A driver was stuck in a traffic jam on the Washington DC beltway. Nothing was moving. Suddenly, a man knocks on the window.
The driver rolls down the window and asks, “What’s going on?”
“Terrorists have kidnapped Congress, and they’re asking for a $100 million dollar ransom. Otherwise, they are going to douse them all in gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, collecting donations.”
“How much is everyone giving, on average?” the driver asks.
“About a gallon!”
* * *
Normally I wouldn’t expect to get sent to Guantanamo for telling anti-Congress jokes. But these days, anything is possible. Especially if you’re Muslim. Or Irish.
Ask Saad Allami. He sent a text message to his sales team urging them to “blow away” the competition. The next thing you know he and his family were being swarmed by anti-terror cops.
Or Leigh Van Bryan. An Irishman living in the UK, he and his friend Emily Banting got the quasi-Guantanamo treatment after posting tweets about planning to go on vacation to the USA to “destroy America” and “dig up Marilyn Monroe.” Explaining that “destroy” is British slang for “party” didn’t help. Humorlessness and imbecility are apparently requirements for working at TSA.
As an Irish Muslim, with two strikes against me already, I envy the complete impunity enjoyed by Jews like Andrew Adler, who can seriously urge the assassination of President Obama in a published op-ed and get away with it; and Larry Silverstein, who can blow up the World Trade Center, brag about it on national TV, avoid prosecution, and collect billions from insurance companies on the premise that someone else – Muslims of course – did the dirty deed to which he himself confessed!
As an Irish Muslim, if I were to publish an op-ed calling on Hezbullah to assassinate the President, I’d be imprisoned at best, indefinitely detained at worst. Yet Adler’s still walking around free. Apparently his ethnic identity is a get-out-of-jail-free card.
That’s how it’s always been in Zionist-occupied Palestine. If an Israeli Arab kills a Jew, it’s curtains for that Arab. Yet Jews kill Arabs all the time with impunity. In fact, IDF snipers have massacred innocent Palestinian children by at least the hundreds, almost certainly thousands, without any significant punishment. An article in the British Medical Journal (10/16/04) concluded: “Two thirds of the 621 children (two thirds under 15 years) killed at checkpoints, in the street, on the way to school, in their homes, died from small arms fire, directed in over half of cases to the head, neck and chest—the sniper’s wound. Clearly, soldiers are routinely authorised to shoot to kill children in situations of minimal or no threat.”
But the US, unlike Israel, has Constitutionally-enshrined freedom of religion, as well as an equal-protection clause. Every time a US official treats a Muslim differently from the way a Jew would have been treated in similar circumstances, it is a violation of the Constitution.
Yet Andrew Adler can seriously urge the killing of the President.
While Muslim salesmen get Guantanamoed for trying to “blow away the competition.”
It used to be the USA.
Now it’s Israeli-occupied territory.
Anyone else ready for an intifada?
so true , read this :
'US Muslims live under Nazi-style oppression'
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/224746.html
well said, Kevin…
sad but true.
what's up is down, down is up.
"Nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care"—George Carlin
Eighty Five Jews arrested in New York on child abuse charges and not one word in the U.S. media. One Catholic priest is arrested for child abuse in Montana and it makes Headline News. It's simple as pie to see who controls the media but to even make this suggestion will get you labeled an "anti-Semite. Like the old saying goes " don't confuse me with facts." Well, this is just one more fact to add to the confusion.
Child sex abuse scandal rocks N.Y. Orthodox community, after 85 arrested – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/child-sex-abuse-scandal-rocks-n-y-orthodox-community-after-85-arrested-1.400957
I just looked at your blog–the ones with the "Jews Only" get out of jail cards. It is funny and clever and makes a point. But it falls into the trap of tarring all Jews with the same brush. I know you know this is, ultimately, not either correct or a successful line of argument. You will end up being branded anti-Semitic, and probably with good reason. You might see yourself as forced into the posture by attackers and supporters. But it is a trap, and will be used to discredit you.
