Category Archives: Religion

didja hear the one about the Jew on the plane?

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TerrorcatWell, he got booted off pretty quickly. Looks like Canada is all over that TWAT thing.

In good Canadian fashion, they are completely equal-opportunity and utterly non-discriminatory about it.

Everyone freaks them out.

Jewish man removed from airplane for praying
Tuesday, September 5, 2006 | 11:12 PM ET
CBC News

Some fellow passengers are questioning why an Happy HasidOrthodox Jewish man was removed from an Air Canada Jazz flight in Montreal last week for praying.

The man was a passenger on a Sept. 1 flight from Montreal to New York City when the incident happened.

The airplane was heading toward the runway at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport when eyewitnesses said the Orthodox man began to pray.

“He was clearly a Hasidic Jew,” said Yves Faguy, a passenger seated nearby. “He had some sort of cover over his head. He was reading from a book.

“He wasn’t exactly praying out loud but he was lurching back and forth,” Faguy added.

The action didn’t seem to bother anyone, Faguy said, but a flight attendant approached the man and told him his praying was making other passengers nervous.

“The attendant actually recognized out loud that he wasn’t a Muslim and that she was sorry for the situation but they had to ask him to leave,” Faguy said.

The man, who spoke neither English nor French, was escorted off the airplane.

Air Canada Jazz termed the situation “delicate,” but says it received more than one complaint about the man’s behaviour.

The crew had to act in the interest of the majority of passengers, said Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stewart.

“The passenger did not speak English or French, so we really had no choice but to return to the gate to secure a translator,” she said.

The airline is not saying if the man was told he was not allowed to pray, but a spokesperson said the man was back on board the next flight to New York.

Jewish leaders in Montreal criticized the move as insensitive, saying the flight attendants should have explained to the other passengers that the man was simply praying and doing no harm.

Hasidic Rabbi Ronny Fine said he often prays on airplanes, but typically only gets curious stares.

“If it’s something that you’re praying in your own seat and not taking over the whole plane, I don’t think it should be a problem,” said Fine.

The Jewish group B’nai Brith Canada has offered to help give Air Canada crews sensitivity training.

Yep, better keep an eye on them for sure!

9/11 5.0

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from the Archive

September eleventh feels weird. It won’t ever feel normal again, not for those of us old enough to flip channels or turn on the radio.

Safeway has turkeys on special, right there in glorious colour, 4X6 on the front page of their flyer, with a patriotic red-white-and-blue backdrop, which would be understandable if it were Thanksgiving or America, but it is neither. It is September eleventh, in Canada.

Of course, they could move the US Thanksgiving up to 9/11. The original settlers had lost many of their members by Thanksgiving, so it was a bittersweet time for them, too. In part, it was a chance to rejoice that they were still alive, that they had worked together and survived adversity and reached across borders with extended hands, making friends and acknowledging that we are all in this together. That seems appropriate for 9/11; rather than mourn a day of attack, celebrate the “Let’s roll” American spirit of bold action and the subsequent coalition-building that indicates the US has reached maturity and leads more from the power of earned respect than from the power of adolescent riches or force.

I wonder about the way I spent the first hours of 9/11 today. Shortly after midnight I went to one of my favorite sites, The Smoking Gun (www.thesmokinggun.com) to read their Document of the Day. This is usually an arrest report on some two-bit celebrity, but they’ve also featured “How we bought John Gotti’s Pants,” the dress code for P. Diddy‘s birthday party, and shots of a Survivor contestant participating in hardcore porn. Today it was different. Very different.

When I saw it I knew I had to be listening to Dead City Radio, the William S. Burroughs album which features both his Thanksgiving Day Prayer and readings from the Book of Revelations.

“Thanks for a nation where nobody’s allowed to mind his own business…

thanks for the American Dream, to  vugarize and falsify until the bare lies shine through…

thanks for a continent to dispoil and pillage…

thanks for a nation of finks…

thanks for the last and greatest betrayal of the last and greatest of human dreams.”

What was it that I saw there? Al-Qaeda’s terrorism manual in full, and in English. It took me an hour to download. Every now and then I stopped and asked myself if I was doing the right thing; I still don’t know for sure. “Know thine enemy” is a pretty big component of my mental life, but there’s also a fascination with the dark side; I just like to look at it, it’s interesting. So I wondered if this was voyeurism or historical interest. Certainly I believed that the site would be forced to take it down in 24 hours at most, so if I didn’t grab it now it would be gone.

