The Aftermath Of Ben Carson's Muslim For President Comment

Ben Carson's comment last week about not supporting a Muslim president elicited the usual response from liberals and Muslim activists alike. Some have called for Dr. Carson to drop out of the upcoming presidential race including- not surprisingly- the Council On Islamic American Relations (CAIR). According to CAIR he is unfit to lead. But criticism was not only being levied against Dr. Carson from the left, fellow Republican would-be-president Ted Cruz (Tx) called the comment unconstitutional.

After the firestorm, Dr Carson took time to clarify what he exactly meant by saying he would not advocate putting a Muslim in charge of the nation.

"We don't put people at the head of our country whose faith might interfere with them carrying out the duties of the Constitution," the retired neurosurgeon told Fox News' Sean Hannity. "If you're a Christian and you're running for president and you want to make this [country] into a theocracy, I'm not going to support you. I'm not going to advocate you being the president."

"Now, if someone has a Muslim background, and they’re willing to reject those tenets and to accept
the way of life that we have, and clearly will swear to place our Constitution above their religion, then of course they will be considered infidels and heretics, but at least I would then be quite willing to support them," Carson added.

and

"Those Republicans that take issue with my position are amazing," the Facebook statement said. "Under Islamic Law, homosexuals – men and women alike – must be killed. Women must be subservient. And people following other religions must be killed. I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenants are fully renounced ... I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President."

He's absolutely right. Even some Muslims agree with him. Secular Muslim Asra Q Nomani wrote an enlightening article for The Daily Beast in support of Carson explaining that there are far too many Muslims looking to mix "mosque and state."

Ben Carson’s blunt remarks about a Muslim president triggered much outrage, even after he partially walked them back. But secular Muslims like me, who reject political Islam, understood what he meant: He doesn’t want a Muslim as president who doesn’t believe in the strict secular separation of mosque and state, so that the laws of the state aren’t at all touched by sharia, or Islamic law derived from the Quran and hadith, the sayings and traditions of prophet Muhammad. Neither do we. We really don’t want a first lady—or a president—in a burka, or face veil.

Her commentary is well worth the read.

Unfortunately, there are far too few secular Muslims. In fact, the trend seems to be going in the opposite direction, as evidenced in the following story shared by Nomani regarding a New Jersey school board meeting where Muslims were demanding a last minute school cancellation for the Muslim holy day Eid al-Adha:

At the meeting, the local NBC news segment showed an older woman yelling in Arabic that the holiday was her “right,” followed by a young Muslim woman, wearing a headscarf and smiling eerily as she said, “We’re no longer the minority. That’s clear from tonight. We’re going to be the majority soon.”

The thinly veiled threat was as disturbing to me as it might be to other Americans. Unspoken is the sharia ruling that Muslims engage in no work or school on the day of Eid-ul Adha, but, instead, as the prophet Muhammad is quoted as saying in a hadith, “O people of Islam, these are days of eating and drinking.”

If a Muslim thinks we have troubles, then we most definitely do, and thankfully Ben Carson has the courage to voice that.

7 Churches In Niger Torched Over Latest Charlie Hebdo Cartoon

This is the Muslim mentality:  I'm offended by the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in France, so I'll burn  down 7 churches in Niger.

That's exactly what happened today in Niamey, the capital of Niger, some 3,000 miles away from France.

At least seven churches were burned Saturday in Niger’s capital Niamey during rioting in response to the publication of a Prophet Mohammed cartoon in France’s Charlie Hebdo magazine, an AFP correspondent reported.

The sites, which were primarily evangelical churches, were torched on the left bank of Niamey, several of them housed in small villas that bore no distinctive religious signs. Protesters were also headed for the right bank, which also contains numerous churches.

Around 100 helmeted riot police stood in front of the Niamey cathedral at midday, protecting it from a crowd of stone-throwing youths. Earlier, police fired tear gas to disperse some 1,000 youths in front of the city’s grand mosque and AFP witnessed protesters in several parts of the city armed with iron bars and clubs.

French citizens living in Niamey were warned by the embassy over there to not venture out, since rioters had looted French businesses. They had already taken to the streets on Friday. Those violent protests injured 45, and killed a policeman and three civilians. They also burned down the French cultural center and looted three churches.

