Author Mark Arax has written an article in Salon that details allegations against the Los Angeles Times in killing a story on how the Israeli lobby was helping efforts to deny the Armenian genocide in exchange for Turkey’s support of Israel. Despite the focus on media issues on this blog, I am embarrassed to say that I was unaware of the controversy until this column.
Continue reading “Salon: Author Details Controversy at LA Times Over Article on The Israeli Lobby and Denial of the Armenian Genocide”
Category: Religion
We have been following the Iranian crackdown on “badly veiled” women. It now appears that at least 62,000 women have been issued warnings about their failure to properly cover their hair in the Shiite holy province of Qom.
Continue reading “Veiled Threat: Iranians Issue Warnings To 62,000 “Badly Veiled Women” and Confiscate Cars”
The Dutch city is now famous not just for its cheese, but its “decoy Jews” In an effort to combat attacks on Jewish citizens, the police are disguising officers as Jews to capture anti-Semitic hooligans.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is facing a possible death sentence in Pakistan for hosting the “Draw Muhammad” day contest. Pakistani police have opened an investigation under a section of the penal code that carries the death sentence for blasphemy against the “prophet” Mohammed. Tragically, President Barack Obama can be cited by the Pakistanis as supporting such blasphemy laws — and their enforcement.
Iranian clerics are campaigning for a continued crackdown on “badly veiled women” who are being compared to drug traffickers. Ironically, conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is being described as something of a libertine for suggesting that the government may try to emphasize a “cultural campaign” over the recent public measures taken against women who have been pulled from cars or off the street due to hair showing beneath their veils.
Continue reading “Iranian Clerics Call For Increased Crackdown on “Badly Veiled Women””
The Israeli Supreme Court has become embroiled in another religious controversy. Last week, the Court struck down subsidies for religious students. Now, tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews are protesting in various cities after the Court ordered the jailing of some Ashkenazi parents of European descent who refused to send their daughters to a school with girls of Middle Eastern, or Sephardi, descent. Ironically, both groups are protesting the order.
We have another shocking honor killing. The murder of a couple identified as Asha and Yogesh occurred outside Delhi when the family of Devi took revenge for her marrying a man from a lower caste. Even after his arrest, her uncle Omprakash Saini, proclaimed “I’m not sorry. I would punish them again if given a chance.” The bodies showed signs of torture before they were killed.
Continue reading “Indian Family Tortures and Kills Couple After Daughter Marries Lower Caste Man”
The Israeli Supreme Court handed down an important ruling this week — striking down benefits for older yeshiva students. Married yeshiva students are given support payments that supply them with a state subsidized income.
Continue reading “Israeli Supreme Court Strikes Down Subsidy for Yeshiva Students”
In Monroe, Ohio, the evangelical Solid Rock Church just north of Cincinnati had something of an unexpected divine intervention. The church had erected a “King of Kings” statue that towered over the surrounding area — 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base. This week lightning struck the statue — destroying it and spreading the fire to the adjacent amphitheater.
The respected International Committee for the Red Cross has released a statement denouncing Israel’s blockade of Gaza as a violation of international law.
Continue reading “International Red Cross Denounces Israeli Blockade of Gaza As Violation of International Law”
A Saudi court has sentenced a man to four months in prison and 90 lashes for kissing a woman in a mall. This is yet another example of the Sharia based legal system in the Kingdom and the continued work of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
Continue reading “A Kiss Before Flogging: Saudi Police Sentence Man to Jail and Flogging for Kissing Friend in Mall”
Jarrestta Hamilton has been fired as a fourth grade teacher at Southland Christian School in Florida after administrators declared her a fornicator. Hamilton was about to be married but became pregnant before her vows — leading to her dismissal. She has now filed a discrimination lawsuit.
Continue reading “Learning Your Scarlet Letters: School Fires Teacher as Fornicator”
A video has been racing around the Internet — purportedly showing heavy weapons discovered behind bags of flour on the Mavi Marmara. The find would serve to justify the lethal raid on the flotilla to Gaza and some posters have asked why no uproar? The answer is because the video is a fraud — it shows a boat that was actually searched in 2009.
Continue reading “Hoax: Video Showing Heavy Weapons Discovered on Mavi Marmara is a Fraud”
We recently saw the video released in Israel mocking the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the flotilla controversy — featured on Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Now the Israeli government has apologized for the video — which was distributed by its press office.
This video was released by Israeli activists making fun of the flotilla and claims of suffering in Gaza. The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) has been featuring the video.
Continue reading “CBN Features Israeli Video Mocking Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza and Flotilla Allegations”