Was this just another thing to put on the shelf beside Aleister Crowley and the Anarchist’s Cookbook, or was this in a separate category? Those other books caused pain and even death to innocents in their day, the difference is that this one caused so much, and so recently, and to allies. Sure, getting this info is in execrable taste, I acknowledge that, but besides an aesthetic distaste, is it wrong?

Certainly it could have had better timing; it could not have had worse.

Now I wonder about that. I have been thinking about the events of a year ago more because of this book than because of any single other reason. I have been thinking about the victims, about innocence and war and how in the name of God anyone could do this, believing it right. I have read part of the book; its tone is kind, respectful and encouraging. It also takes events of war and puts them into a theological context; not just what to expect and what to do, but what that means to God, and what God means to you. I don’t believe that any padre in the American military could do as good a job of making clear the importance of human action in a metaphysical context. They give meaning to actions; if the Americans, or indeed any secular force, could call on this power they could defeat these outcasts easily, but they cannot. They have to fight this war keeping Church and State separate, though war is the crucible that brings them together; are there athiests in foxholes?

Obviously I have more thinking to do, and no typing until I have done it.

Rick and roll!

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Mercer's not too sure about you, pal.

Mercer‘s back, and raincoaster’s got him (ah, if only)! Actually, he’s been back for ten days but before that he hadn’t updated since April, so serves him right for the fact I didn’t find out till today!

Still, we’re not proud and we will take what we can get.

I see that Jack Layton has distinguished himself on the international front by coming up with a solution for the Afghanistan situation. Jack is calling for peace talks with the Taliban. About time the NDP get back to their more loony roots. For a while there they were coming off all semi-sensible.

Rest assured if there are peace talks with the Taliban and Jack Layton The Mercer Report will be there! I’ve attended a lot of political events over the years and as a location I would suggest holding the talks in one of the ball rooms at the casino in Hull.

I think you might be able to smoke there and I’m guessing the Taliban would appreciate that. All the Taliban really require to have a good time is an ashtray and a few de-peopled women making sure there’s a steady supply of unsafe drinking water.

Agenda for Historic Peace talks between Jack Mercer is shocked, shocked I tell you!Layton and Taliban leader – room 202 Casino Du Lac Leamy, Quebec

8:00 am – Jack Layton opening comments and welcome to assembled media and Taliban representative.

8:05 am – Taliban representative walks to podium, poses for photographs with Mr. Layton.

8:06 am – Taliban representative cleaves Mr. Layton in the forehead with giant axe.

8:08 am – Peace talks end.

8:10 am – Olivia Chow says she is “encouraged by talks” – announces plan to run for leadership of NDP.

What else is going on? On the Liberal front I was encouraged to read that Michael Ignatieff will not accept any questions from the media that are “anticipatory hypotheticals”. I’m glad he made this clear because I hope to interview him on the show this year and I appreciate the heads up. Truth is I like Iggy but honestly sometimes I don’t know what in the hell he’s talking about. I thought all hypotheticals were anticipatory! I am so stupid sometimes. I googled the phrase “anticipatory hypothetical” and there are only seven known uses in the history of the English language. The term pops up on a website called indiansex.com and it’s also used in an essay written by some dude in Iowa who believes that robots have taken over the world.

And finally on a sad note that crocodile hunter guy was killed by a stingray. Laugh and the world laughs with you, get killed by a benign piece of seafood and the world laughs too apparently. Showbiz is brutal that way.

Welcome back.

Anticipatory bestseller?

giant crustacean invades US, commandeers transport

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Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn no more!

from Fark

Ia! Ia! Cthulhu nafthftagn!!!

PSA: email Musharraf for women’s rights

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Pakistani woman 

From Eteraz:

This is a call for action, read on for details.

I am sitting in a half empty taxi stand where the owner has let me use the computer for free because I have some urgent breaking news on the Women’s Protection Bill. Popes and Mullahs keep fighting.

So the “compromised” bill (which I called a Minimalist victory), did not get sent to the Parliament. It got sent BACK to the select committee (for MORE review). Mostly this is because Musharraf’s backers complained about the Mullahs to the General. (There is some good in having a General on your side). Now, sources tell me, nothing will happen on the bill until Big Brother comes back on October 1.

This means that the FULL REFORMIST VERSION OF THE BILL STILL HAS HOPE.

