Myrtus

Expose these hating barbarians and throw them in jail!

Sadist bastards in Sudan torture a woman in public with a whip and laugh about it while she screams for mercy. A bunch of spectators standing around appear to be enjoying the show.  Spineless, hating cowards the lot of them! It will make your blood boil and probably give you nightmares, so proceed with caution....

 

Hat tip Asma

Update 12/15/10, Human Rights activists get arrested:

Video of Sudanese woman being flogged prompts protest - CNN.com

The demonstrators belonged to the Women Initiative Against Violence, and 52 of them -- 46 women and six men -- were arrested for unlawful assembly, the Khartoum State Police Force said in a statement.

All 52 persons were released under bail, police said.

The two-minute video has caused an uproar in Sudan, and columnists in pro-government newspapers have called for an immediate investigation. Much criticism focuses on how the flogging was carried out.

"My Lebanese Sri Lankan" - "سرلنكيتي لبنانية"

Recently there has been an overabundance of reports on the abuse and torture of Sri Lankan maids taking place in countries all over the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia.  It's great to see that finally something is being done about this poblem.

To raise awareness on the abuse in Lebanon, this video presents a picture where the roles are reversed, putting (what appears to be) a Sri Lankan in charge of a Lebanese maid, and to a add a special twist to the whole, the Lebanese maid is referred to as "Sri Lankieti" in Arabic, meaning "my Sri Lankan [maid]" as if calling someone a "Sri Lankan" is equal to calling someone a "maid", but in a way that dehumanizes her, as if she's just a tool, merely intended to serve, be enslaved to others and be denied all human dignity.

 

A Yamulke Day & A Gay Square...NOU breekt m'n klomp!

Last week it was the "baiting Jew" proposal, now it's a "Yamulke Day" and a "Gay Square" proposal on the table by Dutch MP Ahmed Marcouch, as part of the so-called "Solidarity Action" days, in his noble quest to combat hate crime.

I'm sure his heart is in the right place and I'm big on conflict resolution and all, but sometimes you can go a tad too far with too much of a good thing, if you ask me. 

I'd say carrot and stick people, carrot and stick.....unfortunately I've been seeing too much "stick" and not enough "carrot" in the Netherlands lately.

"Baiting Jew" proposal by Ahmed Marcouch to combat antisemitism gets seal of approval

Dutch MP Ahmed Marcouch drew mixed reactions this past week with his somewhat unorthodox approach to combating antisemitism, when he proposed a plan to deploy undercover cops dressed as Jews in order to bait perpetrators who are causing this nagging problem and throw them in jail.

Ronny Naftaniel, the head of anti-semitism watchdog the Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel, says, “it has become common for Jews to hide their skull-caps on the street.” The CINI supports Ahmed Marcouch’s initiative.

It's not clear whether Anisemitism is increasingly becoming a problem all across Holland, but reports do indicate that Moroccan youths are growing bolder and becoming a tremendous nuisance in certain parts of Amsterdam, harassing Jews with hate speech and antisemetic gestures, to the point where Jews no longer feel safe wearing religious gear out in public and even had to resort to attending service in an unmarked synagogue to avoid the hostilities in one of the neighborhoods.

Marcouch had previously called attention to the urgent need to take care of this problem last month in his Memorial Day speech, commemorating victims of the Holocaust and the fallen soldiers of WWII. 

Prior to the persecution of the Jews, systematic dehumanization and discrimination of this entire segment of the population took place and lasted at least ten years. That is why we are vigilant with regards to discrimination and especially antisemitism. That is an advantage. In this sense, we remember the sacrifices people made in order for us to have the freedom we have today, and we have to do everything possible to combat antisemitism.

Religious Jews like Rabbi Sebbag and Gideon van der Sluis travel by foot Sabbath, so on Saturdays, they walk from the "Rivierenbuurt" to the synagogue in "De Pijp". They tell us that people call them names like "Yahoud", and throw coins at them. Moroccan youngsters confirm that they have friends who do this.

It is absolutely unacceptable if Jews in Amsterdam cannot wear a yarmulke. We cannot play this down in any way shape or form, and we have to make a firm commitment to making sure that Jews can be themselves, under all circumstances.

The Dutch term "lok-jood" that's being used in this case to describe the undercover cops deployed as bait to lure the perpetrators sounds a bit rough and somewhat shocking if you ask me, but if that's what it takes to draw attention to the problem and take care of it once and for all, then so be it.  My only concern is what if the term ends up taking on a different form and becomes yet another derogatory term or variations thereof used by the haters in the long run.

