A compilation of information and links regarding assorted subjects: politics, religion, science, computers, health, movies, music... essentially whatever I'm reading about, working on or experiencing in life.
Showing posts with label Moderate Muslims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moderate Muslims. Show all posts
Cairo (CNN) -- Egypt's first ever democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, will make history in another way: by appointing a woman as vice president, his policy adviser told CNN.
He will also choose another vice president who is Christian, Ahmed Deif said.
The news came as the man Morsi beat for the presidency, Ahmed Shafik, left Egypt on a trip to Abu Dhabi, and as Cairo's administrative court overturned a rule that allowed the military to arrest people without a warrant.
"For the first time in Egyptian history -- not just modern but in all Egyptian history -- a woman will take that position," Deif told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Monday, referring to one of the vice presidency slots. "And it's not just a vice president who will represent a certain agenda and sect, but a vice president who is powerful and empowered, and will be taking care of critical advising within the presidential Cabinet."
Although Morsi has previously argued for banning women from the presidency, he said before the election that as president he would stand for women's rights.
"The role of women in Egyptian society is clear," Morsi told Amanpour through a translator weeks before the runoff election. "Women's rights are equal to men. Women have complete rights, just like men. There shouldn't be any kind of distinction between Egyptians except that is based on the constitution and the law."
The Islamist figure, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, also promised to ensure rights of minorities.
Egypt "definitely" will not be an "Islamic Republic," Deif said Monday. [...]
Is it just window dressing, or will it be substantial? Only time will tell.
I don't expect miracles, and all politics has a certain amount of posturing. But I would really like to believe that it's true, for real, and that Egypt can solve it's difficulties. I've posted in the past about the Muslim Brotherhood's history, and it wasn't nice. Yet I've been told, and have read, that the modern Muslim Brotherhood is different; that they have evolved into something better.
I really hope that's true. We shall see. Actions speak louder than words.
[...] Dr. Sultan is currently in hiding somewhere in this country after an appearance on March 4th on the Islamofascists’ favorite television network, Al-Jazeera. In the course of a heated debate about the Danish cartoons with an Egyptian Islamist named Tal'at Rmeih, she bravely declared:
“All religions and faiths, throughout the history of humanity, have been subject to criticism and affronts. With time, this has helped in their reform and development. Any belief that chops off the heads of its critics is doomed to turn into terrorism and tyranny. This has been the condition of Islam, from its inception to this day. Islam has sentenced [its critics] to prison, and whoever crosses the threshold of that prison meets his death. The Danish cartoons have managed to break down the first brick in the wall of that prison, and to open up a window, through which the sunrays enter, after a lengthy darkness. The Danish newspaper exercised its freedom of speech. Liberties are the holiest thing in the West, and nothing is more important. But if Islam were not the way it is, those cartoons would never have appeared.”
Dr. Sultan added: “If you want to change the course of events, you must reexamine your terrorist teachings, you must recognize and respect the right of the other to live, you must teach your children love, peace, coexistence, and productive work. When you do that, the world will respect you, will consider you in a better light, and will draw you in a better light.”
On March 16, one of the world’s preeminent Islamofascists, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi took to the airwaves of Al Jazeera to denounce Wafa Sultan and provide the religious basis for her murder. [...]
As if that isn't bad enough, the Murderous Sheik and his colleagues are engaged by prominent commercial institutions to serve as “Shariah advisors” ... read the whole article for the details. Such murderous thugs do not need to be supported by Westerners, and we certainly shouldn't be supporting commercial institutions that support them.
Here are Youtube videos, excerpts of the of the Al Jazeera appearance by Dr. Sultan on March 4th:
Dr. Sultan debates an Egyptian Islamist, Tal'at Rmeih, on the current state of Western-Islamic relations against the backdrop of the Danish Cartoon Scandal. The clips are divided into two segments, each is about 6 minutes long.
Al Jazeera later issued an apology for letting her speak, and on a later show, Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi takes it further... see the article for more details.
While it is certainly true that not all Muslims are our enemies, and we are not at war with the whole of Islam, it's clear that a portion of Islam is at war with us, whether we wish it or not. Those among us who support that war need to be exposed for who they are, and treated accordingly.
In response to the controversy over a movie about Muslims that is soon to be aired in Holland, an author renames the title of his upcomming book about Islam to ride the wave of controversy. Elaib Harvey at the Brussels Journal reports:
Reported via the Dutch blog Klein Verzet is the story of Professor Hans Jansen who seems to have put the cat amongst the pigeons by renaming his forthcoming book “Reading the Koran for Unbelievers.” In the light of the Dutch Government's panic about Fitna, the film made by Geert Wilders, it appears that he has changed the name to, “Islam for Pigs, Apes, Mules and Other Beasts: 250 Questions about Islam.”
Now Professor Jansen seems to be pretty serious about his work, and currently holds his tenure at Utrecht University, his CV seems kosher, [...]
Interesting. The full article has some excerpts from the book.
Another interesting article by Tiberge at the Brussel's Journal has a look at the growing Islamic population of France:
Syrian-born Los Angeles Psychiatrist Wafa Sultan does an interview, in English, for Danish TV. The interview is about 9 minutes long. She offers many interesting insights with her views of Islam and the Muslim world, and what she hopes to accomplish by speaking out.
Here is a great video, demonstrating a contrast of cultures. Every culture has hopes and dreams for their children, but most cultures aren't indoctrinating their children into a murder-suicide death cult.
I was informed about this video in the comments section of my post about the Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony on Hamas TV. I'm pleased that my blog is referenced at the end of the video. Thank you, x-dhimmi (Deb).