They were pissed off at the latest cartoon published by Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday showing Mohammed with a tear in his eye, and "All is forgiven - I am Charlie"

All is forgiven - I am Charlie

Not surprisingly, there have been many other protests in response to the latest cartoon.

The cartoon isn't even offensive.

Source: Al Arabiya

Walmart Caves- Removes Papa Pashtun Halloween Costume

Walmart caved to pressure and removed a Papa Pashtun Halloween costume, after a social media backlash. The costume was deemed racist.

“When it was brought to our attention on social media, we began working to pull this down. We are deeply sorry that this costume is on our website, and we are pulling it down as soon as possible. We are calling on all of the other retailers to pull it down as well,” Brooke Buchanan, senior director of Walmart Corporate Communications, told BuzzFeed News.

It was sold through a third-party vendor Costume Kingdom.

“We have strict policies with our third party vendors, and It’s very important to us that products on the site don’t offend groups of people, or minorities.”

This reminds me of when Sears pulled their Sexy Burka costume back in 2012.

Source: Al Arabiya

Iran Apoplectic Over Actress' Peck On Cheek At Cannes Festival

A simple peck on the cheek has landed an Iranian actress in a bucket load of trouble. Leila Hatami was photographed at the Cannes Film Festival kissing the cheek of the president of the fest, head covered mind you, and now the Iranian authorities have their panties in a bunch.

Apparently, the ho has ruined the reputation of Iranian women. According to Iran's Deputy Culture Minister Hossein Noushabadi:

“Those who attend intentional events should take heed of the credibility and chastity of Iranians, so that a bad image of Iranian women will not be demonstrated to the world."

But it seems it wasn't just the kiss that was so offensive, he went on to say:

“Iranian woman is the symbol of chastity and innocence,” he said. Hatami's “inappropriate presence” at the festival was “not in line with our religious beliefs.”

Jacob then took to social media to explain exactly what a peck on the cheek means to normal people.

“I kissed Mrs. Hatami on the cheek. At that moment, for me she represented all Iranian cinema, then she became herself again,” Jacob tweeted.

“This controversy over a usual custom in the West has therefore no reason to be.”

Hatami is a judge at this year's festival, and the poor thing has still lives in Iran.

Source: Al Arabiya

German Muslims Protest Butcher Shops With Decorative Pigs

Found the following info and link to the original German language article on Facebook. Apparently butcher shops in Cologne, Germany are being targeted by Muslims, mostly angry youth, who found the decorative cardboard pigs displayed in the shop windows offensive. The displays are used to advertise weekly deals.  The shop owners have been subjected to taunts, curses, threats, and their shops have been vandalized.  They have apparently removed the offending piggies.

Murat Kayman, board member of the DTIB (an organization representing over 800 German mosques) has criticized the young Muslim men, claiming they do not fully understand Islam. That even though Muslims are forbidden to eat pork, pigs are still God's creatures.

German language link here. You'll need a page translator.

ABC Family's 'Alice In Arabia' Outrages Arabs and Muslims

ABC Family has a TV show in the works titled Alice In Arabia, about a young American girl who is whisked away to Saudi Arabia by her Saudi grandfather after her parents die. ABC has this to say about the series:

“Alice in Arabia” is a high-stakes drama series about a rebellious American teenage girl who, after tragedy befalls her parents, is unknowingly kidnapped by her extended family, who are Saudi Arabian. Alice finds herself a stranger in a new world but is intrigued by its offerings and people, whom she finds surprisingly diverse in their views on the world and her situation. Now a virtual prisoner in her grandfather’s royal compound, Alice must count on her independent spirit and wit to find a way to return home while surviving life behind the veil. The pilot was written by Brooke Eikmeier, who previously served in the US Army as a Cryptologic Linguist in the Arabic language, trained to support NSA missions in the Middle East. She left service in September 2013 as a rank E-4 Specialist.

As expected, the Arab/Muslim community is crying foul, calling it offensive, racist, contributing to negative stereotypes. Mind you, no-one has seen an episode yet, but they've still hit the Twittersphere with the usual bitching and moaning.

