Stories of Iranian law requiring Jews to wear badges are FALSE!!

[VOX]

I posted this in another thread, but figured that it deserved its own, as this story is probably going to echo throughout the right-wing chamber.

The National Post of Canada is "reporting" that "...Human rights groups are raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the country's Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims..."
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=1...

Note how the original propaganda in the Post gives a neat "Iraq as bogeyman" round-up at the end of this fabrication. Also note the pitiful color photo (which appears to be a movie still) of a lonely boy wearing the yellow star as decreed by Nazi Germany.

This akin to the bogus stories of Saddam putting people into wood-chippers, designed merely to whip up extreme emotions, and to leave a bitter memory even if debunked far and wide. There is absolutely no reliable source reporting or documenting anything like this right now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Post
...From the beginning the Post has had a strongly conservative editorial stance, and has an editorial page featuring the writings of many prominent neo-conservatives and libertarians from the United States and Canada, including Diane Francis, Andrew Coyne, Mark Steyn and David Frum. This stance is typically mocked by those who refer to the paper as the "Fascist Post"..
- - - -

The source of the National Post's agitprop is London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat. While Iran is in fact trying to create a Islamic fundamentalist "national dress law" (which has not yet been established), there is **nothing** reported about identifying badges, stars, or ribbons for any groups.

http://www.asharqalawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=4979
al-Sharq al-Awsat
You Are What You Wear: How Clothes Became Politicized…
18/05/2006
<snip>
...the Iranian parliament approved a draft bill for "national dress law" on Monday, which is expected to replace Western-style dress. The bill is one of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's projects. According to IRIB, the law has yet to be finalized as it needs to be approved by the Guardians Council.
The new law stipulates that financial aid must be given to Iranian dressmakers and designers to encourage them to focus on producing clothes that correspond to the "national and Islamic identity of Iran." A committee, which includes representatives from the ministry of culture, the ministry of trade and the cultural committee in parliament, as well as government television, is expected to be established. It will be responsible for defining the new national dress. Meanwhile, the ministry of trade has received orders to impose higher taxes on imported clothes and Iranian banks will have to give out loans for local designers and clothes manufacturers.

Men in Iran would dress like their counterparts abroad, except they would not wear a tie as it is banned, while women would have to respect the laws on national dress.
<snip>

On edit: Also note that this is the lead story on Drudge right now, so expect the right-wing blogs and talking heads to start parroting this crap. Be prepared to counter it! :grr:

[Sequoia]

1. Ban ties in USA too.

The star thing...probably just another way to get to get us to hate Iran so when our war leader makes the move we won't care, because they're like those evil Nazis or something. Yeah, we know this game don't we?

[VOX]

3. Yeah! No NECKTIES??? How dare they!

:rofl:

[Sequoia]

19. It's about the only way a man can make a fashion statement

since they can't wear pretty dresses like women. Oh wait...there was Edgar J. Hoover.

[Tom Joad]

2. There are laws for Palestinians to carry ID cards in the West Bank.

Strange how that doesn't seem to raise much concern.
There are hundreds of Israeli checkpoints to make sure that is obeyed, also.

[manic expression]

85. Americans don't care about murderous ethnic cleansing

and (racist) oppression...as long as Israel's doing it, that is.

[leveymg]

4. If the Iranian Parliament actually passed such a law, it should be

easy enough to verify.

My understanding of the article -- if true -- is that while the deputies voted for the dress code, it hasn't been signed by the ruling cleric, and wouldn't go into effect until next year.

Is there a source for the part about special distinctive dress for non-Muslims being a fabrication?

[VOX]

6. Not specifically -- yet...

I am hoping that will follow.

It certainly wouldn't have occurred to al-Sharq al-Awsat to include printing something like, "and for those who think that this law will include mandatory identifying ribbons for religious groups other than Islam, you're wrong."

However, I am keeping an eye on overseas sources that will **specifically** counter this tale. :thumbsup:

[Harper_is_Bush]

62. Where did you get the understanding that there is a law

concerning special dress/insignia for religious minorities?

or a vote for a law, for that matter?

There are plenty of sources showing the whole thing is a fabrication.
Go see the last link here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2636760&mesg_id=2636760

That's the Jerusalem Post, a notorious rightwing rag who did it's very best to pump up the story but in the end was forced to concede it was false and blame the National Post for it.

[leveymg]

67. Then, I was lied to.

I'm not surprised. Doesn't Murdoch have an ownership interest in the JPost?

[Career Prole]

5. It made it to the State Dept. already!

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1145961378271&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

US concerned over reports of Iranian dress law

The State Department said Friday it is concerned about reports that Iran's parliament is considering legislation to require non-Muslims in the country to wear badges.

Spokesman Sean McCormack said any such measure would be "despicable" and carry "clear echoes of Germany under Hitler."

<snip>

McCormack said he could not comment further because the precise nature of the proposal is unclear.

"I don't have all the facts," he said.

Wrong, Sean! (May I call you dick?)
You have none of the facts and are commenting inappropriately and irresponsibly. Dick!

[VOX]

8. Excellent catch, CP!!!

"Sean McCormack said he could not comment further because the precise nature of the proposal is unclear. "I don't have all the facts,' he said."

And **there's** the story. Or not.

