Well, the title of the thread is "The Saudi culture is inferior and insane." Based on our awful track record in criminal justice, civil rights, etc. one could also say "The American culture is inferior and insane." All I did was mention two instances in which we've acted "barbarically." So before we start pointing the finger at other sovereign nations we should start by correcting ourselves.
I don't know much about Islam, but I wouldn't think so. They are proposing to punish her as though she committed an actual impropriety, when she had merely an appearance of impropreity (and a longshot at that). Does the Koran say its wrong to be in a position where you can't disprove immoral behavior? More broadly, would a sincere reading of the Koran approve a harsh corporal punishment for an old woman? Can a Muslim dispel my assumption?
just as some churches such as the WBC misconstrue religious doctrine, other countries, and their extremist ruling classes feel the need for misconstruing the quran to protect the status quo, and keep themselves in power.
Baqui, on a completely unrelated note -- I know you've mentioned in other threads that you currently live in the Bay Area. I'm going to SF this weekend and was wondering if you have any can't-miss restaurant recommendations? Thanks!
more of a lack of a consistent progressive voice in the islamic world. my sect of islam is by far the most progressive and liberal, but we are the minority sect of the minority sect in islam, most sunnis and shias don't consider us muslims because we are so progressive and most of our people have higher education and a high income level, we are often referred to as the "Jews of the Muslim World" for the persecution we have faced for centuries.
Exactly. The Islamic world doesn't allow "consistent progressive voices" speak up about things. They usually just behead them.
The Islamic world does? Really? The largest Islamic nation in the world had a female head of state long before Hillary ran here in the U.S. The country with the second largest Islamic population also has had female heads of state. Maybe some middle eastern nations would, but to claim that the whole Islamic world would do that, is plain silly.
give me 5 examples of actual progressive voices rooted in the "Islamic world" that have been beheaded within the past century.
As horrific as this act was - and it was horrific. I don't like calling another culture, "inferior". I mean, here we are, a culture that has lead the world into an economic recession, has the blood of millions of people on our hands, and only recently we were torturing prisoners and certainly have a fair amount of arcane and unjust laws (such as the Rockafeller laws which make smoking pot a bigger crime than rape)...so maybe we should right our own ship before talking about how "Superior" we are. Besides, I find that this kind of comparison is sadly familiar to what some Germans circa late 1930's felt about Jews. One thing leads to another ya know.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2b4ucnJ8Kio&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2b4ucnJ8Kio&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
So you want us to go into a country that we do not like their system of government, steal their natural resources, divide them as we see fit and overhaul their government. How does that differ from what we have been accused of doing in Iraq? It would be Obama doing it...gotcha.
If you were living in Saudi when you were 16 (I'm guessing at least 7-8 years ago), then you must have been well aware of the risks, right? In fact, you would've been happy to get out with just a talk. I'm sure you knew what you were doing and getting into.
actually no, he meant beheaded. beheading seems to be associated with the islamic world, whereas regular old fashion assasinations are so passe. so i insist on at least 5 actual beheadings in the islamic world of brilliant progressive voices. but since you responded, pray tell the virtues of bhutto. focus of course, on her progressive nature and potential, not on her corruption, incompetence, or various other problems.