Samia Shameem @SamIAm_NoHam (who wears a hijab) posted:

"…while surviving life behind the veil." The veil is not a set of prison bars. Stop. #AliceInArabia @ABCFamily

Maybe not for Samia, but to any Western non-Muslim woman, yes indeed they would be considered prison bars.

But since no-one has seen the show yet, they should reserve their outrage until they do.

ABC has chimed in on the uproar.

“We hope people will wait to judge this show on its actual merits once it is filmed. The writer is an incredible storyteller and we expect Alice to be a nuanced and character driven show,” a spokesperson for ABC Family wrote in an email to California radio station KPCC.

We won't know for sure whether the characters will be stereotypical or not until it airs, but if they are- that's Hollywood for you.

This is a TV series people, if you find something offensive don't watch it. Besides, it will give actors of Arab descent a heck of a lot of work.

CAIR Gets Walmart Manager Fired For Facebook Comment

So Walmart assistant manager Terry Earsing posted a photo (that he allegedly did not take) on his Facebook page of what appears to be several niqab-clad Muslim women shopping in the Hamburg, NY store with the following:

"Halloween came early this year ... do they really have to f**kin dress like that ... your [sic] in my country ... get that f**kin s*** off!!!!!!"

Not surprisingly, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stepped in demanding discipline, and the man was fired.

CAIR published a statement on its website that includes the following:

"We urge Walmart to send the message that all customers, regardless of religion or national origin, must be safe from harassment and intimidation by employees," says CAIR-NY Board President Ryan Mahoney.

Full statement here.

I'd like to know how those particular women were being harassed or intimidated when you can't even tell who they are, and there is no indication that they were harassed or intimidated on store property, although if that were the case the firing would have been justified.  And it's not like he was advocating violence or deportation of Muslims.  I have seen far worse comments (which have actually made me cringe) on anti-Muslim Facebook pages.

I feel the same way about women in the West wearing niqabs. Hijab it all you like, but niqabs and burqas (and hijabs) are not an Islamic duty, though many in the Muslim community would have us believe it is.

Whether you think what he wrote was tacky or not, we have the right to be critical, although those rights are quickly being eroded thanks to organizations like CAIR, and Earsing certainly did not deserve to lose his job over that.

Bottom line, keep your opinions off social media, or write anonymously, and say bye-bye to freedom of speech.

Two Malaysians Could Get Jail For Posting Pork Stew Photos On Facebook

Two young Malaysian ethnic Chinese non-Muslims could be jailed for up to eight years for "sedition" and "inciting religious enmity."  Their horrific crime?  Posting Ramadan greetings on Facebook along with a photo of the two of them chowing down on pork stew. Insensitive, I guess, foolish, most definitely, considering  the majority of the Malaysian population is Muslim, and everything seems to offend them. But 8 years in prison?
.
Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee pleaded not guilty since they claimed the photo was posted in jest, but they will have to remain in jail since the Kuala Lumpur courts refused to set bail.

Malaysia’s attorney general, Abdul Gani Patail, said in a statement that authorities want them detained because “they have the potential to upload content that could stir public anger.” They were expected to be placed in separate prisons ahead of a preliminary hearing Aug. 24 to schedule trial dates.

Since Muslims are fasting this month it was probably not a great idea to do what they did, but they're young- in their twenties.

Normal folk just chastise or unfriend someone on Facebook if they are offended by a post, not so in this case.

European Female Arrested For Desecrating Quran In Oman

An unidentified European woman was arrested in Oman for allegedly ripping pages out of a Quran and rubbing them on her feet. Apparently someone saw her desecrating the holy book near Al Hamadah Mosque in Sohar and immediately called the police.

If this indeed happened, the woman must have been drunk or mentally unstable to desecrate a Quran in public in a Muslim country.

The Omanis are particularly appalled that she did this during Ramadan.

Apparently this is the first time an infidel has done such a thing.

Source: Gulf News

Pakistani Mob Burn Down Dozens Of Christian Houses Over Blasphemy Accusation

In Pakistan where blasphemy laws reign supreme, and all it takes is an unfounded accusation to spark an uproar, Pakistanis (who seem to easily bear grudges), took to the streets, once again, causing the usual havoc and destruction.

