Another brave woman risks her life to challenge the authority of Muslim customs which denigrate females who are born into the Muslim culture. The vast majority are doomed to live their lives dominated by the males not only fathers and husbands but brothers and other relatives.
Ayaan was born into this life in Somalia. During her young years her family also lived in Saudi Arabia and Kenya. She did her best to learn the teachings of the Koran, attending school, reading, memorizing text and wearing burkas covering her from head to toe. As the years passed by and being exposed to other cultures particularly in Kenya she began to have doubts. She was forced into a marriage arranged by her father. He lived in Canada and had returned to Somalia looking for a “good” Muslim wife. The kind that would be obedient to him as a “good” Muslim woman should be. She was allowed to fly to Germany with the intention of continuing on to Canada but instead she entered Holland and applied for immigrant status which was granted. Her location was discovered and she had to face her husband-to-be together with older leaders trying to persuade her to marry. She did refuse and as a result was disowned by her father.
I was amazed to learn how generous the Dutch government is to immigrants. They were provided housing, food, clothes and health care for extended periods of time. The problem that developed was the refusal of immigrants of the Muslim faith to learn the language, assimilate and become productive citizens. They also sent their children to separate Muslim schools keeping them from associating with Dutch children. There were many instances of “honor” killing of girls whom became friendly with boys not of the Muslim faith. As Ayaan became more aware she began to distance herself from Islam. She learned the language, graduated from high school and went on to college. She was an avid reader trying to gain wisdom from the great authors of Europe. During these years she earned income by interpreting between the authorities and immigrants from Somalia. Many of these had to do with wives being severely beaten by their husbands. They rarely ever testified against them out of fear of being turned out of the Muslim community.
She began to speak out and over time became a sought after speaker and writer. She ran for public office and was elected. Her main goal always was to improve the lot of females. She collaborated with a film producer Theo van Gogh to produce a ten minute film depicting four punishments women could receive for various offences. It was called “Submission, Part One”. There were death threats. Finally in September 2004, Theo was murdered while walking down a street. His throat was slit and a knife shoved into his chest with a warning to Ayaad that she was next. The Dutch government provided her with protection. To this day she faces death threats and has been moved to America where she continues to speak out. In March 2005 Time magazine named her one of 100 “most influential people in the world today”.
Finally I want to quote from a statement she made. You can find it on page 349. “When people say that the values of Islam are compassion, tolerance, and freedom, I look at reality, at real cultures and governments, and I see that it simply isn’t so. People in the West swallow this sort of thing because they have learned not to examine the religions or cultures of minorities too critically, for fear of being racist. It fascinates them that I am not afraid to do so”.
I will continue to read and write reviews of books such as this. It is the least I can do.
Jack B. Walters
March 16, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Something's wrong here
Do you ever wonder about decisions made on our behalf in establishing relationships with leaders around the world? I will confine my remarks to the Middle East although it could easily be expanded to include South and Central America where for decades we have supported Dictators who oppress their own people.
I loved the picture of Don Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam Hussein when Iraq was at war with Iran. We gave him Billions in aid including poison gas he used not only against Iran but also Iraqi Kurds in the North where thousands were killed.
After Gadhafi capitulated on weapons of mass destruction he was welcomed into the United Nations with our support.
We went to war with the Taliban and al Qaida in Afghanistan ostensibly to punish them for the 9/11 terror attack based on the assumption that the terrorists received their training there. I always thought that was a mistake since 16 of the 19 involved were from Saudi Arabia.
Under the rule of the Taliban, women were removed from the work force, girls from schools and they were forced to stay in their home and only be allowed out with a male escort wearing burgas that covered them from head to toe.
When the Taliban were defeated we supported Hamid Karzai in becoming President. Now I read in the Star on 3/7/2012 that in order to help persuade the Taliban to live in peace he has instituted the same shameful rules which amounts to subjugation of all women in that country. This is the same man our President apologized to recently over the burning of Quran books. I never read that Karzai apologized for murdering our soldiers indiscriminately in retaliation for that act.
I guess our strategic interests are more important than promoting freedom and justice for members of the female sex. Not in my book. After spending a trillion dollars and the loss of thousands of lives this is what we have to accept for our effort. I say shame on all our elected and military leaders. There was a time when they valued human rights issues.
Jack B. Walters
March 8, 2012
I loved the picture of Don Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam Hussein when Iraq was at war with Iran. We gave him Billions in aid including poison gas he used not only against Iran but also Iraqi Kurds in the North where thousands were killed.
After Gadhafi capitulated on weapons of mass destruction he was welcomed into the United Nations with our support.
