But a drive from Muslims in Western countries is trying to change that. From this week’s Economist: Of the seven countries that impose the death penalty for homosexuality, all are Muslim. Even when gays do not face execution, persecution is endemic. In 2010 a Saudi man was sentenced to 500 lashes and five years in jail for having sex with another man. In February last year, police in Bahrain arrested scores [...]
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/02/06/in-muslim-countries-persecution-of-homosexuals-is-rife/
Newt Gingrich calls the Palestinians “an invented people.” The main problem we face in the on-going conflict is that we are stuck too much in referring to historical claims and ignoring the here-and-now. We cannot completely deny historical context — indeed, at the very crux of claims to the region are their ancient linkages — but more important is understanding the conflict in present-day terms. That means understanding current demographic and political realities and current machinations of identity. The Palestinians exist now, they now have a link to the land, they now live on the land, they now want self-determination; who are we to deny them that or challenge them? In fact, doing so opens up for question our own, Jewish claim to the land of Israel. Wouldn’t it be more productive if we accepted both sides have claims and then begin moving on to dividing up the land into two states for two peoples?
Related reading:Tags: 2012 US Presidential Election, Islam, Israel, Judaism, Middle East Conflict, Newt Gingrich, Palestinians, Peace Process, Republican Party, Sheldon Adelson, USA Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/11/palestinians-are-an-invented-people-according-to-newt-gingrich/
Hebron, a dividied and occupied city, is among the holiest in Judaism. In this week’s parsha, Hayei Sarah, we learn of how it became so, when first Sarah, and then Avraham were buried there. Today the city is besieged by settlers and their protectors, making it impossible for Palestinians to live in many parts of the city. A group of Jewish rabbis, students, educators and leaders have put together a collection of stories and thoughts from their visits to Hebron, trying to understand all of the issues — political, social, moral, ethical — that are playing out in this city that is so holy to its Jewish and Muslim residents. I can’t recommend enough reading what they’ve written and watching their videos; the continued occupation throws up many questions, and these all go some way into prompting us to think about them, something very important as we read Hayei Sarah.
Related reading:Tags: Breaking the Silence, Hayei Sarah, Hebron, Human Rights, Islam, Israel, Judaism, New Israel Fund, Occupation, Palestinians, Torah Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/11/18/project-hayei-sarah-and-hebron/
A video excerpt from the Daily Show, parodying the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/10/09/video-new-scrolls-show-that-the-holy-land-is-actually-in-halifax-canada/
Senior Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has invited anti-immigration anti-Muslim Dutch MP Geert Wilders to Australia and is happily facilitating meetings and providing support for him.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/09/06/liberals-cosy-up-to-dutch-anti-muslim-politician-geert-wilders/
So says one commenter on Facebook. Another: “AUSTRALIA WILL BE HOLDING A CENSUS THIS WEEK. DON’T LEAVE THE “RELIGION” SECTION BLANK. BE SURE TO AT LEAST TICK CHRISTIAN (OR YOUR OWN FAITH). 1,000,000 MUSLIMS WILL TICK THEIR BOX. 10,000,000 AUSTRALIANS WILL LEAVE IT BLANK THEN WONDER WHY CHRISTMAS CAROLS ARE BEING BANNED IN SCHOOLS! NOT TO MENTION, EASTER HAT PARADES. IT’S NOT ABOUT RELIGION, IT’S ABOUT KEEPING OUR WAY OF LIFE.”
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/08/08/mark-no-religion-on-the-census-and-muslims-will-take-advantage-of-this-and-rise-up/
I just received an e-mail from the Anti-Defamation Commission asking for my signature on a petition asking the City of Port Philip to approve a planning application at a small building in Alma Rd, St Kilda, to allow more people to use it. Among other things, with 100 people allowed now to use the building, it will be used to accommodate a Muslim prayer group for a couple of hours [...]
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/02/14/supporting-diversity-at-home/
It hasn’t really been on the radar of most news sources outside of Israel it seems (though there are exceptions, like the Guardian), and a press release by the AJC, but a draft decision last week by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) [159Kb PDF] regarding “the two Palestinian sites of al-Haram al-Ibrahimi/Tomb of the Patriarchs in al-Khalil/Hebron and the Bilâl ibn Rabâh Mosque/Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem” [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/11/04/on-unescos-decision-regarding-rachels-tomb/
On the first of May, Faisal Shahzad tried to blow up Times Square in New York City with thousands of people in that. That evening, preparing to go to theatre, I was one of them. Over night in New York, he was sentenced to life in prison for the attempted terrorist attack. The reason I’m posting this though is because of something that he said, that resonated in my mind: [...]
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/10/06/times-sq-bomber-gets-life-in-prison-says-some-scary-things-this-isnt-islam/
Intriguing op-ed in today’s New York Times by literature professor Porochista Khakpour: Indeed, has the most irrational breed of 9/11 payback emerged precisely because we elected an African-American president whose middle name — the name of cousins of mine — has turned into an H-word slur? A commander in chief whom the most misled and confused perceive in cartoon cahoots with terrorists, or at least as their religion-mate? As if [...]
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2010/09/13/on-being-a-middle-eastern-american/
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