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Archive for February, 2017

Are the resemblances purely superficial, or psycho-social?

Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

[ by Charles Cameron — Geert Wilders, that is, and Donald Trump? ]
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Consider:

**

Sources:

  • New York Times, Geert Wilders, Reclusive Provocateur, Rises Before Dutch Vote
  • Washington Times, Donald Trump draws boos from conservative crowd
  • There’s more than one way for a Muslim to have border problems

    Monday, February 27th, 2017

    [ by Charles Cameron — Trump, Assad and Trump ]
    .

    The first way, which is drawing a lot of fire these days, is via the Trump “Muslim ban” —

    — but it ain’t the only way: angering al-Assad can also do the trick.

    **

    An alternative example of the first kind would give us this —

    — in some ways it’s a closer match, since both Russo and Khatib were traveling to significant events where their work would be highlighted. On the other hand, the Muhammad Ali Jr instance is powerful by reason of the issue of his religion coming up..

    **

    Sources:

  • Guardian, US border agents ask Muhammad Ali’s son: ‘Are you a Muslim?’
  • Vox, The White Helmets cinematographer Khaled Khatib was coming to the Oscars
  • Guardian, Leading French academic threatened with deportation at Houston airport
  • **

    But then we could also juxtapose the alternative first examples with one another, making a DoubleQuote of two instances of problems with US border agents —

    — and yes, much of the world is looking on.

    Muslim-Jewish DoubleQuotes

    Monday, February 27th, 2017

    [ by Charles Cameron — good news in response to bad ]
    .

    First:

    resulting in:

    And now:

    resulting in:

    **

    The heart dismayed, the heart uplifted. Thank you, thank you.

    Trees and the Taliban

    Sunday, February 26th, 2017

    [ by Charles Cameron — do you suppose trees only prostrate before God, Q 55.6, during high winds? ]
    .

    This admirable United Nations goal gains Taliban support..

    The Taliban, in turn, have the encouragement of the Prophet:

    The Prophet (pbuh) said:”If the Hour is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.”

    and:

    Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”

    **

    Sources:

  • Plant for the Planet, Billion Tree Campaign
  • BBC, Taliban leader urges Afghans to plant more trees
  • Hidaya Foundation, Why Plant Trees?
  • Muaz Nasir, The Value of Trees in Islam
  • Sunday surprise – Ballad of The Skeletons

    Sunday, February 26th, 2017

    [ by Charles Cameron — Ginsberg, McCartney & Philip Glass! ]
    .

    I’m not a huge Ginsberg fan, but this seems like a wholesome follow up to yesterdays post 6,000 years and still together — written by Ginsberg in the run up to the United States presidential election of 1996, and touching on several themes of continuing interest today.

    You can follow along the text here, and read-all-about-it in ‘The Ballad of the Skeletons’: Allen Ginsberg’s 1996 Collaboration with Philip Glass and Paul McCartney.

    Hey, I’m not a great fan of McCartney either, but the pair of them together seems like an oxymoron.


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