We went to war with the Taliban and al Qaida in Afghanistan ostensibly to punish them for the 9/11 terror attack based on the assumption that the terrorists received their training there. I always thought that was a mistake since 16 of the 19 involved were from Saudi Arabia.
Under the rule of the Taliban, women were removed from the work force, girls from schools and they were forced to stay in their home and only be allowed out with a male escort wearing burgas that covered them from head to toe.
When the Taliban were defeated we supported Hamid Karzai in becoming President. Now I read in the Star on 3/7/2012 that in order to help persuade the Taliban to live in peace he has instituted the same shameful rules which amounts to subjugation of all women in that country. This is the same man our President apologized to recently over the burning of Quran books. I never read that Karzai apologized for murdering our soldiers indiscriminately in retaliation for that act.
I guess our strategic interests are more important than promoting freedom and justice for members of the female sex. Not in my book. After spending a trillion dollars and the loss of thousands of lives this is what we have to accept for our effort. I say shame on all our elected and military leaders. There was a time when they valued human rights issues.
Jack B. Walters
March 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Insanity in Afghanistan
Copies of Qurans may have been burned by our military. The entire country is in an uproar and a number of Americans have been murdered. This continues the farce we witnessed in Denmark several years ago over a cartoon. Any perceived insult to Islam is a free license to kill at random.
Obama, McCain, Romney and others proclaim the need to continue the mission that has dragged on already for over a decade. It is insanity to continue. If we stay 20 years or longer nothing will change. There is concern about the return of the Taliban and al-Qaida. They will return regardless. We only delay the inevitable. We should have destroyed their training camps rather than occupying the country. Many American lives lost and trillions squandered.
I cast my vote for Ron Paul. He has the courage and wisdom to end this farce.
Jack B. Walters
February27, 2012
Obama, McCain, Romney and others proclaim the need to continue the mission that has dragged on already for over a decade. It is insanity to continue. If we stay 20 years or longer nothing will change. There is concern about the return of the Taliban and al-Qaida. They will return regardless. We only delay the inevitable. We should have destroyed their training camps rather than occupying the country. Many American lives lost and trillions squandered.
I cast my vote for Ron Paul. He has the courage and wisdom to end this farce.
Jack B. Walters
February27, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Catholic Church controversy over being required to provide birth control insurance
I have a few points to make. In the first place what gives the Federal government the right to insist that a company provide health insurance for its employees? In my day issues like this were the subjects discussed at the bargaining table for those companies with unions. For those without unions, in order to be competitive in the labor market companies provided benefits. Now all of a sudden the Federal government is dictating. Does anyone besides me believe it is none of their business?
The controversy has been swirling around for the past week or so. On a drive back to Tucson from Phoenix yesterday, for entertainment benefit, I listened to Rush and Sean. They repeatedly bashed Obama for interfering with religious beliefs and forcing religions to go against their tenants. While it is always good policy to criticize Obama it is my belief that Obama is using this issue to pave the way for something far more important to him. That is allowing Muslims to live under Sharia law as dictated by the Koran. This has been successful in England and other countries. It has been tried in our country. In fact at least one State tried to get ahead of the curve and outlaw it. As I recall it was struck down by the courts.
My point being that the right wing talk show hosts are digging a grave by demanding that the government not interfere with religious beliefs. They will not be able to talk differently when Sharia becomes the topic.
I believe Obama is a disaster for America. I do not believe he is ignorant or uninformed. He knows exactly what he is doing and why. Remember you heard it first from me.
Jack Walters
February 14, 2012
The controversy has been swirling around for the past week or so. On a drive back to Tucson from Phoenix yesterday, for entertainment benefit, I listened to Rush and Sean. They repeatedly bashed Obama for interfering with religious beliefs and forcing religions to go against their tenants. While it is always good policy to criticize Obama it is my belief that Obama is using this issue to pave the way for something far more important to him. That is allowing Muslims to live under Sharia law as dictated by the Koran. This has been successful in England and other countries. It has been tried in our country. In fact at least one State tried to get ahead of the curve and outlaw it. As I recall it was struck down by the courts.
My point being that the right wing talk show hosts are digging a grave by demanding that the government not interfere with religious beliefs. They will not be able to talk differently when Sharia becomes the topic.
I believe Obama is a disaster for America. I do not believe he is ignorant or uninformed. He knows exactly what he is doing and why. Remember you heard it first from me.
Jack Walters
February 14, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Calling all Independents to Action
( Letter sent to the Arizona Daily Star)
I believe that voters who have registered as an Independent did so as I did to show that we have lost faith in the two major parties . We long for the day when we can have our own candidate not tainted with Corporate or Union dollars but today is not the day.
In February the Republican Party will hold their primary. Only registered Republicans can vote. Since I am unequivocal about the need to remove Obama from that office I picked up a registration form today and have re-registered as Republican. After the primary I will re-register as Independent.