[Career Prole]

14. Amazing how they all seem to make a nazi reference at the top

before admitting to not knowing if it's even true at the bottom.
Same thing happened in Canada...I was tipped off by a friend in Ontario after he heard it on the radio.
Looks like it's to be the weekend smear...

[leveymg]

10. The operative phrase: "Iran's parliament is CONSIDERING legislation"

McCormack said he could not comment further because the precise nature of the PROPOSAL is unclear.

Haven't there been some wack job bills introduced into the U.S. Congress, such as one last year to declare America officially a Christian nation?

An extremely ill-considered proposal by the Iranian deputies, but is this really so different?

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Forget right-wing blogs - the right-wing PMs of Canada and Australia

are spreading it!

Prime Minister John Howard has reacted with horror to a new Iranian law forcing Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges.
...
Mr Howard said he had not been formally briefed on the law but if the report was true, it would be totally repugnant.
...
Mr Howard's Canadian host and counterpart, Stephen Harper, said the new law should help firm the UN's resolve to take action against the country.

"It boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany," Mr Harper said.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Iran-religion-plan-appalling-says-PM/2006/05/20/1147545553617.html

Meanwhile, the ADL is much more cautious, and appears to have asked someone in Iran what's going on:

ADL Statement on Unconfirmed Reports of Iranian 'Dress Code'

New York, NY, May 19, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued the following statement in response to unconfirmed reports that the Iranian parliament may be considering a "dress code" bill that would include badges or other identifying marks for non-Muslims:

While it is factual that the Iranian parliament is considering some kind of dress code, there is no evidence of any discussion or legislation concerning badges or the like for Jews and others. Clearly, dress codes imposed by a government on a people are one more example of the backwardness of the regime, and would be unhealthy for all groups, including minorities. How this could affect Jews, Christians and other minorities is not immediately known.

We will continue to monitor the situation in Iran as this story develops and will make further comment when more information about the proposed Iranian law comes to light.

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslEx_61/4819_61.htm

Harper and Howard are going to look like fools, I think.

[VOX]

11. Note how that first paragraph invokes the dress law as if it were fact...

"...Prime Minister John Howard has reacted with horror to a new Iranian law forcing Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges..."

It will be interesting to observe this as the story bounces around!

[Harper_is_Bush]

63. I hope so. Harper has been Mr. Teflon so far.

[ovidsen]

9. It's a lie!

The National Post link doesn't work anymore. Not yours. Not Drudge's.

meanwhile, Canada.com is reporting this:

Harper says Iran 'capable' of introducing Nazi-like clothing labels

Alexander Panetta, Canadian Press
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006


OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper was quick to condemn Iran on Friday for an anti-Semitic law that appears not to exist.

Harper seized on a report in the National Post newspaper that Iran's hardline government would require Jews and Christians to wear coloured labels in public. (SNIP)

But western journalists based in Iran said they knew of no such law being passed. And Iranian politicians - including a Jewish legislator in Tehran - were infuriated by the Post report, which they said was false.

Politician Morris Motamed, one of about 25,000 Jews who live in Iran, called the report a slap in the face to his minority community.

"Such a plan has never been proposed or discussed in parliament," Motamed told the Associated Press.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=9070ec32-f409-4161-9e96-7bae0436ccc3&k=66789

Liars, liars, liars...

[VOX]

13. Fanny-saving: Howard "said Iran was capable of such actions..."

And there stands the subsequent talking point when the story becomes thoroughly debunked -- "Well, whether or not this did actually happen doesn't matter, because Iran is **capable** of such actions!" :grr:

[Emit]

22. And now Canada.com pulled it, too. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. Denial from Jewish Community's representative in the Iranian parliament

On Friday, the Jewish Community's representative in Iran's parliament, known as the Majlis, Morris Mohtemed spoke with the secretary general of the Iranian American Jewish Federation in Los Angeles, Sam Kermanian, and told him the story reported by the National Post in Canada today was false. "We have not been able to confirm the accuracy of the report, nonetheless we are pursuing this issue with concern," Mr. Kermanian said in an interview with The New York Sun.
...
The executive vice chairman of the conference of presidents of major American Jewish organizations, Malcolm Hoenlein, said yesterday he has yet to confirm the report. "We have gotten word about Mohtemed's reaction, and we heard it from another leader in Tehran," he told The New York Sun. "It is still unclear whether the legislation will require a uniform code of dress or for Muslims or whether it will extend to non Muslims having to wear some identifying marker." Mr. Hoenlein added that it is not inconceivable such regulation, reminiscent of the Nazis, would be contemplated under President Ahmadinejad, a man who has publicly questioned whether the Nazi atrocities ever occurred.

http://www.nysun.com/article/33095

I can't believe this! A direct denial from a Jew in the Iranian parliament (his name is normally spelled Morris Motamed), and people still say it is 'unconfirmed' or 'unclear'. Why are so many people taking the word of an Iranian expat over a member of the Iranian parliament?

[Career Prole]

15. I'm giving you a "Recommend" since this rumor

seems like it may balloon over the weekend. Thanks for the thread!

