well at least they like americans there now despite a long war. plus they have good food. you cant find pho in iran. or pork fried rice. vietnam > middle east
As long as it is worn voluntarily, and not forced on a woman by marriage or law, then I have no problem with it. In Jordan 40% of the Mulsim women wear scarfs, and 60% don't, it is a personal choice, and it works out fine. Now in Iran......(insert Creepy Floyd's excuse here). DD
Turks protest over judge shooting Tens of thousands of Turks have turned funeral ceremonies for a judge shot by a suspected Islamist gunman, into a mass show of support for secularism. They waved Turkish flags and chanted for the country to remain secular on marches through the capital Ankara. A man calling himself "a soldier of Allah" shot dead Judge Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin and wounded four others at a top administrative court on Wednesday. He was immediately arrested. At least three others have since been detained. The attack is believed to have been linked to the court's record of strictly upholding the ban on Muslim headscarves in universities and government offices. The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has Islamist roots, has been campaigning for the regulations to be relaxed or removed. However, at the judge's funeral at Ankara's main mosque, many protesters chanted slogans calling for the government to resign, calling cabinet members a threat to the secular republic. Ministers who attended the service were booed Earlier, at least 15,000 protesters, from students to judges dressed in their robes, marched to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern, secular Turkey. "Turkey is secular and will remain secular," many chanted, in a procession broadcast live on national television. A wreath of red and white carnations, the colours of the Turkish flag, was laid at the mausoleum. Some protesters were tearful as they kissed the building's marble stones. 'Martyr' Thousands also went to pay their respects to Judge Ozbilgin, whose coffin was taken to the courthouse where the attack took place. Key members of Turkey's secular establishment - including the Turkish chief of staff and top judges - stood around the coffin, which was draped in the Turkish flag and covered in flowers. "Today we're sending a martyr to eternal life," Sumru Cortoglu, President of the Council of State, Turkey's chief administrative court, told the crowds. "The bullet that was fired into his brain was fired against the Turkish republic. But the life of people like him will help us keep the republic alive for ever." The gunman reportedly burst into a committee meeting of the Council of State, shouting "Allahu akbar!" (God is great) as he fired his weapon. The suspect has been identified as Aslan Alpaslan, 29. He was apparently carrying papers that identified him as a lawyer - although it is not known if these were genuine - and made it past security guards undetected. Mr Erdogan was quick to condemn the attack, and said the culprit would be severely punished. The semi-official news agency Anatolia says the four other judges injured in the attack are now in a stable condition. The secular President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who was applauded as he attended the funeral, warned that "no-one will be able to overthrow the [secular] regime". Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/4993444.stm Published: 2006/05/18 16:53:13 GMT © BBC MMVI
There's no need to overthrow the 'secular' regime as long as voters can elect a moderate Islamist party into power by an overwhelming majority.
a moderate islamist party doesn't preclude secluarism. the US is secular. but it has strong religious currents. similarly one may imagine many muslim countries might view secularism and democracy and islam. or even moreso the christian democrats of europe. you can still espouse your religious viewpoints on issues but you should present them to the public in a secular manner. if the christian right thinks abortion is wrong that is fine. but convince me using non christian/religious doctrine. i think there is a fairly significant argument to be made that by killing a fetus you are killing a potential human being. however dont tell me its because god deems it. because though i might fully respect and admire and even espouse the same religious beliefs...there will necessarily be people in a free, open and heterogeneous democracy that disagree. in turkey the 'islamist' parties are just those that favor the traditional 'islamist' issues on the headscarf etc. ironically they are the same parties which are most adament about integration with europe through the EU and about a pure civilian leadership with no interference from the military as well as a more independent judiciary.