With people like Silverstein, you are dealing with criminals, syndicate-level, crooks. That they may be Zionists is secondary to their criminality, in my mind, although you may choose to conflate the two. At times it, does look like Zionism is a criminal enterprise. But that is not the way, Zionism began. I'm sure you are familiar with its beginnings, in a return, to the earth, return to religious fundamentals, get away from the materialism, of the West, a kind of chialistic movement of simplicity, purity and devotion., Only the most religious and "modern" were attracted to take this dramatic, step. In the early days there was excitement. It was an experiment. Even, today there are Zionists like Uri Avnery. The early settlers ran into, difficulties, almost at once, but they did manage to live among the mix of peoples until, the late 20s when they began encountering opposition to the purchase of, lands. Eventually, Arabs began to refuse to sell land to Jews. Then things, got worse and worse. It was clear that there was enough money–not just, from Rothschilds, but also from US gangsters and legitimate businessmen, to buy up the entire country. It wasn't planned as a modern, democratic, multi-cultural state, but a religious enterprise and social experiment at, once. It was precisely the most religious who were excited by this new, country. There were, to be sure, darker undercurrents. But let's take the, high ground. Obviously, this experiment has gone badly wrong, from the, early settlers' point of view. Rather like Ezra Pound saying he had a, beatific vision, but ended up in a fight with the world. Well, that's the, Zionist condition to a T. Maybe it's yours, too?
I have many Jews in my life. I suspect you do to. A friend of mine once said, "The reason the US tolerates the crimes against the Palestinians is contained in seven words: Some of my best friends are Jews." It's a fact. And with good reason. Not all Jews are Zionists, but almost all will never allow themselves to be placed in a position to betray or harm Israel or fellow Jews. This isn't different from most Muslims, is it?
There are religious Jews on both sides of the Zionist enterprise. The irony, is that very religious Jews are on both sides. How can someone be both, very religious and willing to kill and torment Palestinians, execute false-flag, events, corrupt political processes if it leads to the establish Israel as a, permanently viable, dominant, secure state in the region? Maybe they are, very, very devout, and willing to put their lives on the line once and forever?, Maybe they are worshiping a different God?
Frankly, I hate getting in these kinds of arguments. Good people are on all sides. We must find a different way of attacking this problem. (continued in next comment)
Ben Gurion's words: "How can we trust the Palestinians, when we know they
can't trust us?" When I read them, I made a bow in honor of his honesty, which, was breathtaking, almost exhilarating. I had come to believe it was impossible, to talk with politically active Jews about difficult issues, because I, felt I was, only being manipulated and played. In part, it was true. I was being played, often enough. But part of it was my fault. I wasn't being honest, enough myself, with myself or with them. I had not earned real respect. I was young, brash, opinionated, and often angry, especially after coming back from the Middle East, to the 27/7 propaganda in the media here. I found myself arguing with, everyone, even my own family, with bosses and coworkers and strangers in cafes. It was, a bad time. I believed, then, that all people needed was to hear the, truth–as I had, seen it, both about Desert Storm and Islam, and Richard Timmerman's article, about the causes of Desert Storm that I had read in typescript in Al, Khobar, but, has since disappeared entirely, vanished. Those were hard years. Jobs, lost, one-time, friends alienated. I sometimes found myself foaming at the mouth, so angry and, frustrated I had become, thinking always that one more try, one more, differently, worded argument would do it. It never did. In those days, the fall guy was oil, companies. Everyone believed it, even old anti-war radicals. If I, called into a radio, show and said, "oil and Israel", I would be immediately scorned, shamed and, cut off. After a few of these experiences you start to get discouraged and, paranoid.
I am not going to blame myself for my failure to reach people. I did my best with my understanding, such as it was, and my talents, such as they are.
But one thing I gradually began to see. Some especially articulate people, who, opposed the wars for Israel and oil, were being maneuvered into a kind, of blanket, anti-Semitism of the classic sort, that effectively isolated them and scared, many Jews into advocating draconian policies limiting freedom of, speech and thought, research, and association, and promoting wide-scale surveillance., Initially done, privately and with private funding, this surveillance regime is, perhaps trying to be, moved to the public sector. The FBI and Homeland Security people are being, taught to identify and track "anti-Semites" and "Muslim activists" as a new, Islamofascist threat. I am sure you are aware of all of this.
I suspect these guys mean business, and the worst is yet to come. I expect bad developments here. Or at least recognize that things could get even worse than today. It's not a done deal.
It is voices like yours, upbeat, humorous, unapologetic, forthright, honest to a fault, (at times–I knew that fake movie producer story would be used against
you), kind, compassionate, intellectual, visionary–it is just this kind of, witness that is so badly, needed, and is actually not impeachable. To just let this testimony, send its ripples, outward, to the ends of the oceans is courageous and humble (in the right way).