[Ms. Clio]

17. me too n/t

[xchrom]

16. k & r

[VOX]

18. The story's off Drudge, and now even the National Post is backtracking...

But again, the "story" has gotten out there, and thus hundreds of thousands of ill-informed people will think that this is a fact. :mad:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3
Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue
Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006
Several experts are casting doubt on reports that Iran had passed a law requiring the country’s Jews and other religious minorities to wear coloured badges identifying them as non-Muslims.
The Iranian embassy in Otttawa also denied the Iranian government had passed such a law.
<snip>

[SeveneightyWhoa]

26. I woke up to the story today on the FRONT PAGE of the morning paper!

I happen to get the Post..

They'd better run a correction/retraction on the front page tomorrow, too.

[Fuzz]

20. Ya, was just looking at a freeper thread about this.

They even threw in some anti-semitism for good measure:


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1635180/posts

Christians Must Denounce Iran Now Before Catastrophe; Statement on Iran Requiring Jews, Christians and Other Religious Minorities to Wear Identifying Badges

To: National Desk

Contact: Dane Rose , 202-546-8329 ext. 106; Rev. Rob Schenck, 703-447-7686 cell, both of the National Clergy Council

WASHINGTON, May 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- Rev. Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) is president of the National Clergy Council in Washington, DC, and is coordinator of an ongoing dialogue between American Evangelicals and Moroccan Muslims. He is a board member of the Evangelical Church Alliance and an advisor to the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. Mr. Schenck released this statement today regarding Iran's passage of a law requiring Jews, Christians and other religious minorities to wear markings on their clothing identifying them as non-Muslims:

"This only proves that the worst in human history does repeat itself. The Bible says the heart of man is 'desperately wicked: who can know it?' The Iranian leadership proves the point. Christians must speak out loudly and immediately to denounce this atrocious action. We were silent too long during the 1930's and millions were murdered as a result.

"Speaking for thousands of church leaders from all Christian traditions, I urge President Bush, Secretary Rice and Congress to take swift and severe action against Iran and enforce the most dire of consequences should the country enact this supremely inhuman decree.

"Furthermore, I urge all people of conscience in Iran and outside to resist this egregious violation of human rights and take whatever action necessary to rescue those in danger. We must open our hearts, homes and wallets to prepare now to save those who will suffer. May God have mercy and spare us the horror of 60 and 70 years ago."

Mr. Schenck is speaking tonight, May 19, 7:00 PM at the large Gloucester County Community Church, 359 Chapel Heights Road, in Washington Township, New Jersey, 08080



Given the Iranian regiemes genocidal aspirations, the badges aren't really an issue in condemnation
1 posted on 05/19/2006 5:48:31 PM EDT by SJackson


Christians will speak out. Jews will just wear sandwich boards saying "Kick us Again! Harder this time!"

7 posted on 05/19/2006 6:00:04 PM EDT by zarf (It's time for a college football playoff system.)


It's intersting that everyone says Iran is copying the Nazi's. As I recall, this is a Muslim custom dating back centuries.

8 posted on 05/19/2006 6:00:12 PM EDT by aimhigh


Christians will speak out. Jews will just wear sandwich boards saying "Kick us Again! Harder this time!"

That's cause Christians have balls, Jews are cowards.

Thanks for the contribution, I love hearing from the FR *sshole contingent.

10 posted on 05/19/2006 6:07:34 PM EDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do!)


Perhaps what he means is that there are many pacifist Jews who are willing to repeat the errors of the past that got them killed?

11 posted on 05/19/2006 6:09:05 PM EDT by Sam Gamgee (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)

Thanks for the contribution, I love hearing from the FR *sshole contingent.

*sshole?

Hmmm....Jews seemed to have found an acceptable, comfortable niche in just occasional blood letting.

Never again? What would Yossi Beilin do?
16 posted on 05/19/2006 6:16:37 PM EDT by zarf (It's time for a college football playoff system.)

[Boojatta]

21. Iranian police: "If you're Jewish, then show us your badges."

Iranian Jews: "We don't need no stinking badges!"

Somebody had to say it. :D

[VOX]

