter. I have spoken honestly and truthfully about Islam and its teachings. All quotes in the comic book are directly from the Qu'ran and the agreed Hadiths.
"Why does a religion of peace seek to kill me for being honest? What do they have to hide?
"I hope to return when I am free to speak once again.
"Abdullah Aziz (Author or the World Renowned Comic Book, 'Mohammed's Believe It or Else!'"
1. Once a tribe of Israelites became lost. The Jews were transformed into rats.
Proof: rats drink milk from sheep but not from camels.
(Burkhari, vol. IV, no 524)
2. The majority of the population of hell is female. Also, nobody is more deficient in intelligence and religion than a woman.
(Burkhari, vol. I, no. 28; Burkhari, vol. I, no. 301; Burkahari, vol. I, no. 161)
3. Muslims have one intestine, but those who are not Muslims have seven intestines.
(Muslim, Vol. III, nos. 5113, Chapter DCCCLXII)
Does this comic book mock Islam? Before you condemn the author of this book, read the following words by Ali Sina, apostate:
"Why Mock Islam? Because it is therapeutic! Mocking is a very powerful way to convince those who are unwilling to think to do it. Shame is a great motivator....
"Do not underestimate the power of ridicule. This is not a laughing matter. Mock Muhammad and Islam as this will eventually help the Muslims get rid of their cult. They must feel embarrassed for calling themselves Muslim.
"This therapy works. I have seen it work many times....
"Today Muslims become angry if you ridicule their faith, but once they are free from this bondage of the mind they will thank you for it.... "
Mohammed's Believe It or Else is beautifully illustrated and printed on glossy paper. Get your own copy, digital download or hard copy, and feel free to read it while eating a ham sandwich.
1984 Watch Chapter 1
Lebanese president praises Hizbullah
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
KHARTOUM, Sudan 
In a speech sure to exacerbate divisions back home, pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud on Wednesday praised the roles that Syria and Hizbullah play in his country."Lebanon...is confident that its current quest for consensus and unity will be embraced and supported by Arabs, starting by its neighbor Syria, the country that has always stood by (Lebanon's) its side," Lahoud said.
"This would strengthen choices expressed freely by the Lebanese, foremost among those is Lebanon's commitment to its right to recover its remaining occupied territory in the south, notably the Chebaa Farms," he added, speaking of the territory on the border of Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
Lahoud also spoke of the need to protect the national resistance, a reference to Hizbullah, which he described as "a symbol for steadfastness and dignity."
That's right- a regular UNICEF
The Western Standard needs your help!
The Western Standard of Alberta, Canada is being sued for publishing the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Being a small publication, they are asking people for support and donations. I received this email from the publisher this morning. I am passing it on in case you feel moved to help them in their cause of fighting for free speech:
Mark Alexander
Dear Western Standard reader,
Our magazine has been sued for publishing the Danish cartoons, and I need your help to fight back!
As you know, the Western Standard was the only mainstream media organ in Canada to publish the Danish cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed.
We did so for a simple reason: the cartoons were the central fact in one of the largest news stories of the year, and we're a news magazine. We publish the facts and we let our readers make up their minds.
Advertisers stood with us. Readers loved the fact that we treated them like grown-ups. And we earned the respect of many other journalists in Canada who envied our independence. In fact, according to a COMPAS poll last month, fully 70% of Canada's working journalists supported our decision to publish the cartoons.
But not Syed Soharwardy, a radical Calgary Muslim imam.
He asked the police to arrest me for publishing the cartoons. They calmly explained to him that's not what police in Canada do.
So then he went to a far less liberal institution than the police: the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Unlike the Calgary Police Service, they didn't have the common sense to show him the door.
Earlier this month, I received a copy of Soharwardy's rambling, hand-scrawled complaint. It is truly an embarrassing document. He briefly complains that we published the Danish cartoons. But the bulk of his complaint is that we dared to try to justify it - that we dared to disagree with him.
Think about that: In Soharwardy's view, not only should the Canadian media be banned from publishing the cartoons, but we should be banned from defending our right to publish them. Perhaps the Charter of Rights that guarantees our freedom of the press should be banned, too.
Soharwardy's complaint goes further than just the cartoons. It refers to news articles we published about Hamas, a group labelled a terrorist organization by the Canadian government. By including those other articles, he shows his real agenda: censoring any criticism of Muslim extremists.
Perhaps the most embarrassing thing about Soharwardy's complaint is that he claims our cartoons caused him to receive hate mail. Indeed, his complaint includes copies of a few e-mails from strangers to him. Some of those e-mails even go so far as to call him "humourless" and tell him to "lighten up". Perhaps that's hateful. But all of those e-mails were sent to him before our magazine even published the cartoons. Soharwardy isn't even pretending that this is a legitimate complaint. He's not even trying to hide that this is a nuisance suit.
Soharwardy's complaint should have been thrown out immediately by the Alberta Human Rights Commission, just like the police did. But it wasn't. Which is why I'm writing to you today.
According to our lawyers, we will win this case. It's an infantile complaint, without basis in facts or law. Frankly, it's an embarrassment to the government of Alberta that their tribunal is open to abuse like this.
Our lawyers tell us we're going to win. But not before we have to spend hundreds of hours and up to $75,000 fighting this thing, at our own expense. Soharwardy doesn't have to spend a dime - now that his complaint has been filed, Alberta tax dollars will pay for the prosecution of his complaint. We have to pay for this on our own.
Look, $75,000 isn't going to bankrupt us. But it will sting. We're a small, independent magazine, not a huge company with deep pockets. All of our money is needed to produce the best possible editorial product, not to fight legal battles. This is clearly an abuse of process designed to punish us and deter other media from daring to cross that angry imam in the future.
One of the leaders in Canadian human rights law, Alan Borovoy, was so disturbed by Soharwardy's abuse of the human rights commission that he wrote a public letter about it in the Calgary Herald on March 16th. "During the years when my colleagues and I were labouring to create such commissions, we never imagined that they might ultimately be used against freedom of speech," wrote Borovoy, who is general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Censorship was "hardly the role we had envisioned for human rights commissions. There should be no question of the right to publish the impugned cartoons," he wrote.
Borovoy went even further - he said that the human rights laws should be changed to avoid this sort of abuse in the future. "It would be best, therefore, to change the provisions of the Human Rights Act to remove any such ambiguities of interpretation," he wrote. That's an amazing statement, coming from one of the fathers of the Canadian human rights movement.
I agree with Borovoy: the law should be changed to stop future abuses. But those changes will come too late for us - we're already under attack. The human rights laws, designed as a shield, are being used against us as a sword.
We will file our legal response to Soharwardy's shakedown this week. And we will fight this battle to the end - not just for our own sake, but to defend freedom of the press for all Canadians.
Do you believe that's important? If so, I'd ask you to help us defray our costs. We're accepting donations through our website. It's fast, easy and secure. Just click on http://www.westernstandard.ca/freedom
You can donate any amount from $10 to $10,000. Please help the Western Standard today - and protect freedom for all Canadians for years to come.
Yours gratefully,
Ezra Levant
Publisher
P.S. Remember, Soharwardy's complaint will be prosecuted using tax dollars and government lawyers. We have to rely on our own funds - and the generous support of readers like you.
P.P.S. Please help fight this case.
Mark Alexander
Don't Buy Books At Borders
... or Waldenbooks. Borders sucks up to Islamofascism.
Borders and Waldenbooks stores will not stock the April-May issue of Free Inquiry magazine because it contains cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked deadly protests among Muslims in several countries.
“For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority,” Borders Group Inc. spokeswoman Beth Bingham said Wednesday.
The magazine, published by the Council for Secular Humanism in suburban Amherst, includes four of the drawings that originally appeared in a Danish newspaper in September, including one depicting Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban with a lit fuse.
Islamic tradition bars depiction of Muhammad to prevent idol worship, which is strictly prohibited.
“What is at stake is the precious right of freedom of expression,” said Paul Kurtz, editor-in-chief of Free Inquiry. “Cartoons often provide an important form of political satire ... To refuse to distribute a publication because of fear of vigilante violence is to undermine freedom of press — so vital for our democracy.”
