Bombings on Danes
I haven't posted in a looong time, so you know that what I'm posting about really angers me. Quick run down: a Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, published charicatures of Mohammed the Prophet with bombs in his turban. Muslims are upset because this is blasphemy and according to Muslim tradition, there are to be no pictures of the prophet because they might be worshipped as idols. Muslims are so upset that they have taken to bombing Danish embassies in Syria and Lebanon, as well as Christian missions, and mass rioting everywhere. Other countries like New Zealand and Holland have also published the charicatures to support freedom of the press.
A similar incident happened 2 years ago, when an dutch film-maker Van Gogh made a controversial movie about Islam and was murdered for it. I read in a newspaper in Copenhagen that some interviewed Muslim women responded "he had it coming."
This really pisses me off. Those muslims who are involved in these attacks, and who have the mindset of "he had it coming," he deserved it, just don't understand the fundamental concept of free speech. Our wars in Iraq shouldn't be about instituting democracy, they should be about spreading the free speech movement. Democracy is WORTHLESS without free speech.
Granted, there are many in the Muslim world who have spoken out saying that violence only hurts Mohammed and Allah's image, and to those, I applaud. They understand. They have every right to get outraged at the charicaturs, to protest peacefully, to boycott, but they DO NOT have the right to bomb the embassy. I applaud Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Danish PM) for not apologizing for the newspaper. We need to stand up against those who support the bombings; we need to support the free press. In Danish, the legislature has a motto: Frihed for Loke såvel som for Tor which means Freedom for Loke [the trickster god] as well as for Thor [the good god]. I think this is a great motto: that even the ones we don't want to hear, the trouble makers, deserve just as much freedom as the ones we support.
Peace Corps applications have been turned in, and if I go to a Muslim country, this will be one idea that I will be promoting. This is so fundamental. If you ever come across someone with the "he had it coming" attitude, make sure to set 'em right.
Wedding has been set for September 1st at the Redwood Grove here in Berkeley. We're hoping to have the reception at Arlington Church with a dance and potluck dinner.
Nicole's dress came, see her journal for pictures. I have tried my hardest not to see her in the dress, but everywhere I turn there's a picture of her in it, so I have seen brief, half-second glances.
BookWorlds is going well. Our Elvish class is doing great (20+ students), but we still need to finish the workbook. Fantasy DeCal will have its first real class tomorrow, exciting!
Fire Ecology class is cool. We get to do a prescribed burn in April. Finnish Culture/History class is interesting. Environmental Issues of Bay Area is really easy, and taught by a sensationalist Environmentalist. I dislike them.
Holy ****. I have to turn in a revised copy of my intro and methods tomorrow. ACK, stupid thesis.
A similar incident happened 2 years ago, when an dutch film-maker Van Gogh made a controversial movie about Islam and was murdered for it. I read in a newspaper in Copenhagen that some interviewed Muslim women responded "he had it coming."
This really pisses me off. Those muslims who are involved in these attacks, and who have the mindset of "he had it coming," he deserved it, just don't understand the fundamental concept of free speech. Our wars in Iraq shouldn't be about instituting democracy, they should be about spreading the free speech movement. Democracy is WORTHLESS without free speech.
Granted, there are many in the Muslim world who have spoken out saying that violence only hurts Mohammed and Allah's image, and to those, I applaud. They understand. They have every right to get outraged at the charicaturs, to protest peacefully, to boycott, but they DO NOT have the right to bomb the embassy. I applaud Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Danish PM) for not apologizing for the newspaper. We need to stand up against those who support the bombings; we need to support the free press. In Danish, the legislature has a motto: Frihed for Loke såvel som for Tor which means Freedom for Loke [the trickster god] as well as for Thor [the good god]. I think this is a great motto: that even the ones we don't want to hear, the trouble makers, deserve just as much freedom as the ones we support.
Peace Corps applications have been turned in, and if I go to a Muslim country, this will be one idea that I will be promoting. This is so fundamental. If you ever come across someone with the "he had it coming" attitude, make sure to set 'em right.
Wedding has been set for September 1st at the Redwood Grove here in Berkeley. We're hoping to have the reception at Arlington Church with a dance and potluck dinner.
Nicole's dress came, see her journal for pictures. I have tried my hardest not to see her in the dress, but everywhere I turn there's a picture of her in it, so I have seen brief, half-second glances.
BookWorlds is going well. Our Elvish class is doing great (20+ students), but we still need to finish the workbook. Fantasy DeCal will have its first real class tomorrow, exciting!
Fire Ecology class is cool. We get to do a prescribed burn in April. Finnish Culture/History class is interesting. Environmental Issues of Bay Area is really easy, and taught by a sensationalist Environmentalist. I dislike them.
Holy ****. I have to turn in a revised copy of my intro and methods tomorrow. ACK, stupid thesis.