Anwaar
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Post by Anwaar on Feb 11, 2006 20:10:47 GMT 4
The Denmark Cartoons
by Anwaar Hussain
The derogatory cartoons that have the Islamic world in throes of violent protests were first published in September 2005 by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. They were later republished in Austria in January, and then at the beginning of February in a number of European newspapers in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
There have since been angry and sometimes violent protests across the Islamic world, Britain and France. At least six deaths have been reported thus far. A hornets’ nest has been stirred with the end of the rapidly escalating crisis nowhere in sight.
Has it all happened innocuously and accidentally or is it a deliberate attempt towards an ulterior motive?
To answer this question let us go back in time to May 2005.
Only four months before the crisis, between May 5 to May 8, 2005, a group of powerful men from today’s finance, industry and politics huddled together in the warm and cozy rooms of the 5-star Dorint Sofitel Seehotel Überfahrt in Rottach-Egern, Germany. Outside the hotel, private and state guards patrolled with automatic weapons and sniffer dogs. The gray Bavarian skies rained on.
This secretive cabal of powerful men otherwise goes by the name of Bilderberg Group (a simple Google query will throw up thousands of results). The Bilderberg Group is the only private international organization that Time magazine rated 10 for secrecy on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being most secret).
So what do the defamatory cartoons have to do with the Bilderbergs? Let us first have a look at the names of just some of the attendees of the May 2005 conference. These were;
Josef Ackermann, Chairman, Group Executive Committee. Deutsche Bank AG, Germany
Joaquin Almunia Amann, Commissioner, European Commission
José M. Durno Barroso, President, European Commission, Portugal
Franco Bernabe, Vice Chairman, Rothschild Europe, Italy
Martin S. Feldstein, President and CEO, National Bureau of Economic Research, U.S.A.
William C. Ford, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Ford Motor Company, U.S.A.
Timothy F. Geithner, President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, U.S.A
Donald E. Graham, Chairman and CEO, The Washington Post Company, U.S.A.
Richard N. Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations, U.S.A.
Jaap Hoop de Scheffer, Secretary General, NATO, Netherlands
Allan B. Hubbard, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council, U.S.A.
John M. Keane, President, GSI, LLC; General, US Army, Retired, U.S.A.
Henry A. Kissinger, Chairman, Kissinger Associates, Inc., U.S.A.
Neelie Kroes, Commissioner, European Commission
Michael A.Ledeen, American Enterprise Institute, U.S.A.
William J. Luti, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Near Eastern & South Asian Affairs, U.S.A.
Jessica T. Mathews, President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, U.S.A.
Kenneth B. Mehlman, Chairman, Republican National Committee, U.S.A.
Elena Nemirovskaya, Founder and Director, Moscow School of Political Studies, Russia
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Andrzej Olechowski, Leader Civic Platform, Poland
Norman Pearlstine, Editor-in-Chief, Time Inc., U.S.A.
Richard N. Perle, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, U.S.A.
Friedbert Pflüger, Member of Parliament, CDU/CSU Fraktion, Germany
H.R.H. Prince Philippe, Belgium
Rato y Figaredo, Rodrigo de, Managing Director, IMF
David Rockefeller, Member, JP Morgan International Council, U.S.A.
Judith Rodin, President, The Rockefeller Foundation, U.S.A.
Dennis B. Ross, Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, U.S.A.
H.M. the Queen of Spain
Peter D. Sutherland, Chairman, Goldman Sachs International;
Jean-Claude Trichet, Governor, European Central Bank
James D. Wolfensohn, President, The World Bank, U.S.A.
Paul Wolfowitz, President designate, The World Bank, U.S.A.
And of course there were the usual prime ministers and U.S. government officials. Also present were the movers and shakers of the Western media including media heads from almost all the countries whose press chose to publish the insulting cartoons. The names of Messers Michael Ledeen, Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz, however, must ring some bells. (Click here for the complete list)
Also on the list of attendees was one Anders Eldrep from Denmark. Anders Eldrep (sometimes spelled as Eldrup) happens to be married to one Merete Eldrep. This lady is the managing director of company JP/Politikens Hus (JP for Jyllands-Posten) that published the slanderous anti-Islamic cartoons in Denmark.