23. RESEARCH: It thickens -- The story has NEOCON origins!

The National Post writer Chris Wattie, in backpedaling away from his original story, cites analyst Amir Taheri as his source:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=6626a0fa-99de-4f1e-aebe-bb91af82abb3
Experts say report of badges for Jews in Iran is untrue
Chris Wattie, National Post
Published: Friday, May 19, 2006
"...A news story and column by Iranian-born analyst Amir Taheri in yesterday’s National Post reported that the Iranian parliament had passed a sweeping new law this week outlining proper dress for Iran’s majority Muslims, including an order for Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians to wear special strips of cloth..."
- - - - -
http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/19504
A COLOUR CODE FOR IRAN'S 'INFIDELS'
by Amir Taheri
National Post
May 19, 2006
"...The law ...also envisages separate dress codes for religious minorities, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, who will have to adopt distinct colour schemes to make them identifiable in public. The new codes would enable Muslims to easily recognize non-Muslims so that they can avoid shaking hands with them by mistake, and thus becoming najis (unclean)...Religious minorities would have their own colour schemes. They will also have to wear special insignia, known as zonnar, to indicate their non-Islamic faiths. Jews would be marked out with a yellow strip of cloth sewn in front of their clothes while Christians will be assigned the colour red. Zoroastrians end up with Persian blue as the colour of their zonnar. It is not clear what will happen to followers of other religions, including Hindus, Bahais and Buddhists, not to mention plain agnostics and atheists, whose very existence is denied by the Islamic Republic..."
- - - - -
Story source Amir Taheri serves on the board of Benador Associates, an entity that describes itself as "a public relations firm based in New York and Washington, specialized in the areas of media applied to politics, conflict resolution, the dialogue of civilisations, foreign policy, national security, anti-terrorism, defense of human rights and freedom of religion, among others."
http://www.benadorassociates.com/
- - - - -
Per RightWeb:
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/2826
Benador Associates is a public relations firm that was founded by Eleana Benador, the former director of Daniel Pipe's Middle East Forum, a hard-line think thank whose members have urged for wider U.S. intervention in the Middle East. Benador's list of experts reads like a who's who of heavy hitters in the neoconservative advocacy world. Clients include Frank Gaffney, Richard Perle, Michael Ledeen, and James Woolsey...
Connections include:
Eleana Benador, founder/CEO
Max Boot, speaker
Hillel Fradkin, speaker
Frank Gaffney Jr., speaker
Charles Krauthammer, speaker
Michael A. Ledeen, speaker
Richard Perle, speaker
Richard Pipes, speaker
Ruth Wedgwood, speaker
James Woolsey, speaker
Meyrav Wurmser, speaker
- - - - -
Take a glance at their decidedly right-wing board members:
http://www.benadorassociates.com/members.php
Ali Al-Ahmed
Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Nir Boms
Arnaud de Borchgrave
Ismail Cem
Leon Charney
Ariel Cohen
Saad Eddin Ibrahim
Rachel Ehrenfeld
John Eibner
Hillel Fradkin
Ilana Freedman
David Gelernter
Dr. Stephen Gullo
Michel Gurfinkiel
Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Victor Davis Hanson
Fereydoun Hoveyda
Mansoor Ijaz
Raphael Israeli
Charles Jacobs
George Jonas
Stanley H. Kaplan
Efraim Karsh
Charles Krauthammer
Herbert I. London
Lord Lamont of Lerwick
Michael A. Ledeen
Kanan Makiya
Paul Marshall
Andrew C. McCarthy
Michael Meyer
Hassan Mneimneh
Laurie Mylroie
Ayman Nour
John O'Sullivan
Yossi Olmert
Salameh Nematt
Richard Perle
Walid Phares
Richard Pipes
Dennis Prager
David Pryce-Jones
Tom Rose
A.M. Rosenthal
Jano Rosebiani
Tashbih Sayyed
Natan Sharansky
Richard O. Spertzel
Amir Taheri
Paul Vallely
Ruth Wedgwood
James Woolsey
Meyrav Wurmser
- - - - -
Would it not in this group's far-right-wing interests to foment war with Iran, inasmuch as they did it with Iraq?

Are we headed down this road of deceit again?

[SeveneightyWhoa]

27. Wow, OMG!!

Just as I had suspected.. a PR/propaganda campaign.

The National Post (also widely known in Canada as the Nazi Post) just ran with it beautifully.

[Harper_is_Bush]

64. Please write the National Disgrace....er...Post.

[wtmusic]

80. They can't even cover their tracks well

I expect competence in government!

[beachmom]

24. I've been watching this story unfold since about noon

Andrew Sullivan linked to it, but has now called it into doubt linking to the NY Sun article upthread. I found that very heartening (I had e-mailed him immediately when he linked to that story).

The issue here is shoddy journalism (and secondary that this is a possible plant from necons). Journalists need to DO THEIR JOB, and with the blogosphere more robust than ever, they will be watched like hawks with garbage like this.

The Iranian president is no doubt terrible, but let's stick to the facts.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

28. Shoddy journalism AND a neocon PR/lie campaign.

That's what did it.

Unfortunately they won't suffer reprecussions (like Leopold, etc).

I definitely hope they drop the journalist who wrote this crap, and they'd better sack some editors too.

[slipslidingaway]

25. Thanks K&R. Addtional article on Benador below.

The Andean condor among the hawks
By Jim Lobe

Aug 15, 2003

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/EH15Aa01.html


snip>>

But historians would be negligent if they ignored the day-to-day work of one person who, as much as anyone outside the administration, made their media ubiquity possible.

Meet Eleana Benador, the Peruvian-born publicist for Perle, Woolsey, Michael Ledeen, Frank Gaffney and a dozen other prominent neo-conservatives whose hawkish opinions proved very hard to avoid for anyone who watched news talk shows or read the op-ed pages of major newspapers over the past 20 months.

snip>>

New York-based Benador Associates is less than two years old, but has a star-studded client roster of 38 people, most of them Middle East specialists.

[muriel_volestrangler]

30. 2 more propaganda efforts on Iran from Benador Associates in last 2 months

spotted by eagled-eyed DUers:

‘Two B-2s could take out Iran’s nuclear assets’ April 5th

The frightening truth of why Iran wants a bomb April 18th - Mr. Taheri

[slipslidingaway]

35. Thanks and this is something worth tracking in my opinion. Here

is another piece from August 2002 that mentions Benador.


