WARNING: Heavy Sarcasm Zone. USA Sucks. Jews Not Welcome. Religion Is Infallible. Reader Discretion Is Advised, and Again, Seriously, Heavy Sarcasm Zone.
Yup, so we have the “hey, look at me, I’m from a working, middle-class background” Biden and then we have the Alaskan Palin, and damn is this process starting to get entertaining again.
I gotta say, my very initial reaction to Palin’s selection was utter surprise, but when you think about it, this could be a super smart move. I can’t be sure at this time. If McCain wants to grab the disgruntled Hillary fans, then he just might have found a pretty good way to do so. Plus, Palin is a fresh and largely unknown face which is attracting a lot of media attention, and that can’t be bad for the McCain camp.
My lurch from left-wing idealist living in Britain, to right-wing realist in Africa continues apace. This time it is The Spectator that seems to have nailed the analysis of Darfur…
The exclusive focus on bashing the government has emboldened the rebels, encouraging them to keep up the fight and shun the negotiating table. The peace process, as a result, has collapsed. Though uncontroversial among seasoned Sudan watchers, such a view is politically incorrect in the West, where the debate has been held in the shadows of a glossy campaign long on sentiment and outrage, short on measured analysis.
Rob is one of the few people in this part of the blogosphere neighborhood who has a pretty solid understanding of what’s going on in Darfur and Sudan. Be sure to check his blog every now and then.
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Even now, after all this time, I still get pretty annoyed by how the debate on Darfur in the West is still mostly based on a simplistic narrative of good Vs bad. Not just that, but the opinions of real experts, heavy weight Sudanese analysts and knowledgeable opposition party members, are not taken into sufficient consideration.
Less feel-good activism, more dispassionate analysis please.
Yes, take that, in your face you Evil Zionists! What am I talking about you ask? Here’s what.
Darfur native, Ismail Ahmed Ismail won Sudan a silver medal during the recent lovely Olympic games held in the human rights respecting nation of China. Meanwhile, Israel only won one bronze medal.
Okay, so that’s the first smack. The second smack is a little more complicated.
Having a Darfur native participate in the Olympic games held in “genocide-supporting” China weakens the notion that Darfur is witnessing mass atrocities, which is nothing but a dirty lie being circulated by the Evil Zionist CrUSAders.
Bam! Second smack!
On a more serious note though, I’d like to congratulate Ismail on this achievement. He surely had to endure a lot.
Ismail’s family is from western Darfur, but like many others, they migrated from the impoverished region to Khartoum before he was born.
… Ismail’s family couldn’t be immediately reached for comment. But the 23-year-old runner has not had it easy.
Hanadi Ismail, a reporter and family friend, said he and his five brothers and sisters grew up in the poor Khartoum neighborhood of Hajj Youssef.
Ismail’s wife gave birth to their son just 42 days ago, but has yet to name him because they cannot afford the naming ceremony.
Can’t afford the naming ceremony? WTF?
Dear beloved Sudanese government, for once, stop being so damn corrupted and give the poor guy a well-deserved award for heaven’s sake.
I hated the 20th, hated the 21st (which I actually didn’t even remember until I started receiving “happy birthday” wishes via text messages), but the 22nd? Oh my, I’m totally loving it.
One - I’m not stuck in my lonely hostel room, in the middle of nowhere, at a really super boring campus full of people with rigid and narrow-minded mentalities.
Two - I’m in the city and I just moved into my own place, much to my parents’ initial dismay.
Three - I’m surrounded by good friends and lots of fun people.
Four - I love my job and my colleagues are a really great bunch of amusing, yet professional guys and girls.
Five - I’m gonna be a dad!! Kidding.
Six - I’m grateful I have an outlet where I can voice out my heretical thoughts and have them read by a lovely readership consisting of some very wonderful and intriguing people - you guys!
Seven - I just officially returned to the city after attending my graduation ceremony. The nightmare is officially over. I’m done and I prefer working life ten times more.
Eight - the birthday wishes are still coming in and haven’t even slowed down yet. I’m actually positively overwhelmed.
Ah, regardless of all the imperfections and various headaches, life is good, and I’m just in a very happy and jolly mood today so thank you all for being so awesome and adding some good vibes to my life.
Love you all (even the haters, and the few occasional loonies who email me veiled death threats)!
The discrimination or defamation of Muslims, or of any other group for that matter, is of course reprehensible. But “Islamophobia,” as defined by Libya, Iran and the other Durban II organizers, covers any criticism of Islam, Muslims or their actions.
Indeed. It comes down to how you define “criticism” and “Islam” and we all know the kind of definitions Islamists like.
Hmmm… let’s see, Islamic law is not infallible, and in numerous cases, the horrendous way it’s practiced is outright disgusting.
Oh my, I just insulted Islam!
Most - but not all - terrorist attacks nowadays are unfortunately carried out by Muslims. Oh and beware of the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamists. They have a nasty agenda.
Everybody scream “Islamophobiaaaaaaa!”
Do you see where I’m getting at?
Now of course, I’m against things like the Danish cartoons or super genius films like Fitna but that doesn’t mean I’m for criminalizing them. In fact, even European laws against Holocaust denial should be eradicated. I do realize my position puts me amongst a minority of Muslims but it is my position nonetheless. Let’s just say I like the American model of free speech.
The kind of laws being proposed by lovely regimes like Iran’s and Libya’s aren’t just meant to silence what includes a lot of legitimate concerns and criticism but also Muslim voices of reform. Seriously, do I even need to elaborate? The names “Iran” and “Libya” should be enough to convince any sane politically-aware person.
Well, no, not really. It’s a very expected stance. Sudan is siding with Russia over this crisis, but that’s not the hilarious part. The hilarious part which made me laugh really hard is the one I put in bold.
August 15, 2008 (KHARTOUM) –The Sudanese National Assembly lent its support Moscow in its clash with Georgia over the border region of South Ossetia.
The Sudanese legislative body described the Russian response as “legitimate” and that Moscow had “the right to defend its citizens”.
Sudan also condemned the “crimes committed by Georgian forces against innocent citizens”.
“The genocide was committed in its worst forms and did not spare even the elders or children or sick or women” the foreign relations committee said in a statement.
Sudan and Russia enjoy good relations particularly in terms of military cooperation. Moscow along with Beijing blocked tough UN Security Council (UNSC) measures against Khartoum over the Darfur conflict.
Boy, oh boy, the pot calling the kettle black. This is such priceless entertainment.
The video doesn’t feature anything substantial in terms of true torture but I have no doubts whatsoever that some of these kids had to endure some very nightmarish experiences.
The comments at YouTube on the video demonstrate one side with an opinion along the lines of “screw them, what they did to our brothers and sisters during their attack was worse” and another rightful side staunchly against the inhumane treatment the video shows.
Do I need to mention that YouTube is invaluable and highly important?
Location: Deep, Deep Down the Orgasmic Rabbit Hole of Epistemology.
Bio of Awesomeness: Traditionalist Muslim, Turned Free Thinking Sufi Lover. Social Media Consultant to NY Times Best-Selling Authors. Author of Upcoming Memoir. Belief Systems Junkie. Afro-Arab Libertarian Music Freak. Vehemently Anti-Islamist. Loud and Drop Dead Gorgeous. The High Priest of Mischievous "Blasphemy." Read on and Have Your Brain Spun. You've Been Warned!
"If I don't have the freedom to disbelieve, I cannot believe."
— Abdullahi An-Na'im
"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must approve the homage of reason rather than of blind-folded fear."
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