Four manths later, the cartoons appeared.
Neither Anders Eldrep is an ordinary Tom, Dick or Harry nor his wife exactly a babe in woods not to have understood the repercussions of their actions.
Merete Eldrep, the wife, is a former Head of Secretariat at the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs and Deputy Director of the Danish Energy Authority.
And Anders Elderp, her illustrious husband, is the current Chairman of Denmark’s Oil and Natural Gas Company DONG and has been Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Danish Finance up to the year 2001. He also has attended the last FIVE Bilderberg meetings thus far. Interestingly, a previous editor-in-chief of 'Politiken', another of JP/Politikens Hus's newspapers, namely Toger Seidenfaden, too was a long-time Bilderberger.
Now a little more about the Bilderberg Group.
In a rare interview given to BBC, Etienne Davignon, 73, the chairman of the Bilderberg Group and a former Belgian diplomat and European Commissioner, dismissed claims that the Bilderberg Group is part of a global conspiracy to rule the world by a self-selected elite of movers and shakers. His dismissal is as natural as publicly admitting the cabal’s sinister agenda would have been unnatural. Please read the interview to form up your own opinion. In my judgment the sole aim of the group is implementing a Euro-American, some say Anglo-American, blueprint of a New World Order for the express benefit of these elites.
The Bilderberg discussions are structured on the principle of reaching accord rather than through ceremonial resolutions and voting. Such is the power and status of the active members that if an agreement for action is arrived at, the resulting decision is expected to be implemented in the West as a whole.
In the post 9/11 geo-political milieu particularly, the group’s aim has been to buttress the foreign policies of the governments of the United States and Great Britain or, more simply, to help execute the precise formula sold internationally by the Bush/Blair combo. This new world order, with the group’s unflinching support, is being shoved down the collective throat of the world citizenry under the guise of “global war on terrorism”, and of establishing “democracy”, “peace”, and “freedom” in the world.
Just three quotes from the lamb talk of these Anglo-American leaders make clear enough readings of their intentions;
"Out of these troubled times [Iraq/Kuwait conflict], our fifth objective -- a new world order can emerge: a new era...We're now in sight of a United Nations that performs as envisioned by its founders." September 11, 1990 - Iraq Speech by President George H. W. Bush
"Our mission is clear: to rid the world of evil" - Pres. George W. Bush, post-Sept. 11, 2001
"Out of the shadow of this evil [9/11], should emerge lasting good... This is a moment to seize...let us re-order this world around us." - British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Oct. 2, 2001 (BBC)
My questions then;
Was this whole anti-Islamic cartoon exercise actually nothing more than an innocent attempt at promoting the much cherished cause of freedom of expression on sensitive topics---anti-Semitism being disallowed, by word or action, by law in most of the western world?
Or, given the ominous times we are in, the Muslims are deliberately being provoked, exploiting their emotionality, into presenting themselves in one seething, throbbing mass of foaming-at-the-mouths herd of rabid cavemen image for their eventual annihilation? No one, after all, cries over the mushroom clouds blotting the horizons over beastlands.
Or is the scribe being overly alarmist?
You decide.
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Post by Walter on Feb 11, 2006 22:50:18 GMT 4
Anwaar,
Don't be too alarmist, and please read the entire messages in context. I don't know how many times that it's been said that our quarrel isn't with Islam per se, but rather with those who carry out violent acts in the name of Islam against innocent people.
Let me introduce myself: I'm a western man. I personally abhor those cartoons which I haven't even seen, only heard described. I feel for the Kashmiris whom the catastrophe-sapped population of the world is slow to help. I respect the believers in true Islam and expect them to respect whatever my beliefs happen to be (or not).
I originally read your article, "Scream," which touched me very deeply when I was reading about the poor people in Kashmir affected by the earthquake. I feel for them and want to help them. I hold them as my brothers just as I hold any Americans, British or people from anywhere else who are innocent, yet brought into some ordeal not of their own making. But when I read further and see political rambling that seem purely anti-west/anti-American, I'm less prone to help these poor people.