US thinktanks give lessons in foreign policy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,777100,00.html

Brian Whitaker reports on the network of research institutes whose views and TV appearances are supplanting all other experts on Middle Eastern issues

Monday August 19, 2002

snip>>

Ms Mylroie and Ms Miller both have connections with the Middle East Forum. Mr Perle, Mr Rubin, Ms Wurmser, Ms Mylroie and Ms Miller are all clients of Eleana Benador, a Peruvian-born linguist who acts as a sort of theatrical agent for experts on the Middle East and terrorism, organising their TV appearances and speaking engagements.

Of the 28 clients on Ms Benador's books, at least nine are connected with the AEI, the Washington Institute and the Middle East Forum.

Although these three privately-funded organisations promote views from only one end of the political spectrum, the amount of exposure that they get with their books, articles and TV appearances is extraordinary.


and this article might be worth a look, represented by Benador as well.

Islam's Imperial Dreams
Muslim political ambitions aren't a reaction to Western encroachments.

BY EFRAIM KARSH
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT

http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110008181

[slipslidingaway]

29. The Front Page of the National post mentioned above is still

on their site.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/index.html

[SeveneightyWhoa]

32. Huh?

What do you mean? The story is gone.. the front page of the physical paper is not on their site, I don't believe.

[slipslidingaway]

33. Sorry, I did not mean the story just the picture and headline. If you

scroll down on this link and look on the left hand side do you not see the copy of the front page?

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/index.html


Does this link work for you?

"Iran Eyes Badge for Jews"

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/subscribe/index.html


I captured the picture just in case, but cannot post the image and thought someone else might be able to do that. :shrug:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

37. Yup, there it is!

The second link..

That front-page should go down in infamy as a horrendous example of 21st century neo-con propaganada..\

p.s. The pic will be forever archived here: counterbias.com/nationalpost.jpg

[slipslidingaway]

66. Thanks! n/t

[Tom Joad]

31. Will the new cry be "We have to destroy this nation in order to save it"?

[madeline_con]

34. And when did it go from "non-Muslims" to Jews?

Must they always be the "chosen ones"??

[texasleo]

36. bravo

[ConsAreLiars]

38. Mike Malloy read excerpts from your de-bunking post, #23, on the air

tonight after I sent him an excerpt from that post, including crediting you for that research. Good work. He had initially reported the story as another example of fundie fascism, but quickly was warned off of it by several e-mailers. Your post was the coup de grace in killing that lie. Thank you.

[Spazito]

40. Thank you so much for sending the link!

I was so hoping someone who knew how to reach him quickly would do so!

[ConsAreLiars]

41. DU is at its best when posters like KrazyKat do the kind of fact-checking

that is needed to keep neocon lies from spreading. I'm glad to have read this thread and have been able to get that bit of research aired on Malloy's program.

(edit bad apostrophe error)

[Spazito]

42. Totally agree! The research done here is excellent! n/t

[VOX]

44. Thank you so much, ConsAreLiars!

I've been out running errands all late afternoon and into the evening, so I've been out of touch with the media, etc.

I appreciate your forwarding the research to Mike Malloy -- makes the effort even more worthwhile!

Cheers -- :toast:

[Malikshah]

39. Can't wait to read what Norman Finklestein has to say about all this

Reading Beyond Chutzpah right now

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0520245989/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-6529265-1219957#reader-link

From Publishers Weekly
Finkelstein, a political science professor and author of The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering, has conducted a rancorous public feud with Harvard Law professor and pro-Israel stalwart Alan Dershowitz over the latter's The Case for Israel, and here expands his arguments into a vigorous polemic on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first part of the book examines what he feels is a growing tendency of pro-Israel commentators to use spurious charges of anti-Semitism to deflect and discredit legitimate criticism of Israel. The second, much longer, part is a line-by-line debunking of The Case for Israel, which he compares to Communist apologetics for Stalinist Russia.

[politicat]

43. What I have from Globe and Mail (liberal-er) is that it's for women.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060519.wdressco0519/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home

Globe and Mail is reporting that they spoke with the measure's sponsor, who denied that the measure will have any religious significance, but he also confirmed that it will put women in the burquah. The law is supposed to have a tax on western clothing (cutting off the supply), an unspecified "encouragement" for women to dress in traditional garb (whether it's a positive inducement or negative inducement is not stated, but it could be anything from fines to prison to physical punishment) and funding for a national "Dress Islam" ad campaign.

So tell me... is it not equally discriminatory when the persons being forced into discriminatory dress that leaves them in peril because of their dress are women rather than religious minorities?

Where's the outrage now?

[muriel_volestrangler]

45. Yes, it's still discriminatory, but it's different

The "colour-coded stripes" story was about marking out one religion from another, and held obvious parallels to yellow Stars of David and other things done by the Nazis. This has resonance, and was an ideal way of demonising Iran for those wishing to launch an attack on it - Harper, bizarrely, said "this shows why we can't allow them nuclear weapons". People who had previously gone about normal daily life with nothing to distinguish them would now be separated - it would be an open invitation for further discrimination by bigots.

