I was curious so I googled the professor Jeffrey was quoting in his comments and found her philosophy very different from how he quoted her. In fact, he wasn't quoting her at all but quoting from a article in David Horowitz's right-wing site TheFrontPage. The article was basically a list of examples of Muslim men raping and pillaging and concluded that Muslims cannot be assimulated into western culture.

The quote I found attributed as a statement by Prof. Unni Wikan at a conference is "To emerge as competent and responsible citizens of modern, liberal democracies, the youth of today must learn to respect and acknowledge not just difference – among cultures, ethnicities, religions – but also, and above all, the integrity and dignity of the individual human being. Individual freedom as a social commitment is Amartya Sen´s formulation of what I have in mind. Freedom – in Arabic hurriyya – is a value that, in my experience as a social anthropologist, is universally shared. To cite a friend and world recognized anthropologist and medical doctor, Paul Farmer: “I have never met a victim of violence who acknowledged the right of culture to inflict violence on anyone.” It is precisely this - violence in the name of culture - that is my key concern in regard to globalization and learning. My contribution to our conference will be to highlight a problem on which I have done considerable research and that is emerging as urgently in need of attention, academically and politically: how to counter violence in the name of honour among young people, particularly boys..."

I googled and couldn't find the article from 9/6/01, just many blogs that said there was an article. If you could cut and paste the address it would be very helpful.

Unni Wikan's book Generous Betrayal: The Politics of Culture in the New Europe with the description, "All over Western Europe, the lot of many non-Western immigrants is one of marginalization, discrimination, and increasing segregation. In this bold and controversial book, Unni Wikan shows how an excessive respect for "their culture" has been part of the problem. Culture has become a new concept of race, sustaining ethnic identity politics that subvert human rights--especially for women and children. Fearful of being considered racist, state agencies have sacrificed freedom and equality in the name of culture."

Thanks for this article that gives me plenty of talking points whgen I write my senators.

What can I say, I google him and found...

Dr. Bogomir Kuhar, former Pharmacists for Life International president, is a popular promoter of the "oral contraceptives as abortifacients" view. In his book, Infant Homicides Through Contraceptives, he asserts that contraceptives are responsible for 8 to 12 million abortions annually. PFLI also advances the view that oral contraceptives are physically damaging to women. The organization endorses the Catholic church’s charge that modern contraceptives promote a “contraceptive mentality” that is damaging to women and society because contraceptives allow men to view women solely as sexual objects.

Some headlines from ther PFLI website:

1. Extremist feminazis and unions join to impose themselves on Wal Mart to dispense abortion pill

2. LDI's expose booklet on the Nazi ties to Margaret Sanger, founder of 'Klan Parenthood', as their website refers to her eugenics organization

3. LDI: Planned Barrenhood committed more abortion murders in 2004, approaching quarter million per year

4. PP offends millions of Christians with sacrilegous 'Choice on Earth' greeting cards and gifts

5. Pro-aborts forcing Emergency Abortion pills down throats of pharmacists, religious hospitals

6. Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin had no qualms gloating over firing 4 pharmacists for refusing to kill their smallest patients in utero

7. IL pro-life group calls for Walgreens boycott; KS diocese asks faithful to avoid Walgreens

8. Pittsburgh to fight against free speech of peaceful protestors at killing centers

etc.

Another example of the religious right trying to impose their religious beliefs over the rights of other religions.

Good article that should be required reading by Senate Dems for how not to question a nominee. Watching these hearings, and most Senate hearings, is painful because it is meaningless - Republicans offering long-winded self-aggrandizing and worshipful statements while the Democratics miss one opportunity after another to lay out their case for why they can't vote for him. All of them, but particularly the Democrats, need to take a class in Managing Your Image 101, Being Honest 102 and Say It Like It Is 103. They've been in Washington and played the Washington games too long. As for Biden, I'm still annoyed by his slobbering all over the Republicans on television during the Democratic national convention. Some Senators just don't get that they have a constitutency to represent and it is bigger there their 'friends' in the Senate.

...and their active thinking skills. They've been miserable in these hearings. An intelligent 10th grader could do better. My 75 year old mother who didn't finish high school could do better. I could do better, even drunk and riding a unicycle. I'm tired of being embarassed by them all.

Christine "Its My Party, Too" Todd Whitman who gives speeches before Planned Parenthood groups. Next thing you know she's promoting Alito.

and thanks to Rebecca for the reminder that Dolly is a national treasure.

Explain, please, what would a filibuster accomplish? Will it keep Alito off the Court? Will it prevent Bush from nominating someone equally reprehensible? Would it demonstrate a more powerful Democratic party? Forget the filibuster - the Democrats should have asked intelligent and direct questions of Alito. They didn't - they're done on this one - they've lost the point - so move on and try to get it right on the next issue.