I am requesting other Independents to emulate my example. You have until the end of January to send in. Forms are available at Post Offices and Libraries. Who you want to support is of course your decision but to let this opportunity pass by was not acceptable to me.
Jack B. Walters
January 11, 2012
I believe that voters who have registered as an Independent did so as I did to show that we have lost faith in the two major parties . We long for the day when we can have our own candidate not tainted with Corporate or Union dollars but today is not the day.
In February the Republican Party will hold their primary. Only registered Republicans can vote. Since I am unequivocal about the need to remove Obama from that office I picked up a registration form today and have re-registered as Republican. After the primary I will re-register as Independent.
I am requesting other Independents to emulate my example. You have until the end of January to send in. Forms are available at Post Offices and Libraries. Who you want to support is of course your decision but to let this opportunity pass by was not acceptable to me.
Jack B. Walters
January 11, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Muslim Threat to World Peace
Americans are living in ignorance about the onslaught of the Islamic juggernaut that has infiltrated every country on earth. Their declared goal as expressed by the deceased Gadhafi is to transform all countries to Islam and further that it can be accomplished by immigration and uncontrolled birth rates. Most civilized nations including our own offer subsidies for immigrants to get settled including housing. They choose to accept but do not become a part of society as other groups have in the past. They tend to keep together operating under Sharia law while ignoring the laws of their new country. Females, in particular, are kept from meeting and dating men who are not Muslim. In strictly Muslim countries activities such as above would justify honor killing of daughters. A Muslim woman raped must find four or more male witnesses to support her claim. Muslim men can marry girls as young as nine years old.
Don’t take my word for it, just read articles any day in the Arizona Daily Star. Just today on page A19, Sri Lanka Muslims are demanding that tourist resorts be shut down because liquor is available, that direct flights from Israel and steps to end flogging of females found to have sex outside of marriage be stopped. On page A17 there was a picture of a fifteen year old girl in Afghanistan, tortured and confined to a cellar for refusing to be a prostitute. The article was positive in that the story was even allowed to be made public. I disagree and condemn the barbaric practices continuing in effect around the world. I agree with author Donie Darwish that Islam is not a religion. It is a way of life dictated by Sharia law and is similar to Communism and Nazism in that they are evil systems.
You should be aware of the love affair our current President has with Islam. If not, just Google “Obama’s Cairo Speech”. This was given early in his presidency. I have yet to hear any Republican candidate for President even mention the subject as a concern. Only informed citizens will bring this out into the open where, who knows, perhaps they can become part of the progressive world. If not, then the world as we know it will end, and not too far into the future either.
Jack B. Walters
January 5, 2012
Don’t take my word for it, just read articles any day in the Arizona Daily Star. Just today on page A19, Sri Lanka Muslims are demanding that tourist resorts be shut down because liquor is available, that direct flights from Israel and steps to end flogging of females found to have sex outside of marriage be stopped. On page A17 there was a picture of a fifteen year old girl in Afghanistan, tortured and confined to a cellar for refusing to be a prostitute. The article was positive in that the story was even allowed to be made public. I disagree and condemn the barbaric practices continuing in effect around the world. I agree with author Donie Darwish that Islam is not a religion. It is a way of life dictated by Sharia law and is similar to Communism and Nazism in that they are evil systems.
You should be aware of the love affair our current President has with Islam. If not, just Google “Obama’s Cairo Speech”. This was given early in his presidency. I have yet to hear any Republican candidate for President even mention the subject as a concern. Only informed citizens will bring this out into the open where, who knows, perhaps they can become part of the progressive world. If not, then the world as we know it will end, and not too far into the future either.
Jack B. Walters
January 5, 2012
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Cruel and Usual Punishment-a book report
By; Nonie Darwish
Those of you who actually read my stuff understand that I have a great concern about the spread of Islam to every corner of the world. While it may be true that the vast majority do not espouse violence against those of different faiths, it is also estimated that at least 15% can be considered devout enough to commit acts of violence including death to non-believers. 15% times 1.2 billion Muslims in the world today equals 15,000,000. I would think that any caring, thinking person would consider that many radical Muslims to be sufficient to cause alarm.
This book is clearly written and clearly understandable. Mrs. Darwish was born and lived as a Muslim in Egypt for 30 years before immigrating to America. Her mission in life is to alert Americans to the danger we face. She describes in great detail what the life of a female is like living in the Muslim world where girls as young as 9 can be married. The very thought is repugnant to me. Women are deemed to be inferior to men, not to be trusted, not to be educated or allowed any semblance of the freedoms American women take for granted.
