Afterward will come the attack on Coptic Churches, the burning of the Israeli embassy, and the armed attack on Egyptian soldiers.(*)
Okay, maybe not attacks on Copts:
(*)ADDENDUM: (10/11) Some commentary on the attacks on the soldiers at the Maspero state TV and radio station can be found here. The native Egyptians have been demonstrating there on a regular basis to protest the silence in the government (i.e. "only") media regarding Arab muslim attacks on Egyptian churches. During the 6 October demonstration, "elements" within the crowd fired on the soldiers guarding the stations.
The Arab conspiracy machine went into high gear, and muslim mobs across Cairo rallied to the cry that "the Copts are killing muslims." (One thing an Egyptian must never do is to kill an Arab. Well, that and look funny at an Arab woman.) The body count is thus primarily Copt.
(Note: the term copt is the arabic word for "egyptian." Soften the c to a g and "copt" is (E)gypt.)
Speculation may now commence as to the "elements" responsible.
1. Coptic demonstrators gratuitously fired on the only force within Egyptian state society that stands between them and the muslims.
2. Brotherhood provocateurs infiltrated the demonstration in order to provoke fighting between the Copts and the military.
3. The military's image in Egypt has been tarnished by the tardy arrival of Heaven-on-Earth that was supposed to follow the ouster of the appeaser-of-Israel, Mubarak. Hence, the military staged the events in order to appear as the protectors of order.
(These are small potato conspiracy theories for a region where that is a growth industry. The military has cited "foreign elements" as responsible. This may refer to Israeli, American, European, or even Chinese agents.)
SECOND ADDENDUM: Regarding the You-Tube clip above. Unrelatedly, David Brooks in the NYTimes notes that "the Occupy Wall Street movement... was sparked by the magazine Adbusters, previously best known for the 2004 essay, “Why Won’t Anyone Say They Are Jewish?” — an investigative report that identified some of the most influential Jews in America and their nefarious grip on policy." After all, the demonization of "international bankers," "plutocrats" and "the 1%" is familiar to anyone recalling the anti-Semitic images of Europe.
Yes, cheap shots are fun but don't prove anything one way or the other about the protest or the protesters.
ReplyDeleteAs for the "occupiers" wearing corporate-made clothing and using devices, so what? Where can you find a product that isn't made by a major corporation?
If they showed up either naked or wearing clothes from Ye Olde Handwoven Hemp Collective and using runners instead of cell phones to communicate they would be mocked for that.
The video: yeah, there are plenty of morons, idiots running around loose among the protesters so you just have to pick the one you want as your "sample" of one.
I certainly would not join the protesters but I agree with both them and the Tea Party about many of their complaints. What it comes down to is that our ruling classes (political and economic) are not only greedy and corrupt which is to be expected, but INCOMPETENT.
/rant
Hence, it was filed under 'humor.' Those who claim an immaculate conception are especially subject to such things.
ReplyDeleteParticularly ironic is that BoA was reacting to a government law forbidding one sort of fee, and doing so in an especially open and transparent manner. The computer network and the sundry nerds and economists must be paid for in some manner. Then to be criticized by the very senator whose amendment drove the action and accused by the president of =not= being transparent was simply too delicious.
Also, we should not forget that the mortgage meltdown started in Fannie Mae, a government-sponsored entity, that was acting as per HUD regulations requiring a certain minimum percentage (22%) of mortgages be made to people unlikely to pay them back. But I don't think the mob is out there protesting government incompetency.
"And Jesus entered the Temple and saw those who bought and sold in the courts and the tables of the money changers. And his disciples said unto him 'Let us overturn their tables and make whips of cords that we may drive them from the Lord's house, for they have made it a den of thieves.'
ReplyDeleteBut Jesus spake unto them saying 'What are you, hippies? What have you got against people who buy and sell? You bought those robes and sandals, so you're just, like, hypocrites.'
And they replied 'But Lord, they are greedy and profit from the poor and they abuse the rules of commerce laid down for this place and exploit them to feed their avarice.'
But Jesus said 'The market should not be trammeled by regulation anyway. Governments should stay out of that kind of thing. So they're rich and other people are poor. Big deal. That's how the system works. What are you, a pack of commies?'"
And the rich merchants smiled on Jesus and saw that he was good. And he gave them a big thumbs up and spake saying 'Carry on dudes. Don't let any dirty protestors get in the way of your making piles of money. Greed is good.'
From 'The Gospel According to Right Wing Conservatives' (it may differ a bit to the Jesus found in the actual gospels, who was a bit of a hippy leftist)
A hippy leftist that says to pay you taxes, obey just authority, arm yourself and do your own charity? Not to mention the lack of booty....
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that the deal with the Temple was that they were abusing God's place, not that they were making money.