The 'Dress Islam' movement doesn't suddenly mark out women - it's already obvious who is a woman and who is a man when you see them. What it does do is restrict women's choices, and put pressure on them to cover more of themselves (though as you say, we don't know exactly what the encouragement will be). That's bad, but Saudi Arabia does worse already, so the USA can't really use it much as a propaganada weapon. The dress code is bad news for women in Iran, but I can't see Bush being able to use it as an excuse to bomb the place. The code doesn't 'leave them in peril'.

[politicat]

69. It is NOT different!

What's okay about oppressing 50% of your population when oppressing 1% is wrong?

As far as I'm concerned, gender oppression is a far worse crime than religious oppression. Religion is in the mind - people can convert, they can abandon religion entirely (when's the last time you heard about Secular Humanist suicide bombers, after all?), it's all a mind game that keeps people busy for a couple of days a week and soaks up a decent portion of their disposable income. That's it.

Gender is not something we can change. It's in the genes. So discrimination against something we can't help is far worse to me. Women didn't ask to be born women, but we get slapped down just for existing.

Religious people who keep their mouths shut and don't make a big show out of their religion can get away with blending in. Women can try, but it's harder, and so we end up getting punished because we had the poor taste to be born with ovaries. To me, that's a far bigger sin against humanity.

[muriel_volestrangler]

77. Did I say it was OK? No, I didn't

I said it is different. All I can ask is that you read my previous post again, because my reasons for saying so are there, whether or not you actually read them the first time.

[politicat]

81. I read it. I disagree.

Discriminating based on the possession of chromosomes is wrong. Period. I don't see why the fact that mammary glands are enlarged in 51% of the population (though technically more; I've known guys with bigger breasts than mine) makes it more socially acceptable for anyone to be a target of discrimination than the 1% of the population who choose another religion.

I'm sorry if it bothers you, but your defense of institutionalized sexism is utterly abhorrent to me. Here's the statement you made that really bothers me: "People who had previously gone about normal daily life with nothing to distinguish them would now be separated - it would be an open invitation for further discrimination by bigots."

What bothers me here is that it you seem to be saying that women should not expect to have daily normal life without bigoted discrimination. In Iran, after all, women are already discriminated against, whether they're Jewish, Christian, Sunni, Sufi (especially Sufis), or Shia, or agnostic, atheist, Hindu, Sikh or Pastafarian. So what's a little more? What you seem to be saying is that since women are already in utterly rotten situations, getting in a tiz over making their situations a little worse is not something to which people should pay attention.

And I'm not so sure that Iranian women have it better than Saudi women. It's a degree of worse, in my experience. Women in Saudi Arabia can't drive, but women in Iran get 50 lashes for not wearing an abayah. Saudi women can't vote, but they can leave the country without permission from a male guardian (because the Royal women would never stand for not being allowed to go to London and Paris.) Iranian women can't work or travel without that permission. And Saudi women don't wear the chador. That garment is in some ways worse than a burquah because, while the chador leaves the face uncovered, it cannot be fastened with anything - no pins, no snaps, no velcro. It has to be either held or clenched in the teeth at all times, effectively silencing or handicapping women. At least in Saudi Arabia, women can use both hands AND their mouths at the same time.

[muriel_volestrangler]

83. I did not defend institutionalized sexism - I said "it's bad"

No, I'm not saying "women should not expect to have daily normal life without bigoted discrimination". I said "it's bad". But the dress code will not mark out women any more than the 'western' ways of dressing - with their hair uncovered, or wearing makeup visibly. So it is a restriction of choice for the women, not a method of distinguishing minorities. The point is that the Nazis used such methods, and the right wingers leapt on the comparison at once, so they could make the Iranian government look totally unacceptable. They love comparing Ahmadinejad to Hitler - since the Second World War was the last war that nearly everyone agrees was a 'just' war, painting your target as a Nazi is ideal propaganda.

Is the chador specified in the new law? It's the first I've heard of it. Here's what the AP has translated from the new law:

"In order to preserve and strengthen Iranian-Islamic culture and identity, consolidate and promote national clothing designs and guide the manufacturing and marketing of clothes, on the basis of domestic forms and designs, as well as to encourage the public to refrain from choosing and spending on foreign designs not appropriate to the Iranian culture and identity," the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry will form a committee made up of representatives from various ministries, the state media and the parliament culture committee to follow through this law.
...
The Culture Ministry and state media must "encourage through public broadcasts to promote patterns of Iranian clothing and clothing from different regions of Iran ... and to abstain from promoting patterns not conforming with Iranian-Islamic culture.
...
The Commerce Ministry is obliged to raise tariffs on foreign clothing to set the foundation for growth of domestic clothing.
...
All governmental bodies should encourage and facilitate their staff to purchase Iranian and Islamic clothing.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iran-dress-code-excerpts,1,6005557.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[politicat]

84. The text of the law hasn't been released, but

given that a) the government wants to place further restrictions on women's apparel, and b) the current law dictates the abayah and the dupatta or khimar (two different types of veils, the former wrapped around the head and neck, the latter a large circle with a hole for the face that covers the head, neck and shoulders down to the chest or waist), there are effectively two ways to increase the restriction: Add a garment, either the niqab (facial mask) or make the chador law. Since Iran traditionally has not been a big niqab region (the chador served this purpose) I can't see them importing the niqab when they have a national garment at hand. The chador is the logical conclusion, since a majority of women wear it anyway.