And more, to work from this basis to craft a new discourse, a new language, one, capable of getting us to the illuminated city you found on the far, side of the mountain., That has to be one of my peak reading experiences, coming upon that, vision, as you, came upon that vision.
Just a caution.
Thanks for the note of caution! I see things pretty much the same way you describe.
I took a cautious approach to this through around 2008 and finally concluded that the more you worry about tip-toeing on eggshells, the harder they squeeze you. So I shifted to the taboo-busting "truth jihad" approach. If I think it's true, I say it.
I'm actually prejudiced in favor of Jews. I pre-judge Jewishness as "probably well-educated, well-read, good sense of humor." I've always had lots of Jewish friends, almost married a couple back in the day.
But the truth is that there is a Jew vs. Muslim double-standard, and I'm going to bash it as hard as I can until it crumbles. And enjoy every swing of the sledgehammer.
We've got lots of cautious, boring tip-toers. And we've got lots of genuine anti-Semites. What we don't have is enough people who are not the least bit prejudiced against Jews, yet who are ruthlessly (and humorously) honest about Jewish identity issues and Zionism, following in the footsteps of the great Gilad Atzmon.
That's where I come in.
Radical U.S. Muslims Little Threat, Study Says
NYT via theuglytruth.com
WASHINGTON — A feared wave of homegrown terrorism by radicalized Muslim Americans has not materialized, with plots and arrests dropping sharply over the two years since an unusual peak in 2009, according to a new study by a North Carolina research group.
The study, to be released on Wednesday, found that 20 Muslim Americans were charged in violent plots or attacks in 2011, down from 26 in 2010 and a spike of 47 in 2009.
Charles Kurzman, the author of the report for the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security, called terrorism by Muslim Americans “a minuscule threat to public safety.” Of about 14,000 murders in the United States last year, not a single one resulted from Islamic extremism, said Mr. Kurzman, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina.
The report also found that no single ethnic group predominated among Muslims charged in terrorism cases last year — six were of Arab ancestry, five were white, three were African-American and two were Iranian, Mr. Kurzman said. That pattern of ethnic diversity has held for those arrested since Sept. 11, 2001, he said.
Forty percent of those charged in 2011 were converts to Islam, Mr. Kurzman found, slightly higher than the 35 percent of those charged since the 2001 attacks. His new report is based on the continuation of research he conducted for a book he published last year, “The Missing Martyrs: Why There Are So Few Muslim Terrorists.”
The decline in cases since 2009 has come as a relief to law enforcement and counterterrorism officials. In that year, the authorities were surprised by a series of terrorist plots or attacks, including the killing of 13 people at Fort Hood, Tex., by an Army psychiatrist who had embraced radical Islam, Maj. Nidal Hasan.
The upsurge in domestic plots two years ago prompted some scholars of violent extremism to question the conventional wisdom that Muslims in the United States, with higher levels of education and income than the average American, were not susceptible to the message of Al Qaeda.
Concerns grew after the May 2010 arrest of Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized American citizen, for trying to blow up a sport utility vehicle in Times Square. Mr. Shahzad had worked as a financial analyst and seemed thoroughly assimilated. In a dramatic courtroom speech after pleading guilty, he blamed American military action in Muslim countries for his militancy.
The string of cases fueled wide and often contentious discussion of the danger of radicalization among American Muslims, including Congressional hearings led by Representative Peter T. King, a Long Island Republican and chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
But the number of cases declined, returning to the rough average of about 20 Muslim Americans accused of extremist violence per year that has prevailed since the 2001 attacks, with 193 people in that category over the decade. By Mr. Kurzman’s count, 462 other Muslim Americans have been charged since 2001 for nonviolent crimes in support of terrorism, including financing and making false statements.
The 2011 cases include just one actual series of attacks, which caused no injuries, involving rifle shots fired late at night at military buildings in Northern Virginia. A former Marine Corps reservist, Yonathan Melaku, pleaded guilty in the case last month in an agreement that calls for a 25-year prison sentence.
Other plots unearthed by law enforcement last year and listed in Mr. Kurzman’s report included a suspected Iranian plan to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, a scheme to attack a Shiite mosque in Michigan and another to blow up synagogues, churches and the Empire State Building.
“Fortunately, very few of these people are competent and very few get to the stage of preparing an attack without coming to the attention of the authorities,” Mr. Kurzman said.