Good to know sexism is dead and we can all move on n shit.
Via Peter Cohen on Twitter –
Me? No. No, you’re not.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Good to know sexism is dead and we can all move on n shit.
Via Peter Cohen on Twitter –
Me? No. No, you’re not.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Polly Toynbee pointed out last December that everybody’s favorite soap opera Downton Abbey is staggeringly dishonest about the reality of servants’ lives in the early 20th century.
… Read the restTo control history by rewriting the past subtly influences present attitudes too: every dictator knows that. Downton rewrites class division, rendering it anodyne, civilised and quaintly cosy. Those upstairs do nothing unspeakably horrible to their servants, while those downstairs are remarkably content with their lot. The brutality of servants’ lives is bleached out, the brutishness of upper-class attitudes, manners and behaviour to their servants ironed away. There are token glimpses of resentments between the classes, but the main characters are nice, in a nice world. The truth would be impossible without turning the
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
And here’s more background from last September, by Qasim Rashid in the Huffington Post.
… Read the restIt is no secret I’ve been critical of Muslim leadership for their deafening apathy and silence over the 125-year worldwide persecution of Ahmadi Muslims. To add insult to injury, every time a new atrocity emerges I’m bombarded with standard anti-Ahmadi talking points in a shameless attempt to justify the violence. Just recently in Gujranwala, Pakistan where four Ahmadi Muslims (including three young children) were murdered when their homes were burned down, insults followed the anemic condemnations. Those who bothered acknowledging the attack refused to recognize Ahmadis as Muslims, thus holding the same view as those who attacked and murdered the young children in the first
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
In 2010 the BBC offered some background on the Ahmadi movement, aka the Ahmadiyya community.
[I]t is regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical because it does not believe that Mohammed was the final prophet sent to guide mankind, as orthodox Muslims believe is laid out in the Koran.
Well there’s your problem right there: thinking “heretical” is a meaningful and useful word. Let’s face it, nobody knows whether Mohammed was the “final prophet” or not, or whether he was a “prophet” at all, or how they would know he wasn’t one. It’s all just claims all the way down. That, I suppose, why there’s so much venom about the claims.
… Read the restThe Ahmadiyya community takes its name from its founder
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We have a crappy public sphere in the US, as any fule kno. Public schools, public libraries, public parks, public broadcasting – they all have to struggle and beg to get minimal funding. They’re public, you see, and that’s socialism, and that’s the devil.
Norman Lear in the New York Times points out that PBS is starving its documentary shows in favor of soapy entertainment like Downton Fucking Abbey.
… Read the restAt issue are PBS’s two flagship independent documentary series: “POV,” founded in 1988, and ITVS’s “Independent Lens,” started in 2003. Both take on huge topics of public urgency. “Food Inc.” (2010), from “POV,” exposed harms in the food industry. “Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story” (2011) cast a spotlight on harsh
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Friendly Hemant says PZ gets Ayaan Hirsi Ali all wrong, because she didn’t say that, she said the opposite.
… Read the restI’ve seen complaints online about how Hirsi Ali was minimizing problems caused by conservative Christians, as if they weren’t as big a deal as those caused by extremist Muslims. PZ Myers called it “fatwah envy” and said Hirsi Ali was suggesting “we should meekly accept the lesser injustice because of the threat of the greater” and trying to “silence those who strive for respect and dignity in their lives.”
But when I watched her speech (because I actually did that instead of relying on a couple of sound bites and tweets), I didn’t get that impression at all.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Kashif Chaudhry is tired of seeing his friends and relatives jailed for being Ahmadis.
… Read the restYesterday, a very close family friend – someone I have always considered an uncle – was arrested in Pakistan. His crime: he had printed verses from the Holy Quran in an Urdu publication.
My uncle is an Ahmadi, and under Pakistan’s notorious anti-Ahmadi laws, he committed a ‘crime’ punishable by at least three years imprisonment and a fine. The law states that an Ahmadi who “poses as a Muslim hurts the religious feelings of Muslims”.