Please see your writings for what they are - inciteful, and not helpful. If you're simply going to rant in rhetoric that plays well to the home crowd, okay. You'll sell copies of the Pak Tribune or whatever publication. But if you really want to effect change, address the real problems: poverty and ignorance - on both sides of the issues. But inciting more hatred and suspicion isn't the way to do it.
There are cultural issues that need to be addressed in ways other than simply complaining and pointing out possible conspiracies. Life is too short to try to tackle problems that will never go away. Let's focus on what's doable for now, and once improvements start to happen, there will be something to build on. It's always easier to tear down than to build up, but the obvious benefit is in the building, not the tearinig down.
Walter
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michelle
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Post by michelle on Feb 11, 2006 23:12:00 GMT 4
It would be good to hear further discussion of this article. What opinion do others here have on Anwaar's musings about the powers that be manipulating and provoking the Islamic Nation and the West into confrontation? Or for that matter, how about their manipulation of the world at large through a variety of vehicles, such as nationalism, religion, marketing, or that evil of all evils...The Federal Reserve? To start off, I read this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer and found it to be a refreshing evenhanded and even-tempered point of view. Mind you this paper is read by people who may not have access to the Internet and its progressive sites. I believe it is important for us to send letters encouraging publishers to print more of the same when we see articles which give readers the opportunity to form their own opinions and which promote open dialogue, not state sanctioned propaganda.Islam and the West trapped in lies told about each otherBy Abdul Aziz Said and Benjamin Jensen Posted on Thu, Feb. 09, 2006 SNIP: These misperceptions are being used by an increasingly fearful cabal of puppet masters seeking to hold onto power as pressure mounts for democratic reform. In the Islamic world, as in the United States, political leaders have a well-documented history of abusing religion for political gain.Read the article:www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/13825307.htmI also found this; be sure to follow the links for complete reading: Denmark, Attacked for Cartoons, is No. 1 on Commitment to Development Index2/10/2006 3:15:00 PM To: International Desk Contact: Tony Kopetchny of the Center for Global Development, 202-416-0705, tkopetchny@cgdev.org WASHINGTON, Feb 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Denmark, whose embassies have been attacked following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed, works harder than any other country in the world to reduce global poverty, according to the Center for Global Development (CGD). Demark is number one on CGD's 2005 Commitment to Development Index -- www.cgdev.org/section/initiatives/_active/cdi - - which ranks 21 rich countries' efforts to support development across seven areas: aid, trade, investment, migration, environment, military affairs, and technology. "No nation works harder than Denmark to help people in poorer parts of the world, including predominantly Muslim nations," says David Roodman, CGD research fellow and chief architect of the index. "Few less deserve this hatred. Denmark's top-notch standing shows that it is a good global citizen in a broad sense." According to Roodman, each day Danes give $1.03 a person in foreign aid to poorer countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, and Afghanistan, and other predominantly Muslim nations. (Compared to the 18 cents each that Americans give.) Denmark's high level of giving and the high quality of its aid make it the most generous and effective aid donor. Denmark also scores well in other components, ranking fourth in its support for peacekeeping and other global security efforts, and sixth on environment. Norway, whose embassies have been attacked too, ranks fifth on the index, also well above average. Roodman spoke about the irony of Denmark being attacked for the cartoons in an interview on the BBC/PRI radio program, The World ---- February 8, 2006 [if viewing later, here's the date for archives] Cartoon and aid interview (4:30)The fallout over the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed could hurt many who need help. Several Scandinavian aid agencies say their work is being hampered by the controversy. Host Marco Werman speaks with David Roodman, from the Center for Global Development. And this is included: Tehran report (4:00)Hundreds of protesters in Iran demonstrated today outside Danish and British embassies in Tehran. They object to the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. Many Iranians find the cartoons insulting, but they disagree about how Muslims should respond. Roxana Saberi reports from Tehran. tinyurl.com/8wau7 and wrote about it in the CGD blog: Global Development: Views from the Center in a post titled: Something is forgotten in the hate of Denmark -- tinyurl.com/bqb34Comments, anyone?........Michelle
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Post by Walter on Feb 12, 2006 0:24:44 GMT 4
Michelle, The Aziz/Jensen article at Philly.com was a great read, and I hope that those reading here will give it a look. If inciting violence over the west is on anybody's agenda, I wonder if those persons have considered the following: If the Arabs were to extinguish all the "infidels," then who's going to win between the Sunnis and the Shiites? Ok, then who's going to win between that victor and the Kurds? Then the Chechens? Then the Croats? Okay, once we've decided the Muslim victor, who's going to kick the butts of all those Chinese atheists? ?? Get the picture? Good luck. To quote from a Catholic priest during World War II in Germany, "When they came for the socialists, I did not say anything because I was not socialist. When they came for the Jews, I did not say anything because I was not Jewish. When they came for me, there was nobody left to speak for me." Discover tolerance. Have a great day. Walter
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Anwaar
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Speak the truth and keep on coming.
