wayward_rogue

I came back here looking for a story I posted eons ago, one that I had to send to a friend. After I logged in and looked through my posts I was thrown into nostalgia. I just want to drop by and say hello, there were a lot of people on here I have never forgotten and likely will never forget. Many good friendships (Albeit online) were made here and I feel like, in some way, it helped me become who I am. So, an update on me: I am almost 23. Funny to think that when I first signed up I was what, 14? 15? I don't even remember, HPZ got me hooked. I do not collect anymore. Once I hit University things got busy and money (understandably) got tight. It was something that my interest had somewhat feigned in, but most of all I couldn't afford it. All of my stuff is delicately packed away at my parent's place with a few figures scattered here and there on display. In the years since I left this forum I have graduated high school, began my undergraduate degree and finished my undergraduate degree and am now on my way to starting graduate studies. All without causing (serious) injury to myself or many other people, having the police show up at my door again (sorry, mom) or having any children (fingers crossed). I completed my BA with Honours in Journalism and a Philosophy program, but am taking a different route. I want to study the Classics so am now getting brought up to speed on Latin and Attic Greek so I can apply for an MA program next year. I love school and I hope some day it will lead me to teaching. I have worked numerous odd jobs the past few years, the coolest being a military living historian for a Victorian era fort here in Halifax--it can be quite a bit of fun. As I said, I am sorry if this seems cryptic and unimportant to those who weren't here in my hay-day on these forums, but to those that were I just wanted to say you aren't forgotten, and with good reason. I will always consider you friends, though we have never met in person (except for that time HPZ gave Clam my phone number...weird) and will be perpetually thankful for the time I spent here. If you have any questions...ask! Here's me, recently (No, I am not sad!) A far cry from this goon, eh? (3rd in)

It's me!

COLIN YOU OLD BASTARD.

Exactly, and with the whole "72 virgins" thing (repulsive a promise as it is, for ANY religion ) how hilarious does that make THIS cartoon.....? Living together with Muslims, shouldn't have to be the equivalent to riding the short bus with the "handicapped" kids, and tolerating wild outbursts, eractic behavior, non-sensical rhetoric and MOST of all, not to irritate and upset them, due to their potential for violent, uncontrollable behavioral spats. Especially after we given them a weapon or two! I think the point of the outburst, especially with that cartoon isn't the fact that it's poking fun at the virgin thing, yeah, I chuckled at it. It's the fact they are depicting the prophet, their God, which in their religion is strictly forbidden. As far as living together with them, I personally don't worry about muslims, I worry about extremists, who happen to be muslims. As you yourself said, the people who do this use Religion as a means of propaganda over there, in the islamic region of the world people are highly religious, and when powerful, rich men come to them and say "God says to kill" they say "How many, and who?". I just don't like the connection everyone is making to "living with muslims" as if it is all muslims, I am still getting this vibe from everyone. I've never feared wild outbursts, or eratic behaviour, or rhetoric from any Muslim person I know, nor have I ever felt threatened one bit. Just yesterday in Halifax we had a sizeable demonstration outside the Dutch consulate, all Muslims, all offended by these cartoons. It was a completely respectable, completely peaceful protest, and not once did they call for the death of anyone, they had speakers who talked about why it's offensive, and why it shouldn't have happened. As far as what RoyalMarine said, yeah, you're mad, we get it, but blow this anti-Islamic preaching out your ass, remember the flak I caught for that picture of me at an anti-war demonstration, I took the picture down. You're throwing generalizations and insults out at an entire nation of people (bullshit insults) I might add, just save your breath and don't post them.

I don't necessarily believe it was irresponsible for them to tempt the wrath of the Islamic world, I just think it was a stupid thing to do, even if there was no outcry whatsoever from whatever group it was targetting. Putting cartoons like that in a newspaper, that are clearly made to insult, rather than a typical editorial comic strip that merely pokes fun at something, is just a dumb move all together. Like I said, they just as easily could have NOT put them in the paper, I am trying not to take any one side here, because clearly whatever I say on the subject is going to get torn to #$##, by you. I just believe that regardless who publishes it, and regardless of who it's directed towards, as a newspaper, who is typically supposed to deliver unbiased (save the editorials), trustworthy, and fair news articles, they should not have done it, plain and simple. Funny is funny, but taking shots at a religion like that, and knowing that you will have a strong base of people who will fight on their side (I.e a number of people on this board) due to the animosity towards the religion is wrong. Yes, many of the people who commit terrorist acts are muslim, and yes, many claim their acts in the name of God, and yes, many of the people protesting are taking things to extremes. But, with a religion that boasts more than 1 billion followers, I am sure, somewhere in that 1 billion+ there are people who were deeply offended, that aren't vowing to kill anyone, and who aren't "uncivilized scum of the earth".