Bingham said the decision was made before the magazine arrived at the company’s stores. Borders Group, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., operates more than 475 Borders and 650 Waldenbooks stores in the United States, though not all regularly carry the magazine.
“We absolutely respect our customers’ right to choose what they wish to read and buy and we support the First Amendment,” Bingham said. “And we absolutely support the rights of Free Inquiry to publish the cartoons. We’ve just chosen not to carry this particular issue in our stores.”
I would estimate that I have purchased over 2000 books, CD's, and magazines, and at least 10,000 cups of coffee at Borders over the years.
I will never make another purchase there again, unless they come to me in their humiliation and apologize for what they have done. Then, they can pay me the Infidel jizya, and then and only then, if they are lucky, I will deign to steal books from them.
Fuck Borders. Say it with me now,
FUCK BORDERS!
Borders and Waldenbooks stores will not stock the April-May issue of Free Inquiry magazine because it contains cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked deadly protests among Muslims in several countries.
“For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority,” Borders Group Inc. spokeswoman Beth Bingham said Wednesday.
The magazine, published by the Council for Secular Humanism in suburban Amherst, includes four of the drawings that originally appeared in a Danish newspaper in September, including one depicting Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban with a lit fuse.
Islamic tradition bars depiction of Muhammad to prevent idol worship, which is strictly prohibited.
“What is at stake is the precious right of freedom of expression,” said Paul Kurtz, editor-in-chief of Free Inquiry. “Cartoons often provide an important form of political satire ... To refuse to distribute a publication because of fear of vigilante violence is to undermine freedom of press — so vital for our democracy.”
Bingham said the decision was made before the magazine arrived at the company’s stores. Borders Group, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., operates more than 475 Borders and 650 Waldenbooks stores in the United States, though not all regularly carry the magazine.
“We absolutely respect our customers’ right to choose what they wish to read and buy and we support the First Amendment,” Bingham said. “And we absolutely support the rights of Free Inquiry to publish the cartoons. We’ve just chosen not to carry this particular issue in our stores.”
I would estimate that I have purchased over 2000 books, CD's, and magazines, and at least 10,000 cups of coffee at Borders over the years.
I will never make another purchase there again, unless they come to me in their humiliation and apologize for what they have done. Then, they can pay me the Infidel jizya, and then and only then, if they are lucky, I will deign to steal books from them.
Fuck Borders. Say it with me now,
FUCK BORDERS!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Update on NYU Dhimmitude
New York University is putting pressure on a student group that intends to display the Danish cartoons at a debate on free speech (see Eteraz' blog entry below.) Amit Ghate, of Thrutch, urges us to send NYU e-mails of protest. Let’s do it. Ghate has several other reports of the story.
If I remember correctly, the talk/discussion/debate is in the old student center building right next door to the Islamic studies building … right in the heart of Greenwich Village. From bohemians to Burqas in one generation! The event is tonight at 7pm ... for those who can't get in, there should be lively demonstrations outside. After all, it's on Washington Square Park! (Cross posted at my blog: L&C.)
If I remember correctly, the talk/discussion/debate is in the old student center building right next door to the Islamic studies building … right in the heart of Greenwich Village. From bohemians to Burqas in one generation! The event is tonight at 7pm ... for those who can't get in, there should be lively demonstrations outside. After all, it's on Washington Square Park! (Cross posted at my blog: L&C.)
Moderate Muslim Story Of The Week
This is one of the stupidest things I have ever read:
"She just thanks the Qaba she wasn't stoned to death."
NEW DELHI - Village elders ordered a Muslim man in eastern India to leave his wife after he accidentally divorced her in his sleep, a news report said Tuesday.
Aftab Ansari uttered the Urdu word for divorce, “talaq,” three times in his sleep, prompting his worried wife to discuss the matter with her friends, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
Under Islamic law, a husband need only say “I divorce you” three times to secure a permanent end to his marriage.
Muslim leaders in the couple’s village in West Bengal state found out and decreed that Ansari’s unconscious utterances constituted a divorce, PTI reported.
But 30-year-old Ansari said he had no intention of leaving his wife of 11 years. “I have not given talaq. When I uttered talaq three times I had taken medicines to help me sleep,” he was quoted as saying in the report.
And, just when you thought the story couldn't get any stupider:
The religious leaders said that before remarrying, the couple would have to be apart for at least 100 days and that the wife, Sohela, would also have to spend a night with another man and then be divorced by him.
Yes, as so often happens with Islam, comedy descended into tragedy.
More "Apostates" Arrested In Afghanistan
Islamic Democracy?
Our allies the Afghanis, those of the new "Islamic Democracy" we helped to create, are arresting more Christians in the wake of being forced to give up their first Moloch meal:
KABUL, March 28 2006, (LifeSiteNews.com) – US-based Christian news source, Compass Direct, reports that more Christians have been arrested for their faith in Afghanistan in the wake of the release of Abdul Rahman.
Compass, a news service that tracks persecution of Christians mostly in Islamic countries, says harassment of the Christian community has been stepped up.
Compass says two more Christian converts have been arrested in other parts of the country, but further information is being withheld in the “sensitive situation” caused by the international media furor over Rahman.
Reports of beatings and police raids on the homes of Christians are filtering out of the country through local Christian ministers.
Let us, the creators, take responsibility for our creation. Those are our tax dollars at work. Lives, guns, bombs, all our resources, went to creating this.
We are responsible for Christians being arrested for their beliefs. We are responsible for the fact that Afghanistan is a Sharia State where the punishment for believing in any religion other than Islam, is death.
Death.
We are responsible for it. The blood is on our hands. We sign the death warrant of Christians.
NYU Muslims Censor (Cartoon) Speech
So, I 'broke' this story yesterday but forgot to hit 'publish' on my blog. Oh well, so I'm not the first to report it.
But I do have the letter that the Muslim organization sent to the NYU President.
I trash it on my blog, here: check it out.
I'm pretty pissed right now so if anyone feels like arguing about anything, beware.
But I do have the letter that the Muslim organization sent to the NYU President.
I trash it on my blog, here: check it out.
I'm pretty pissed right now so if anyone feels like arguing about anything, beware.
The other, other bad guy
Hassan Abbasi has a dream--a helicopter doing an arabesque in cloudy skies to avoid being shot at from the ground. On board are the last of the "fleeing Americans," forced out of the Dar al-Islam (The Abode of Islam) by "the Army of Muhammad." Presented by his friends as "The Dr. Kissinger of Islam," Mr. Abbasi is "professor of strategy" at the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard Corps University and, according to Tehran sources, the principal foreign policy voice in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's new radical administration.For the past several weeks Mr. Abbasi has been addressing crowds of Guard and Baseej Mustadafin (Mobilization of the Dispossessed) officers in Tehran with a simple theme: The U.S. does not have the stomach for a long conflict and will soon revert to its traditional policy of "running away," leaving Afghanistan and Iraq, indeed the whole of the Middle East, to be reshaped by Iran and its regional allies.
To hear Mr. Abbasi tell it the entire recent history of the U.S. could be narrated with the help of the image of "the last helicopter."
It was that image in Saigon that concluded the Vietnam War under Gerald Ford. Jimmy Carter had five helicopters fleeing from the Iranian desert, leaving behind the charred corpses of eight American soldiers. Under Ronald Reagan the helicopters carried the corpses of 241 Marines murdered in their sleep in a Hezbollah suicide attack. Under the first President Bush, the helicopter flew from Safwan, in southern Iraq, with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf aboard, leaving behind Saddam Hussein's generals, who could not believe why they had been allowed live to fight their domestic foes, and America, another day. Bill Clinton's helicopter was a Black Hawk, downed in Mogadishu and delivering 16 American soldiers into the hands of a murderous crowd.
