National thoughts
I was watching the National and I found several things worth mentioning, along with some thoughts.
1) An online game company, Traffic, is offering a game where you can assume the place of Oswald and shoot JFK for $10 (or CNN). The company says it is to educate people about the whole incident. Yet, they are offering $100,000 for the best replicating shot in the next three months. Thanks for helping out the world guys.
2) They were discussing the incident with the Miss World competition in Nigeria, and how a woman received a fatwa indicating to others to kill her. Salman Rushdie was interviewed because of his satire of Mohammed and consequent 10 year fatwa calling for his death. I’m mentioning all of this because of something that had me laugh out loud in shock. CBC showed old footage of a large group of people, having the appearance of protestors, carrying a big banner that reads “We will Kill Salman Rushdie.”
Why I thought it was funny (the absurdity!) was the contrast of the appearance of a parade, but the true content of negativity and hatred. Then I pictured someone saying “Hey, Salman, some people are having a parade for you.” Then he gets all excited and hopeful and rushes to the screen. “Awwwww, maaan… they want to kill me. Well, dang, that sucks.”
Reportedly, the 1989 fatwa reads: In the name of God Almighty. There is only one God, to whom we shall all return. I would like to inform all intrepid Muslims in the world that the author of the book entitled The Satanic Verses, which has been compiled, printed, and published in opposition to Islam, the Prophet, and the Qur’an, as well as those publishers who were aware of its contents, have been sentenced to death. I call on all zealous Muslims to execute them quickly, wherever they find them, so that no one will dare insult the Islamic sanctions. Whoever is killed on this path will be regarded as a martyr, God willing. In addition, anyone who has access to the author of the book, but does not possess the power to execute him, should refer him to the people so that he may be punished for his actions. May God’s blessing be on you all. Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini. - Wikipedia
I could go on about this, and I may another time, but check Wikipedia for now. As well, after reading the fatwa, my earlier humour has dissipated.
There is another point here on which I would like to briefly comment, and that is freedom of speech in at least some parts of the world. The thought was sparked by some thoughts of Freud’s when he knew that his books were some of the first that were burned by the Nazis: “Look at the progress we have made. In the middle ages, they would have burned me. Now, they just burn my books.”
To think that in the past people were often killed for their beliefs is bad enough, to know that they still are is so much more sickening.
Lastly, because the woman was from Norway and the Miss World was in Nigeria, they needed some sentence to lead into a segment. I think they could have done better than, "Norway is about as far from Africa as you can get." (paraphrased)
Really? The distance is only 5644km. Sigh.
1) An online game company, Traffic, is offering a game where you can assume the place of Oswald and shoot JFK for $10 (or CNN). The company says it is to educate people about the whole incident. Yet, they are offering $100,000 for the best replicating shot in the next three months. Thanks for helping out the world guys.
2) They were discussing the incident with the Miss World competition in Nigeria, and how a woman received a fatwa indicating to others to kill her. Salman Rushdie was interviewed because of his satire of Mohammed and consequent 10 year fatwa calling for his death. I’m mentioning all of this because of something that had me laugh out loud in shock. CBC showed old footage of a large group of people, having the appearance of protestors, carrying a big banner that reads “We will Kill Salman Rushdie.”
Why I thought it was funny (the absurdity!) was the contrast of the appearance of a parade, but the true content of negativity and hatred. Then I pictured someone saying “Hey, Salman, some people are having a parade for you.” Then he gets all excited and hopeful and rushes to the screen. “Awwwww, maaan… they want to kill me. Well, dang, that sucks.”
Reportedly, the 1989 fatwa reads: In the name of God Almighty. There is only one God, to whom we shall all return. I would like to inform all intrepid Muslims in the world that the author of the book entitled The Satanic Verses, which has been compiled, printed, and published in opposition to Islam, the Prophet, and the Qur’an, as well as those publishers who were aware of its contents, have been sentenced to death. I call on all zealous Muslims to execute them quickly, wherever they find them, so that no one will dare insult the Islamic sanctions. Whoever is killed on this path will be regarded as a martyr, God willing. In addition, anyone who has access to the author of the book, but does not possess the power to execute him, should refer him to the people so that he may be punished for his actions. May God’s blessing be on you all. Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini. - Wikipedia
I could go on about this, and I may another time, but check Wikipedia for now. As well, after reading the fatwa, my earlier humour has dissipated.
There is another point here on which I would like to briefly comment, and that is freedom of speech in at least some parts of the world. The thought was sparked by some thoughts of Freud’s when he knew that his books were some of the first that were burned by the Nazis: “Look at the progress we have made. In the middle ages, they would have burned me. Now, they just burn my books.”
To think that in the past people were often killed for their beliefs is bad enough, to know that they still are is so much more sickening.
Lastly, because the woman was from Norway and the Miss World was in Nigeria, they needed some sentence to lead into a segment. I think they could have done better than, "Norway is about as far from Africa as you can get." (paraphrased)
Really? The distance is only 5644km. Sigh.
posted by That which is called Darren at 10:27 PM
2 Comments:
To add to This Week in Absurd:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/11/23/ebay.sandwich.ap/index.html
E.
Sigh. Honestly, why not just stop school and go into making relgious symbology in various foods. The stupidity on some many different levels almost leaves me speechless. Hopefully this woman doesn't have children. Lastly, gee, I wonder who she voted for?
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