The article starts out so very promising on the varieties of interpretation that we call shari’ah. Then it so quickly devolves into conflating constitutional law with religious law, without really explaining how such conflations take place. The article also talks about the religious Shi’ah and the secular Kurds and Sunnis. What about the secular Shi’ah and the religious Kurds and Sunnis? There are huge varieties of interpretation even within the traditions. Finally, page 2 is mostly about cultural practices that the author makes sound like shari’ah. This is a blog, I can say things and pre-suppose knowledge, and get into conversations with people. The NYT should do better.
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Gaza Crisis [12/30]
Starting a new page, the other one was getting too crowded. Israelis ram a relief boat that is also carrying a former US Representative. One Palestinian family loses five daughters in the same night after a mosque is targeted. If I’ve done the math right, according to the article 16% of all victims are confirmed civilians – that’s using the UN’s numbers. (h/t MJ Rosenberg) Compare to the total of 4 Israelis who have been killed. Can we just call it even and stop now? No, because that’s not the way the cycle of violence works. I have little hope…
‘Stealth Jihad’ Conveys Paranoia – Newsweek
‘Stealth Jihad’ Conveys Paranoia – Newsweek. Also, simply put, foreign words freak people out. “Jihad” and “Sharia” reinforce the sense among Americans that Muslims in general have an unfathomable world view. During World War II, formerly obscure words like “hara-kiri” and “kamikaze,” which suggested the “warlike ferocity” of the Japanese, became common parlance, Nunberg says. “There was this sense of being confronted with this hostile, alien culture.” The Japanese were “literally demonized,” he says.
Adoption Game
I don’t know what’s going on at 20/20, and I’m surprised at Barbara Walters for doing an adoption game style promotion for a news piece. I’m shocked the challenge is on legal grounds to the theft of an idea instead of outrage that such advertising, and perhaps such games, are permissible.
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I gotta be honest. Though I don’t disagree with your criticisms, that article didn’t really bother me much at all. Glad you’re out there on the front lines. 🙂