Goddess

She's recanted her story: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/girl-recants-accusation-that-classmates-cut-her-dreadlocks-1.4617060

I've shared some on here. The worst was a Muslim man who threw a picture frame at my head, I deflected with my hand and needed stitches. Because he showed up hours late for a doctor's appointment and I told him he would have to re-book. He was arrested for assault and at the court hearing, even the judge (who was female) was treated with utter disdain by him and said that what happened to me was because of the low value he put on females, his feeling that a woman had no right to tell him "No". Surprisingly, he was not an older man - he was early 20's, just going through life abusing any females he encountered because that's what he was taught. So yes, I agree that these kinds of stone-age religious beliefs harm a country's social cohesion. Especially when if you talk about it you're labeled an Islamophobe and a racist. I also agree with you that women bear the brunt of Islam's hatreds - Jews and gays, too. I dont' believe most men realize the little daily aggressions (and the big aggressions) that a lot of women - Muslim women and white women - experience due to Islam's extreme misogynistic teachings. They just keep spouting how these are "normal" interactions because men of all religions denigrate women, doncha know? The need to divorce the behaviour from the religion's teachings is desperate.

Baloney. You only "could care less" because it's Muslims. If people in Canada started wearing tshirts that said "All Muslims should be kicked out of Western countries" you'd be in massive LW outrage. You've screeched about far less being done to Muslims, you just downplay and make excuses for it when it's Muslims doing it.

This has been my experience, as well. The Muslims I interacted with generally treated me with disdain and some with outright hatred. The men more so - understandable in a misogynistic religion. But the women did, too. I think it's because even though they are women, too - they are lowest on Islam's totem pole, lower even than male children. Even though I'm female and that should bond us, I'm a white female and therefore viewed as even lower than a Muslim woman. And treated thusly.

Well, Hudson Jones assures us that it's only "a few" wearing the tshirt - that's like maybe 3. About the same number of extremists in the religion, according to apologists for Islam. Weird how only 3 people wore the shirt yet it got mentioned in 2 books. Probably those damn Islamophobes.

I've already apologized for using the word "most" - days ago. I should have used "very" popular shirt. The point was not how many are wearing it - it was that the shirt exists and is popular enough to be written about in 2 books. Not one of you wants to address that - except Dialamah who feels the shirt should be excused as some sort of Muslim "prank" and anyone who thinks otherwise is a racist. The writers who wrote about the shirt in relation to Islam's behaviour in other countries, did not write it off as a harmless prank, however. Sorry, you're a little late for the "Goddess-bashing". **hands you a tshirt that says "All Muslims should be kicked out of Western countries" as a consolation prize** Go ahead and wear it - it's just a harmless prank. Muslims will think it's hilarious!

Having lived in Fort Mac, I've seen how fast land reclamation happens up there. Sometimes we only see pictures of the actual oilsands - which is only about 2% or so of the actual boreal forest - Neil Young, Leonardo DiCaprio and Darryl Hannah never show pictures or talk about the reclamation going on up there. Before anyone piles on me as being an oilsand supporter - I am and I'm not. I'd love to see us get off the fossil fuels, but I don't think immediate shutdown of it all with nothing to fall back on is economically or societally viable.

Well, this is interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions

Thus, we end up with bizarre and contradictory statements like, "Yes, there is a lot of misogyny in Islam." and "Very few Muslims follow the religion's misogynistic teachings." I think some of these ones with cognitive dissonance are okay with criticising Islam by admitting (usually very reluctantly) that there is a lot of misogyny in Islam but that's as far as they allow the discussion to go. Any specifics about the actual misogyny, why it's wrong, how it affects women or how it affects society in general are viewed as intolerant views. They also require a lot of hand holding and reassurance that "not all Muslims".

I don't know.....It sends exactly that powerful message - religion will not be prioritized at the expense of society. Or prioritized above the rights of women.

Yes, that's what I said. No. Try reading again but without the self-righteous indignation that makes it difficult for you to comprehend what is actually being said. You look like a complete fool right now. **sigh**

I notice your article is from 2006. A lot has happened in France in the last 13 years. Seems like they anticipated some problems:

Could be. Many Muslim leaders and activists in Quebec support the ban.

