isn’t the story of the Charlie Hedbo massacre just so horrible!?! I’m regularly overwhelmed over the last 24+ hours at the horror but also at the outpouring of support all over Europe especially, in many different languages, and the smart commentary from artists and just plain regular folks. the piles of pens and pencils, gripping. Nous sommes tous Charlie. Vive les caricaturistes et les humoristiques!
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs?
The issue of the “Christ in Urine” piece did not involve a desire to prevent folks from seeing it - it involved folks being unhappy that they were required to pay taxes to support something they found objectionable.
WJK, you don’t think your first post on this thread would be insulting too many who seek to be insulted?
Personally, I’m going to make a point to stand with freedom of speech and civilization, and not be cowed by sociopaths who, if it wasnt a cartoon, would find another reason to commit murder.
Faith has been used as an excuse by sociopaths — of all faiths — forever.
What if people just made a point of not criticizing political beliefs? Or opinions on sports? Or a person’s taste in music? What a world that would be.
So basically no response to how our “country, religion and freedom is being stripped away.” That’s what I figured. INtelligent conversation isn’t really your forte.
Also, dear William, why do you care if somebody is criticizing something. When did we gain a right to not be offended? Who. Cares. Insult my religion or country or whatever you want. Doesn’t bother me in the least.
==What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs?==
“What if people would make a point to ignore it. I could care less what somebody writes or says or draws. If you do then you really need to get a life.”
The lunatic who massacred 69 children and eight adults in Norway in 2011 thought he was doing the Christian thing to save Europe and “the white race” from Islam.
Those Klan boys weren’t burning golden arches at their necktie parties.
Somewhere north of about seven billion people on the planet, including about 1.6 billon Muslims, manage to deal with insults without committing mass murder, every single day.
Fanatics like those in Paris represent and stand for nothing but their own nihilism.
Ask the kidnapped girls of Nigeria about their peaceful captors, rapists and murderers.
Ask the 20,000 Yazidis about how peaceful their life was before being rescued from Sinjar Mountain.
How about how peaceful the moderate Iranian leaders have been, peacefully hanging gays?
These fanatics didn’t write Sharia law. The guys who murdered the journalists in Paris, or beheaded them out in the desert wilderness were following Sharia law as they saw it.
And they weren’t wrong. Take a look at the law followed by these peaceful people and you’ll see that the punishment for a lot of what passes as typical lunchroom dialog is death.
Want to play the piano?
Want to dance “effeminately”?
Want to be a kid and joke about The Prophet?
Death.
When death is the recommended punishment for much of what passes without question in modern western society - you get an awful lot of peace.
Word: What VMan might be saying, no offense to VMan, Christopher Hitchens said better:
“But at the moment, it’s very clear to me the most toxic form that religion takes is the Islamic form… The whole idea of wanting to end up with Sharia with a religion-governed state — a state of religious law — and the best means of getting there is Jihad, Holy War, that Muslims have a special right to feel aggrieved enough to demand this is absolute obscene wickedness and I think their religion is nonsense, in its entirety.”
Respect what these “fanatics” were willing to die for. Then expect to face more of it in the future. Pretending, (or hoping), that these incidents are just lone wolf attacks does not give respect to what it is they killed for.
They didn’t write it. They were following it.
I don’t know what to do about this. But I am not going to pretend that these problems don’t exist. I’m not going to pretend we can ignore them. I am not going to appease them. I am not going to pass laws curbing our freedoms in order to pacify them because we can’t.
It wasn’t about the cartoons. It was about following their belief and doing what The Prophet told them to do about the people blaspheming him.
Recognize that and respect it. Then lets try to find a way to protect ourselves. Either they need to compromise with us, or we’ll have to lose a lot of what makes us modern.
===Recognize that and respect it. Then lets try to find a way to protect ourselves. Either they need to compromise with us, or we’ll have to lose a lot of what makes us modern.===
Hmm.
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Ben Franklin
If you’ve ever read about the Anarchists, you know there was a strain of anarchy that believed in the “propaganda of the deed.” They truly believed that if they set off bombs or whatever, then people would eventually be inspired.
Didn’t happen, of course, but it did result in mass incarcerations and deportations by the US government.