This time, a Christian man was falsely accused of blasphemy by a young Muslim man, and in order to appease the angry mob police arrested and charged him under Section 295-C.  The mob then headed on over to a predominately Christian enclave in Lahore (Joseph Colony) where they proceeded to torch dozens of houses.

The story goes:

The Christian, Sawan Masih, and the Muslim guy apparently got into a fight at a bar where they both had been drinking the night before. In retaliation, the Muslim accused Masih of insulting the Prophet, something that happens quite often, and has- at times- ended in the death of the accused blasphemers at the hands of vigilantes. In this case, after the mob made their way to Masih's house and the young man was taken away by the police, neighbours locked up their homes and went to stay with relatives elsewhere. That's when the destruction of 150 or so houses and two churches (including the burning of Bibles and crosses) began. They'd like us to believe that they don't burn Bibles, but that's not quite the truth.

According to Akram Gill, a local bishop, mostly poor people were living there, and they have been left with virtually nothing. An AP reporter witnessed massive destruction  of personal property.

One man was seen carrying a dog and some puppies from a burning house. Refrigerators, washing and sewing machines, cooking pots, beds and other household goods were ripped from homes, smashed and burned in the streets.

"They have burnt each and every thing in my whole house. Nothing is left here. I don't know why this happened," said Samina Riaz. "Now we don't have even enough to eat."

Although Christians are most often the targets when it comes to accusations of blasphemy, Muslims have also been accused. But it's only with the Christians that angry mobs bother to target the whole community, as opposed to just the individual. As for motive? Zohra Yusuf of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said:

"Most of the time there are other motives involved," she said, such as scaring off Christian residents to grab their property.

Or other personal grudges.

Officials have said they will make arrests, but nothing will come of it. It never does. Remember the imam who falsely accused the young Christian girl of desecrating the Quran? Released.

One shining light in the darkness that is Pakistan:

One Christian couple from the neighborhood said they went to their Muslim neighbors' house on Friday night after people came looking for the Christian man accused of blasphemy. Ishaq Masih said the Muslim neighbors sheltered the couple for the night and then gave them money to leave the area in the morning.

Sources: Dawn, AJC

Turkish Group Accuses Lego of Racism Over Star Wars Toy

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was the worlds greatest Byzantine cathedral until the marauding, imperialist Ottomans converted it to a mosque in the 15th century. In the early 20th century it was turned into a museum, although religious Muslims  want it turned back into a mosque. But I digress. Now Turks in Austria are complaining that Lego's 'Jabba's Palace' toy is racist and offensive to Muslims because the building looks like their Hagia Sophia  mosque, conveniently or stupidly forgetting that the structure was originally a church, and more importantly based on the original Star Wars film structure, so, obviously not racist at all.

Jabba's Palace in Star Wars

The toy includes the 'palace' that the character Jabba the Hutt- from the Star Wars series- resides in, along with a watchtower.  They also believe it resembles the Jami al-Kabir mosque in Beirut.

Apparently the outrage and backlash started after a Turkish man's son received the toy as a gift.

After investigating, Dr Melissa Günes, General Secretary of the Turkish Cultural Community, said that Lego had been contacted with an official complaint.

They have also taken offense to being shown as "deceitful and criminal personalities", and want an apology form Lego "for its cultural insensitivity".

A statement posted on the organisation's website refers to Jabba the Hutt as a 'terrorist' and says that he 'likes to smoke hookah and have his victims killed'.

It adds: 'It is clear that the ugly figure of Jabba and the whole scene smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Asians and Orientals as people with deceitful and criminal personalities.'

The statement says that the figures in the set are made to resemble 'terrorists, criminals and murderers'.

Referring to weapons contained in the set, the statement suggests that the 'combination of temple building and bunker facilities where shots are fired cannot be appropriate for children between 9 and 14 years old'.

They will sue if they don't get an apology.

Lego's response:

Lego's Katharina Sasse said: 'The Lego Star Wars product Jabba´s Palace does not reflect any actually existing buildings, people, or the mentioned mosque.

'The Lego mini-figures are all modelled on characters from the movie.

'We regret that the product has caused the members of the Turkish cultural community to come to a wrong interpretation, but point out that when designing the product only the fictional content of the Star Wars saga were referred to.'

