re Cat Stevens- do you people know what a death threat is.

[Swede]

There are people that want Rushdie dead for writing a book. There are no shades of grey to that.

[skjpm]

1. Yusuf Islam isn't one of them

Attack the right people if you want to attack.

[skooooo]

2. what about this?

Even popular musician Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) indirectly yet infamously stated his agreement with the fatwa. But later in 1989, Yusuf Islam said in a British television documentary that he wasn't against the death sentence in principle: Rather than go to a demonstration where Rushdie would be burned in effigy, "I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing" he said. If Rushdie showed up at his door, he said he "might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like... I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is." The New York Times reported that he stood by his statements in a subsequent interview.

[skjpm]

4. John Lennon supported John Sinclair

An Irish terrorist. But that was OK, though.

[ulysses]

6. more relativism.

I don't care much regarding Cat Stevens either way, but either make your point or don't.

[skooooo]

7. Any other words you want to put in my mouth?

Or is that sufficient?

[Brian_Expat]

10. For fuck's sake

One wrong doesn't make another wrong "right."

And John Lennon got denied entry into the USA several times as well.

I tire of people coddling the Islamofascists like Stevens just like Republicans coddle Christofascists like Robertson. They all suck and can kiss my gay white freedom-loving ass.

[liberalmuse]

17. I'm sick of the Christofacists as well.

Look what they did to Madeliene Murray O'Hare. The woman had thousands of death threats against her, yet not one of the Christofacists were labeled as 'terrorists'. Anyone saying 'Fuck Christ' in this country pretty much takes their own lives into their hands. Oh, but only protestant Americans are allowed to be deeply offended by blasphemy against what they hold sacred.

[Brian_Expat]

20. O'Hare's situation is a great example of religious hatred in action

And liberals should stand against that violence, intimidation and hatred no matter WHAT the religion is.

[featherman]

3. agree

While the guy is probably not a dangerous conspirator, his publically stated support for the Rushdie fatwah makes him an unthinking fundamentalist zealot. No sympathy from me. Screw him.

[skjpm]

5. Except he never said that

Did Kerry say viet Vets were like Ghengis Khan? or are people getting misquoted?

[Swede]

11. I know,I know, I'm like a switfboat liar.

Got it.

[liberalmuse]

8. Yawn.

[havocmom]

9. Every week, if not everyday, in America, women are threatened by spouses

or ex-spouses and they usually don't get much help from law enforcement. When is a death threat real? When it is made by someone famous? Made to someone famous? How come American law enforcement blows off so many women when they are threatened? How come it is so easy to dismiss something said in the heat of a moment when Jane Doe is making the complaint?

Just sorta wondering...

[Brian_Expat]

12. A death threat issued by Khomeini is real

Especially when there are millions of wild-eyed fanatics ready to execute it.

As a gay man, I take ALL threats of violence seriously since i've been subject to them in the past. I won't give Yusuf OR a dangerous spouse any cover on this issue.

[havocmom]

14. In too may cases, threat issued by a person's partner is real too

but American law enforcement isn't generally quick to respond to someone claiming their partner threatened them. There seems to be one hell of a double standard going on in US law enforcement. What a surprise, NOT.

[skooooo]

16. what exactly does this have to do with the topic?

I agree it's an important issue, but it seems out of place in this context. :shrug:

[Brian_Expat]

18. So then. . .

American law enforcement isn't generally quick to respond to someone claiming their partner threatened them.

Because this is a problem, we should also ignore the problem of religious violence against others?

As a former volunteer for the Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project in Boston, I fight violence in all its forms and won't allow anyone to let ANYONE off the hook for violence.

[Liberal Veteran]

13. So when do we deport Jimmy Swaggart and Fred Phelps?

For their calls for death against MILLIONS of gay people who "offend" their version of religion?

[skooooo]

15. People who incite violence against others..

..should be arrested. However, comparing Jimmy Swaggart to Khomeini is a little disingenuous, don't you think? Swaggart has no real authority in the Christian church, unlike Khomeini does/did in the Muslim world. I don't recall hundreds of crazed lunatics murdering gay people because of Swaggart, but maybe I missed something?

[Liberal Veteran]

21. I disagree wholeheartedly...they ecourage violence against gays.

And in doing so, hundreds (if not thousands) of people get bashed or harrassed because of so-called "religious leaders" scapegoating gays and making religious justifications for violence against gays.

Do you think people like Matthew Sheppard died because some sick fucks decided out of the thin air that gays deserved to be pistol whipped and crucified (literally)?

No, it's because religious leaders spread their own sick interpretation of their religion to their followers and it permeates society.

Don't you dare make light of it just because you can throw a couple of degrees of separation and plausible deniability up as a defense.

That's disgusting and shallow and the cheapest of excuses and I won't allow you to hide behind it without challenge.

[Brian_Expat]

22. If they could be legally deported, I'd support it. . .

. . . unlike them, Mr. Islam/Stevens is not a US citizen, so he has no inherent right to be here.

I'd also support deportation orders against foreign religious leaders like the Pope and Nigerian Anglican Primate who encourage hatred and violence against gays and women.

[Liberal Veteran]

24. Then they should be locked up for encouraging violence....

I am uncomfortable with restrictions freedom of speech, but inciting violence even in the name of religion should be punishable.

[skooooo]

26. Well, sure if you think Swaggart is guilty..

...then he should be charged and tried. I'm not here to defend him. My point is that someone like Khomeini has some actual legal authority in the Muslim world. Maybe the difference is moot in this context.

[Brian_Expat]

19. If they renounce their US citizenship. . .

. . . I'd say deport them tomorrow morning.

[ulysses]

23. let me know, willya?

:)

[Jade Fox]

25. The thing I'm going to level at the next person with a Cat Stevens thread?

........................:crazy:

[Moderator]

27. duplicate thread

please continue here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2415480&mesg_id=2415480