gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : Freedom, tolerance don’t come easy

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:52:32 +0000

In Islam life, death, and religion are entertwined and inseparable. This is true for many Christians and Jews as well. The Branch Davidians were smacked down by our federal government, Jews denied landing in Palestein by the British, each group occupied the fundamental extremist end of the religion's spectrum. The current media documents the low numbers of violent fundamentalists in Christianity and Judaism and warns of them. Still, they have been unable to convince the majority of western peoples that Islamic extremists also exist in very small numbers. Why is this? A premeditated attempt by media to inflame against the Islamic religion, or is internal denunciation of all Islamic terrorism less prevalent than we suspect? If the media is colluding against Islam, why are there stories such as above being published at all? I wish I knew the answers, but I don't tend to trust in the goodness of my fellow humans until I learn of good reasons to do so.

GazetteOnline.com : Without virtuous people, Constitution no good

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:30:23 +0000

True. To the point where the belief incites a reversal of the gains made in western civilization to bring equality to all, including women. Moreover, up to the point when sedition and treason against the U.S. is preached from the pulpit. Be it David Koresh or Imam Rauf, by their words and actions we will know them. Perhaps it is time for the Koran to have a new testament to put the savagery within its pages into a purely ancient perspective.

GazetteOnline.com : Without virtuous people, Constitution no good

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:19:26 +0000

Islam is not a race. I think we call it a 'creed.'

GazetteOnline.com : Without virtuous people, Constitution no good

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:13:06 +0000

Not quite the whole story...the Crusades were first called by Pope Urban II in 1095 as a defensive response to over four centuries of escalating persecution of Christians and Jews by Muslims. Muslims began seizing Christian lands from the conquest of Jerusalem in 638 through 969 when they controlled two-thirds of all previously Christian lands. By then, the Byzantines had witnessed enough; crucifixions of Christian pilgrims, Christian churches destroyed or converted into mosques, destruction of the Church of Calvary and the Church of the Resurrection, and in 1009, the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In Islamic theology, any land that ever belonged to Islam, forever belongs to Islam. Yearly jihads were called to reverse the gains by the Christian empire of Byzantium. So successful were the appeals to jihad by Saif al-Dawla, that Muslims from as far away as central Asia traveled to join the fight. In answer, and despite centuries of squabbles between the Christian Church of Constantinople and the Christian Church of Rome, the Byzantine emperor Alexis I Comnenus asked the Christians to the west for help. Thus, the first Crusade was called for.

GazetteOnline.com : Freedom, tolerance don’t come easy

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 05:07:46 +0000

Such compassion from the editorial board. So much more compassion than that of the general American populace. If only Imam Rauf could show such compassion for those bigoted families of the victims on 9-11.

GazetteOnline.com : Use of ICPD’s new riot gear sparks emotional debate

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:57:11 +0000

Exactly where do you think Homeland Security gets their funds?

GazetteOnline.com : More than 200 at 9/11 interfaith service at Islamic Center

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 20:02:24 +0000

And your source for the claim of millions and millions of Muslims denouncing violence and terror?

GazetteOnline.com : Leaders should be civil when disagreeing

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 02:18:15 +0000

Filing a false travel claim is fraud. He should have contacted the County Attorney. Houser challenging him about the audit would have then qualified as witness tampering.

GazetteOnline.com : State spent nearly $30 million on overtime

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 02:05:59 +0000

Of the 30 million, how much was comp time (receiving time off at a later date) that was converted to a dollar amount based on the employees hourly rate? How much was actually paid in cash added to the normal paycheck. A balanced news report would include that distinction unless the goal of the article is to put a number like $30 million in front of the readers.

GazetteOnline.com : Nearly 150 ticketed near Kinnick

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 01:56:28 +0000

These stats are only from the University Police. There were other drunk drivers caught by the other agencies working the post-game traffic.

GazetteOnline.com : Right-wing no advocate for civil rights

Sun, 5 Sep 2010 02:30:38 +0000

When he speaks of the absence of tension as contrasted by the presence of Justice, I think he feared a future when government welfare would be used to mollify the black community and stifle their desire for individual accomplishment. The same occurs with affirmative action that would bring advancement without merit, as those who benefit can't help but feel they did not succeed solely by their own abilities. They carry within the realization that the white elites provided the success. When the wealthy and priveledged who are in power feel good about supplying just enough to subsist, and bestowing self esteem to those of the minority, Justice has not been achieved. Dr. King would prefer the efforts were made to work towards encouraging a truly level playing field in education and employment so true self esteem would be earned and success recognized in the community as worthy goals to try to achieve. He knew that a moral character was a required pre-requisit to total community advancement.

