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| Arabia |
| "When..." |
| 2007-03-08 |
| H/T to PowerLine from the always good www.MEMRI.org. While reading this, consider: If I changed the words in some lines "an Arab country" to "in America", I might be called some unpleasant names, ridiculed and perhaps even ostracized - but I could go about my business without fear for my life, my family, or my property. The man who wrote this probably already has a death sentence on his head. "When you cannot find a single garden in your city, but there is a mosque on every corner - you know that you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When you see people living in the past with all the trappings of modernity - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country. "When religion has control over science - you can be sure that you are in an Arab country. "When clerics are referred to as 'scholars' - don't be astonished, you are in an Arab country. "When you see the ruler transformed into a demigod who never dies or relinquishes his power, and whom nobody is permitted to criticize - do not be too upset, you are in an Arab country. "When you find that the large majority of people oppose freedom and find joy in slavery - do not be too distressed, you are in an Arab country. "When you hear the clerics saying that democracy is heresy, but [see them] seizing every opportunity provided by democracy to grab high positions [in the government] - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When monarchies turn into theocracies, and republics into hybrids of monarchy and republic - do not be taken aback, you are in an Arab country. "When you find that the members of parliament are nominated [by the ruler], or else that half of them are nominated and the other half have bought their seats through briberyÂ… - you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When you discover that a woman is worth half of what a man is worth, or less - do not be surprised, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When you see that the authorities chop off a man's hand for stealing a loaf of bread or a penny, but praise and glorify those who steal billions - do not be too surprised, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When you are forced to worship the Creator in school and your teachers grade you for it - you can be sure that you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When young women students are publicly flogged merely for exposing their eyes - you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When a boy learns about menstruation and childbirth but not about his own [body] and [the changes] it undergoes in puberty - roll out your prayer mat and beseech Allah to help you deal with your crisis, for you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When land is more important than human beings - you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When covering the woman's head is more important than financial and administrative corruption, embezzlement, and betrayal of the homeland - do not be astonished, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When minorities are persecuted and oppressed, and if they demand their rights, are accused of being a fifth column or a Trojan horse - be upset, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When women are [seen as] house ornaments which can be replaced at any time - bemoan your fate, you are in an Arab country. "When birth control and family planning are perceived as a Western plot - place your trust in Allah, you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When at any time, there can be a knock on your door and you will be dragged off and buried in a dark prison - you are in an Arab countryÂ… "When fear constantly lives in the eyes of the people - you can be certain that you are in an Arab country." Mike |
| Posted by:Mike Kozlowski |
| #8 In my humble (not) opinion, the word "arab" should be replaced with "muslim". After all, all muslim countries are not arab, but all muslim countries face these dilemmas. One or so more, When western medicine and means are available, but denied to the average citizen while the rulers have the best medixal treatment money can provide, despair not for you are in a muslim country. When western military technology is available to every gunbunny with a death wish, fear not for thou art in a muslim country. When thy neighbors wife/daughter offends you for having been raped by secen men and photographed while being so violated, she will thus receive 90 lashes while the perpretrators go free, but this is as it should be for thou art in a muslim country. When religious fear and oppression outweighs the will to better oneself and one's family, thou art in a muslim country. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-03-08 20:54 |
| #7 Or, GP(#3), North Korea. Learned a little interesting fact on last night's (Nat'l Geographic Channel) special on North Korea, that tells you everything you need to know: The average 7 year old (who went through the famine in the late 90's) is something like 8 inches shorter and 22 lbs. lighter than his/her counterpart in SOUTH KOREA! Jeebus, what that man is doing to the children™ alone should be enough for invasion and overthrow. But, then the death cult like worship of Kim Jong Il started too. Stuff that's VERY hard to watch and (almost) unfathomable to the western mind. |
| Posted by: BA 2007-03-08 20:41 |
| #6 HMMMMM... I thought the Religious Policeman had ceased commenting on the arabic insanity in order to co-author a book. He must have taken a short break from his manuscript duties. |
| Posted by: GK 2007-03-08 19:29 |
| #5 #2 Grumenk - "He" is a "she." |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-03-08 19:19 |
| #4 methinks Hugo won't get the chance to make that Leader-For-Life© last very long...when all his promises and "cheap oil for support" deals come to payoff time, and his economy is in the tank, he'll catch a 9mmm leadership change |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-03-08 19:04 |
| #3 "When you see the ruler transformed into a demigod who never dies or relinquishes his power, and whom nobody is permitted to criticize - do not be too upset, you are in an Arab country." Or, soon enough, in Venezuela. |
| Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-03-08 19:00 |
| #2 He sounds like a version of Jeff Foxworthy for the burka set. |
| Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-03-08 18:57 |
| #1 arab americans have come out (NYT Letter to the Editors) saying that it would not be published if it said "Jews" or "Blacks" I WISH the NYT would publish what the arabs say about Jews. Anyway, what part of this poem isn't true? |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2007-03-08 11:23 |