These people really need to get thicker hides. It's not always about them. It's a game, for goodness sake. And why were they not offended back when Jabba first appeared in the George Lucas films?

Offended Bangladesh Muslims Torch Buddhist Temples Over Quran On Facebook

One Buddhist kid posts a photo of a desecrated Quran on his Facebook page, and Muslims retaliate by going on a rampage and torching from four to forty Buddhist temples (reports differ as to the actual count), and destroying more than 15 houses in the predominately Buddhist section of Cox's Bazar. That's what happened this weekend in Bangladesh. Just chalk it up to another day of Muslim rage.

Uttom Kumar Barua- the boy who allegedly posted the photo, and who no longer has an account- claims that he was tagged in the photo on his Facebook timeline. Still, he and his mum have been detained.

As a result of the violent protests, at least 20 were wounded. But like the Libya attack, it is believed to have been pre-planned rather than a spontaneous reaction to the Facebook photo.

...Bangladesh's home minister, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, today said authorities believe the attacks had been planned well in advance.

“We found evidences of gunpowder and petrol in Saturday’s arson of the Buddhist monasteries and houses," he said, according to Bangladesh's Daily Star, denouncing what he called "premeditated and deliberate act of communal violence against a minority."

Security forces were launched to the area that is located near the Buddhist-majority Myanmar. To prevent further violence protests have been banned.  The Bangladeshis have been busy, since they were also out in force protesting the "Innocence of Muslim" film, even  going on strike.

It doesn't take much for a backlash, anymore. It's pathetic that those countries do little to nothing to prevent violence and the persecution of minorities. And more often than not, it's encouraged by the leaders of those countries.

Muslim Voices of Reason- Shazia Mirza 'Getting Offended On God's Behalf'

Whether out of fear or simply a lack, there are very few voices of reason in the Muslim world, but there are some. Found mostly in Western countries, they are a breath of fresh air, and worthy of sharing.

Shazia Mirza is a Brit writer/comedienne and Guardian columnist of Pakistani heritage who has written an opinion piece regarding the madness that has ensued over the anti-Muslim film "Innocence of Muslims", and it merits a read.

Getting Offended On God's Behalf

The alarm went off on Monday morning, the radio came on and all I heard was, “It’s been described as the most serious insult to Islam ever! People have been killed, and protests are mounting.”

I thought ‘What’s happened? Has Satanic Verses been turned into a cartoon?’ I switched the TV on and heard people talking about a film.

I had to rush and get on the tube, as I walked into the carriage everyone was reading a newspaper with this same story on the front, I heard one man say to his friend, “They’re offended again”, his friend replied, “What’s new?”

I watched the film, and it’s the most serious insult to film making ever. It is a badly made, amateur pantomime of a film. Clearly a joke in itself. But what is even more outrageous – is the reaction to it.

My mum is religious. Very religious, fanatical about her religion. She’s done Hajj 12 times, prays all day and fasts even when it’s not Ramazan. If she saw the film she wouldn’t like it, but would she go and shoot four people because of it? No way. Because she is a rational, open-minded human being, and she’s so religious she doesn’t watch films, at least ones which don’t include Omar Sharif.

God, whichever God you believe in, is all knowing, all forgiving, and all loving. God has seen it all, because he made it all. He made the blasphemers. God can’t be attacked. So if you’re offended on his behalf, you don’t actually have enough faith in him.

It is fashionable to be offended, and predictable for certain people to be offended at anything from cartoons to films, jokes, books … what next? Food, hair colour?

Every idea, every belief has to be challenged because that’s how the rational mind works. There has to be questioning and debate, and if your religion is strong enough, it will withstand that.

Blasphemy is important. If blasphemy laws ruled the world we’d still be living in caves, and we’d never had made any progress – some people still haven’t. Blasphemy laws are the armour of the insecure. If you are unable to laugh at yourself as a religion or a culture, that culture is suffering from low self-esteem, and devolution. Blasphemy doesn’t just apply to religion, but economically and socially as well.

Now, because of the way certain Muslims react to things that offend them, artists, writers, comedians, film makers all over the world are slowly being silenced because they are scared to say what they think; in case they end up dead. The East is taking away the West’s democracy. I don’t like the film, it is offensive and insulting, although the comments underneath it on YouTube are far more offensive, but if you truly believe in democracy you have to defend the right for it to be made.

