Letters to the Editor
sysprog
Published Letters: 1544 Editor's Choice: 2
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Golden Boy
[Read the article: Attacks on civilians, torture and lawless detentions]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]http://letters.salon.com/books/review/2006/08/30/looming_tower/permalink/c87cc68e9d41ffdeb5d90ddb8218bcb4.html
Don't misunderstand
I'm not picking out passages from the Koran or the Bible and making judgements based on that. It is an undeniable fact that Islam was invented to make possible the bloody conquest of what is now Arabia, and that the current practice of Islam is fully consistent with the seventh-century religion that swept through the Middle East.If Christianity was founded by a warlord, and encouraged war against every non-Christian, and required open acts of obesiance and submission, then I might agree with you and put Islam and Christianity on the same playing field. When a Christian murders someone, they act in direct opposition to the teachings of Christ. Can you say that for Islam? Following in the footsteps of Mohammed is a considerably different affair than following in the footsteps of Christ, wouldn't you say?
I think you are *really* indulging in wishful thinking here. Hopefully that doesn't endanger any one else.
- - Golden Boy - - Friday, September 1, 2006 02:48 PM
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Submission
[Read the article: Attacks on civilians, torture and lawless detentions]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When I was young I attended a madrasah where the Imam would tell all us students,
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
and then all the students would have to kneel down, and we'd all recite together,
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Allah; we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, Allah, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.
Um, oops, I seem to have scrambled a few minor details. It was an Episcopalian madrasah, and the Imam was actually an Episcopalian priest, and we said "Father" and "Lord" instead of Allah.
So anyway, we'd stand up from kneeling and we'd dust ourselves off and we'd sing a fun little song like
Onward, Muslim soldiers, marching as to war,
With the holy Q'ran going on before.
Mohammed, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!Um, oops, I seem be getting those words scrambled again, drat.
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Little Joe
[Read the article: The complete myth driving our Iraq "debate"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Time Magazine's "Liberal" Columnist Attacks Moderate Centrist Democrats Yet Again
http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/05/the_iraq_vote.html
May 25, 2007 9:37
The Iraq Vote
Posted by Joe Klein
I was wrong, sadly, last week to say that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would vote for the Iraq supplemental bill. They voted against. As readers here know, I would have voted for the bill. Voting against it means you're in favor of a precipitous departure from Iraq. I'm for a careful departure from Iraq . . .The idea that Hillary is in favor of a "precipitous" departure from Iraq is beyond absurdity, and so is the fact that many readers of Joe Klein's column still think that he speaks for liberalism. Little Joe is what's known in the blogosphere as a "concern troll" - - he says that he's in favor of liberal goals (such as a "careful" departure from Iraq), but he's "concerned" that doing anything, anything at all, to advance those goals would be a bad thing.
And as G.G. points out today, the concern trolls aren't just at Time Magazine; they're everywhere, and they're whipping ass.
As G.G. points out in today's update, the concern trolls are even forcing Jane Harman to apologize for something she didn't do. She's apologizing for abandoning the troops, which she knows she didn't do.
Jane Harman is no more in favor of "precipitous" departure or of "abandoning" the troops than is Hillary Clinton.
But there are also some good signs in the various post mortem analyses of last week's vote. Many congressmen and congresswomen, including Jane Harman, changed their vote at the last minute, and this was largely due to political pressure organized by political blogs such as "My Left Nutmeg" and "Blue Jersey" and others. If the blogs had gotten started a week earlier, and if there were more states with strong local political blogs, then, who knows, the bloggers might have swung enough votes on the Hill to block the bill.
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Today at the Memorial Day parade on Broad Street
[Read the article: The risks of staying]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's cloudy and a little drizzly as I stand with my dog and wait for my daughter to march past me. Two companies of kilted pipers are passing by, each company playing the USMC Hymn but only one of the companies has daggers in their stockings. A firetruck passes by, sounding its siren, and a lively little red-haired girl throws candy from the cab. Children dart out into the street to pick up the candy. My daughter, a lively not so little red-haired girl, marches past me, holding her trombone with military precision, stepping in perfect cadence with the rest of her band. Towards the tail end of the parade the clouds are breaking and the sun is coming out. My dog, Bella, tries to dart into the street to pick up a dead bird, but I restrain her. No, wait, the bird is alive. It opens an eye. It's a baby sparrow. It must have fallen out of a nest. A fleeting flutter of immature wings makes a whispery sound on the pavement. Then stillness. The rapidly warming black pavement of Broad Street will soon bake the tiny bird. I walk down toward the high school, keeping Bella on a tight leash.