The anarchists eventually faded away. Islam is a thousand year old religion. And as long as the Saudis, Iranians and others are bankrolling the worst strains of that religion, the fanatics ain’t going away anytime soon.
I’m not sure what to do about this except tell them to f— off and not change or flinch just because they are trying to terrorize us. Terror is as much about the recipients as the perpetrators.
I’d also like to see more fracking, more conservation, more alt energy so we could cordone off those oil-rich dictatorships and let them rot.
The way to deal with it is more of what Charlie Hedbo did. It bothers me that the NYT, CNN, and others choose to obscure those cartoons as if somehow the sensibilities of those who support these acts and commit them somehow trump the legitimate story. It bothers me that News sources from Europe to here react in such a way to vindicate the animals that did this. Unintentionally they have handed the censorship pen to the barbarians.
good showing of ethical behavior by clerics from many faiths in france today. main mosque in Paris was the scene of Islamic, Jewish and Christian clerics calling for peace. several mosques in France made statements against violence. while it is true that “not all muslims,” it is quite helpful when people with peace in their hearts who are Muslim come out and speak for peace. this is true of people of all faiths. more of that kind of action needed.
=== I’d also like to see more fracking, more conservation, more alt energy so we could cordone off those oil-rich dictatorships and let them rot. ===
The Saudis are flooding the market with their oil since they have seen what the US is doing to become more independent. The Saudis want us to be dependent on them. Sometimes I think we should stop using our oil, use as much of theirs as quickly as possible to strip them of the resource. Then they can go back to their desert and their camels and will not be able to project their power anymore. A fantasy, but who knows?
There is little equality and rights in the Saudi kingdom. Talk about a war on women. The least of what they do is prevent them from driving. Unspeakable things are done to women in the name of Islam. We must resist them in all ways possible. We must not allow them to stop free speech.
With fracking, we’re extracting record oil and gas domestically. But the push is on now to allow for exports of oil and liquified natural gas. When that happens, we can all wear the chump hats for believing that our involvement in the Middle East was for our own energy needs and not to protect Big Oils interests.
The sectarian civil war in the Middle East is just getting started and they’re playing for keeps. We need to get out, now.
Look at the map. ISIS could never have constituted itself without the tacit approval of our good friends the Saudis and our NATO ally Turkey.
As it stands now, those two could attack ISIS on two fronts if they were so inclined and wipe them out. But they support their efforts to bring down Assad and the Shia regime in Baghdad.
So we find ourselves allied with Iran and Syria to fight ISIS.
wow, Maher on Kimmel. lots to discuss there for another time (really Kimmel, Gloria Allred is in league with the devil?) but it sure would be interesting to get Maher to do a play by play of the Inquisition. he is an equal opportunity appropriate hater of intolerance, and there is much intolerance with religion. the Crusades and the Inquisition were a long time ago, but on par with what is happening now. they don’t torture and murder people any longer, but the Roman Catholic church sure does still have lots of their own issues. Intolerance is intolerance. come on Ben Affleck!!!!
this is a very interesting article. makes the Isis trend on demolishing, oh, say the tomb of Jonah not seem so out of their mainstream. Problematic!!!!!
To those writing Je Suis Charlie, I’d add Je Suis Ahmed, the murdered French cop on the scene who happened to be a Muslim.
VMan, you can respect the murderers for “following their belief” as you put it, I’ll go with the cop defending civilization for all — believers of all faiths, or not — from the fanatics.
VMan, you don’t seem to understand the words you use or have a clear chain of thought.
I don’t know why you choose to respect sociopaths who pervert faith to commit murder, but no one is ignoring anything, and far from being an aberration, sociopaths have been murdering in the same of religion, ideology, race and more since the crust cooled.
This pair in Paris are no more religious warriors than the two from the Bundy ranch that murdered the two cops in Las Vegas were American patriots, or the nut who gunned down the cops in Brooklyn was a righteous avenger.
Murderous sociopaths, all, looking for a reason. Why you choose to make them any bigger than that is beyond me.
Yes I have been. I’ve been studying The Long Recession from 1872 and its impact on western society. The Anarchists period does have some fascinating parallels to today, doesn’t it? They were political and ideological and I think that is an important difference between them and Islam, which is religious.