According to this theory, President George W. Bush is an "aberration," a leader out of sync with his nation's character and no more than a brief nightmare for those who oppose the creation of an "American Middle East." Messrs. Abbasi and Ahmadinejad have concluded that there will be no helicopter as long as George W. Bush is in the White House. But they believe that whoever succeeds him, Democrat or Republican, will revive the helicopter image to extricate the U.S. from a complex situation that few Americans appear to understand.
WHO IS THIS SON OF A BITCH ADVISOR OF THE GALACTIC TWERP?
Little White Lie
"[Would-be hijacker Zacarias] Moussaoui said there were times when a Muslim can lie without being immoral: to reconcile Muslims, to answer 'yes' when a wife asks, 'Am I beautiful?' and to carry out jihad."--New York Times, March 27
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Monday's roundup of news
Form France:
The first, about the girls -teenagers- who helped Yousouf Fofama in the kidnapping and death of Ilan Halimi. (SORRY, I had linked badly this post, uupss).
And the second about the riots taking place in France just now.
From Denmark: the Cartoons-imam, Abu Laban, appears to have known of some "martyrdom" opperation. More in here.
From Lybia: Gadaffi has said that Libya was the only real democracy in the world and superior to Western democracies .
From Iraq: Saddam's fedayeen camp. And more news about Russia and Saddam.
Lastly, Iran is going to execute a woman who killed her "temporaty husband" because he intended to rape her 15-year-old son.
The first, about the girls -teenagers- who helped Yousouf Fofama in the kidnapping and death of Ilan Halimi. (SORRY, I had linked badly this post, uupss).
And the second about the riots taking place in France just now.
From Denmark: the Cartoons-imam, Abu Laban, appears to have known of some "martyrdom" opperation. More in here.
From Lybia: Gadaffi has said that Libya was the only real democracy in the world and superior to Western democracies .
From Iraq: Saddam's fedayeen camp. And more news about Russia and Saddam.
Lastly, Iran is going to execute a woman who killed her "temporaty husband" because he intended to rape her 15-year-old son.
What Happened To Ali Eteraz?
I have been quiet as of late.
This is because I have been on my blog trying to 1) draw more Muslims to it and 2) after drawing them, encouraging them to wash their dirty laundry.
In other words, in-house cleaning. If you care to take a peek at some of that "inner-critique" I'm always talking about, feel free to stop by.
Open Letter To Reformist Muslims
In A Dream The Prophet Nietzsche Bid Me Write
Idolator Islam: Part I of III
Meanwhile I'm going to go search for "Smallville."
This is because I have been on my blog trying to 1) draw more Muslims to it and 2) after drawing them, encouraging them to wash their dirty laundry.
In other words, in-house cleaning. If you care to take a peek at some of that "inner-critique" I'm always talking about, feel free to stop by.
Open Letter To Reformist Muslims
In A Dream The Prophet Nietzsche Bid Me Write
Idolator Islam: Part I of III
Meanwhile I'm going to go search for "Smallville."
D.C. Sniper Makes A Request
(All emphases by Always On Watch)
When the D.C. Snipers were arrested, mention was made of a "personal jihad." The media hushed that one up pretty quickly....
Read more here.
When the D.C. Snipers were arrested, mention was made of a "personal jihad." The media hushed that one up pretty quickly....
Read more here.
"Deaths from revenge killings now exceed those from terrorist or anti-government activity"
Like the Luftwaffe switching from attacking British Airfields, to British Cities in 1940, so has the enemy turned from killing americans to make the MSM 6 oclock news (sorry hard boyz but we're watching other news than the 23 minute encomium brought to you by Colgate Palmolive, and reading other news than the Kellerized vomitus, and Alterman'ized evil creepy repubs theories) to kiling other Iraqis who have pissed them off somehow, walked across their lawns, not returned the ladders, or winked at their daughter beneath the veil while being Shia, Kurd, or Sunni.
I think the Sunnis have bitten off more than they can chew. It's clear that the zarquoids for whatever stupid reason thought fomenting a REAL civil war would somehow redound to their advantage in the chaos to follow, but after the Saddam-sunni slaughters of the Shia in 1991 (350,000-500,000+) there's no way they are going to lay down while outnumbering the sunnis 3-1 or more.
Now it turns out that the Shia are killing more in revenge and maybe they like it.
The Award for Dumbarse Terrorist Act Goes to Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad have claimed the lives of two Arab Israelis, amidst the elections in Israel. Reportedly, adult and child.
The title at the BBC article is "Three die during Israeli voting", which confused me since it then says
The title at the BBC article is "Three die during Israeli voting", which confused me since it then says
Two Israelis have been killed in a blast thought to have been caused by a homemade rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza StripTwo killed? I thought you said three were killed? Oh hang on... They've counted in a Palestinian terrorist into that figure! The sneaky bastards.
In other violence, as Israelis vote in a closely-watched general election, Israeli troops killed one Palestinian militant in a raid in the West Bank.
Samer Freihat, 24, was hit by an Israeli bullet after clashes broke out in the village of Yamun, near Jenin, Palestinian medics said.
Palestinian radio said he was shot several times and left to bleed for several hours before he died. [Stop it... I think I'm going to cry]
So Islamic Jihad have successfully killed and adult and child Arab Israeli. Well done. Israel ain't no socialist Spain. If they get attacked, they WILL vote right wing. Like I said, dumb arses...
Enemy of Freedom of Speech!
This man has seems to have got Reza Moradi, the Iranian communist, sumonsed before a court for the crime of displaying the cartoons of blasphemy - at a Freedom of Speech rallyNow surely his life is in danger! Some Islamophobe will cut his head off in the name of Islamophobia! There will be batwas against him, surely? (Bloggers rulings!)
via Pickled Politics
Freedom of Expression: Special Radio Broadcast
There is a special edition of Little Atoms Radio Show, on Wednesday 29th March 2006 at 7pm (BST) about last Saturday's March for Free Expression, Richard and Neil have interviewed the organisers, the speakers, and other attendees.
Be there, or be square.
Be there, or be square.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Good news: CAIR lost their lawsuit against Anti-CAIR
And if a victory can be scored over them, as Andrew Whitehead succeeded in doing, then it's possible to beat them in more cases as well. The New York Sun reports (H/T: Debbie Schlussel):
Also:
Debbie Schlussel sums it up well:
An Islamic group has settled a $1.35 million libel suit against one of its critics, who operates a Web site charging that the organization, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, has links to terrorism.There does seem to be something embarrassing that happened, which could explain why they won't say anything clear. Good!
The terms of the settlement between the Muslim group and Andrew Whitehead of Virginia Beach, Va., are confidential, but the Web site, www.anti-cair-net.org, still includes the statements Cair contended were libelous.
"Nothing has changed in that regard. It's as if this lawsuit had never existed," said Mr. Whitehead, 48, a former Navy sailor.
An attorney for Mr. Whitehead, Reed Rubinstein, described the outcome as a victory for his client. "This is the first time somebody has stood up and stopped these folks," the lawyer said.
A spokesman for Cair, Ibrahim Hooper, confirmed that the libel case was dismissed earlier this month on the request of both parties. "It was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount," he said.
Asked if he was suggesting that Mr. Whitehead paid the organization to drop the case, Mr. Hooper said, "We filed the suit." Asked again, the spokesman simply repeated the statement.
An attorney for Cair, Jeremiah Denton III, declined to comment.
Mr. Rubinstein said Cair's interest in settling the suit intensified late last year just as a judge was considering whether the group should be forced to disclose additional details about its inner workings, including its financing and its alleged ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups.Right you are, Andrew. Exactly.
"It would have opened up Cair's finances and their relationships and their principles, their ideological motivations in a way they did not want to be made public," said Mr. Rubinstein, who represented Mr. Whitehead without charge.
Mr. Rubinstein charged that the lawsuit was one of a series of suits filed by Cair and other Muslim organizations as part of a concerted effort to intimidate their critics. "It's part of a larger pattern groups like this have followed. If you say something some of those Muslim groups don't like, they sue you even though the cases have no merit," the attorney said. "You change people's behavior simply by bringing the lawsuit."
"It looks like all they're really trying to do is stifle free speech," Mr. Whitehead said.