She dissects the Koran and Sharia law and exposes the hate that drives Islamic fundamentalists to spread the curse of their “religion”. I put that in parenthesis because I believe as she does that it is more a political ideology than religion. She compares it to fascism and Communism, both of which are dangerous ideologies. This book is different from most in that she does offer intelligent solutions.
1-Define religion and exclude any ideology from that definition that does not pass the following test.
A religion must be a personal choice.
No religion should kill those who leave it.
A religion must never order the killing and subjugation of those who choose not to be its members.
A religion must abide by basic human rights.
2-Make Sharia an illegal law and declare it not a religion but a dangerous totalitarian ideology.
3- Control immigration from the Muslim world. Forms should clearly state that the goal of the immigrant is assimilation into democratic society.
4-Stop issuing religious visas to Muslim clerics imported from Muslim countries.
5- Ban Mosques and Muslim organizations that use religion to promote incitement to kill and hate speech against people of other faiths or atheists.
6- Demand access for access.
7- Stop shipping petrodollars to Arab countries.
8- Strengthen Western Judeo-Christian roots.
All of the above headings were fleshed out with full explanations. I cannot re-write the book for you. I can only urge you to purchase or get from your local library. Quite frankly I am pleased that a book as strong as this got published at all. I fear for the life of the author and her family. These people do not allow others to deride their prophet and his teachings.
Finally I must add that I have been concerned since our President took office with his strong support for Islam. Early on he gave a speech in Cairo that glorified the religion. We are all aware of the deep bow he gave to the King of Saudi Arabia. He has given orders to enforcement agencies not to make any reference to the Muslim religion when killings around the word happen. Two years after Ft Hood the killer is still awaiting trial. Obama considers him a radical not a Muslim carrying out a Jihad against America. That in my opinion is exactly what he did.
Now you know how I feel. I still recommend you informing yourself by reading this book and then staying alert to the danger it declares we are facing today.
Jack B. Walters
December 21, 2011
Those of you who actually read my stuff understand that I have a great concern about the spread of Islam to every corner of the world. While it may be true that the vast majority do not espouse violence against those of different faiths, it is also estimated that at least 15% can be considered devout enough to commit acts of violence including death to non-believers. 15% times 1.2 billion Muslims in the world today equals 15,000,000. I would think that any caring, thinking person would consider that many radical Muslims to be sufficient to cause alarm.
This book is clearly written and clearly understandable. Mrs. Darwish was born and lived as a Muslim in Egypt for 30 years before immigrating to America. Her mission in life is to alert Americans to the danger we face. She describes in great detail what the life of a female is like living in the Muslim world where girls as young as 9 can be married. The very thought is repugnant to me. Women are deemed to be inferior to men, not to be trusted, not to be educated or allowed any semblance of the freedoms American women take for granted.
She dissects the Koran and Sharia law and exposes the hate that drives Islamic fundamentalists to spread the curse of their “religion”. I put that in parenthesis because I believe as she does that it is more a political ideology than religion. She compares it to fascism and Communism, both of which are dangerous ideologies. This book is different from most in that she does offer intelligent solutions.
1-Define religion and exclude any ideology from that definition that does not pass the following test.
A religion must be a personal choice.
No religion should kill those who leave it.
A religion must never order the killing and subjugation of those who choose not to be its members.
A religion must abide by basic human rights.
2-Make Sharia an illegal law and declare it not a religion but a dangerous totalitarian ideology.
3- Control immigration from the Muslim world. Forms should clearly state that the goal of the immigrant is assimilation into democratic society.
4-Stop issuing religious visas to Muslim clerics imported from Muslim countries.
5- Ban Mosques and Muslim organizations that use religion to promote incitement to kill and hate speech against people of other faiths or atheists.
6- Demand access for access.
7- Stop shipping petrodollars to Arab countries.
8- Strengthen Western Judeo-Christian roots.
All of the above headings were fleshed out with full explanations. I cannot re-write the book for you. I can only urge you to purchase or get from your local library. Quite frankly I am pleased that a book as strong as this got published at all. I fear for the life of the author and her family. These people do not allow others to deride their prophet and his teachings.
Finally I must add that I have been concerned since our President took office with his strong support for Islam. Early on he gave a speech in Cairo that glorified the religion. We are all aware of the deep bow he gave to the King of Saudi Arabia. He has given orders to enforcement agencies not to make any reference to the Muslim religion when killings around the word happen. Two years after Ft Hood the killer is still awaiting trial. Obama considers him a radical not a Muslim carrying out a Jihad against America. That in my opinion is exactly what he did.
Now you know how I feel. I still recommend you informing yourself by reading this book and then staying alert to the danger it declares we are facing today.
Jack B. Walters
December 21, 2011
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