One of my cousins and mentors is a newly-retired professor for religious warfare at Quantico.
No - you might be misinterpreting the differences between Sunni and Shia. Saudi Arabia is ruled by Sunni Muslims. Keeping the price low knocks the Shia oil production and hurts their economies since it costs more for them to produce oil than the Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia. The Sunni/Shia divide is favoring oil production at a lower price for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis are still making money at the lower barrel price and helping sap economic power at the same time from their rivals.
- Anonymoiis - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:32 am:
I don’t know, is it diverse enough to clear the PC hurdle? I mean, square shape with that’s all white is sure to offend somebody somewhere.
- anon. - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:33 am:
Why are you insulting Eskimos?
- PublicServant - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:36 am:
Polar bear in a snowstorm…please. Typical anti-global warming propaganda. There’s no snow up there anymore, just rain.
- chicago guy - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:36 am:
All I can say is: ” .”
- Alex P. Keaton - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:40 am:
This picture is triggering me. Please take it down.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:45 am:
God save us from the sociopaths who pervert faith to justify their wickedness.
- Tommydanger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:53 am:
Spot. On.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:56 am:
The unholy trinity of fear ~ control ~ power will not prevail.
- walker - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 11:59 am:
Is he implying we’re not responsible?
- vole - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
Dang, dude, that’s one big rolling paper! I’m not sure I can have that big of a carbon footprint riding my conscience.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
I think folks are missing the point of this tweet. To the 12 French victims of terrorism, rest in peace.
- Rhino Slider - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Allahu Akbar!
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Allahu rich miller!
- chica1 - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:27 pm:
This needs to be translated into at least 3 different languages, including braille if this is to be inclusive. great tweet.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
When did “all white” become ok?
- Amalia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:41 pm:
isn’t the story of the Charlie Hedbo massacre just so horrible!?! I’m regularly overwhelmed over the last 24+ hours at the horror but also at the outpouring of support all over Europe especially, in many different languages, and the smart commentary from artists and just plain regular folks. the piles of pens and pencils, gripping. Nous sommes tous Charlie. Vive les caricaturistes et les humoristiques!
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs?
- Snucka - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:01 pm:
There should be no such thing as a belief — that is, a mere thought — which cannot be criticized, examined and even mocked.
- Enviro - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:01 pm:
Are you saying we are too easily offended?
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:04 pm:
Great point enviro, btw please send me a picture of your mother so I can put it in a vile of urine and call it art, deal?
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:04 pm:
Je suis Charlie.
=== What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs? ===
So, free speech should only be that which is not offensive. Who decides what is offensive? That’s not how it works.
- Enviro - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:07 pm:
Advice to @ 12:47 pm
What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples’ mothers?
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:07 pm:
The issue of the “Christ in Urine” piece did not involve a desire to prevent folks from seeing it - it involved folks being unhappy that they were required to pay taxes to support something they found objectionable.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:08 pm:
WJK, you don’t think your first post on this thread would be insulting too many who seek to be insulted?
Personally, I’m going to make a point to stand with freedom of speech and civilization, and not be cowed by sociopaths who, if it wasnt a cartoon, would find another reason to commit murder.
Faith has been used as an excuse by sociopaths — of all faiths — forever.
- Levois - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:11 pm:
why isn’t that picture black? that picture is still excluding some unrepresented groups? we got to have that picture deleted.
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:11 pm:
Dupage, I knew a lame ass like you would seize on that, while your own country, religion and freedom is being stripped away.
- b-non - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:11 pm:
Nous sommes Charlie
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
If you want a picture of my mom, William J. Kelly, you’re just gonna to have to get a subscription to PornHub like everyone else.
– MrJM
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
==What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs?==
What if people would make a point to ignore it. I could care less what somebody writes or says or draws. If you do then you really need to get a life.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:14 pm:
==while your own country, religion and freedom is being stripped away.==
Another victim heard from. None. Of. That. Is. Happening. Dope.
- William j Kelly - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
Demoralized, your fake name says it all.