So the current plan is to get as many liberal people (in Pakistan and outside) to sign off on a simple petition, which will read:

We believe that you should support the passage of the Women’s Protection Act in the form proposed by the Select Committee of Parliament. The passage of that bill would be a significant step forwards in the protection of women’s rights in Pakistan and an achievement for which you would always be remembered.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND, sources tell me, that the BATTLE IS NOT IN PARLIAMENT ANYMORE – IT IS IN MUSHARRAF’S LIVING ROOM.

The reformists are going to get as many names and MORE IMPORTANTLY WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUPS to sign off on this petition and run a full page ad with the above language when Musharraf returns home.They will be going door to door in Pakistan. They are risking their lives.

What WE ON THE OUTSIDE CAN DO IS THE FOLLOWING: We must write to the President and SAY THAT HE SHOULD SUPPORT THE SELECT COMMITEE BILL. You can cut and paste the above quoted language, even that much would be enough, but you can always add more.

Use Musharraf’s website to write to him. Make sure you use your name and location.

Remember, he needs to hear from articulate people saying that they support this. He is going to be on THE DAILY SHOW with John Stewart ON SEPTEMBER 26TH PEDDLING HIS ‘ENLIGHTENED’ BOOK. Clearly this is a man who is looking for modernist supporters (let’s for this issue put aside the non-democratic nature of his leadership). WRITE TO HIM.

Below is a news item from Daily Times that reveals why the Select Committee Bill is so good. The bill addresses, not just rape, but domestic violence, and a host of other problems like forced marriages.

In my opinion, no voice is more important, at this point, than that of Western Muslim women, and Women’s Group of any all stripe. I encourage Feministing and Feministe (with their huge readerships) to make this their cause celebre. If someone wants to make a Kos Diary out of this, feel free. I especially encourage people of Pakistani descent and connection to write. Like I said, you can simply use the above quoted language.

Please write!

Goodbye.

Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation HQ

Govt to table amended draft of Women’s Protection Bill: Shujaat

By Mohammad Imran

ISLAMABAD: President of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Friday said the government had decided to table an amended draft of the Protection of Women Bill in the select committee while introducing some new proposals in it.

These proposals include an end to cruel customs like vani, swara, karo kari, marriages to the Quran, violence against women, the sale and purchase of women, etc. “The government will formally request Chaudhry Amir Hussain, the speaker of the National Assembly, to refer the amended draft of the bill to the select committee,” said Shujaat while speaking at a press conference here at the PML house.

PML Secretary-General Mushahid Hussein Syed, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani and Minister of State for Information Senator Tariq Azim were also present on the occasion.

Shujaat said the select committee would also discuss six new proposals along with the amended version of the bill. The PML president said the government would have the bill passed during the ongoing National Assembly session.

Elaborating the PML proposals, Shujaat said these included legislation against domestic violence, particularly violence against women by their fathers, brothers or husbands; justice to the victim within 90 days; legislation to protect women’s right to inheritance; laws to stop forced marriages and their inclusion in Tazir; laws banning marriages with the Quran; declaration of watta-satta a crime; and stopping the sale and purchase of women. He said these proposals would also be incorporated in the amended draft of the Protection of Women Bill.

He said the debate on the bill had continued for the last few weeks and the basic purpose of the bill was to protect women’s rights, but that it had been politicised and some people had tried to dub it un-Islamic. Shujaat said he and National Assembly opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman had decided to consult prominent religious scholars so that no part of the bill would go against provisions of the Quran and Sunnah.

He said various proposals had come from NGOs and civil society organisations, which would also be incorporated in the bill. He said the bill would be made comprehensive and that instead of focussing only on Zina bil Jabr (rape) or Zina bil Raza (adultery), other women’s rights should also be protected. He also regretted the Pope’s recent statement and termed the remarks against jihad and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) harmful to world peace and harmony. He said that the Islamic world should engage in dialogue with the West so that the two could understand each other better.

Senator Mushahid Hussain said the basic problems facing Pakistani women were un-Islamic traditions like vani, swara, karo kari etc.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed has also indicated his party’s commitment to talks with the government if it presents the women’s protection bill in its new form. Talking to newsmen in the Parliament cafeteria, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad said, “We rejected the bill as the draft of the bill which was given to us on Thursday was different from the bill which was agreed to by the MMA and Ulema Committee.”