http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-gutfeld/the-march-to-mecca_b_36636.html http://marchtomecca.tripod.com/index.html [rquoter]PRESS RELEASE EMBARGO DATE: December 15, 2006, 4 PM. IN THE NAME FREEDOM AND TOLERANCE, AND IN HARMONY WITH OUR GAY MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE PROUDLY ANNOUNCE THE FIRST MARCH TO MECCA, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 Human Rights Watch, Moveon.org, ACT-UP, the Huffington Post and David Geffen are proud to present the March to Mecca, a celebration of peace that calls all gay brothers, sisters and people undergoing sex-reassignment to march to the holiest of holy cities, Mecca, the capital city of Saudi Arabia's Makkah province on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2007. The march, a brainchild of activists and celebrities who acknowledge that more gays are dying from Islamic fundamentalism than from the policies of George W. Bush, will begin 12 noon sharp in Jeddah, the stunning night-life friendly Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the Red Sea. "Not marching in these countries, in this era of terror, seems cowardly," says event co-organizer Sharon Stone. "I'm embarrassed to say at social gatherings I even blamed the United States for everything. But I realized it's the radical Muslims - not the US - who want gays dead, and for that I am truly sorry." Paris' gay Socialist Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who was stabbed by an immigrant Muslim, is organizing the European contingency which features Limahl, Johnny Hallyday and Ciccolina. Whoopie Goldberg, along with Robin Williams will be hosting the kick off party at the Sheraton Riyadh. There will be refreshments and karaoke, hosted by David Hyde Pierce. Beth Ditto, lead singer of the Gossip, who will perform with the newly reformed Yaz, thinks the march is overdue. "Forget right wing Christians. They don't hang gays for being gay. Islamofascists do. That's why were asking moderate, non-violent Muslims across the Western Province to join hands and embrace gay people everywhere." "Almost half of all Muslim countries outlaw gay relations," says Huffington Post contributor Gene Stone, "and more than 70 countries ban all homosexuality, sometimes making it punishable by death. And here I am, blogging about how bad Renew America is. LOL." "Think about the two teenagers convicted of homosexuality who were hanged in Iran last year," says Harry Shearer, "It makes all the hay we made over Mark Foley at the Huffington Post seem stupid. I, for one, am tired of being part of the problem." The March to Mecca will snake through the sandy, sunny valley of Abraham, and it is urged that you pack sunblock and plenty of bottled water. "Don't forget to blog!" adds co-sponsor Arianna Huffington. After the march, Rep Barney Frank of the U.S. House of Representatives will host a special VIP rave on the Queen Boat, a floating disco on the Nile. Hugh Jackman will perform hits from "The Boy From Oz."[/rquoter]
Why can't we have some boundaries? Why does it have to be impossible for there to be a country without homosexuals? It's not like these countries go out of their way to find homosexuals wherever and kill them. It's the same concept as fast food chains. We dno't have Big Macs, Whoppers and Big Deluxes in all stores. We have them in different stores. For different people. If McDonald's is not my thing and nauseates me, there should be a burger store I can go to without any mcDonald's products. This will be unbelievably ugly if it happens, which it probably won't. It will result in deaths which will go without making any differece in Sadi Arabia, for Saudis, Muslims, non-Saudis and non-Muslims alike. I'm also pretty sure a lot of the numbers there are wrong. WAY more than 50% of Muslim countries ban homosexuality. Probably coser to 100%. Maybe they meant to say 50% of Middle Eastern or Arab countries? I don't know.
It is generally accepted that it is genetic. The idea is that a relatively percentage of the people born in the world are born homosexual. You can't have a country without homosexuals unless you find them, kill or kick them all out, find more as they are born and kill them or kick them out. This would essentially be eugenics, although perhaps even then it wouldn't work because I think that there are some theories that prenatal hormones are the issue. Actually, I'm pretty sure most of them do...
If I had to take a wild guess, I would say that this 'march' won't ever take place, and if the marchers are stupid enough to do it, then they better bring their caskets with them.
stupid? how can you call them stupid and yet quote Gandhi in your sig? By your logic, Gandhi was stupid. Or have you no concept of what Gandhi did?
Saudi Arabian government # Islam. And Islam is not a "religion of peace", I never made such claim. Nor is Christianity or Judaism. The Abrahamic God isn't There is little 'peaceful' about nature or the human existence, either. A convenient leap of logic on your part...
I'm not trying to be witty or make fun of you but what does 'Saudi Arabian government pound Islam.' mean? Whatever you think of Islam don't try to say that the same violence issues wouldn't have occured if they tried to bring a gay march in the Easter Day Parade in the USA 100 years ago.
Heh! I was just trying to use a "does not equal" sign, but that's the best I could come up with. Seriously though, I am not stating an opinion, more like making a grim prediction. Admittedly, the "bring a casket" part wasn't meant to be taken literally. Imprisonment/torture/deportation and other routine methods the Saudi police/security forces are known for present a more likely outcome...unless the Saudis claim that the marchers were Al-Qaida and then gun them down (if you noticed, the Saudis rarely if ever capture terrorists, they just kill them on the spot).
Genereally accepted? Perhaps. Fact? Hell no. However, there is more research showing that being homosexual is genetic and not a choice. But it's not even close to enough for someone to put their religion aside. Now, obviously, it's possible that you are a homosexual Muslim. But that is (obviously with giant degrees of difference) the equivalent of a Muslim alcoholic. None of these things preclude you from being Muslim, unless you claim that they should be accepted and deny that they are sinful behavior. The reason being that there is no debate in Islam about these issues. Consuming alcohol is a sin, and homosecuality is a sin, and which century you're in is not a factor. It clearly states somewhere in the Qura'an that Islam does not change with time. Consider the case of smoking. There is debate about this because it is not clearly stated that smoking a cigarette is forbidden. But those, including myself, who argue that it is forbidden point to the known fact that damaging your body is a sin, and smoking damages your body. You are responsible for the state your body is in when you stand before God, much like you are responsible for a scratched DVD when you're returning it to Blockbuster.
Exactly. It will not solve or improve anything. it will only create conflict and death. However, mad respect to anyone who: 1) Has the balls to enter Saudi and do this. 2) Lives in Saudi and does this. Alternatively, countries like bahrain and Kuwait are more open-minded. But to enter Saudi and name the holy city of Islam is just asking for it really.
There's lots of gay muslims just like there are a bunch of of gay conservative christian types. They're no more exempt from it than anybody else. They might be more in the closet but they're there. Homosexuality was around long before Christianity and Islam, and will be around long after.
This is an assumption perhaps based on what you've seen in the countries or regions that your are familiar with. That's not a representative sample. I totally disagree with your assumption. We're not going to sit here and debate whether or not Islam is valid. But the reality is that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam, Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country, and Mecca is a holy city.
Sorry, fellas, question - am I being thick for not realizing that you all know it's a joke, or are you guys being thick for not knowing?
Nope, it's based on thousands of years of history. It seems from this thread you harbor the fantasy that homosexuality doesn't have a long history in the arab world or islamic culture. It does, e.g.: http://www.amazon.com/Before-Homosexuality-Arab-Islamic-World-1500-1800/dp/0226729885 Or even more fun, google Kandahar and gay, or go to one of Istanbul's gay clubs, or try to explain why the saudis are always putting gays in jail. Cause they don't exist? Islam's intolerance and denial of homosexuality is irrelevant to the question of whether or not it exists. Obviously it does, just like it does everywhere. It might make you mad, but that doesn't chage anything.
Trust me I know it's a joke, but Islam's intolerance of homosexuality deserves the same treatment that other bigots do, IMO.
