(April 20, 2015 at 2:03 pm)francismjenkins Wrote: For example, in 1953 US and British intelligence orchestrated a coup d'état in Iran against the democratically elected and progressive/social reformer, Prime Minister Muhammad Mosadegh (because he expressed an intent to nationalize the Iranian oil business). Also, 1979-89, Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan, where the CIA provided material support to what would become the Taliban, to try and kick the Soviets out of Afghanistan.

Ahh...Those were the days. I'm too young to remember the Shah's installation, but the Russians had those "butterfly" mines they dropped in Afghanistan simply to maim children. They looked like plastic butterfly toys, and detonated when their wings were bent by kids who picked them up, but only enough to blow off the fingers or cause blindness, not to kill...

None of that would have affected the Wahhabis of course, predating even Napoleon's 1798 entry to Egypt yet ultimately supplying the well water for September 11. But tell me, why did al-Banna and the Muslim Bros wear the Fez? Wasn't that a Moroccan style later adopted by Ottomans they would have thought nearly as decadent as any Parisian?

(April 20, 2015 at 2:51 pm)francismjenkins Wrote: In my mind, it's not all that unreasonable to think that the existence of federal regulatory agencies makes corruption of our political system inevitable, and so the idea of simply getting rid of them, isn't so outlandish or stupid. Indeed, maybe it is better to simply regulate via case law, instead of limiting the right of citizens to sue tortfeasors (as federal regulation does under the supremacy clause) ...

The cart and horse may stand reversed here as it seems corruption existed in the federal government well before it had many large regulatory agencies. It's an open question how well tort actions would deter, given episodes like Johns-Manville (asbestos) and the Fen-Phen deaths. Businesses have a way of just writing it off as a cost unless it manages to get big enough to sink some ships. Although I can agree that giving veterans a stipend for health care would beat running it through the behemoth the VA has become. Retired officers get Tricare and don't have to go through the VA if I'm correct.

The cookies in the Democrat box are indeed all shaped like pachyderms.

A few years ago when some stupid "movie" came out insulting Islam there were riots worldwide, including my hometown of Sydney.

Unfortunately I was in Melbourne at the time.

The rioters promised they would "protest" in Melbourne next so I made a sign that said, "Your prophet is a pedo. Come and get me fuckers."

Unfortunately they didn't come to Melbourne in the end.

Here is a funny incident from 1977 where Muslims radicals took hostages, killed a journalist, shot a politician, etc. ostensibly because a movie depicted Muhammad. In reality the movie was carefully shot so that Muhammad was never shown. Shows how silly people can be to get upset over a movie that nobody bothered to watch.

Quote:On March 9–11, 1977, three buildings in Washington, D.C. were seized by 12 Muslim gunmen, led by Hamaas Abdul Khaalis, who had broken from the Nation of Islam but blamed it for murder. They took 149 hostages and killed a radio journalist. After a 39-hour standoff, the gunmen surrendered and all remaining hostages were released from the District Building (the city hall; now called the John A. Wilson Building), B'nai B'rith headquarters, and the Islamic Center of Washington.

One of those killed was 24-year-old Maurice Williams, a radio reporter from WHUR-FM, who stepped off a fifth-floor elevator into the crisis (the fifth floor is where the mayor and City Council Chairman have their offices). The gunmen also shot D.C. Protective Service Division police officer Mack Cantrell, who died a few days later in the hospital of a heart attack. City Councilman Marion Barry walked into the hallway after hearing a commotion and was hit by a ricocheted shotgun pellet which lodged just above his heart. He was taken out through a window and rushed to a hospital.

The gunmen had several demands. They "wanted the government to hand over a group of men who had been convicted of killing seven relatives – mostly children – of takeover leader Hamaas Khaalis. They also demanded that the movie Mohammad, Messenger of God be destroyed because they considered it sacrilegious."[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Hanafi_Siege

(April 20, 2015 at 5:55 pm)Hatshepsut Wrote:

(April 20, 2015 at 2:03 pm)francismjenkins Wrote: For example, in 1953 US and British intelligence orchestrated a coup d'état in Iran against the democratically elected and progressive/social reformer, Prime Minister Muhammad Mosadegh (because he expressed an intent to nationalize the Iranian oil business). Also, 1979-89, Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan, where the CIA provided material support to what would become the Taliban, to try and kick the Soviets out of Afghanistan.