Ahmed Marcouch Petition Update

Hello friends

I got word from Ahmed Marcouch himself and one other source who's a close friend/associate of his saying how moved he is, expressing his appreciation for all our support with this petition.  And I too must thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support and helping raise awareness. 

 

A great big hug to all! :)

Normally I don't put all that much faith in politicians, but with Ahmed Marcouch it's different, mainly because when I read the newspapers, it appears that he didn't set out to be where he's at right now with his political career, he's paving the way as he goes purely with his NO-nonsense approach to whatever ails the community and just takes care of things.  He's now in the position to possibly become a key lawmaker and a staunch advocate for minorities, the disadvantaged and education at a national level, purely by popular vote.

At the recently held municipal elections in The Netherlands he was positioned last on the list of candidates by his political party (PvdA) in Amsterdam (at #29), but he ended up coming in 2nd (with a little over 12000 votes), securing a spot as a city councilman in Amsterdam.  This was probably due to all the great things he has accomplished in the few years that he's been district mayor in a highly troubled part of Amsterdam.  During that time, not only did he manage to ease tensions caused by widespread ETHNIC CLASHES and clamp down on HOMOPHOBIA, which had reached a critical level among Muslim youth, he actually succeeded in tearing down the entire neighborhood where the Muslim extremist who murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh grew up, to root out evil and send a strong message of TOLERANCE, DIVERSITY and FREEDOM above all.  And the fact that he's a practicing Muslim fighting against homophobia....I myself as a (non-practicing Muslim) find it truly remarkable. 

Take THAT Ahmadinejad!

Supporter Bryan F. writes:

Thanks for the update.  It is very interesting for me to learn of Ahmed Marcouch's message to be one of hope of TOLERANCE, DIVERSITY and FREEDOM.  

Unfortunately in the world today, Islam and Muslims, and even those who appear to be of Arab ethnicity have been unfairly classified and categorized as being radical fundamentalists who threaten and plague the Western World.  That fabrication must be addressed and corrected. I applaud you for taking the time to thoughtfully post a petition on Change.org to enlighten all regarding this issue.

Keep up the good work, and please keep me informed accordingly.

Be well or as a friend of mine says,

Salaam alaikum,

Bryan :-)

Anne Frank House reports: Islamophobia is on the rise in The Netherlands

The Anne Frank House and the Leiden University have conducted an interesting study on the recent developments of racism and extremism in The Netherlands and the report on their findings is out today.

Along with Islamophobia, extreme right-wing activism and Geert Wilders' Party of Freedom are also topping the list on their findings as the primary factors in the growing trend of hate-driven social change in The Netherlands.

The report goes into lengthy detail listing all possible aspects which may be contributing to the sudden changes towards extremism, but it does not discuss Islamophobia as a separate issue as it does in the case of right-wing extremism and Geert Wilders.  Instead, the report strongly hints Islamophobia when it goes into detail citing both, the law and several examples of Geert Wilders political statements regarding Islam and Muslims, in order to prove that what he's doing is in fact against the law and purely intended to incite hatred, racism and discrimination towards Muslims with his hate-filled political agenda.  However Geert Wilders cannot be charged with any crime he commits in this regard as long as he keeps making these hate-filled statements within the confines of parliament.  As a parliamentarian he is granted immunity when it comes to freedom of speech, which basically means he can say whatever he wants even if it's racist or incites to hatred.  As long as he doesn't do it in public, he is OK.

 

According to this report Geert Wilders and his Party of Freedom do not fit the profile of the typical right-wing xenophobic nationalists like Vlaams Belang (formerly known as Vlaams Blok) for instance, because he is not anti-Semitic.   In fact he's against all non-native Europeans, except Jews and he goes out of his way to make it known to the public.

Eighth monitor racism & extremism - the official Anne Frank House website

The problem of 'Islamophobia' in the Netherlands has grown considerably in the past year, not only in terms of negative public opinion towards Muslims but also in terms of the increased violence directed at this community and the growing tendency to turn a blind eye to crimes of expression aimed at them.

This is one of the most salient findings in the Racism & Extremism Monitor, a work published today that is part of the running scholarly study being carried out by Leiden University and the Anne Frank House.