In the late 80s, three of my maternal uncles spent time behind bars under these same anti-Ahmadi laws for the crime of saying the Kalimah. Thousands of Ahmadis – and
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
The Guardian reports on #147notjustanumber.
Using the hashtag #147notjustanumber and #theyhavenames, friends and families of the victims, journalists and others on Twitter have begun to honour the lives of those who died – sharing the photographs, names, ages and character portraits as the details become available.
Each tweet paints a powerful portrait of loss.
They include tributes to Leah N Wanfula, who at 21 was the first of nine siblings to go to university. There’s Gideon Kirui, 22, whose entire family saved up for him to continue his education; and Selpher Wandia, 21, who was studying to become a teacher.
It was Gideon Kirui’s entire village that contributed money to his education. The link goes to … Read the rest
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There’s a vigil at Uhuru Park for the 148 people, mostly students, killed at Garissa University College. People are tweeting from there.
… Read the restMaud Jullien @MaudJullien 9 minutes ago View translation
Vigil at Uhuru park Nairobi for #garissa victims #147notjustanumber
Idris-Speaks @IdrissMuktar 39 minutes ago
#147notjustanumber at Uhuru park. Kenyans holding a vigil at Uhuru Park in honor of the lost souls.Idris-Speaks @IdrissMuktar 40 minutes ago
this lady came with a baby to honor lives lostIdris-Speaks @IdrissMuktar 36 minutes ago
honor of the lost students, young ambitious KenyansIdris-Speaks @IdrissMuktar 12 minutes ago
people posting pictures of loved ones and messages of condolences #147notjustanumber @robynleekrielIdris-Speaks @IdrissMuktar 19 minutes ago
#147notjustanumber crosses to signify the lives lost
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
On the other hand, the interview with Ayaan HA alerted me to this article by Asra Nomani on the silencing of criticism of Islam which tells me some things I didn’t know.
In 2004 a Muslim man she knew told her to stop writing. She did not comply.
… Read the restIt was the first time a fellow Muslim had pressed me to refrain from criticizing the way our faith was practiced. But in the past decade, such attempts at censorship have become more common. This is largely because of the rising power and influence of the “ghairat brigade,” an honor corps that tries to silence debate on extremist ideology in order to protect the image of Islam. It meets even sound critiques
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
More about that Daily Beast interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The interviewer is Cathy Young, who writes for Reason magazine among others and is great buddies with Christina Hoff Sommers – in short, she’s a conservative and she takes a very jaundiced view of feminism. She asked Ayaan HA questions carefully shaped to elicit the politically correct (in conservative terms) answers.
Her introduction, for instance, helps to set the tone.
Never one to shy away from battles, Ali has also made a foray into America’s gender wars: Last November, in a speech before the right-of-center Independent Women’s Forum, she declared that feminism in the West has “won” and that feminists were wasting their victory on “trivial bullshit”…
Yes, and … Read the rest
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More.
… Read the restEdith Honan @edithhonan 12 hours ago
Leah N Wanfula, 21, missing from Garissa, 1st of 9 to go to college, popular, loved Christian activities, mathematics
Leah Wanfula
Ian @ianmslim 8 hours ago
R.I.P Ivy Betty Wanjiku (Shiko) 1st yr student #GarissaAttack #147NotJustANumber cc @Maskani254
Ivy Betty Wanjiku
Edith Honan @edithhonan 9 hours ago
Gideon Mwakulegwa, 21, died in Garissa. He loved football, to dance, to sing. “He was my bro, I’ll never replace him”Gideon Mwakulegwa
Maskani Ya Taifa @Maskani254 2 hours ago
Selpher Wandia, 21. Her dream was to be a teacher. #147notjustanumber #TheyHaveNames via @edithhonanSelpher Wandia
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
The #147notjustanumber hashtag was started by Ory Okolloh Mwangi @kenyanpundit.