Alternately, the restriction may just be to stiffen penalties for women who violate the law, though what they can do to make 50 lashes, a prison sentence and a fine that is equal to two -three months salary worse is mind-boggling. Even if they just start enforcing the law it will be bad enough.

And as wildeyed said elsewhere on this board, it's a desert climate. If the government would leave well enough alone, most women would shelter their face and heads with scarves and wear long, loose clothing anyway. It's more comfortable and practical in a place where sand storms can scour the skin off a camel in half an hour and a person can get burns so bad they require skin grafting in less than 3 hours. But since the government insists on meddling, people will rebel.

[nguoihue]

46. coloured badges

Some people will believe anything.

[Canuckistanian]

47. Some truth to this story

There is a historical truth to this, however. Jews in Iran WERE forced to wear badges and special headgear.

In the 16th Century!

This, from Iran on-line:
http://www.iranonline.com/History/jews-history/4.html

The next major change comes with the Safavids in 16th century. Shiism is introduced as the state religion. A religious hierarchy is established with unlimited power and influence in every sphere of life. The concept of "ritual pollution" (najes) of the non-Muslims is introduced. Suffering and persecution of all religious groups particularly the Sunnis becomes a norm (this period is one of the worst with respect to human rights in Iran).

Jewish chronicles are full of accounts of massacre, forced conversion into Islam and mistreatment. New institutions are created; nasi became the head of the Jewish community assisted by the rabbi, mullah (Jewish one), or dayyan. The nasi was responsible for the prompt payment of jizya to local authorities. All relations between Iranian Jews and others outside the country were completely severed. Christians and Zoroastrians were subjected to the same harsh treatments and Sunnis suffered most. Segregation became a reality again for all minorities and Jewish Ghettos were reinforced. The reports by European travelers and missionaries describe the tragic situation of the Jews and other religious minorities. Jews were forced to wear both a yellow badge and a headgear, and their oath were not accepted in courts of justice. A Jew who converted to Islam could claim to be the sole inheritor of the family property, to the exclusion of all Jewish relatives. If one Jew committed a crime or an illegal act, the whole community would be punished (other religious minorities were subjected to the same harsh treatments).

[Canuckistanian]

48. Professor Juan Cole debunks this too

http://www.juancole.com/

Even Iranian Jews are strongly denying this.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Another Fraud on Iran: No Legislation on Dress of Religious Minorities

Maurice Motamed, the representative of the Iranian Jewish community in Iran's parliament, has strongly denied the rumors started by Canada's National Post that the Iranian legislature has passed a law requiring members of religious communities to wear identifying badges.

The report was also denied on Montreal radio by Meir Javedanfar, Middle East Analyst and the Director for the Middle East Economic and Political Analysis Company.

The National Post is owned by Conrad Black and is not a repository of expertise about Iran. it is typical of black psychological operations campaigns that they begin with a plant in an obscure newspaper that is then picked up by the mainstream press. Once the Jerusalem Post picks it up, then reporters can source it there, even though the Post has done no original reporting and has just depended on the National Post article, which is extremely vague in its own sourcing (to "human rights groups").

[Spazito]

49. One slight correction and that is Black no longer owns the

National Post but the ones who do are just as bad obviously. Does Black still own the Jerusalem Post? It seems this story travelled either from the National Post to the Jerusalem Post or vice versa.

[Canuckistanian]

51. Black is no longer the owner of anything

He resigned from Hollinger Inc. in Nov. 2003.

But his acolytes and minions still rule at The National Post.

[Spazito]

54. Thanks, I thought that might be the case but thought his ownership

of the JP might not have been under his previous Hollinger holdings.

[Jigarotta]

58. CanWest Global now owns the National Post

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/canwest.asp

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/asper/

INDEPTH: ISRAEL ASPER
Israel Harold 'Izzy' Asper
CBC News Online | October 7, 2003
Israel Asper, known to most Canadians as Izzy Asper, the founder of one of the country's media empires, died in Winnipeg on October 7, 2003. He was 71.
Canwest Global Communications said Asper was taken to St. Boniface Hospital early that day and died a short time later. His family was by his side.

==

In 2000, Asper and his son Leonard expanded his empire by buying a half interest in Conrad Black's flagship newspaper, the National Post, and taking over the rest of the Black empire – 13 major daily newspapers and 136 smaller ones – in a $3.5-billion deal. A year later, the Aspers bought up the remaining 50 per cent of the National Post.

That takeover again sparked criticism of Asper, after he began to centralize operations at CanWest Global headquarters in Winnipeg. In May 2003, the Asper family shook up the editorial and financial management of the National Post, while also saying the company had a three-year commitment to the paper, which has lost money since it was founded by Black.

Asper was also known for his outspoken views on many political and social issues, especially his support of Israel. He often used his media outlets to call on the Canadian government to strengthen its support of Israel.

[Spazito]

60. Yep, he also tried to destroy the CBC and failed, thank goodness

Canwest has a right wing slant, no surprise given who owns it for sure.

[Jigarotta]

61. what was that fracas with CBC again?

It was about reporter McDonald and his view on the middle east, no?
I was just googling for that and couldn't come up with anything.