Eurofascism on the rise all across Europe

I can't think of a single European country where Eurofascism has not reared its ugly head in one form or another, frequently making the headlines in the last few years.

In most cases it's Muslims, Jews and immigrants who are the main target, but Roma gypsies are increasingly becoming targeted with extreme prejudice and violence as well.

Now here is some ugly news from eastern Europe.

http://www.guardian.co.uk

PRAGUE, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Street battles between far-right protesters and police in a Czech town and the killings of two Roma in Hungary point to old animosities that may worsen as the financial crisis takes hold.

Such violence is rising in parts of central and eastern Europe, disappointing leaders who had hoped the prosperity tied to European Union entry for some countries and economic growth in non-members could help mend nationalist and ethnic divisions.

Rights activists say that although the right wing remains on the fringe of politics and racism does not appear to be rising across society as a whole, small pockets of far-right supporters have become bolder and better organised.

Obama’s election unleashes a wave of hate crimes across America

I don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but I'm afraid this is only the beginning folks. 

What worries me most is that several individuals that I know, who are into hunting and shooting guns as a hobby, have told me recently that they're running into the problem of not being able to buy their ammunitions lately, because gun shops are suddenly running out of stock.

Of course there is also the possibility that it's Sarah Palin's sudden popularity and passion for hunting that triggered this gun business boom.

But just to be on the safe side, please be aware of what's going on in your neighborhood and help keep our children safe.

Obama win prompts wave of hate crimes - Times Online

Barack Obama’s election as America’s first black president has unleashed a wave of hate crimes across the nation, according to police and monitoring organisations.

Far from heralding a new age of tolerance, Mr Obama’s victory in the November 4 poll has highlighted the stubborn racism that lingers within some elements of American society as opponents pour their frustration into vandalism, harassment, threats and even physical attacks.

Cross burnings, black figures hung from nooses, and schoolchildren chanting “Assassinate Obama” are just some of the incidents that have been documented by police from California to Maine.

There have been "hundreds" of cases since the election, many more than usual, said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes.

The phenomenon appears to be at its most intense in the Southern states, where opposition to Mr Obama is at its highest and where reports of hate crimes were emerging even before the election. Incidents involving adults, college students and even schoolchildren have dampened the early post-election glow of racial progress and harmony, with some African American residents reporting an atmosphere of fear and inter-community tension.

In North Carolina, four students at the state university admitted writing anti-Obama comments in a tunnel designated for free speech expression, including one that said: "Let's shoot that (N-word) in the head." Mr Obama has received more threats than any other president-elect, authorities say.

Marsha L. Houston, a University of Alabama professor, said a poster of the Obama family was ripped off her office door. A replacement poster was defaced with a death threat and a racial slur. "It seems the election brought the racist rats out of the woodwork," Ms Houston said.

Second and third-grade students on a school bus in Rexburg, Idaho, chanted "assassinate Obama," a district official said.

Meanwhile in Snellville, Georgia, Denene Millner, an African-American, said a boy on the school bus told her nine-year-old daughter the day after the election: "I hope Obama gets assassinated." That night, someone trashed her sister-in-law's front lawn, mangled the Obama lawn signs, and left two pizza boxes filled with human faeces outside the front door, Ms Millner said.

She described her emotions as a combination of anger and fear.

"I can't say that every white person in Snellville is evil and anti-Obama and willing to desecrate my property because one or two idiots did it," Ms Millner said. "But it definitely makes you look a little different at the people who you live with, and makes you wonder what they're capable of and what they're really thinking."

Fighting Hate with Hate

It's really upsetting when people insist on combatting hate with their own hate, so that around and around they go bashing each other back and forth without any real change. It seems that so many people think they get a special dispensation to hate entire groups of people in order to suit their own agenda and make a point. Uh ... wrong.

The entire process has gotten so corrupt ... how frustrating.

Check this out ... some dude named "Urban Infidel" has photos of the anti-Ahmadinejad rally in NYC. And yes, it is true that AJ is a renowned hatemonger. His presence should be protested, and his views thoroughly rejected, but not with stupid, blanket bigotry, hello!

This is not how one protests a real and obvious hate monger. This is how one perpetuates negative stereotypes against Muslims. Enough!

Those rotten haters!

Afghan haters burn Dutch and Danish flags along with a Wilders effigy in protest against Wilders movie "Fitna".

AD.nl - Buitenland - Afghanen verbranden Wilderspop