Islam: Violence is Not the Defining Value

Neither Violence Nor Peace Is An Absolute Value in Islam

Sherman Jackson (Newsweek and Washington Post)

… Islam holds neither violence nor peace to be absolute values. Both are conditioned by geopolitical reality and the Muslim assessment of which is most consistent with a dignified existence. Many in the West have been misled to believe that this “dignified existence” can only obtain when the world is emptied of all non-Muslims. This makes for good fear-mongering and sells lots of books. But we should remind ourselves that at the height of Muslim power — with no United Nations and no Amnesty International! – Jews thrived in Morocco, Christians in Cairo and even Zoroastrians in Shiraz. Meanwhile, one could not be a Muslim in Paris, London or the Chesapeake Bay before the 19th century!

Crossroads: Bad Muslims and Not-So-Bad Muslims

Alison Weir was part of a group invited to preview excerpts of the “America at a Crossroads” series prior to its official debut last week on PBS. She was not impressed.

Some Muslims Are Not Bad

The Message of PBS’s “Crossroads” Series

Alison Weir (CounterPunch)

… it appears that much of the series contains subtle, intellectually “acceptable” Muslim-bashing. While the title of the series claims that it is focusing on America, many of the clips seemed to be focusing, over and over again, on Islam, largely examining “bad Muslims” (the majority) with a few “good Muslims” thrown in (often consisting of those who bash bad Muslims)…

Iraq: US Constructing Wall in Baghdad; Separation of Sunni District from Shia

Needless to say, Sunni residents of Adhamiya, the Sunni district to be cut off by the 12-foot high, 3-mile long wall, are not pleased.

U.S. Erects Baghdad Wall to Keep Sects Apart

Edward Wong and David S. Cloud (NY Times)

American military commanders in Baghdad are trying a radical new strategy to quell the widening sectarian violence by building a 12-foot-high, three-mile-long wall separating a historic Sunni enclave from Shiite neighborhoods…

Iraq: Detainees Beaten By Iraqi Troops, then Handed Over to US

Detainees “softened up” by Iraqi soldiers before being turned over to US troops for interrogation. The extent of the problem is unknown; and the beatings are illegal under American and Iraqi laws.

After Iraqi Troops Do Dirty Work, 3 Detainees Talk

Alissa Rubin (NY Times)

2006: Europol Terrorism Report

Even accounting for failed terrorist attempts, Muslim terrorists in Europe can’t hold a candle to non-Muslims.

A Neglected Report from Europol

The Islamic Threat to Europe: By the Numbers

Kristoffer Larsson (CounterPunch)

The actual report can be read on Europol’s web site at http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/TESAT/TESAT2007.pdf

Travel: Is There a Shortcut?

Try this:

Go to Google Maps .

Click the Get Directions link.

For Start Address type New York.

For End Address type London.

Click Get Directions.

Now scroll to  steps 23 and 24. 

Malaysia: Dead Beat Dads Disobey Sharia Court Orders

Sisters In Islam suggests Malaysia adapt the methods of the UK and Australia, which have government agencies devoted to child support issues, or of Canada, which suspends the passports and licenses of dead beat dads.

Malaysia’s Muslim men shirk financial duties to divorced wives, activists say

(Associated Press)

Many Malaysian Muslim men who divorce their wives are ignoring their responsibility to provide for their children because the Islamic legal system fails to punish them, a women’s rights group said Saturday.

Sisters In Islam said women who were unable to get their ex-husbands to pay child support comprised nearly one-third of the 214 complaints it received in the first three months of 2007, adding that those cases constitute “only a small fraction of what is happening.”