American Madness

If you haven’t yet heard (though I am not sure how you could have missed it), Iran released pictures of a missile test they just conducted. The image they released was plastered all over newspapers world wide and showed 4 missiles taking flight simultaneously. The picture came from Agence France-Presse who said that they got the picture from Sepah News, they happen to be the media wing (or maybe propaganda wing) of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. There is something a bit menacing about the image of four missiles heading skyward in a successful test… That is until you study the picture a bit more.

It turns out that the missile, 3rd from the left was Photoshopped in. the dust cloud under the missile comes from the right hand side, the missile it self is identical to the one on the left hand side (the NY Times had a little fun with Photoshop themselves highlighting this). Now the question being raised is: Who is responsible for this? (more…)

Decent parody of the inspirational Obama video:

In a week where the media headlines were dominated by the Virginia Tech Massacre and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, it’s important to also not some other headlines that should be getting some attention.

The first is the one Adam posted below “Iran Exonerates Six Who Killed in Islam’s Name.” Which ranks #6 in the NY Times most emailed articles (#1 being the all-important “But What if You Get Hit By a Taxi?” about Men’s underwear and #5 being “Bereft of BlackBerrys, the Untethered Make Do” about the 12 hours people had to deal without having email on their BlackBerrys)

The next article just cracks the top 10 most emailed: At #10 “Justices Back Ban on Method of Abortion.” About the Supreme Courts ruling that was released yesterday which will probably play a factor in the 2008 elections, especially with Giuliani supporting the Supreme Courts ruling while Obama has been quoted saying “I strongly disagree with today’s Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women,” Mr. Obama added. Even Justice Ginsburg came out saying that “this way of thinking reflects ancient notions of women’s place in the family and under the Constitution — ideas that have long since been discredited.” and wrote, as the voice of the 4 dissenters, that the decision is “so at odds with our jurisprudence” that it “should not have staying power.”

You can get the list of all the NY Times most emailed articles here

There is nothing like the madness of a good old anti-Semitic theocratic dictatorship to remind us that America is only slightly nuts. Sanity is often something measured by degrees and something one can only judge by observing the actions of those more crazed than oneself.

Courtesy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a ripe lunatic to be sure, we now have the Holocaust International Cartoon Contest.

The exhibition is intended to expose what some here see as Western hypocrisy for invoking freedom of expression regarding the publication of cartoons that lampooned the Prophet Muhammad while condemning President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran for questioning the Holocaust.

We’re used to rabid Jew bashing in the western world, so I don’t think that this expo is going to have the effect that Ahmadinejad was hoping for. Don’t expect riots and destruction of Iranian or Arab embassies.

Even Iranians were confused about the purpose of the show in a place where these views are already so pervasive in the state run press.

“Look, these cartoons are the reflections of U.S. and Israelis’ deeds, but wouldn’t it have been better if they were put on display in the U.S. or even in Israel?” said Ali Eezadi, 70, a retired industrial engineer who visited the gallery Thursday afternoon.

I think it is wonderful to see this government sanctioned anti-Semitic, anti-American, anti-western art show. Let’s not beat around the bush any more with veiled remarks and subtle hints. If you think that the Holocaust didn’t happen, or was funny, or if you think that Israel should be wiped off the map and all Jews should be driven out of the Arab world, or better yet exterminated, then let your true colors fly!

Sunlight is the best antiseptic, and maybe we can prevent WWIII by opening up this insanity for debate. I seriously doubt that this art show represents the views of most Muslims, and if it does, then I’d like to know that too.

It is time for the reasonable voices in this world to rise up and be heard. It’s time for people like Akbar Ganji to take center stage. I encourage you to read the Washington Post profile of him.

Ganji has spent the last 6 years in prison, often in soletary confinement. While in prison, he engaged in multiple hunger strikes in protest of his incarceration with the longest hunger strike lasting 73-days.

He speaks as an individual, a rare quality these days, and often finds himself in opposition, not only to the authoritarian Iranian regime, but also to the democratic reform movement for their timidness and willingness to compromise with Iran’s theocratic dictatorship. He also opposes the Bush administration policies, which have undermined democratic movements throughout the Middle East.

The people of the earth, the silent majority, have a right and a responsibility to make their voices heard, as Ganji does. We need to find means and courage to peacefully overthrow the many oppressive and violent regimes throughout the world. We need to find means to effectively oppose the insane policies of our own government witout resorting to the entrenched ideology of powerful political parties and special interest groups.

The time has come for a world conversation, but the question remains. How do we shut the lunatics out? They have run the asylum for much too long. Despite claims to the contrary, it seems that the Internet is empowering the psychotics and allowing them to rally popular support like never before.

Media savvy dictators, religious fanatics, and all those who wish to make the world bend to there wishes have found the Internet an exceptional tool for shaping public opinion, and the rational voices are beginning to get drowned out. Please pass the mic to people like Ganji.