Also:
Mr. Rubinstein said that after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Cair posted links on its Website leading visitors to make donations to two Islamic non-profit groups, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development and the Global Relief Foundation. Both groups have had their assets frozen and seized by federal authorities over alleged ties to terrorism.Quite right. And they should be avoided at all costs.
A man who was a co-founder of the Holy Land Foundation and of Cair's Texas chapter, Ghassan Elashi, was convicted in 2004 on six counts of illegal trade with Syria. The FBI has charged that he also has links to Hamas.
"These are bad guys," Mr. Rubinstein said.
Debbie Schlussel sums it up well:
The lesson here is not to sit there and take it from the ludicrous Islamist litigeratti. Even though it is a huge hassle and costly, too, you must fight back.And that's why the time has come to start standing up to CAIR and making it clear to them that we're not putting up with their brainless little attempts at silencing free speech anymore. Let the counter-suits commence, I say!
The unbleievable Tony Blair falls for the unbelievable!
"The most remarkable thing about reading the Koran - in so far as it can be truly translated from the original Arabic - is to understand how progressive it is. I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements.
But as an outsider, the Koran strikes me as a reforming book, trying to return Judaism and Christianity to their origins, rather as reformers attempted with the Christian Church centuries later. It is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance.
Under its guidance, the spread of Islam and its dominance over previously Christian or pagan lands was breathtaking. Over centuries it founded an Empire, leading the world in discovery, art and culture. The standard bearers of tolerance in the early Middle Ages were far more likely to be found in Muslim lands than in Christian ..."
No, Tone, the most remarkable thing about the Koran is precisely how regressive it is! What have you bin smokin’?
How can you possibly stand before an audience of educated, intelligent people and pronounce such balderdash?
If the Koran is so "progressive", and so "ahead of its time", then how come Muslims are so backward? How come Muslims wish to kill apostates, people who can no longer stomach the lies, the myths, the fairy stories propagated by the prophet of Islam? How come women, if they are not obedient, have to be beaten until they are prepared to be submissive to their husbands? How come women should be stoned to death for the ‘serious crime’ of adultery (while the men, the adulterers, will miraculously get away with it)? How come the Muslim world has contributed virtually nothing to human endeavour for approximately five hundred years? How come rates for adult illiteracy are so high in Muslim lands? How come? How come? How come?
Oh, and by the way: About that 'abhorring superstition' bit… Didn’t you know, Tone, that Muslims believe in Jinns? And didn’t you know, too, that they believe that two angels sit permanently on each person’s shoulders? The one on your left shoulder taking down notes on your bad deeds, and the one on your right shoulder taking down notes on your good deeds?
For God’s sake (not Allah’s), get real, will you?
You have disgraced yourself, and you have disgraced your office, too! It’s surely time for you to spend more time with your family now. It awaits you!
©Mark Alexander
American-Iranian Christian Church Converts Middle East Muslims
Here's something very odd.
A large photo (which is not available on the internet) appears, at the very top the front cover of this mornings LA Times. It is a portrait of a female Christian Pastor named Nadareh Navai, with a caption that reads:
Nadereh Navai, a pastor at the Iranian Christian Church in Sunyvale, Calif., speaks during a Persian-language service that is transmitted by satellite to Iran and elsewhere in an effort to convert Muslims to Christianity. Most of the church members are former Muslims. Story on B1.
At first, I thought, "Wow, that's good news. I ought to donate money to that church."
But, then I realized there may be some other really great news here, besides just the fact that there is such a church, which doesn't surprise me.
Think about it;
the LA Times thought this was front page news.
Is that, perhaps, a tacit admission that even the editors at the LA Times know that there is something very sick about Islam and that one of the possible ways to fix the problem is for Muslims to convert to Christianity.
Can you imagine the LA Times running a front page article on Christians attempting to convert Tibetan Buddhists, for instance? You know it wouldn't happen.
Anyway, let's look at the article itself:
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — As Afghan officials considered last week whether a medical aid worker should be executed for converting from Islam to Christianity, an alliance of small Christian congregations in the San Francisco Bay Area was working to spread the Gospel to more Muslims in the Middle East.
"We are very proud of that man because he has not denied his Christianity," said Navid Moborez, 29, an Afghan Christian and former Muslim who now lives in Fremont and belongs to the Iranian Christian Church here.
On Sunday, charges against the convert, Abdur Rahman, were dropped. Moborez said he had been praying for Rahman, but he thinks the issue is bigger than the fate of one man.
"If they kill him, they can't stop Christianity from growing, inside or outside of Afghanistan," Moborez said.
Spreading Christianity is the mission of the Iranian Christian Church, which has affiliated with three other congregations in Northern California that primarily serve former Muslims.
The churches, which have a combined membership of about 450, produce six hours of Farsi-language Christian programming Mondays through Fridays in a television studio under the same roof as the Iranian Christian Church. Those broadcasts, as well as the Sunnyvale church's Sunday service, are transmitted by satellite to Iran and other parts of the Middle East.
The weekday program, "Mohabat TV," instructs viewers in such things as how to find the Bible on the Internet and recommends studying Scripture for at least a year before starting a home church by sharing the faith with a spouse, then children, then relatives — all in secret.
Under Sharia, or Islamic law, Muslims who convert to Christianity are considered apostates and can be sentenced to death. Not all predominantly Islamic countries enforce Sharia law.
"We tell them not to shout out, 'I am a Christian!' but to share their testimony, which is a great risk," said Pastor Kamil Navai.Navai hopes that the new converts will influence other Muslims.
"We're not in the business of bringing people from Iran to the United States," he said. "Iran needs these new Christians. We teach them to start home churches and to be leaders.
"The broadcasts are produced by International Antioch Ministries, an umbrella organization for the four churches.
Church officials said the broadcasts cost about $700,000 a year and are funded by donations from individuals and large evangelical groups.
Go read the rest. We should all donate at least $50 to this church. I will be putting this ministry on my monthly donation list for sure. Their work could have world-changing implications.
Here are some thought-provoking ideas from frequent IBA commenter Mustafa Kamel:
Europe can now at this late stage only defend civilisation by ensuring that Muslims are free and encouraged to apostasize from their barbarism.
There are three possible future scenarios for Europe:
(1) Progressive Islamisation ending in Shariah and Dhimmitude for the natives.
(2) Progressive Islamisation ending in a reaction of violent de-Islamisation (and probably a World War as Muslim countries attempt to protect their European co-religionists from the Fourth Reich's 'Final Solution')
(3) Gradual De-Islamisation of Muslims already living in Europe.
Options (1) and (2) are both nightmare scenarios, so that leaves us with (3) as the only way out, no matter how difficult that may be.
Option (3) is indeed difficult, but not impossible. Islam rests on two foundations - (i) The character of Mohammed and (ii) the Koran being the ACTUAL WORD OF GOD (not a human interpretation as liberal Christians view the Bible). If you destroy the foundations, the house of Islam will certainly become wobbly. What you then have to do is give the inhabitants somewhere else to live. Most people aren't (willing) atheists. They need some form of religion.
The trick here will be to design a religion (memetic engineering) which appeals to recovering Muslims. I'm not being sectarian about this, but I would imagine that some form of 'broad-church' Christianity would have more appeal to the ex-Muslim than, say, Wicca or Zen. It's also important to replace the community function of religion which is so important for Muslims. So here are the 4 R's of eradicationg Islam in Europe - Rationalism, Ridicule, Revulsion and Replacement.
RATIONALISM - expose the contradictions, illogicalities, and scientific absurdities within the Koran showing that it can't possibly be the word of God. Also publicise scholarly investigation of the origin of the Koran and strange Pagan features such as meteorite worship.
RIDICULE - Islam, as we have seen, is hypersensitive to satire, especially any jokes against Mo. Islamic beliefs should be made objects of derision and contempt rather than fear. Mohammed himself should be revealed as the murderous pervert that he was. Islam must not be given the respect it so desperately craves.
REVULSION - how many Muslims know the full depths of barbarity and depravity within their religion. eg practices such as mufa’khathat ?