It is always a minority that are offended, and they often react with irrational violence, some of them don’t even know what they’re reacting to; violence is all they know. It gives us all a bad name. And if they don’t stop, I’ll have to continue to get randomly searched at airports, being felt up by some strange woman, and not be able to take more than 100ml of moisturizer through customs.

I live in England. It is a democracy, not just because of the way we vote, but because of the way we think. A good working democracy treats minorities well, and has a view of religion that is accepting. Britain is a melting pot of many religions and cultures, which is what makes it so great.

The Muslim world needs to be open minded about religion; it is ridiculous, insulting in itself and anti-Islamic to call someone an infidel just because they don’t agree with what you believe.

Murdering someone, anyone, is never justified but even more outrageous when over a flimsy book or a badly made film.

There is a war between the East and the West, the moderate and the extreme, the religious and the non-religious, the repressed and the free, the open minded and the closed minded. Ultimately the open minded will win. Those are the people, who are accepting and tolerant to other people’s beliefs and opinions which is the fundamental basis of all religion and those are the right thinking, rational people you’d want to live next door to.

Don’t kill me for writing this column; it’s just an idea.

Well said.  We need more Shazias.

Source: Dawn

Bangladeshis Go On Strike Over Mohammed Film and Cartoons

Just to highlight how ignorant some people are, Bangladeshis went on a nationwide strike Sunday shuttering offices, stores and schools, in protest of the anti-Islam film "Innocence of Muslims" and the cartoons of Mohammed which were published in the French Charlie-Hebdo satirical magazine.

Bangladesh, a mostly Muslim country happens to be secular, but the strike was called by members of opposition including several Islamist parties. They also took advantage to protest the secular governments removal from its 'four pillars of the constitution' the part that calls for "absolute faith in Allah".

The police (10,000 of them) came out in force to ensure there was no trouble in Dhaka, including the diplomatic section of the city, which remained relatively quiet as a result of the strike. There was a little more action on Saturday when hundreds took to the streets setting two police cars on fire and throwing stones in protest of a ban on demonstrations. In response police used tear gas, and some 50 people were hurt. On Friday 10,000 protested the film.

Do they really think we care they went on strike?  Will their strike affect us in the U.S.?  Did the Bangladeshi government have anything at all to do with either the U.S. film or the French cartoons?

Stupid is as stupid does.

Charlie Hebdo Magazine Staff Threatened With Death By Muslims

Now they're after the  head of Stephane Charbonnier, the editor of Charlie Hebdo, for publishing those Mohammed cartoons this past Wednesday.

French police on Saturday arrested a man for apparently calling on a jihadi website for the decapitation of the editor of a magazine that published cartoons mocking Mohammed, a judicial source said.

The man was detained in the western city of La Rochelle for calling on the radical website for the head of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, which on Wednesday published cartoons of a naked Prophet.

“The essential thing is not to let him live in peace,” the man allegedly wrote.
Police have opened a preliminary probe on charges of incitement to commit murder, the source said.

But that wasn't the first threat from the religion of the perpetually offended. Some 18-year-old posted on his Facebook page that he was ready to slit as many throats as possible at the Charlie Hebdo offices.

Police detained a young man in southern France on Thursday on suspicion that he was planning a revenge attack on the staff of a satirical magazine which published cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammad.

Anti-terrorism magistrates near the Mediterranean port city of Toulon questioned the 18-year-old after he threatened in a message on Facebook to cut the throats of anyone he could find at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a judicial source said.

Charbonnier defended  his decision to print the cartoons in the latest edition:

Charbonnier, who goes by the pen name “Charb,” defended the cartoons to the AP in part by telling reporters that Muhammad isn’t sacred to him.

“I don’t blame Muslims for not laughing at our drawings,” he said. “I live under French law. I don’t live under Quranic law.”

He also said he doesn’t regret publishing the cartoons, nor does he take responsibility for any violence that may ensue.

“We’ve had 1,000 issues and only three problems, all after front pages about radical Islam.”

Unfortunately, they don't seem to care that the rest of us are not subject to their religious laws, and that they need to join the 21st century where civilized folk (i.e. not sociopathic mental cases) don't threaten to chop off someone's head because they happened to feel offended by something that person said or did.