Ahh...Those were the days. I'm too young to remember the Shah's installation, but the Russians had those "butterfly" mines they dropped in Afghanistan simply to maim children. They looked like plastic butterfly toys, and detonated when their wings were bent by kids who picked them up, but only enough to blow off the fingers or cause blindness, not to kill...

None of that would have affected the Wahhabis of course, predating even Napoleon's 1798 entry to Egypt yet ultimately supplying the well water for September 11. But tell me, why did al-Banna and the Muslim Bros wear the Fez? Wasn't that a Moroccan style later adopted by Ottomans they would have thought nearly as decadent as any Parisian?

(April 20, 2015 at 2:51 pm)francismjenkins Wrote: In my mind, it's not all that unreasonable to think that the existence of federal regulatory agencies makes corruption of our political system inevitable, and so the idea of simply getting rid of them, isn't so outlandish or stupid. Indeed, maybe it is better to simply regulate via case law, instead of limiting the right of citizens to sue tortfeasors (as federal regulation does under the supremacy clause) ...

The cart and horse may stand reversed here as it seems corruption existed in the federal government well before it had many large regulatory agencies. It's an open question how well tort actions would deter, given episodes like Johns-Manville (asbestos) and the Fen-Phen deaths. Businesses have a way of just writing it off as a cost unless it manages to get big enough to sink some ships. Although I can agree that giving veterans a stipend for health care would beat running it through the behemoth the VA has become. Retired officers get Tricare and don't have to go through the VA if I'm correct.

The cookies in the Democrat box are indeed all shaped like pachyderms.

All retired servicemembers get Tricare IF they do their 20 or their military service deems them more than 30% disabled. In my case, I was in for ten years, had a back injury, and was discharged with a severance package and VA healthcare (incidentally, the Army gave me 10% while the VA gave me 40% for my back). I've been in private practice for a while, so it was handy (at least psychologically) knowing I had healthcare, but looks like I'll have a regular clock punching job pretty soon, so thankfully back to normal healthcare

(April 20, 2015 at 6:09 pm)Beccs Wrote: A few years ago when some stupid "movie" came out insulting Islam there were riots worldwide, including my hometown of Sydney.

Unfortunately I was in Melbourne at the time.

The rioters promised they would "protest" in Melbourne next so I made a sign that said, "Your prophet is a pedo.  Come and get me fuckers."

Unfortunately they didn't come to Melbourne in the end.

Sometimes I'm secretly happy that the population of Muslim immigrants in my country is 60000 in 10.7million people. Jeez... These guys need a reform.

(April 18, 2015 at 4:07 pm)superAtheistnut Wrote: This forum has a sub-forum for 'Christianity' , because no one will call you a bigot for insulting them.

But imagine if this forum had a sub-forum for:
Jews : the site would get shutdown by the Zionists Jews and called anti-Semitic
Muslim : site would get hacked and be called islamaPhobe

As an atheist, I insult all religions equally. I do not discriminate. But unfortunately, like many liberals and comedians ,  my atheist friends are yellow-belly-cowards chicken to insult any other religion except for beating the dead horse "Christianity".

Aren't you the same guy who was over there talking about you want to marry a Christian woman because you think all atheist women are closet feminists?

So it's okay to insult feminists and it's okay to insult atheist woman (although your not wanting to marry us is actually a compliment but it's your intention that counts here) , but god forbid was should insult the chosen few.


Could it be you're a closet theist? 

I believe this simply.. I don't care about whatever religion/faith.. whatever.. just don't push it on me nor involve politics that effect anyone. Plain and simple. Sadly, neither of these are in effect...

(April 20, 2015 at 2:10 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote:

(April 18, 2015 at 8:50 pm)Stimbo Wrote: Islam isn't a race.

Neither is Judaism, for that matter.

You know, I'm actually not that sure about that.

Judaism is a religion. Jewish ancestry is a whole different issue.

As for Islam - Curiously only 20-30% of Muslims are arab, so I wonder why the profiling is directed towards arabs? I mean, how many would picture a Muslim and imagine an asian or a black person?

I'm a Jewish atheist and I hate on Jews all the time. What exactly does that make me?

---

(April 21, 2015 at 12:31 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote:

(April 20, 2015 at 2:10 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: Neither is Judaism, for that matter.

You know, I'm actually not that sure about that.

Depends on whether or not you come from a backwater, inbred shtetl or not.