- Snucka - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:17 pm:
What if people just made a point of not criticizing political beliefs? Or opinions on sports? Or a person’s taste in music? What a world that would be.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:17 pm:
So basically no response to how our “country, religion and freedom is being stripped away.” That’s what I figured. INtelligent conversation isn’t really your forte.
- Apocalypse Now - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:18 pm:
Somewhere somehow a Muslim is offended.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:19 pm:
William, enough.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:19 pm:
Also, dear William, why do you care if somebody is criticizing something. When did we gain a right to not be offended? Who. Cares. Insult my religion or country or whatever you want. Doesn’t bother me in the least.
- Sunshine - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
I’m offended….I’m sure…but I’ll have to get back to you about what it is I’m offended? Please, hold my place in line.
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:22 pm:
“your own country, religion and freedom is being stripped away.”
That argument made more sense when it was used by the Confederacy.
Not much sense, but more.
– MrJM
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:23 pm:
^ Posted before I saw Rich’s comment.
- Enviro - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:23 pm:
@ 1:15 pm
Your confrontational attitude says it all.
- Jorge - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
Je Suis Charlie
- CapnCrunch - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
==What if people would just make a point of not insulting peoples religious beliefs?==
“What if people would make a point to ignore it. I could care less what somebody writes or says or draws. If you do then you really need to get a life.”
Sounds like you need to get a life.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
AN, fanatics claim all faiths.
The lunatic who massacred 69 children and eight adults in Norway in 2011 thought he was doing the Christian thing to save Europe and “the white race” from Islam.
Those Klan boys weren’t burning golden arches at their necktie parties.
And on, and on, and on…..
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
==Sounds like you need to get a life.==
Care to elaborate? I want somebody to tell me why they care. I’m all ears.
Seriously, I think people who get offended by words, cartoons, or whatever are morons.
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:44 pm:
“I think people who get offended by words, cartoons, or whatever are morons.”
I don’t think it’s moronic to take offense at offensive things. But an inability to bear offensive things is pathetic.
– MrJM
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
[I wondered when one of my comments would slip into the moderation holding pen]
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 1:51 pm:
==I don’t think it’s moronic to take offense at offensive things. But an inability to bear offensive things is pathetic.==
Better stated. Thanks.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 2:08 pm:
Somewhere north of about seven billion people on the planet, including about 1.6 billon Muslims, manage to deal with insults without committing mass murder, every single day.
Fanatics like those in Paris represent and stand for nothing but their own nihilism.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 2:38 pm:
Ask the kidnapped girls of Nigeria about their peaceful captors, rapists and murderers.
Ask the 20,000 Yazidis about how peaceful their life was before being rescued from Sinjar Mountain.
How about how peaceful the moderate Iranian leaders have been, peacefully hanging gays?
These fanatics didn’t write Sharia law. The guys who murdered the journalists in Paris, or beheaded them out in the desert wilderness were following Sharia law as they saw it.
And they weren’t wrong. Take a look at the law followed by these peaceful people and you’ll see that the punishment for a lot of what passes as typical lunchroom dialog is death.
Want to play the piano?
Want to dance “effeminately”?
Want to be a kid and joke about The Prophet?
Death.
When death is the recommended punishment for much of what passes without question in modern western society - you get an awful lot of peace.
Is that what you meant?
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 2:45 pm:
Are you talking to yourself, VMan, or anyone in particular? And what’s your point?
- Nonplussed - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:05 pm:
Word: What VMan might be saying, no offense to VMan, Christopher Hitchens said better:
“But at the moment, it’s very clear to me the most toxic form that religion takes is the Islamic form… The whole idea of wanting to end up with Sharia with a religion-governed state — a state of religious law — and the best means of getting there is Jihad, Holy War, that Muslims have a special right to feel aggrieved enough to demand this is absolute obscene wickedness and I think their religion is nonsense, in its entirety.”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:08 pm:
Je suis Charlie…
Je suis Charlie
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:14 pm:
Respect what these “fanatics” were willing to die for. Then expect to face more of it in the future. Pretending, (or hoping), that these incidents are just lone wolf attacks does not give respect to what it is they killed for.
They didn’t write it. They were following it.
I don’t know what to do about this. But I am not going to pretend that these problems don’t exist. I’m not going to pretend we can ignore them. I am not going to appease them. I am not going to pass laws curbing our freedoms in order to pacify them because we can’t.