A Word For Rioting Muslims- Pat Condell Video

Pat Condell says it all:

We don't care if you're offended, and we never will. Get used to it.

Pakistani Accused Of Blasphemy For Not Joining Anti-Islam Film Protests

Pakistan loves its blasphemy laws. It's man's best friend over there. Got a gripe or a bone to pick with someone? Your barber gave you a bad haircut? Just accuse them of blasphemy, that'll settle the score. And Pakistanis took full advantage of that during the latest anti-Islam movie protests. Naturally, they took the streets, just like all their buddies over in the Middle East, and Africa, and Australia, and a bunch of other places- nothing like a good rage-induced protest, after all. Egypt and Libya beat them to it, but they eventually packed the streets across Pakistan.

Not everyone jumped on the rage-boy bandwagon, however. There were some who refused to participate, like businessman Haji Nasrullah Khan. He owns about 120 stores, and refused to close up shop after protesters tried to force him to during Saturday's protest in Hyderabad. An argument ensued which then prompted some to accuse him of blasphemy. According to police officer Muneer Abbasi, a  police report was filed, and now Khan and his kin are in hiding.

The protesters claimed Khan insulted the Prophet while arguing with them, said city police chief Fareed Jan. But he said there was no evidence to suggest the insults really occurred and that police only opened a blasphemy case because they were pressured by the mob.

Opening such a case doesn't mean the person is necessarily charged with the crime but that police are investigating him or her.

Protesters ransacked Khan's house, and surrounded a police station, refusing to go away until officials opened a blasphemy case, Abbasi said.

The situation became even more inflamed when religious leaders from one of the biggest mosques in the city issued an edict calling for Khan's death and announced from the mosque's loudspeakers that he should be killed, Abbasi said.

The police officer said Khan and his family members had gone into hiding in fear for their lives.

 As for the blasphemy accusations against Khan? Abbasi thinks it had more to do with unhappy shopkeepers who Khan was trying to evict for late rental payment than righteous indignation about the film and his refusal to join them in their anger-fest.

Some have tried to lobby to repeal those barbaric blasphemy laws, but they usually wind up dead:

Last year, a minister and a governor were assassinated when they spoke out about misuse of the laws and suggested changing them. The governor was shot and killed by his own guard.

Rights activists and critics of the laws had hoped that the recent case of a 14-year-old girl charged with insulting the Quran would help bring about changes in the laws, or at least help curb abuse.

The case gained widespread attention and sympathy both in Pakistan and internationally due to her young age and questions about her mental capacity.

She was granted bail after a religious cleric was accused of planting evidence to incriminate her, and her lawyers have said they will move to throw the case out entirely.

And  those mobs, that the police obviously have no control over,  often take the law into their own hands and have killed accused blasphemers, innocent or not.

Earlier this summer a mob in one Pakistani city dragged an accused blasphemer from a police building, beat him to death and burned the body.

And the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) wants a global blasphemy law? Over my dead body.

France's 'Charlie Hebdo' Publishes More Mohammed Cartoons- Update

Charlie Hebdo, the French (mostly leftist) weekly satirical magazine that had the guts to republish the Danish Jyllands-Posten Mohammed cartoons back in 2006, and was subsequently sued by a group of Muslims in 2007, is at it again.  In today's edition, it plans on publishing a few more Mohammed cartoons that the editor claims will "shock those who will want to be shocked." And, no doubt, there will be plenty.

However, those champions of 'freedom of expression' don't seem to be too worried about being the next targets of Muslim rage; after all, Charlie Hebdo survived a firebombing of its offices last November over the "Charia Hebdo" edition. If you recall, that was the one "guest edited" by the "Prophet Mohammed", and captioned with "100 lashes if you don't die of laughter."  Well, we all know there is no humor in Islam, or at least its adherents are sorely lacking.

Naturally, everyone is panicking in that country- considering the amount of disenfranchised, unemployed Muslim youth just waiting for an excuse to rampage.

Jean-Marc Ayrault, the prime minister, issued a statement expressing his "disapproval of all excesses."

The magazine's editor, originally a cartoonist who uses the name Charb, denied he was being deliberately provocative at a delicate time.