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Post by Anwaar on Feb 12, 2006 14:52:41 GMT 4
Anwaar, I originally read your article, "Scream," which touched me very deeply when I was reading about the poor people in Kashmir affected by the earthquake. I feel for them and want to help them. I hold them as my brothers just as I hold any Americans, British or people from anywhere else who are innocent, yet brought into some ordeal not of their own making. But when I read further and see political rambling that seem purely anti-west/anti-American, I'm less prone to help these poor people. Please see your writings for what they are - inciteful, and not helpful. If you're simply going to rant in rhetoric that plays well to the home crowd, okay. You'll sell copies of the Pak Tribune or whatever publication. But if you really want to effect change, address the real problems: poverty and ignorance - on both sides of the issues. But inciting more hatred and suspicion isn't the way to do it. There are cultural issues that need to be addressed in ways other than simply complaining and pointing out possible conspiracies. Life is too short to try to tackle problems that will never go away. Let's focus on what's doable for now, and once improvements start to happen, there will be something to build on. It's always easier to tear down than to build up, but the obvious benefit is in the building, not the tearinig down. Walter Welcome to the forum Walter. A MINOR correction first. I did not write "Scream". Next, please be so kind as to quote where all have I been inciteful so that I can either clarify or agree with you and correct myself. I wish you would read me thoroughly before you respond. Thank you and welcome again. Anwaar
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Feb 12, 2006 16:29:30 GMT 4
Another view from GlobalResearch.ca :The Road to the Muslim Holocaustby Ghali Hassan February 7, 2006 "We are being challenged by Islam these years - globally as well as locally. It is a challenge we have to take seriously. We have let this issue float about for too long because we are tolerant and lazy. We have to show our opposition to Islam and we have to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on us because there are some things for which we should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction”. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 15 April 2005. Tolerance is a falsehood often pronounced with difficulty in Western societies. Small countries such as Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, and Norway are leading the pack in the war on Muslims at home, and may be on the road to encouraging a new Holocaust against humanity. While these countries are part of the US-led coalition, which is responsible for the mass murder of Iraqis, they have also introduced discriminate and draconian immigration laws which are specifically directed against Muslims fleeing war and economic hardship. The pretexts are always the phantom of the “War on Terror”. Historically, Muslims have been at the receiving end of Western-Christian violence for centuries. Following the 9/11 attack on the USA, Western Europe joined the US in its anti-Muslim crusade: “We are all Americans now” united against Muslims. In this context, 9/11 is used to legitimise a new form of Western-Christian fascism. Media pundits such as Christopher Hitchens and Daniele Pipes, who support the anti-Muslim ideology are springing up like mushrooms all over the Western world. Using the cliché of “free speech”, they are fuelling a vicious and violent war against Muslims around the world. The recent blasphemous images of Prophet Mohammed are nothing more than a campaign which promotes racism and violence. Islam is a peaceful religion, and Muslims are not “terrorists”. The insult to Prophet Mohammed, who is revered by over a billion people around the world, has nothing to do with “free speech”. Had the Danish cartoonist shown instead George Bush and Tony Blair slaughtering hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi women and children, he would have had lost his job by now and would be condemned by the same people who are barking about “free speech”. Would any newspaper in Europe dare to discuss Europe’s strict censorship laws of discussing the Holocaust? Read the entire article: tinyurl.com/7z9lg
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Feb 12, 2006 22:38:34 GMT 4