As the presidential elections draw near, demonstrations have been increasing. The crescent and star, an Islamic symbol, is also the national flag of Turkey, which has been displayed prominently as Turks rally in support of their secular democracy.
I've wanted to post about this for a while now. Turks have been taking to the streets in massive demonstrations, in support of keeping their government secular. Here are a selection of posts and photos that have been appearing on Memri.org.
[...] Tens of thousands rallied yesterday, May 5, in cities in western Turkey to protest against the AKP party and Islamist fundamentalism, and to assert that the Turkish people desires a secular, democratic Turkey.
Following the giant demonstrations in Ankara (April 14) and in Istanbul (April 29), the protests have spread throughout Turkey. The western Turkish cities of Amasya and Canakkale witnessed today the largest demonstrations in their history. These protests, like the previous demonstrations, were organized and supported mainly by women’s organizations.
A third protest rally took place yesterday in Marmaris, a resort town on the Aegean coast. The messages delivered by demonstrators there were the same as protestors expressed in previous rallies: "Turkey is secular and will remain secular," "No imams and mullahs in Cankaya," "No to Shari’a."[...]
I had wondered these photos some of the demonstrators were carrying. The explanation is given below:
[...] Among the tens of thousands of flags that filled the streets with red was a large poster showing a 1986 photo of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan kneeling before terrorist leader Hikmetyar, with the caption "This is You [AKP]," alongside a 1930s photo of Ataturk with the ruling government of his time, in modern Western attire, with the caption "And This is Us."[...]
This is just the latest, there have been earlier demonstrations as well:
Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated peacefully to protest against Turkish PM Erdogan as president, the policy of the AKP government, and the Islamization of Turkey, and in defense of the core values of the republic and of the reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The crowd included large numbers of women and children, and the streets were red with Turkish flags – some of them miles long. All the speeches were by academicians and officials of NGOs.
Signs carried by demonstrators read: "We don't want an imam in Cankaya (the presidential residence)"; "Turkey is secular and will remain secular"; "I am aware of the danger and I am here" (see relevant clips at Turkish Elections Ad ; More Turkish Elections Ad) [see article for links]; "We are aware of the danger and of our strength"; "No mullahs in Cankaya"; "The road to Cankaya is closed to shari'a"; "Those who kneel at the feet of Gulbettin Hikmetyar cannot sit in Cankaya"; "We respect faith but not fundamentalism"; "Democracy is not tolerance of fundamentalism"; "No military boot and no takunya [slippers worn by Islamists]; "Canyaka belongs to the [Turkish] people"; and "The Turkish people are called to duty!" [...]
There were also demonstrations against the murders of three Christians by Islamist extremists:
Turkey's mainstream media is headlining its front-page stories on yesterday's murders in Malatya "Savagery" (see "Turkish Daily: Three Dead in Grisly Attack at Bible Publishing House").
Protestors at a demonstration in Istanbul hours after the murders carried signs saying "We Are All Christians" (see photo).
While foreign media have been attributing the execution-style murders to increasing Turkish nationalism, the Turkish press is pointing fingers at the growing Islamism and intolerance over the last few years.
The three Christian victims, two Turks and a German citizen, worked in the city of Malatya at a branch of the Zirve publishing house, which prints and distributes Christian Bibles. According to reports, five assailants entered their third floor office, bound the victims' hands and feet, and slit their throats. [...]
(bold emphasis mine) This is all quite amazing. While Turkey is hardly a liberal paradise by Western standards, it IS liberal by Muslim standards; it is unique in the Muslim world.
The Turks, the majority hopefully, value their secular government, and they know they have to fight the extremists to keep it. There have been increasing attempts to curb free expression in Turkey. The Turkish courts seem to be ruling mostly in favor of the defendants thus far. The people are aware of the danger. My hopes are with them for success.
The film, which was supposed to be part of a PBS series, cost taxpayers more than $600,000. Now after spending that money making it, PBS is not going to show it, because they have decided it is "one-sided" and "alarmist." Here are some excerpts from an article at CNSNews.com:
[...] "Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center," a 52-minute, taxpayer-funded documentary, was originally slated to be screened as part of an 11-part PBS series called "America at a Crossroads," examining post-9/11 challenges facing the nation.
The series began airing for the first time last week on WETA, the Washington, D.C., PBS affiliate, but "Islam vs. Islamists" has been dropped from the lineup.
Hollywood veteran Martyn Burke of ABG films co-produced the film with Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, and Gaffney's CSP colleague Alex Alexiev, who specializes in Islamic extremism.
The film, which cost more than $600,000 to produce, focuses on conflicts that have erupted within the Muslim community in the U.S., Canada, Denmark and France.
[...]
Burke told the audience that PBS and WETA advisors and producers had objected to the participation of conservatives Gaffney and Alexiev. A "bitter fight" ensued over the content of the film, and the PBS/WETA criticisms became increasingly "hysterical," he said.
"PBS is doing what the Islamists are doing," Burke charged. "They are silencing these people [Muslim moderates]."
The producers said PBS replaced their film with another one, "The Muslim Americans," which Gaffney called "a triumph for the Islamists," saying it promoted a perspective in line with that of America's enemies. For his part, Alexiev claimed that the replacement film paints a "fawning portrait" of U.S. organizations with extremist ties. [...]
(bold emphasis mine) PBS once again is using taxpayer money to promote their own agenda. Where is the balance? There was also a conflict of interest involved with the selection of the replacement film, you can read the full article for details.
The cut film featured Naser Khader, the Muslim member of the Danish Parliament, whom I've posted about before. He is a very articulate moderate Muslim, who has been receiving death threats for speaking out. Voices like his need to be heard, not suppressed. We have already heard plenty from extremists pretending to be moderate in order to promote their own world view.