"The freedom of the press, is that a provocation?" he said. "I'm not asking strict Muslims to read Charlie Hebdo, just like I wouldn't go to a mosque to listen to speeches that go against everything I believe."

Muslim leaders have also piped in, not that anything they might say will change the minds of those hell bent on revenge.

Dalil Boubakeur, the senior cleric at Paris's biggest mosque, appealed for France's four million Muslims to remain calm.

"It is with astonishment, sadness and concern that I have learned that this publication is risking increasing the current outrage across the Muslim world," he said.

"I would appeal to them not to pour oil on the fire."

France's Muslim Council, the community's main representative body, also appealed for calm in the face of "this new act of Islamaphobia."

Muslim leaders need to control their wayward followers, and not simply try to appease them.

In the meantime, I'll be waiting for the news about the angry mobs taking to the streets in France.

UPDATE 9/19/12:  Here is one of the cartoons published on the front of Charlie Hebdo.

The cover of Charlie Hebdo (seen above) shows a Muslim in a wheelchair being pushed by an Orthodox Jew under the title Intouchables 2, referring to an award-winning French film about a impoverished black man who helps an aristocratic quadriplegic. Another cartoon on the back page of the weekly magazine shows a naked Mohammed exposing his backside to a film director.

Asked if it was a provocation, Editor Stephane Charbonnier said:

“The freedom of the press, is that a provocation? I’m not asking strict Muslims to read Charlie Hebdo, just like I wouldn’t go to a mosque to listen to speeches that go against everything I believe.”

Many people do. But as Charbonnier says, if you are offended by something just turn your head. No-one is forcing you to watch or read something you might find offensive.

Egypt- Arrest Warrants For Florida Pastor Terry Jones and 7 Copts Over Anti-Islam Film

The dopes in Egypt seem to think they have the authority to issue arrest warrants for U.S. citizens who don't happen to live in their country. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula and 6 other Egyptian Christian Copts have warrants out for their arrest, but they also added idiot Floridian pastor Terry Jones to their list for promoting the infamous anti-Islam film "The Innocence of Muslims".

Of course, that's better than being the target of a death fatwa, which is what Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah wants for all the people who participated in the movie.

Egypt's general prosecutor knows the arrest warrants are simply a means of appeasing the rabidly angry masses who, like Nasrallah, probably want their pound of flesh, preferably dead. It also doesn't help matters for Herr prosecutor that most, if not all of them, don't happen to live in Egypt.  At least one would hope, for their sake.

The prosecutor's office said in a statement that the accused, which includes the film's alleged producer, face charges of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information. The office said they could face the death penalty, if convicted. No date for the trial has been set.

Besides the main culprit Nakoula, they've also charged Morris Sadek (another Coptic Christian who is said to have been the one to stupidly bring the film to the Egyptian press' attention), and Florida Pastor Terry Jones (who promoted the video).


Source: ABC World News

Young Kids Hold "Behead Those Who Insult The Prophet" Signs At Aussie Anti-Islam Film Protest

You'd think that in civilized Sydney, Australian Muslims protesting the anti-Islam film "The Innocence of Muslims" would have remained, well, civilized, but that was definitely not the case.  They turned into violent animals just like their Muslim cousins over in the Middle East, parts of Africa, and wherever else they felt the need to react like rabid dogs over a movie made by a handful of amateurish hack filmmakers.

The violence isn't the only thing that had Aussies horrified, the fact that children were holding signs "Behead all those who insult the prophet" has them even more sickened. Here you have proud mummy taking a photo of her darling little boy holding one of  those signs ( see photo below). And no, it's not photoshopped.  Authorities want the use of young children  to be investigated, and the Australian Daily Telegraph is actually asking anyone who knows who the woman might be to contact them at  news@dailytelegraph.com.au.

Way to go mum. Teach them while nice and young.

Six policemen were injured during the violent riot. Read about the riots here, and here.

What do these people honestly think they are accomplishing?  Their violent actions simply confirm that their religion is far from peaceful, and it's certainly not going to stop people from criticizing them for it.  Some Aussie Muslims have condemned the protesters for turning violent, but they should do a better job of reigning them in, or Australia should deport all their asses.