Qatar's Doha Debates give alternate views to MuslimsPhiladelphia InquirerBy Trudy Rubin Posted on Sun, Feb. 12, 2006 Global protests over the Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad have sparked debate over the limits to press freedom in the West. Too bad there isn't more debate over the crucial issue of why there is so little press freedom in the Islamic world - and how this helps inflame tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims. This debate is virtually absent. But there is a notable exception. The Doha Debates www.dohadebates.com, held once a month in the capital of the Gulf emirate of Qatar, and broadcast on BBC World television, give a glimpse of how things could be different if more Muslims heard alternative views. Set up under the auspices of the wife of Qatar's ruler, the Doha Debates use an "Oxford Union" format in which a controversial statement is debated pro and con by two teams, followed by questions from an audience of 250 Arab students and other locals. The debates are chaired by former BBC broadcaster Tim Sebastian, and reach a potential audience of 270 million, including huge numbers of Muslims. On Jan. 31, just as the Danish dispute was heating up, the hot button topic was: "This House believes that Arab media needs no lessons in journalism from the West." Participants, producers, and most of the audience were sure the audience would endorse that proposition by a landslide. But, astonishingly, the audience endorsed the idea that Arab media could learn from the West. So what went on in this debate that changed the audience members' minds? I spoke with one of two panelists who swayed the audience, commentator Mona Eltahawy in Cairo www.monaeltahawy.com. "I support the Danish paper's right to publish and Muslims' right to protest," Eltahawy said. "This is a question of freedom of the press for the Muslim world as well. We have little freedom of expression, and much of the protest was manipulated." Eltahawy told the Doha audience of her own experience as an Egyptian journalist in Cairo, where she was called before Egyptian security services last year for writing a column critical of President Hosni Mubarak. "I said I consider myself lucky because so many Egyptian journalists were assaulted by security forces last May... . I built a case for how the state constrains the press." When she was asked why the Danish cartoons could be printed in Europe, but tapes of Osama bin Laden were censored, she replied that the "cartoons did not incite to violence." But, she added, "when tapes of terrorist speeches are replayed over and over they give... a message of hate that underlines the link between Muslims and violence that we oppose in the cartoon." She talked of the negative images of Muslims that result when Al-Jazeera is crammed with scenes of kidnapped journalist Jill Carroll sobbing, and masked gunmen attacking the European Union offices in Gaza over the cartoons. Her point: Arabs and other Muslims need to confront the problem of radical Islamists within their societies before getting sidetracked by cartoons. And Arab publics need to ask why their governments don't let media cover issues of real concern at home, a point underlined by Abdullah Schleifer, professor emeritus of communications at American University of Cairo, the other winning debater. He told me: "One of the diseases of the region is that people get stirred up by demagogues on issues that have so little to do with their lives." Yet, few in the Muslim or Arab world are exposed to the arguments put forward by Eltahawy and Schleifer. Distorted coverage of the cartoon flap on the Internet and on Al-Jazeera satellite TV - which is also based in Qatar - helped incite violence. Few Muslim journalists have critiqued the cartoon tiff, or the violent protests; two Jordanian editors who published the drawings were imprisoned. So far, Al-Jazeera has not shown the Doha Debates. "If these debates were shown on Arab TV, it would make a difference," Eltahawy said. "A lot of students said after the debate that the arguments helped them see beyond the issue of the Arab world vs. the West. They saw that it is not a question of us vs. them but us vs. us. "The students were relieved to hear... that it is OK to question. They wanted to vote for the Arab side out of principle, but they were convinced otherwise." Eltahawy said many Arabs were reluctant to criticize their own because they feared this would play into the hands of Islamophobes, or appear to give support to U.S. policies in the Middle East. That doesn't stop her. "For me, the struggle really is within Islam. If the interests of the Bush administration happen to coincide with ours," on some issues, so be it. The Doha Debates show how debate can be sparked within the Muslim world if people have access to a variety of opinions. The West can help with moral support and media training. But the real battle must be fought from within. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact columnist Trudy Rubin at 215-854-5823 or trubin@phillynews.com
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michelle
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Post by michelle on Feb 15, 2006 7:31:59 GMT 4
