April Weekend roundup

Amsterdam at sunset, stylized photo by Mor

Been a bit slow on updates recently, so here's a little catch-up:

IRAQ: An Iraqi legislator makes an implied threat toward the US, warning us from going after the Mahdi Militia. Since the Militia kills, maims, and tortures at will, it shows you how misplaced his priorities are, assuming that he wants a stable, not war-torn Iraq.


FRANCE: Former actress Brigette Bardot (yes, she's still around) is prosecuted for a fifth time in France, charged with "hate speech". Her crime? She said the Muslim community was: "destroying our country and imposing its acts". (détruit notre pays en imposant ses actes) She was fined 15,000 Euros (23,600 US dollars). The free speech implications here are rather chilling. But at Democratic Underground, what is the most important issue? Why it's the 73 year-old's current physical appearance, of course!


BELGIUM: Kurdish asylum seekers in Belgium take over a Catholic Church and essentially turn it into a Mosque, all with the approval of Church leaders. As a Catholic myself, I find this absolutely disgusting. More photos here.


BELGIUM: At lot of streets in Europe are named after US presidents, believe it or not. I have noticed quite a few in Germany. The Brussels Journal counts up the ones in Belgium, and finds (no surprise) that the vast majority of them are Democrats (101, vs. only 21 Republicans). The overwhelming favorite is John F. Kennedy, with a whopping total of 50! Someone please tell me what he did for Belgium that was so significant, that it even overshadows Roosevelt (38 streets), Wilson (11), Eisenhower (9), or Ronald Reagan (none).


USA: Slate.com is extremely upset that the current Supreme Court might uphold the death penalty. I am (weakly) opposed to the death penalty myself, but unlike Slate, I spare little sympathy for child rapists. It's also assuring to see the media using the more accurate term "rape", rather than the more common but mild-sounding "sexual abuse".


USA/PALESTINE: The Washington Post prints a propaganda piece by Hamas. This is a group that regularly carries out suicide attacks against Israel. They claim that they were only allowing for "clarity" in the debate. As LGF points out, they have done this numerous times in the past. No word on when they will give equal time to the KKK, Al-Qaeda, or the FARC while they are at it.


USA: There is already a web site up calling for Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco, to be arrested for granting "sanctuary" status to illegal aliens. I may agree, but I see sites like this as little more than a gimmick. If you feel so strongly about it, go to the state/federal authorities and file an official complaint instead.


NORWAY: How else to interpret this? One quarter of prisoners in Norway are foreigners, many from Muslim nations. By contrast, only 5% of the overall population is foreign (via Islam in Europe). The article says that Poland is among the top nationalities, which is puzzling, since Norway is one of the few European nations which hasn't joined the EU. Can anyone explain?


GERMANY: A German Muslim of Afghan heritage stabbed a Jewish rabbi, pleading self defense. Good luck with that legal strategy.



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