[Spazito]

65. Asper wanted the CBC gone entirely by making it's focus so

narrow as to be totally irrelevant and his reasons are stated quite boldly:

"It hurts our revenue streams to be competing against somebody who is not profit-driven," Leonard Asper told a House of Commons committee yesterday."

http://friends.ca/News/Friends_News/archives/articles03020202.asp

Edited to add: What he did not reveal is his real agenda in using right wing slant in all his outlets is made more obvious when contrasted with the CBC news coverage.

[Jigarotta]

68. thanks for the refresher nt

[welshTerrier2]

50. Khamenei: "People with nukes control worldwide media"

the following appeared this past Wednesday in the "Tehran Times":

source: http://www.watchingamerica.com/tehrantimes000026.shtml

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday that many global media outlets are controlled by people who possess the most destructive nuclear weapons.

In a meeting with representatives of national radio and television networks at the 7th International Radio Program Festival, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the media can be used to facilitate cultural exchanges between nations, and the loftiest human values.

But the Leader lamented that global media outlets are suffering from an epidemic characterized by magnifying insignificant events and ignoring human tragedy.

“Global media networks casually ignore the deaths of 120,000 Iraqi civilians during the U.S.-led attack on Iraq, but instead give wide coverage to the victims of bird flu.”

read the full article here ...

[NJmaverick]

52. I found those that believed this story

Usually have racist attitudes towards Muslims.

[VOX]

72. Sadly true. They're "primed" to believe anything horrific. n/t

[tjwash]

53. They don't have huge stockpiles of enriched uranium either?

Or a vast network of polaris ICBMs to deliver them to us in a minutes notice?

Oh wait, that was Iraq.

They didn't do the "jews wearing stars" thing in the run up to invasion in Iraq, but they did try the "BABIES TORN FROM INCUBATORS, BABIES TORN FROM INCUBATORS" thing though.

Same old formula they have used since Moses slaughtered everyone in their path in the exodus....dehumanize your opponent, and it makes slaughtering them that much easier.

[kittenpants]

55. My paper, the St. Pete Times, has an article comparing Iran to the Nazis

Here's the response I sent in. Thanks for all the info everyone (especially KrazyKat).

Though I'm normally impressed with your paper, I was concerned this Saturday upon reading your editorial on the Iranian law alleged to require Jews and other religious minorities to wear identifying badges or ribbons.

While you don't mention the source of your information, the first publication to report this story, _The National Post_ of Canada, has taken down the original article and backtracked on its initial reporting with an article published May 20 titled, "Iranian embassy denies dress code." It opens: "Several experts are casting doubt on reports that Iran had passed a law requiring the country's Jews and other religious minorities to wear coloured badges identifying them as non-Muslims. The Iranian embassy in Ottawa also denied the Iranian government had passed such a law."

Once a sensationalist story with echos of the Holocaust is let out of the bag, true or not, it spreads by word of mouth and cannot be stamped out of the public discourse even with the issuing of a retraction. Similar to the false notion that Saddam was linked to 9/11, complete falsehoods can tragically shape public opinion.

Additionally, I found it interesting the the author of the original article, Amer Taheri, serves on the board of Benador Associates, a think-tank whose members have advocated additional U.S. intervention in the Middle East. His associates should be proud.

While I agree with your characterization of Ahmadinejad as a radical, irresponsible leader and a Holocaust denier, I fear that an inaccurate editorial will unecessarily fuel the drive toward military action in Iran. There are enough factual reasons to fear that road lies ahead without the addition of false propaganda.

Thanks for your time,
Kittenpants

[wtmusic]

78. Nice letter. nt

[iconoclastNYC]

56. Doesn't need to be....FOX news viewers now think it is

I watched a 5 minute package on this story on my local Fox channel (not FNC)....then at the very end they basically said.....somebody said this news if false.

I think they should have thier liscense revoked for that.

[Orsino]

57. I hear drums. n/t

[kittenpants]

59. "You know, the Nazis had pieces of flare they made the Jews wear."

One of my favorite lines from Office Space.

[Canuckistanian]

82. LOL!

Good line!
:rofl:

[laundry_queen]

70. omg

I fired off a pissed off letter to the Post.

I cannot believe what is starting to happen with MY country. F'n media!
I am starting to understand how helpless my U.S. friends, especially those here on DU feel.
This is unfuckingbelievable. God I hope the CBC ridicules the Post!!!

[Zhade]

71. Gee, why am I not surprised so many fell for this?

NT!

[kestrel91316]

73. I doubt this is true for the sole reason that there CAN'T be any

Jews left in Iran. They ALL moved HERE after the Revolution................lol!

We have a huge Persian Jewish community and I am right in the middle of it.

[KittyWampus]

74. And Saddam threw babies off incubators.

[paparush]

75. I SWEAR ROVE IS DOING THIS FROM HIS SECURE, UNDISCLOSED

LOCATION.

FASCIST RAT BASTARD!!!

[tjwash]

76. BABIES TORN FROM INCUBATORS, BABIES TORN FROM INCUBATORS!!!

Remember that one about Iraq?

[burythehatchet]

79. Doesn't matter

Hannishitty, O Really, Ass man, Shit Fume, Limpballs, every single one of them has their carp for the week well formed. Expect them to spew this non-stop. Of course, only if you listen.

[KoKo]

86. kick