Free speech and its discontentsMaking the episode a 'teachable moment'By Adeeba Al-Zaman Tue, Feb. 14, 2006 Last week, local Muslim organizations protested The Inquirer's decision to publish one of the cartoons that has sparked rioting around the world. The cartoon was accompanied by a statement that read, in part, "We believe it is important for readers to be able to judge the content of the image for themselves." The Inquirer invited protest organizers, as well as groups not involved with the demonstrations, to submit their opinions on the controversy.American Muslims are certainly disturbed by the cartoon controversy and are concerned at the lack of civility of the "civilizations" involved. Indeed, those who published the cartoons intending to provoke a reaction, and the violent extremists protesting the cartoons are making a mockery of their own values as they purport to expose the shortcomings in one another - and they are attempting to drag moderates who are open to dialogue in with them. Many are concerned that the cartoons originally published last fall in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten indicate a culture of intolerance and hatefulness that we saw in Germany in the 1930s. For Muslims in America and abroad, the cartoons appear to be evidence of the increasingly Islamophobic state of the world. Many Muslims are stunned that the West appears interested in the exercise of so-called free speech at any cost, even turning back a hundred years of proud civil rights history. Has the West, in fact, committed itself to "never again" allow the systematic alienation and attack upon any culture, any faith tradition or any nation? Also, many Muslims are horrified that extremists around the world have so easily manipulated this situation to create violent, and even deadly, riots. Several American Muslim leaders have commented that this behavior is in direct violation of the Prophet Muhammad's example, which Muslims are bound to follow. They call for us to be conscious of Muhammad's words: "The best amongst you are those who can reign themselves in when angered," and follow the Koran's guidance: "Goodness and evil cannot be equal. Repel [evil] with something that is better" (Koran 41:34). The values that the prophet preached and engendered are the reason we as Muslims love him so passionately. His ability to forgive and seek meaningful ways to build bridges of understanding is sorely needed on both sides in today's conflict. So how do we move from here? Western and Muslim societies cannot allow themselves to be defined by the extremist minority in this conflict. People of all faiths in the West and in the Muslim world can succumb to a downward spiral of mutual mistrust and hostility or view this disturbing episode as a "teachable moment" that should not be wasted. Because it is the responsibility of Muslims to share with the world who Muhammad was and what he taught, American Muslims are launching an educational initiative to do just that. Today, at noon, CAIR-Philly and other organizations are scheduled to announce the details of the Explore the Life of Muhammad campaign www.cairphilly.org. In cooperation with local interfaith and Muslim groups, this initiative will focus on educating the public on the life and legacy of Islam's prophet, through town hall meetings, lectures, movie screenings, and the distribution of free books and DVDs over the course of the year. Philadelphia Muslims believe opening the channels of education and dialogue is essential to eradicating ignorance and nurturing understanding. As we move forward, we must remember the teaching of the Koran and the Prophet Muhammad that the best way to respond to an act of evil is with an act of goodness. Adeeba Al-Zaman (adeeba@cairphilly.org) is communications director of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/13865106.htm
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Anwaar
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Speak the truth and keep on coming.
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Post by Anwaar on Feb 18, 2006 22:12:44 GMT 4
Anwaar, I originally read your article, "Scream," which touched me very deeply when I was reading about the poor people in Kashmir affected by the earthquake. I feel for them and want to help them. I hold them as my brothers just as I hold any Americans, British or people from anywhere else who are innocent, yet brought into some ordeal not of their own making. But when I read further and see political rambling that seem purely anti-west/anti-American, I'm less prone to help these poor people. Please see your writings for what they are - inciteful, and not helpful. If you're simply going to rant in rhetoric that plays well to the home crowd, okay. You'll sell copies of the Pak Tribune or whatever publication. But if you really want to effect change, address the real problems: poverty and ignorance - on both sides of the issues. But inciting more hatred and suspicion isn't the way to do it. There are cultural issues that need to be addressed in ways other than simply complaining and pointing out possible conspiracies. Life is too short to try to tackle problems that will never go away. Let's focus on what's doable for now, and once improvements start to happen, there will be something to build on. It's always easier to tear down than to build up, but the obvious benefit is in the building, not the tearinig down. Walter Welcome to the forum Walter. A MINOR correction first. I did not write "Scream". Next, please be so kind as to quote where all have I been inciteful so that I can either clarify or agree with you and correct myself. I wish you would read me thoroughly before you respond. Thank you and welcome again. Anwaar I am waiting Walter.
