Reactions to story from FOX News

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  http://brenatevi.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/47/
  44 days ago in Bren’s Mental Dump · Authority: 1

  What exactly are they protesting? The protesters are demanding the Group of Eight be dissolved and urgent measures be taken to solve climate change and world hunger. “Down with imperialism,” said one large red banner carried at the front of the march. How much do you want to bet that these are leftist protestors? Anyone? No bets? Yeah, that’s what I thought. The whole Group of Eight being dissolved thing is a dead givaway. So, here’s a question for the Communist minded out there: why is it that G8, and corporations investing in developing nations, improving their infrastructure, and generally help improve that nation’s lot in life, is considered imperialism, while Communists, who tend to hijack the infrastructure that capitalists built, and all in all wreck economies, is considered “freeing the proteleriat?” Consider this enlightening post. Personally, I read that and realized that these people don’t even know who the prolteriat are. But that is beside the point. The real point is that I’m a libertarian, and moaning about communism is like arguing with a religious zealot: he’s right no matter what, and therefor you must agree with him, no matter how much the evidence proves otherwise. You know what? I have better things to bitch about, and they’ve performed a self-lobotomy any ways. Hey, talking about self-lobotomy. I have all of the respect in the world for other religions, except for those that think murder is a great way to proselytize.(Yes, I had to look up that word.) And I mean all sects that think that way. So why did these teachers, who don’t even believe in Islam, punish these kids for refusing to pray (or even praying “incorrectly)? It’s called, “You’re right, we’re wrong, don’t kill us.” Quite frankly, there are ways to understand Islam without going through the prayers, you know those little things called books. Or, alternatively, you can go to a mosque and watch. During my career odyssey of 2000-2004, one of the several jobs I did was real estate manager (a job that was worth several lifetimes of jobs.) One of the properties was a strip mall off 161 that was rented out exclusively to Somolians. Interesting people (all people are interesting if you approach them in the right setting, unless they are shooting at you, and then they are intensively interesting; I haven’t experienced this directly myself, but I imagine that I wouldn’t be ignoring them.) They had a sort of bank where they could wire money back to Somolia, which also acted as a mini mosque, where they could perform their 5 prayers a day. At the beginning of the month, I would go collect the rent, and quite often get there in the middle of their prayers. If it was a nice day, I’d sit on the hood of my Corsica and just watch them basically lay themselves out in front of Allah. Personally, I could never do it, but I understand why they do. It gives structure that will always be there no matter where they are, plus they also believe in it. I was on good terms with most of the renters there (except for one, but that was my fuck up… oh, how I screwed up on that one… I think it was my first month there, and I was thrown to the wolves, I was tired, frustrated…) *gimme a sec* So, one of the renters was sort of like the “god father” of the Somolians there; not exactly mind you, but if I had problems or needed to talk to one of the other renters, I tended to go to him. One day, after the daily prayers, he came out to me, and somehow the discussion came to religion. “You are a spiritual man,” he stated (there might have been more discussion here, but this was at least 5 years ago.) I allowed that I was, and he gave me some materials on Islam, including 2 tapes. I’ve leafed through the book, but never listened to the tapes; I had pretty much abandoned Christianity by this point, so why would I pick up a religion even more strict than that? Still, I was, and still am, touched by that simple action. When it seemed like the world had left me behind, this person cared enough to try to convert me to his religion. I’ll stick with my doubts, but thanks for trying. Really, this is what the teacher should have done, yet I get the feeling that if the kids didn’t want to go, they would have been punished for it. These people seem to think that “understanding” other cultures is the same as surrendering your culture, as if all of the sins of the father makes you unworthy of keeping your own identity. I’ve seen it often here in the States, this concept of cultural pacifism, and I don’t like, no matter where it happens. Yes, my forefathers fucked up, pulling some heinous crimes, but you know what? I’m not my forefathers, I didn’t do any of those things, and you can kiss my pale hairy ass if you think I’m going to hang my head in shame, bowing before the “formerly oppressed.” I’m not denying what they did, but I’m not going to throw out the good things they accomplished because of those crimes. As a student of history, I’m also aware of the heroic things those people did for others they didn’t know, or even didn’t like. A lot of the soldiers of the Union Army didn’t like black people, but that didn’t stop them from laying down their lives by the thousands, even after Lincoln freed the slaves. Take the good with the bad, because, ladies and gentlemen, that’s the only way the human race comes. This doesn’t feel like the monster, but it’ll work.
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  Protests Held as G-8 Leaders Arrive in Japan

  http://ravisgadgets.com/?p=3595
  44 days ago in Ravis Gadgets · Authority: 1

  Hundreds of protesters rallied under heavy police security Sunday in Japan as leaders from the top industrialized nations began arriving for their annual summit. [FNC Latest Headlines] [Read More]
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  Protests Held as G-8 Leaders Arrive in Japan

  http://picna.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/protests-held-as-g-8-l...
  44 days ago in Picture News Agency · Authority: 17

  SAPPORO, Japan — Hundreds of protesters rallied under heavy police security Sunday in Japan as leaders from the top industrialized nations began arriving for their annual summit. A morning protest ended peacefully. Another sponsored by leftist demonstrators was to be held later in the evening. The rallies follow a demonstration by about 2,500 on Saturday that lead to a brief clash with police in which four people — including a television cameraman — were detained. The protesters are demanding the Group of Eight be dissolved and urgent measures be taken to solve climate change and world hunger. “Down with imperialism,” said one large red banner carried at the front of the march. Japanese police have been out in force to assure there are no incidents during the G-8 summit, which starts in Lake Toya, about 60 miles south of Sapporo city on Monday. President Bush arrived at Lake Toya as the march was being held. Protesters have not been able to get anywhere near the summit venue, but have scheduled daily rallies in Sapporo, the largest city on the northern Japan island of Hokkaido. They are often outnumbered by the riot police deployed to control them. Japan has mobilized a staggering 20,000 police officers — primarily in and around the summit site but also in major cities including Tokyo — to avert any terrorist attacks. Coast Guard vessels and military helicopters have also been deployed. Last year, tens of thousands of anti-globalization protesters demonstrated when the summit was held in Germany and some threw Molotov cocktails at police, who used water cannons and horses to drive them back. The G-8 leaders represent the United States, Japan, Russia, France, Britain, Canada, Italy and Germany. They are being joined by African leaders and the leaders of China, India and other rapidly growing economies, making this year’s summit the biggest ever. Link:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376823,00.html

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