REPLACEMENT - Encourage conversion of Muslims to any other religion. Churches and other organisations who are successful in this dificult task should share their know-how with others. Ex-Muslims should be debriefed to discover what caused them to leave Islam.
The alternative to eradicating the disease would be the Serbian solution of culling the carriers. If we ever get to that stage then European civilisation will hardly be worth saving.
I think the only thing that can save Europe, not just Muslim-Europe, but all of Europe, is a Christian revival.
However, I don't think that is going to come from European Christianity. It could come from African Christianity, or perhaps American Christianity.European Christianity has become a set of formalities with no life to it. That's why Europeans have abaondoned it.
The other day, YARGB writer David Thompson said the following, on the subject of the need for a religion:
I am a theological modernists who perhaps hypocritically believes it best that most people are members of an organized religion. Yes, please do as I say---and not as I personally do. Such behavior is conducive to the raising of a family. More importantly, it is mandatory if one is trying to encourage couples to have large families. Modern, secular families, rightly or wrongly (I don’t wish to engage in a values debate) usually prefer one or two children.
The Old Europeans are desperate. Their indigenous populations are rapidly declining. Will the younger couples of these countries have more children merely because it supposedly is a good idea? I doubt this very much.
There is only one factor which could change their minds: a religious revival. Old Europe needs to be reconverted to its Catholic/ Protestant roots. Heck, I would settle even for a mass conversion to the Mormon Church.
Can anyone offer a counter argument?
What do you guys think?
A large photo (which is not available on the internet) appears, at the very top the front cover of this mornings LA Times. It is a portrait of a female Christian Pastor named Nadareh Navai, with a caption that reads:
Nadereh Navai, a pastor at the Iranian Christian Church in Sunyvale, Calif., speaks during a Persian-language service that is transmitted by satellite to Iran and elsewhere in an effort to convert Muslims to Christianity. Most of the church members are former Muslims. Story on B1.
At first, I thought, "Wow, that's good news. I ought to donate money to that church."
But, then I realized there may be some other really great news here, besides just the fact that there is such a church, which doesn't surprise me.
Think about it;
the LA Times thought this was front page news.
Is that, perhaps, a tacit admission that even the editors at the LA Times know that there is something very sick about Islam and that one of the possible ways to fix the problem is for Muslims to convert to Christianity.
Can you imagine the LA Times running a front page article on Christians attempting to convert Tibetan Buddhists, for instance? You know it wouldn't happen.
Anyway, let's look at the article itself:
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — As Afghan officials considered last week whether a medical aid worker should be executed for converting from Islam to Christianity, an alliance of small Christian congregations in the San Francisco Bay Area was working to spread the Gospel to more Muslims in the Middle East.
"We are very proud of that man because he has not denied his Christianity," said Navid Moborez, 29, an Afghan Christian and former Muslim who now lives in Fremont and belongs to the Iranian Christian Church here.
On Sunday, charges against the convert, Abdur Rahman, were dropped. Moborez said he had been praying for Rahman, but he thinks the issue is bigger than the fate of one man.
"If they kill him, they can't stop Christianity from growing, inside or outside of Afghanistan," Moborez said.
Spreading Christianity is the mission of the Iranian Christian Church, which has affiliated with three other congregations in Northern California that primarily serve former Muslims.
The churches, which have a combined membership of about 450, produce six hours of Farsi-language Christian programming Mondays through Fridays in a television studio under the same roof as the Iranian Christian Church. Those broadcasts, as well as the Sunnyvale church's Sunday service, are transmitted by satellite to Iran and other parts of the Middle East.
The weekday program, "Mohabat TV," instructs viewers in such things as how to find the Bible on the Internet and recommends studying Scripture for at least a year before starting a home church by sharing the faith with a spouse, then children, then relatives — all in secret.
Under Sharia, or Islamic law, Muslims who convert to Christianity are considered apostates and can be sentenced to death. Not all predominantly Islamic countries enforce Sharia law.
"We tell them not to shout out, 'I am a Christian!' but to share their testimony, which is a great risk," said Pastor Kamil Navai.Navai hopes that the new converts will influence other Muslims.
"We're not in the business of bringing people from Iran to the United States," he said. "Iran needs these new Christians. We teach them to start home churches and to be leaders.
"The broadcasts are produced by International Antioch Ministries, an umbrella organization for the four churches.
Church officials said the broadcasts cost about $700,000 a year and are funded by donations from individuals and large evangelical groups.
Go read the rest. We should all donate at least $50 to this church. I will be putting this ministry on my monthly donation list for sure. Their work could have world-changing implications.
Here are some thought-provoking ideas from frequent IBA commenter Mustafa Kamel:
Europe can now at this late stage only defend civilisation by ensuring that Muslims are free and encouraged to apostasize from their barbarism.
There are three possible future scenarios for Europe:
(1) Progressive Islamisation ending in Shariah and Dhimmitude for the natives.
(2) Progressive Islamisation ending in a reaction of violent de-Islamisation (and probably a World War as Muslim countries attempt to protect their European co-religionists from the Fourth Reich's 'Final Solution')
(3) Gradual De-Islamisation of Muslims already living in Europe.
Options (1) and (2) are both nightmare scenarios, so that leaves us with (3) as the only way out, no matter how difficult that may be.
Option (3) is indeed difficult, but not impossible. Islam rests on two foundations - (i) The character of Mohammed and (ii) the Koran being the ACTUAL WORD OF GOD (not a human interpretation as liberal Christians view the Bible). If you destroy the foundations, the house of Islam will certainly become wobbly. What you then have to do is give the inhabitants somewhere else to live. Most people aren't (willing) atheists. They need some form of religion.
The trick here will be to design a religion (memetic engineering) which appeals to recovering Muslims. I'm not being sectarian about this, but I would imagine that some form of 'broad-church' Christianity would have more appeal to the ex-Muslim than, say, Wicca or Zen. It's also important to replace the community function of religion which is so important for Muslims. So here are the 4 R's of eradicationg Islam in Europe - Rationalism, Ridicule, Revulsion and Replacement.
RATIONALISM - expose the contradictions, illogicalities, and scientific absurdities within the Koran showing that it can't possibly be the word of God. Also publicise scholarly investigation of the origin of the Koran and strange Pagan features such as meteorite worship.
RIDICULE - Islam, as we have seen, is hypersensitive to satire, especially any jokes against Mo. Islamic beliefs should be made objects of derision and contempt rather than fear. Mohammed himself should be revealed as the murderous pervert that he was. Islam must not be given the respect it so desperately craves.
REVULSION - how many Muslims know the full depths of barbarity and depravity within their religion. eg practices such as mufa’khathat ?
REPLACEMENT - Encourage conversion of Muslims to any other religion. Churches and other organisations who are successful in this dificult task should share their know-how with others. Ex-Muslims should be debriefed to discover what caused them to leave Islam.
The alternative to eradicating the disease would be the Serbian solution of culling the carriers. If we ever get to that stage then European civilisation will hardly be worth saving.
I think the only thing that can save Europe, not just Muslim-Europe, but all of Europe, is a Christian revival.
However, I don't think that is going to come from European Christianity. It could come from African Christianity, or perhaps American Christianity.European Christianity has become a set of formalities with no life to it. That's why Europeans have abaondoned it.
The other day, YARGB writer David Thompson said the following, on the subject of the need for a religion:
I am a theological modernists who perhaps hypocritically believes it best that most people are members of an organized religion. Yes, please do as I say---and not as I personally do. Such behavior is conducive to the raising of a family. More importantly, it is mandatory if one is trying to encourage couples to have large families. Modern, secular families, rightly or wrongly (I don’t wish to engage in a values debate) usually prefer one or two children.
The Old Europeans are desperate. Their indigenous populations are rapidly declining. Will the younger couples of these countries have more children merely because it supposedly is a good idea? I doubt this very much.
There is only one factor which could change their minds: a religious revival. Old Europe needs to be reconverted to its Catholic/ Protestant roots. Heck, I would settle even for a mass conversion to the Mormon Church.
Can anyone offer a counter argument?
What do you guys think?