It wasn’t about the cartoons. It was about following their belief and doing what The Prophet told them to do about the people blaspheming him.
Recognize that and respect it. Then lets try to find a way to protect ourselves. Either they need to compromise with us, or we’ll have to lose a lot of what makes us modern.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:17 pm:
===Recognize that and respect it. Then lets try to find a way to protect ourselves. Either they need to compromise with us, or we’ll have to lose a lot of what makes us modern.===
Hmm.
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Ben Franklin
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
VMan, you respect them. Thats your choice.
I understand, for reasons of your own, that you’re trying to lump all Muslims in with these murderers, ISIS, and other fanatics.
By that logic, all Christians are Klan members, or followers of Wesboro Baptist.
Google “Muslims condemn Paris murders” if you care to educate yourself.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:25 pm:
===Either they need to compromise with us, ===
Fanatics don’t compromise.
If you’ve ever read about the Anarchists, you know there was a strain of anarchy that believed in the “propaganda of the deed.” They truly believed that if they set off bombs or whatever, then people would eventually be inspired.
Didn’t happen, of course, but it did result in mass incarcerations and deportations by the US government.
The anarchists eventually faded away. Islam is a thousand year old religion. And as long as the Saudis, Iranians and others are bankrolling the worst strains of that religion, the fanatics ain’t going away anytime soon.
I’m not sure what to do about this except tell them to f— off and not change or flinch just because they are trying to terrorize us. Terror is as much about the recipients as the perpetrators.
I’d also like to see more fracking, more conservation, more alt energy so we could cordone off those oil-rich dictatorships and let them rot.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:40 pm:
Actually, I believe contemporary, extreme terrorism is the result of the loss of powerful dictators in the Middle East and surrounding countries.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:41 pm:
Wensicia, the alleged perps in France were born and raised in France.
- Mason born - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:42 pm:
IMHO
The way to deal with it is more of what Charlie Hedbo did. It bothers me that the NYT, CNN, and others choose to obscure those cartoons as if somehow the sensibilities of those who support these acts and commit them somehow trump the legitimate story. It bothers me that News sources from Europe to here react in such a way to vindicate the animals that did this. Unintentionally they have handed the censorship pen to the barbarians.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/cartoons/2015/01/beeler0108.html
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:43 pm:
Yes, but their message and tactics were imported.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:46 pm:
They were imported from Saudi Arabia, which is hardly democratic.
The Sauds have built tons of Wahabbi mosques in France over the past two decades. Look it up. They’re exporting their intolerance.
- Amalia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
good showing of ethical behavior by clerics from many faiths in france today. main mosque in Paris was the scene of Islamic, Jewish and Christian clerics calling for peace. several mosques in France made statements against violence. while it is true that “not all muslims,” it is quite helpful when people with peace in their hearts who are Muslim come out and speak for peace. this is true of people of all faiths. more of that kind of action needed.
- Ghost - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
Wasnt there some famius painting that sold for tens of thousands of dollars and was hust a blank canvas?
- DaBears - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:58 pm:
Leaving this here, Bill Maher’s appearance on Kimmel last night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PioHDGEt6BM
- DaBears - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:00 pm:
- Ghost - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
==Wasnt there some famius painting that sold for tens of thousands of dollars and was hust a blank canvas?==
http://www.artsumo.com/blog/post/4/They_Paid_What_Top_10_Absurd_Paintings_that_Sold_for_Millions/
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:02 pm:
“Wasn’t there some famous painting that sold for tens of thousands of dollars and was just a blank canvas?”
“A canvas is never empty”. — Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008)
http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/singular_forms/highlights_1a.html
– MrJM
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:18 pm:
=== I’d also like to see more fracking, more conservation, more alt energy so we could cordone off those oil-rich dictatorships and let them rot. ===
The Saudis are flooding the market with their oil since they have seen what the US is doing to become more independent. The Saudis want us to be dependent on them. Sometimes I think we should stop using our oil, use as much of theirs as quickly as possible to strip them of the resource. Then they can go back to their desert and their camels and will not be able to project their power anymore. A fantasy, but who knows?