Quebec has to ban all religious symbols - the Sikh turban, the Christian cross, the Jewish yarmulke. But these are all just religious symbols. The hijab and burka are not an Islamic requirement. They are more than a religious symbol. They are also a political symbol. A nod to religious fundamentalism and a view of women that is incompatible with Western values. Islam is both a religion and a political system. Yes, we don't know what any particular person believes deep down.

I agree with this part. Imagine being Jewish and getting pulled over by a cop in a hijab. Or facing a judge in a hijab. Imagine being a Muslim man getting pulled over by a female in a hijab - the religion says she has no authority over him. That could put her life in danger. The appearance of fairness and equality in certain positions of authority is imperative. This however, only affects Muslim women in authority. A Muslim cop or judge who is male - you have no way of knowing just how seriously he takes his religious beliefs.

When American political leaders were getting raked over the coals for appearing in blackface, I imagine Trudeau was crapping his pants. Why didn't he go public with his own blackface BEFORE it hit the news? If he had come out and said, "Hey guys, I did this too in my younger years and feel horribly about it and have changed my views since then" I think people would have been more empathetic - everyone has made mistakes. Instead he just closed his eyes, crossed his fingers and HOPED beyond all hope that those pictures would never see the light of day. Stupid.

I'm sure there are lots of lovely Muslims. But this says nothing about Islam. Lots of men are not rapists, yet most rapists are men. Just because you can point out men who do not rape, does not suggest we should not worry about this. And pointing out the fact that rape is a largely male crime is not hateful, sexist or bigoted. Several global surveys have shown that the positions held by most Muslims when it comes to a wide range of liberal views (freedom of speech, rights of religious minorities, gay rights, women's rights, apostacy, etc.) are not pretty positions and that a sizeable portion hold views that are at odds with the values on which Western culture is based. So what do we do with this information? Should we refrain from having an open discussion on the matter since the majority of Muslims are peaceful? Should we ignore the daily carnage that is carried on throughout the world in the name of Islam? How do you tackle these issues when the mere hint of criticism is labeled unacceptable - racist and Islamophobic? Thousands of people are being beheaded, murdered and raped by members of Islam. Yet some see no reason to examine whether their positions might be religiously based and instead spout out empty, childish platitudes to appear "tolerant". The truth is not irrelevant. And it is wrong for a group of people to threaten and engage in repeated violence should their religious feelings be hurt. No one has the right to never be religiously offended - not even Muslims. Blasphemy laws belong in the Dark Ages. And so do a lot of other Islamic beliefs.

I believe it was in a month and I think it was Iran. It had something to do with Ramadan celebrations - that's why I think it was a month time period. I was reading it recently but I forget where. The exact number was not important to me - only that it was happening. I remember the number only because it was shocking to me. #1 because how many of them were innocent men who just were not considered "manly" enough and #2 - how many were innocent men who were turned in as homosexuals by someone who had a grudge against them. I'll try to find the cite, although I'm sure you will not accept it - wherever it was, since you believe even ISIS has only thrown "a couple" off rooftops and that Muslims "condemned it". sadly funny oy vey!

Geez! I wish you nitpicked Islam as much as you nitpick apart those who criticize it. Which is why I didn't say, "Marcus said such and such". I said he was free to believe they don't exist if he wants to. or believe whatever he wishes. Instead of discussing the actual shirt and its implications, you both want to discuss the exact number of Muslims wearing it. Exactly. Whichever argument fits what you're trying to excuse in Islam at the time - you use.

You only want to nitpick. The point of the video was someone wanted proof that women are being harassed for a lock of hair falling out of a hijab. I provide the video and now you deny it because some people forced a taxi to take the woman anyways. Whether others step in to help or not - was not under discussion. The point of the tshirt is that it exists and is worn by enough Muslims that its existence and popularity made it into 2 books (that I know of). The exact number of Muslims wearing it was not under discussion. This is what apologists do - detract and distract from what is going on in Islam. Muslims wearing that tshirt and women being harrassed over hijabs is okay with you but pointing out such things somehow makes ME the bad person.

I've provided 2 quotes from authors of well-researched books. Don't believe the tshirts exist if you don't want to. I don't really care. **shrug**

You make some good points, but I seem to remember you stating the opposite of this in another discussion. You claimed that most terrorists were recent converts to Islam and thus did not understand the religion. It makes me think you just say whatever you have to at the time to cover for Islam. And it's not the first time you've contradicted yourself. I just let most of it pass.