More Pim In Translation
This excellent translation was done by fellow blogger Herr Winn at Klein Verzet, http://kleinverzet.blogspot.com/ Read the rest at my site, http://whatwouldcharlesmarteldotm.blogspot.com/ (I tried the links and failed. Feel free to laugh!!)
This article was written less than a month before 9/11 and has prominent mention in Bruce Bawer's book, While Europe Slept.
"The Cold War With Islam" (excerpt)
In the mean time the free and civilized West is extraordinarily naïve. We should get over our self-imposed shyness and articulate – and more to the point act upon – the fact that the greatest threat to world peace is Islam, bearing in mind that the difference between liberal and fundamentalist Islam is only relative. In Indonesia, for instance, complete disintegration looms large, with daily murders accompanying, as a result of the claims made by an islam that doesn’t tolerate contradiction, let alone room for those of different opinions. Of course the vanguard is made up of murdering and plundering fundamentalist youth. The reward is honor for the family and direct access to a heaven with and abundance of virgins. What else could you wish for!
There is nowadays hardly a conflict in the world, whether it be a civil war or a war between two or more countries, where Islam does not play a large role. The Middle-East, Indonesia, the Balkan, India-Pakistan, Chenchnya, Turkey, numerous African countries. During the Cold War the West knew exactly who threatened our value system: communism from the Soviet-Union, Eastern Europe, China, North-Korea, North-Vietnam, Cuba, etcetera. In hindsight history proved us right. Communisms role is all but played out, but taken over by Islam.
Palestinian Children's Religious Initiation Process
Both Atlas Shrugs and Little Green Footballs are reporting on the Hamas Terror Festival For Children which is happening this week in the Palestinian territories.
This little girl is wearing a sash emblazoned with the name "Reem Riyashi"; a female suicide bomber who killed four people.
Christian children go through the Confirmation process. Jewish children have Bar or Bat Mitzvah's; where they learn that they need to be a blessing to the world by carrying forth the Word of God and helping to heal the world.
Meanwhile, Palestinian children are groomed in the ways of terror.
Atlas has the scoop:
The Hamas terror organization, which will take control of the Palestinian Authority this
week, has been promoting the use of children to perpetrate violence and terror.The Hamas placed pictures of children in combat roles and combat dress on its web site for one week. The pictures were taken at a “Palestinian Children’s Festival” in Yemen.
The Yeminite press reported on the festival. Yemen News said, “A Hamas representative [in Yemen] Jamal Issa … stated that the Palestinian children fight alongside the adults in the resistance."
Here's a link to a Palestinian website reporting on the children's festival.
The Israeli Election: The Atlas Endorsement
Tomorrow Israel heads to the polls in what I consider to be the most dangerous, consequential moment in modern Israel's history. It is beyond me how the Israeli voter can be apathetic. Maybe they are just war weary to the bone. Too bad - snap out of it. Here's how I see it.
Photos: New York Sun
PERETZ: Let's dismiss Peretz out of hand. He is a union boss, nothing more. The last thing Israel needs now is a socialist leftard.
OLMERT: I think Olmert is a weak sister. Yes, he will defend Israel but he lacks visionand great leadership qualities. His family's far left activities ought to raise a red flag.
His son Shaul, who lives in New York reportedly signed a petition belonging to the pacifist organization Yesh Gvul, and his other son, Ariel, who lives in Paris and did not serve in the IDF.
Likud officials have also openly attacked Olmert's wife Aliza for her left-leaning views and his daughter Dana, who is active in the Machsom Watch organization that monitors soldiers' treatment of Palestinians at IDF checkpoints in the West Bank.
"Olmert's sons and one of his daughters refused to serve in the IDF, and his sons live overseas and do not see their future in Israel," the ad said. "If Olmert's children who live abroad knew of his withdrawal plan, they would not return to Israel at all." More here.
Kadima without Sharon.....? I don't think so. And Olmert's No. 2, Shimon Peres? Need I say more?
NETANYAHU: Netanyahu is my pick. You need someone hard - made of steel for what's coming and Likud has Natan Sharansky and Edelstein. Yes, he is the lesser of three evils but there you have it. NETANYAHU HAS MY ENDORSEMENT.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Beware The Thought Police
"British police officers speak to Iranian Reza Moradi, 29, who displayed a banner containing the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, at a demonstration rally supporting freedom of expression in Trafalgar Square, London, Saturday March 25, 2006. About 200 people held a free-speech demonstration in central London on Saturday, with several displaying posters of the cartoons that infuriated much of the Muslim world."Oh the horror, he was displaying a cartoon of the Muslim "prophet" Mohammed. Why couldn't he have just displayed a banner calling for the beheading of all non-Muslims, then there wouldn't have been a problem. [via yahoo news, click the picture for the link]
Mark Steyn Hits Another Nail on the Head
From his March 25th column, which can be found, well, all over the place. National Review Online, Steyn Online, etc. You know The Ghost and links.
As always, we come back to the words of Osama bin Laden: "When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature they will like the strong horse." That's really the only issue: The Islamists know our side have tanks and planes, but they have will and faith, and they reckon in a long struggle that's the better bet. Most prominent Western leaders sound way too eager to climb into the weak-horse suit and audition to play the rear end. Consider, for example, the words of the Prince of Wales, speaking a few days ago at al-Azhar University in Cairo, which makes the average Ivy League nuthouse look like a beacon of sanity. Anyway, this is what His Royal Highness had to say to 800 Islamic "scholars":
"The recent ghastly strife and anger over the Danish cartoons shows the danger that comes of our failure to listen and to respect what is precious and sacred to others. In my view, the true mark of a civilized society is the respect it pays to minorities and to strangers."
That's correct. But the reality is that our society pays enormous respect to minorities - President Bush holds a monthlong Ramadan-a-ding-dong at the White House every year. The immediate reaction to the slaughter of 9/11 by Western leaders everywhere was to visit a mosque to demonstrate their great respect for Islam. One party to this dispute is respectful to a fault: after all, to describe the violence perpetrated by Muslims over the Danish cartoons as the "recent ghastly strife" barely passes muster as effete Brit toff understatement.
Unfortunately, what's "precious and sacred" to Islam is its institutional contempt for others. In his book "Islam And The West," Bernard Lewis writes, "The primary duty of the Muslim as set forth not once but many times in the Quran is 'to command good and forbid evil.' It is not enough to do good and refrain from evil as a personal choice. It is incumbent upon Muslims also to command and forbid." Or as the Canadian columnist David Warren put it: "We take it for granted that it is wrong to kill someone for his religious beliefs. Whereas Islam holds it is wrong not to kill him." In that sense, those imams are right, and Karzai's attempts to finesse the issue are, sharia-wise, wrong.
I can understand why the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would rather deal with this through back channels, private assurances from their Afghan counterparts, etc. But the public rhetoric is critical, too. At some point we have to face down a culture in which not only the mob in the street but the highest judges and academics talk like crazies. Abdul Rahman embodies the question at the heart of this struggle: If Islam is a religion one can only convert to, not from, then in the long run it is a threat to every free person on the planet.
What can we do? Should governments with troops in Afghanistan pass joint emergency legislation conferring their citizenship on this poor man and declaring him, as much as Karzai, under their protection?
In a more culturally confident age, the British in India were faced with the practice of "suttee" - the tradition of burning widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands. Gen. Sir Charles Napier was impeccably multicultural:
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks, and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."
India today is better off without suttee. If we shrink from the logic of that, then in Afghanistan and many places far closer to home the implications are, as the Prince of Wales would say, "ghastly."
As always, we come back to the words of Osama bin Laden: "When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature they will like the strong horse." That's really the only issue: The Islamists know our side have tanks and planes, but they have will and faith, and they reckon in a long struggle that's the better bet. Most prominent Western leaders sound way too eager to climb into the weak-horse suit and audition to play the rear end. Consider, for example, the words of the Prince of Wales, speaking a few days ago at al-Azhar University in Cairo, which makes the average Ivy League nuthouse look like a beacon of sanity. Anyway, this is what His Royal Highness had to say to 800 Islamic "scholars":
"The recent ghastly strife and anger over the Danish cartoons shows the danger that comes of our failure to listen and to respect what is precious and sacred to others. In my view, the true mark of a civilized society is the respect it pays to minorities and to strangers."