… Read the restEdith Honan @edithhonan 14 hours ago
Risper Mutindi Kasyoka, 23, died in Garissa. A-student, loved gospel music, planned to start biz consulting firm
Risper Mutindi Kasyoka
Edith Honan @edithhonan 13 hours ago
“This is my lovely Doreen Gakii who lost her life in Garissa. She was a 2nd year taking bachelor of education, arts”Doreen Gakii
Edith Honan @edithhonan 12 hours ago
Edward Wafula, missing from Garissa. “Preached God’s teachings.” Loved playing with kids, wanted to be a teacher.Edward Wafula
Edith Honan @edithhonan 12 hours ago
Obedy Okiring Okodoi, missing from Garissa. “He was joyful, focused, wanted to achieve the highest,” a teacher to beObedy Okiring Okodoi
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
… Read the restDaily Nation @dailynation 11 hours ago
#GarissaAttack: Lives snuffed out too soon #147notjustanumber
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Three more.
… Read the restGodfrey Simiyu @Simiyuhiphoree
This is #Liz Musinai from #Kitale #GarissaAttack #147notjustanumber #RIP our dear one [5 words omitted]
12:11 AM – 6 Apr 2015
Liz Musinai
ZION @Kirinyaga_
Lived & died for country … KDF Soldier Solomon Oludo. We honor your life & sacrifice. #147NotJustANumber
12:32 PM – 4 Apr 2015Solomon Oludo
W A F U L A H @GazzahBuoy
Alex Omurwa Mogaka,,Engineer student ,,,from Nyamira #TheyHaveNames #147NotJustaNumber RIP bro…
1:43 AM – 6 Apr 2015Alex Omurwa Mogaka
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
More.
… Read the restcynthia cindy @cynthiacindy4 4 hours ago
Joy Chepkorir, a daughter,niece, sister and friend to many…
#147notjustanumber
Joy Chepkorir
Tom Makau @tommakau 6 hours ago
Veronica Syokau from Kitui. 2nd year. Loved swimming. Her mom still in shock. #147notjustanumberVeronica Syokau
bwiboh makulusabaa @ODMtoto01
This is Rispher Maggy a student in Garissa. She is nowhere to be seen even in the mortuary.
#147notjustanumber
12:25 AM – 5 Apr 2015RispherMaggy
Muthoni☆ @MsoMuthoni
Alex an only child 19.Killed under a hail of bullets. #GarissaAttack #147NotJustANumber
2:22 PM – 5 Apr 2015Alex
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I’m seeing lots of consternation and alarm at the fact that some of us disagree with Ayaan Hirsi Ali on the Dear Muslima or Fallacy of Relative Deprivation or Not serve you cake or Who does the dishes question. How dare we disagree with Ayaan HA on anything, don’t we understand how much worse it is in Somalia or Bangladesh or Saudi Arabia than it is here?
Well, that’s a fatuous question, for a start. Of course we do. I for one write and post about it all the time. But I also write and post about other things. That’s all there is to it, really – we can pay attention to more than one thing, and it’s really not … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
And:
… Read the restCyprian, Is Nyakundi @C_NyaKundiH Apr 4
R.I.P Ruth Esiromo she was killed by the terrorists according to her boyfriend. Indeed #147notjustanumberRuth Esiromo
Team_Player @Awesome_Neythan 9 hours ago
Rip Angela #147NotJustANumber @C_NyaKundiH @kenyanpundit #GarissaAttack we will name them by namesAngela Kimata
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
More.
… Read the restd. winny @winmitchxxtk 34 minutes ago
Elizabeth Nyangarora #147notjustanumber #TheyHaveNamesElizabeth Nyangarora
d. winny @winmitchask 36 minutes ago
Dadly Mose #147notjustanumber #TheyHaveNamesDadly Mose
d. winny @winmitchklyv 1 hour ago
Tonie Wangu #147notjustanumber #TheyHaveNames http://notforgotten.co.ke/Tonie Wangu
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)