There is little equality and rights in the Saudi kingdom. Talk about a war on women. The least of what they do is prevent them from driving. Unspeakable things are done to women in the name of Islam. We must resist them in all ways possible. We must not allow them to stop free speech.
To WJK, bite me.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:42 pm:
Rich, you and me both.
With fracking, we’re extracting record oil and gas domestically. But the push is on now to allow for exports of oil and liquified natural gas. When that happens, we can all wear the chump hats for believing that our involvement in the Middle East was for our own energy needs and not to protect Big Oils interests.
The sectarian civil war in the Middle East is just getting started and they’re playing for keeps. We need to get out, now.
Look at the map. ISIS could never have constituted itself without the tacit approval of our good friends the Saudis and our NATO ally Turkey.
As it stands now, those two could attack ISIS on two fronts if they were so inclined and wipe them out. But they support their efforts to bring down Assad and the Shia regime in Baghdad.
So we find ourselves allied with Iran and Syria to fight ISIS.
It’s absurd. Let them work it out.
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:55 pm:
“I don’t argue that the cartoons aren’t toxic. I do argue that that toxin is a necessary part of an ecosystem.” — Art Spiegelman, cartoonist.
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/1/8/comics_legend_art_spiegelman_scholar_tariq#
- Amalia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 4:59 pm:
wow, Maher on Kimmel. lots to discuss there for another time (really Kimmel, Gloria Allred is in league with the devil?) but it sure would be interesting to get Maher to do a play by play of the Inquisition. he is an equal opportunity appropriate hater of intolerance, and there is much intolerance with religion. the Crusades and the Inquisition were a long time ago, but on par with what is happening now. they don’t torture and murder people any longer, but the Roman Catholic church sure does still have lots of their own issues. Intolerance is intolerance. come on Ben Affleck!!!!
- Amalia - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 5:50 pm:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/opinion/the-destruction-of-mecca.html?_r=0
this is a very interesting article. makes the Isis trend on demolishing, oh, say the tomb of Jonah not seem so out of their mainstream. Problematic!!!!!
- Casual Observer - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 6:09 pm:
If I said what I think about these extremists (pick your religion, party affiliation or any topic of choice) Rich would censor or ban me. Ironic, no?
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 8:07 pm:
Casual Observer,
There’s nothing ironic about editorial judgment or being a gracious guest.
– MrJM
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 8:12 pm:
To those writing Je Suis Charlie, I’d add Je Suis Ahmed, the murdered French cop on the scene who happened to be a Muslim.
VMan, you can respect the murderers for “following their belief” as you put it, I’ll go with the cop defending civilization for all — believers of all faiths, or not — from the fanatics.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 9:44 pm:
Respect it. Then defeat it. Don’t ignore it and pretend the attacks are an aberration.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 8, 15 @ 10:15 pm:
VMan, you don’t seem to understand the words you use or have a clear chain of thought.
I don’t know why you choose to respect sociopaths who pervert faith to commit murder, but no one is ignoring anything, and far from being an aberration, sociopaths have been murdering in the same of religion, ideology, race and more since the crust cooled.
This pair in Paris are no more religious warriors than the two from the Bundy ranch that murdered the two cops in Las Vegas were American patriots, or the nut who gunned down the cops in Brooklyn was a righteous avenger.
Murderous sociopaths, all, looking for a reason. Why you choose to make them any bigger than that is beyond me.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:01 am:
If you’ve ever read about the Anarchists…
Yes I have been. I’ve been studying The Long Recession from 1872 and its impact on western society. The Anarchists period does have some fascinating parallels to today, doesn’t it? They were political and ideological and I think that is an important difference between them and Islam, which is religious.
One of my cousins and mentors is a newly-retired professor for religious warfare at Quantico.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:08 am:
The Saudis want us to be dependent on them.
No - you might be misinterpreting the differences between Sunni and Shia. Saudi Arabia is ruled by Sunni Muslims. Keeping the price low knocks the Shia oil production and hurts their economies since it costs more for them to produce oil than the Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia. The Sunni/Shia divide is favoring oil production at a lower price for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis are still making money at the lower barrel price and helping sap economic power at the same time from their rivals.