That's correct. But the reality is that our society pays enormous respect to minorities - President Bush holds a monthlong Ramadan-a-ding-dong at the White House every year. The immediate reaction to the slaughter of 9/11 by Western leaders everywhere was to visit a mosque to demonstrate their great respect for Islam. One party to this dispute is respectful to a fault: after all, to describe the violence perpetrated by Muslims over the Danish cartoons as the "recent ghastly strife" barely passes muster as effete Brit toff understatement.
Unfortunately, what's "precious and sacred" to Islam is its institutional contempt for others. In his book "Islam And The West," Bernard Lewis writes, "The primary duty of the Muslim as set forth not once but many times in the Quran is 'to command good and forbid evil.' It is not enough to do good and refrain from evil as a personal choice. It is incumbent upon Muslims also to command and forbid." Or as the Canadian columnist David Warren put it: "We take it for granted that it is wrong to kill someone for his religious beliefs. Whereas Islam holds it is wrong not to kill him." In that sense, those imams are right, and Karzai's attempts to finesse the issue are, sharia-wise, wrong.
I can understand why the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would rather deal with this through back channels, private assurances from their Afghan counterparts, etc. But the public rhetoric is critical, too. At some point we have to face down a culture in which not only the mob in the street but the highest judges and academics talk like crazies. Abdul Rahman embodies the question at the heart of this struggle: If Islam is a religion one can only convert to, not from, then in the long run it is a threat to every free person on the planet.
What can we do? Should governments with troops in Afghanistan pass joint emergency legislation conferring their citizenship on this poor man and declaring him, as much as Karzai, under their protection?
In a more culturally confident age, the British in India were faced with the practice of "suttee" - the tradition of burning widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands. Gen. Sir Charles Napier was impeccably multicultural:
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks, and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."
India today is better off without suttee. If we shrink from the logic of that, then in Afghanistan and many places far closer to home the implications are, as the Prince of Wales would say, "ghastly."
Abdul Rahman to be freed, but is still in danger
Michelle Malkin brings good news that Abdul Rahman is to be freed. However, he'll have to leave Afghanistan ASAP, since his life can still be in danger.
I hope that he'll be able to retrieve his two daughters, who also deserve freedom. There should be a case made for getting them out of Afghanistan as well.
I hope that he'll be able to retrieve his two daughters, who also deserve freedom. There should be a case made for getting them out of Afghanistan as well.
Yesterday's Freedom of Speech Rally
Click the picture for more pictures & commentaryI would like to thank J for creating this blog, and all the contributors and commentors we have. Great work guys & girls. Thanks to J, Pastorius & commentors for posting about the rally aswell!
Thought Police Show Up In Full-Force At London Rally
Michael Totten makes a very important point about the goings-on at the London Freedom of Expression Rally:
One of the ways in which the police in repressive societies intimidate people is by turning up at protest meetings and taking pictures of them. What, then, are we supposed to make of this behaviour in London yesterday?
Note that this is the same Metropolitan Police that did nothing about demonstrators who incited to violence in May 2005 and then only responded in February 2006 after a public outcry.
As Tatchell speaks, note the policeman with the peaked hat tell the policeman with the baseball hat which citizen to photograph. Is this how we do policing in Britain?
Infidel Babes Spotted At London's Free Expression Rally
We just have to note that there were some serious Infidel Babes at the rally yesterday.
I spotted these over at Nordish Blog.
It gets me hot when chicks carry Freedom Of Speech signs.I'm guessing I'm not alone in this. Right guys?
Afghanistan Drops Case Against Christian
I guess he's not an "apostate" after all:
KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence, and he will be released soon, an official said.
The official told The Associated Press that the case had been returned to the prosecutors for more investigation, but that in the meantime, Abdul Rahman would be released.
"The court dismissed today the case against Abdul Rahman for a lack of information and a lot of legal gaps in the case," the official said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
"The decision about his release will be taken possibly tomorrow," he added.Honestly, while I am happy that he is being released, this sounds like bullshit to me. They dropped the case because of legal gaps in the case?
I think we can surmise that means they do not agree that they were doing anything wrong, which, of course, means this will happen again.
Consider Afghanistan a Fear Society, not a Free Society. People in Afghanistan live under threat of physical intimidation, and death, for disagreeing with the government.
According to writings of Natan Sharansky, author of The Case For Democracy, one of George Bush's favorite books, Afghanistan is not a free country.
We need to be clear with ourselves about that, because if we are not we will sit back, instead of continuing to apply the intense pressure that will be needed to drag them kicking and screaming into the modern world.
By the way, it sounds to me like some international force had better be there to protect this guy when he is released.
Here is another paragraph from the AP article:
Earlier Sunday he was moved to a notorious maximum-security prison outside Kabul that is also home to hundreds of Taliban and al-Qaida militants. The move to Policharki Prison came after detainees threatened his life at an overcrowded police holding facility in central Kabul, a court official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
This guys life is still in danger.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
The French Are Beginning To Wake Up
From Augean Stables:
“Nous sommes tétanisés,” said my French friend. [We are paralyzed.]
The French are beginning to wake up, beginning to lift up their Ostrich head from the sand. As opposed to the frequent dismissals I ran across in the past – when it wasn’t accusations of racism – I now met an increasing number of people willing to say, “we don’t disagree” (the French really don’t like to say “you’re right”). But, as my friend put it, we don’t know what to do. “We’re paralyzed.”
I have been visiting France fairly regularly all my life, but particularly since 2000, the nature of those visits has changed, and I’ve watched a radical split occur between the Jewish community in France (which has grown increasingly alarmed at the violence against them) and your typical Frenchman and woman, who consider Jewish alarm – if they even notice it – as, well, alarmist. (For earlier posts on what I noticed, see here.)
I haven’t been in France since last Spring, so a number of factors played in the mixture. Obviously the Fall (Ramadan) 2005 riots that started in the Parisian suburbs and spread through France sobered people considerably, despite the official position of the media, political, and academic elites that this was not a religious or cultural issue, but one of socio-economic inequities that could be solved by addressing those inequities. But more recently, there had occurred two things that sobered them considerably.
First, the Danish cartoons. Most every Frenchman I spoke with (especially the non-Jews, who are in most denial about the religious dimension) mentioned them. Even the French, who do not have much of a sense of humor about other people making fun of them, understood that the Muslim reaction revealed a level of immaturity beyond anything they had, in their cognitively egocentric slumber, ever imagined. It was for them a sobering look at a religious mafia, intimidating anyone who dare criticize it. The cultural gap between the French and an Islam which, they had begun to acknowledge, played an increasingly powerful role among its immigrant population, lay bare before their eyes.
Second, the slow torture of Ilan Halimi, a Jewish youth, kidnapped and tortured to death over a three-week period in one of the “territoires perdus” of the Republic, awoke the French to the depth of barbarity that had grown up under their noses. That Islamic hatred played a role came across unmistakably with the calls to the Jewish parents and the reading of Quranic verses over the sound of their son tortured in the background. But the gang was really more a mostly Muslim collection of immigrant sons from the hood, from the “territoires perdus.”
Indeed the most terrifying part of the tale came when the leader of the gang got arrested in the Ivory Coast (whence his parents had emigrated before his birth). His picture smiling and making the V sign with his fingers shocked people with its utter lack of any sign of conscience, and his subsequent interview confirmed the impression. Indeed the photo was so shocking, that after consulting with three lawyers, AFP took the photo down because it was “a blow at the private life” of the suspect, but “above all, there was no imperious necessity to diffuse this highly provocative photo.”
Ah, if only they had felt that way about Muhammad al Durah, they might have spared themselves much pain. But that would have meant sparing the Jews and the Israelis.