I'm surprised that you're defending the issue, on the side of the "offended" Muslims, against the issue of freedom of speech and satire or parody. I can think of NOTHING that is immune or off limits to this kind of humor and commentary, yet here again, is the very issue I have, when it comes to things that involve OTHER religions (especially the Islamic one) as though it's more respected and guarded than anything else. Why is that? If Christians, Catholics or Jews start acting more irrational and violent towards opposing beliefs, would they garner more respect from those that would learn to fear their wraith and retaliation...is THAT the key? Muslims are like the untamed creatures of the wilderness, and not to be "messed" with, as they could lash out and attack, unpredictably and with ferocious force, so let's not "poke the bear with the stick"..? I don't buy that, and find it absurd! I've seen the Bible, the cross, images of Christ and other symbols of our culture, ridiculed and mocked and even burned if effigy....cartoons that mock and poke fun at people and certain beliefs done a a routine basis, yet no outcry of this sort takes place, and why is THAT? Because we're rational people and it's not expected that violence will be taken action upon those that do the offending thing. I'd like to see a mob like this, with threatening messages like this...take place in America and Canada, maybe against a company like Coke, or the tobacco industry or abortion rights activists...ay? No defense of this garbage and THESE people! Uncivilized scum of the earth! Offending THEM, is not different than offending NAZI'S with jokes against Hitler! To me anyway! To clarify, I am not condemning the Dutch, nor am I supporting "offended muslims" carrying signs calling for the killing of those responsible, or chanting "Jihad". I was merely stating that to post any kind of article like that, or cartoon, which is so blatantly offensive, regardless of who it is directed towards (Muslims, Jews, Christians etc) is a dick move. I don't laugh when I see images of Christ, or the cross defamed, or altered, my entire family, including myself was raised catholic, but I see the difference between something that is in mildly good taste, and something that is downright offensive. (E.g FAMILY GUY & KKK, just a bit of a difference) The way they used the freedom of speech defense made it seem like they did it for the sake of doing it, they just as easily could have not done it and avoided all of this. Putting aside who this was taking a shot at, I just don't see it as being justified, lets just stick to the basic ethics of doing this. If I saw this in my newspaper, I'd be pissed, if I saw one openly mocking Christ, or God or whoever in a way that was just as offensive I would be pissed. As mentioned above though, I am sure many (not so hardline Christians) would agree that there is a divide between mildly making fun of something (like Family guy & christianity) and offensive material (KKK and the cross). I don't mean to say the way that these people are reacting is rational, because it's not, but as I said in one of my first posts, it's not like it was unexpected. It's a mindset over there, not just of Muslims, but of that area in general, punishment, and religion and violence are acceptable defenses. Rational to me, no, rational to them, yes. I am not defending any violent course of action that is taken, but I am defending their right to be upset, their religion has clear rules and beliefs AGAINST depicting the prophet, if it happened to the Jewish, or Christian faith here, I would fully support their right to be mad. Yes, there are a great number of Muslims chanting this stuff, and preaching the killing of those responsible, but these are also not representing the entire global muslim community. These are pockets of individuals, who are muslims, and are calling for this, for you to say it's all Muslims is ridiculous, I have Arab friends, some are Muslim and though they are offended, mainly because of the depiction of Muhammed, they don't think people should die for it. .

It was such an irresponsible dick move on the Dutch's part. Regardless of who the cartoon was taking pot-shots at, or who drew them any cartoon that is that offensive shouldn't be allowed in any publication. Going past the whole ker-fuffle we have now, putting that sort of thing in a newspaper is not only tasteless, it's just irresponsible and offensive, you'd hope newspapers would have more sense than that. I have heard speculation that the publications put those in using the "Freedom of speech" argument, which would make us believe they did it for the sake of doing it, which is just stupid.

Ah, that's some of the info I was looking for. I was just watching a bit on all of this on CNN, thanks TS.

Not cool man, seriously. Realize it has little to do with the actual holy book, the religion DOES preach peace and tolerance. The Middle East has a very violent history, when a nation, or area has a violent history, it tends to carry, the mindset there has always circled around punishment, and atonement. Look at the ancient laws of Babylon, and Mesopotamia, all of them, every one of them was circled around punishment and retribution, there was no way to work things out, if you accidentally removed someones eye, yours would be taken, if a man built a house and the house collapsed killing someone, his life would be taken, or his hands. One of the kings from the middle east who invaded greece, tried to build a bridge over the Hellspont, a violent storm collapsed his bridge, causing him to have to restart it. Because of the storm, he beheaded every contractor that had worked on it, and then sent 2 men to the waters edge to lash the water 300 times over, each time reminding the water of it's sins. It's a mindset that exists there, and has always existed there, religion feeds into it, and it is used to justify their actions, but to lay some blanket stereotype saying that it's all of islam is a whole lot of b******t. That sort of near-bigotry, and prejudice is what's wrong with how the west views the middle east, people need to understand it's not "ISLAM" or "THE MUSLIM WORLD" it's a select number of people within a HUGE nation which hold extremist and fundamentalist beliefs. One could say the same for the U.S, they see KKK Rallies and burning crosses and think "Oh man, all those American's, they hate christianity, and the blacks, and the jews blah blah blah". Of course it's not the entire United States, it's one select group inside of it, just as the extremist groups are to the Middle East So next time you decide to post such a statement, at least drop the generalizations.

A few of my friends have them, great phones, great features, surprisingly good camera. They got theirs for $100CAD with a 3 year plan. I've heard no complaints from them yet. I'd buy it.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Anyone who is not laughing either does not watch the show, or has severe emotional problems.

http://www.brandonbird.com/svutines.html

In a legal system where people are allowed to sue retail stores because they broke their arm tripping over their own child, ANYTHING is possible.

I really didn't think it was that weird, I thought most places had bags of milk.