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tesa
New Member
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Post by tesa on Feb 19, 2006 8:37:54 GMT 4
Anwar,
you may find interesting a report in the Project Censored site (http://www.projectcensored.org/). It lists what PC labels the"global dominance" core group.
Note: PC is "a media research group out of Sonoma State University"
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Anwaar
Administrator
Speak the truth and keep on coming.
Posts: 463
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Post by Anwaar on Feb 19, 2006 16:36:07 GMT 4
Thanks tesa.
There is loads and loads of some very vital information in there. I would urge every one to have a look at the given link.
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
Posts: 2,100
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Post by michelle on Mar 17, 2006 18:20:01 GMT 4
Christian Ministers Unite to Decry Denigration of Prophet
Contact: Rev. Phillip Schanker, 202-302-1110, the for American Clergy Leadership Conference, aclchq@aclc.info
WASHINGTON, March 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a op-ed by Archbishop George Augustus Stallings, national co-president, American Clergy Leadership Conference, archbishop and founder, Imani Temple African-American Catholic Congregation, Washington, DC:
Christian Ministers Unite to Decry Denigration of Prophet
"The recent cartoon denigration of the messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) by a Danish newspaper has unleashed a furor in the Islamic world of dramatic proportions. Why could journalism not have been more circumspect in taking on such a behemoth?
"Man's inhumanity toward man is most often expressed in acts committed out of philosophical and religious ignorance. What is sacred to one believer may have no special significance to an adherent of another faith. When one crosses the line and disrespectfully treads upon the sanctum sanctorum of another man's belief, rationality is jettisoned and ruminating about what could have been avoided is an exercise in futility.
"The American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), which is rapidly becoming the nation's largest interreligious and interracial coalition of Christian ministers, has taken the high road in an effort to bring about greater civility, sensitivity and awareness among Muslims, Jews and Christians. The organization has brought thousands of interreligious clergy to visit Israel and Gaza in more than a dozen delegations over the past 3 years to interface with the children of Abraham in constructive dialogue, leading participants to a greater understanding and appreciation of each other's faith. It should now be obvious that lasting peace requires more than weapons, walls and diplomacy. It is tragic when religion engenders such conflict, for the true practice of the teachings of our great faith traditions would lead each of us to be peacemakers.
"We most certainly cannot condone in any way, shape or form the acts of violence and destruction that have arisen in reaction to the insensitive caricatures. Yet, it is unreasonable to expect cool heads to prevail in the current crisis when that which is most sacred and reverentially honored by some is counted as politically exploitative by others.
"Sacred images are inviolable because they belong to the household of Faith. To infringe upon the sacred heritage or religious icons of another is to open oneself to the most intense demonstrations of retaliation imaginable. To tamper or mess with another tradition's deity, especially its messenger, is tantamount to a sacrilegious and blasphemous act. It denigrates that which is holy and reverent in the eyes of the believer. Freedom of speech or of the press provide no shelter in such a forum. They must yield and bow to the altar of the sacrosanct. Sacred decorum requires that we not violate the religious sensibilities of others or cavalierly manipulate that which is the sole proprietorship of those who may think and act differently than we do.
"It is indeed a human tragedy that the sincere efforts to increase tolerance and understanding since 9/11 are now being subjugated to the whimsical miscalculations or uncontrolled passions of a few - be they the press or in the general public. The bottom line is: you do not trivialize or make mockery of another's religion or sacred icons and symbols. When you denigrate or malign others' race, faith or ethnicity, whether intentionally or out of ignorance it often leads to the consequences we now witness. The scripture says you will reap what you have sown.
"We issue a call from Jerusalem to all religious leaders of good will- Muslims, Christians and Jews- to come forward to demonstrate faith that brings respect and dignity for all. The conclusion of yet another interreligious pilgrimage reminds us once again of the urgent need for dialogue and understanding on all sides. ACLC calls upon faith leaders to sow such seeds of love and respect that will bring healing to the land."
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