But those with eyes, like Nidra Poller, could see. Youssouf Fofana was not a religious fanatic poisoned by paranoid underground hatreds. Here was Nietzsche’s blond beast in blackface, without conscience, a predator who feels no need to apologize to his prey. Robust sadism. The barbarians at the gates… in the suburbs. And their neighbors, who remained silent for weeks as they heard the cries of the tortured youth – not even an anonymous call – illustrated how powerful the dominion of the killers in these territoires perdus.
“Nous sommes tétanisés,” said my French friend. [We are paralyzed.]
The French are beginning to wake up, beginning to lift up their Ostrich head from the sand. As opposed to the frequent dismissals I ran across in the past – when it wasn’t accusations of racism – I now met an increasing number of people willing to say, “we don’t disagree” (the French really don’t like to say “you’re right”). But, as my friend put it, we don’t know what to do. “We’re paralyzed.”
I have been visiting France fairly regularly all my life, but particularly since 2000, the nature of those visits has changed, and I’ve watched a radical split occur between the Jewish community in France (which has grown increasingly alarmed at the violence against them) and your typical Frenchman and woman, who consider Jewish alarm – if they even notice it – as, well, alarmist. (For earlier posts on what I noticed, see here.)
I haven’t been in France since last Spring, so a number of factors played in the mixture. Obviously the Fall (Ramadan) 2005 riots that started in the Parisian suburbs and spread through France sobered people considerably, despite the official position of the media, political, and academic elites that this was not a religious or cultural issue, but one of socio-economic inequities that could be solved by addressing those inequities. But more recently, there had occurred two things that sobered them considerably.
First, the Danish cartoons. Most every Frenchman I spoke with (especially the non-Jews, who are in most denial about the religious dimension) mentioned them. Even the French, who do not have much of a sense of humor about other people making fun of them, understood that the Muslim reaction revealed a level of immaturity beyond anything they had, in their cognitively egocentric slumber, ever imagined. It was for them a sobering look at a religious mafia, intimidating anyone who dare criticize it. The cultural gap between the French and an Islam which, they had begun to acknowledge, played an increasingly powerful role among its immigrant population, lay bare before their eyes.
Second, the slow torture of Ilan Halimi, a Jewish youth, kidnapped and tortured to death over a three-week period in one of the “territoires perdus” of the Republic, awoke the French to the depth of barbarity that had grown up under their noses. That Islamic hatred played a role came across unmistakably with the calls to the Jewish parents and the reading of Quranic verses over the sound of their son tortured in the background. But the gang was really more a mostly Muslim collection of immigrant sons from the hood, from the “territoires perdus.”
Indeed the most terrifying part of the tale came when the leader of the gang got arrested in the Ivory Coast (whence his parents had emigrated before his birth). His picture smiling and making the V sign with his fingers shocked people with its utter lack of any sign of conscience, and his subsequent interview confirmed the impression. Indeed the photo was so shocking, that after consulting with three lawyers, AFP took the photo down because it was “a blow at the private life” of the suspect, but “above all, there was no imperious necessity to diffuse this highly provocative photo.”
Ah, if only they had felt that way about Muhammad al Durah, they might have spared themselves much pain. But that would have meant sparing the Jews and the Israelis.
But those with eyes, like Nidra Poller, could see. Youssouf Fofana was not a religious fanatic poisoned by paranoid underground hatreds. Here was Nietzsche’s blond beast in blackface, without conscience, a predator who feels no need to apologize to his prey. Robust sadism. The barbarians at the gates… in the suburbs. And their neighbors, who remained silent for weeks as they heard the cries of the tortured youth – not even an anonymous call – illustrated how powerful the dominion of the killers in these territoires perdus.
March for Free Expression
The march is over, unfortuantely I wasn't able to attend but congrats to all the people who did (click the pics for full size images) :
pictures found through MichaelFuchs.org
the beeb states that up to 600 people turned up which in my eyes was a decent turnout, it could have been better but I think a bit of support was lost in the days running up due to pressure from Muslim organisations to make the organisers request that the Mo pics were not brought (btw, that'd request not demand). This link directs to a group called the "Muslim Action Committee", who claim that they put the pressure on the march organisers to make the request not to bring the Mo pics.
This link directs to the organisation that put the march together.
UPDATE - More pics found through this link
police make sure they have enough evidence to convict people for resisting dhimmitude
now where have I seen that picture before?
check out the guy on the left. Nice one mate ;)
pictures found through MichaelFuchs.org
the beeb states that up to 600 people turned up which in my eyes was a decent turnout, it could have been better but I think a bit of support was lost in the days running up due to pressure from Muslim organisations to make the organisers request that the Mo pics were not brought (btw, that'd request not demand). This link directs to a group called the "Muslim Action Committee", who claim that they put the pressure on the march organisers to make the request not to bring the Mo pics.
This link directs to the organisation that put the march together.
UPDATE - More pics found through this link
Liberal Islam speaks out on the Apostasy issue
I have been saying this over and over that no matter what you call it, liberal Islam, moderate Islam or fundamentalist Islam, it is all the same. And I will continue to say this until people start paying attention, as it is essential for the West to understand Islam in its true form.
UAE, a country that is quiet on most of the issues around the world, yesterday spoke out officially about the Afghan apostate, Abdul Rahman. A reputed Dubai scholar, Dr. Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al Haddad issued a statement on behalf of the Dubai Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Works, a UAE Government department.
The good doctor said:
"This is none of their [the West's] business ... Bush and the West should stay out of personal beliefs. They should not intervene in a purely religious matter of Islamic law [Sharia]… If this penalty is carried out, it will protect many weak-willed people from deserting their religion. If the independence of the judiciary is among the bases of democracy, then it is unjust to interfere in this case. Democracy as practised by the West is fake because it contradicts itself in one of the most important bases.”
Okay, so by killing people, you can frighten the ‘weak-willed’ ones enough to stay in their spiritual and mental prison which is Islam. Fear is to be used so that those who dare to think on their own on even only a semi-regular basis stop doing so. I say that’s one of the beauties of this religion of peace—weak-willed people, you can have Allah do the thinking for you. All you need to do is blow a couple of infidels up from time to time.
Another renowned Islamic scholar here in Dubai, Ahmad Al Qubaisi, had some tactful words on the issue:
"This President bombards thousands of civilians in Iraq. It is not strange that he defies the feelings of a whole nation, which considers a person who deserts Islam an infidel. Bush will immediately declare a man an outlaw if he deserts the US system and spies on America. This is a double standard by the US and the West. This stand is a crusade against the Muslim world."
This is an interesting one. Last time I checked it was roadside bombs placed by jihadists that kill Iraqis, or sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites that slaughter Iraqis, or Moslems who blows themselves up at police recruiting centers that murder Iraqis. Even if President Bush wanted to kill all Iraqis, he wouldn’t need to do much, as the jihadists are doing a mighty fine job there already.
A man ‘who deserts the US system and spies on America’ as the mullah put it is declared an outlaw but a man who goes to, say, Australia and becomes a citizen there is not imprisoned for that. Wrong analogy, Mr. Qubaisi. Even the US Government does not execute Americans that are convicted for spying on the US for other powers, as any number of spy cases in the US can readily prove, like the Pollard case (spied for Israel) or the Walker case (spied for the Soviet Union).
Read the whole story here.
These two sound just like any other mullah, but what’s unique about these mullahs--I mean scholars--in Dubai is that whatever they say must be approved in advance by the UAE government. Only if the government approves are they allowed to say it officially. So these words are essentially speaking on behalf of Sheik Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai and the Prime Minister of the UAE, as well as Sheik Khalifa, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the President of the UAE. ‘Our allies, peaceful liberal Moslems’… yeah right!!
What does that say about liberal Moslems? How are they different from fundamentalist Moslems? Both want people who don’t agree with them dead. How then can we hope to work with liberal Moslems when we say we can’t do the same with fundamentalist Moslems? This is a matter to ponder over, and one that is crucial for the survival of Western Civilization.
Thank you, ‘liberal Moslems’ for speaking up on this and many other issues. You give me plenty of ammo to prove my point.
Cross-posted at Pedestrian Infidel.