GazetteOnline.com : Should Iowa pin hopes on wind energy to replace lost factory jobs?

Sat, 4 Sep 2010 03:33:08 +0000

Until the power storage problems are solved, the success of wind produced energy remains in question. Investment into the power storage development research will pay before wind turbine production, but won't pay as much in the long term. It is a high risk investment but worth it when the answers are found. Best for many investors to share in the risks and rewards. I think I'll grab some and hope I'm not left lonely, twisting in the breeze for lack of enough funding to continue the search.

GazetteOnline.com : Building of mosque is lesson on hypocrisy

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 19:12:59 +0000

According to the Christians, witnessing to those who do not believe in order to allow them an opportunity to hear the word of their god is a required part of being a Christian "all Christians are chosen to witness. (Acts 10:41)" How does this requirement to evangelize differ from the special requirements for prayer and foot washing on the Berkley campus?

GazetteOnline.com : Building of mosque is lesson on hypocrisy

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 19:03:30 +0000

You were correct in your request for a source Rich. The bible can be possessed in public schools, and private prayer cannot be denied. The bible can't be used as a teaching source that its words are the one true path to salvation. Bibles may be used as a teaching tool in a literature class, most likely an historical study of writing styles during the dark ages.

GazetteOnline.com : Building of mosque is lesson on hypocrisy

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 18:35:04 +0000

As is the freedom to be prohibited from the free exercise of religion. The government prohibits such free exercise of religion when they don't allow organizations who support Christian morality as part of their values to use community school facilities to hold meetings after school hours. A judge who does not allow a cross on a roadside as a memorial to a state trooper who was a Christian and killed on duty is restricting the free exercise of religion.

GazetteOnline.com : Building of mosque is lesson on hypocrisy

Fri, 3 Sep 2010 18:28:31 +0000

The difference is the Muslim terrorists attacked us because we were not Muslims, just as they attack each other daily for not being the right kind of Muslim. Here is a scorecard of terrorist acts in the name of Islam for the month of September so-far: 2010.09.03 (Quetta, Pakistan) - Over twenty innocents are slaughtered when a suicide bomber targets a Shia procession. 2010.09.03 (Mardan, Pakistan) - A Sunni suicide bomber detonates at an Ahmadiyya (minority sect) mosque, killing one. 2010.09.03 (Khujand, Tajikistan) - A suicide bomber injures twenty-five people. 2010.09.02 (Bajaur, Pakistan) - A female teacher is shot to death by Holy Warriors. 2010.09.02 (Turbat, Pakistan) - Sunni gunmen open fire on a bus full of Shia pilgrims, killing at least two. 2010.09.01 (Karachi, Pakistan) - A young mother is burned to death by her in-laws in a suspected honor killing.

GazetteOnline.com : Muslim American women frustrated about defending their religion

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 23:39:23 +0000

During my studies today I also found predictions that we are to expect many stories to portray American Muslims as victims of hate and discrimination. Molly Reisetter has taken the bait and written this piece for the Gazette. These Muslim women are stared at. That seems a trivial slight to endure compared to the suffering of true victims of discrimination endured in America’s past. Read about the treatment of Catholics in the post Civil War south or the abuses endured by the Mormons as they were driven westward.

GazetteOnline.com : Muslim American women frustrated about defending their religion

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 23:35:41 +0000

2point, I took the time to examine the other references you supplied and find opinion pieces that are directly countered by other writers linked within the sites you sent or found through searches of other sites using author information as a search factor. I also found authors who support your position but downplay a statistic that they do not challenge. That is 36% of the world's Muslims feel the 911 attack was a justified response to their real or imagined victimization by non-Muslim people of the western world. I see some claims that the media does withhold reporting on vast amounts of official statements from Muslim organizations in condemnation of terrorist attacks. But those claims are not backed up by showing verifiable examples of such official statements. Can you back up such claims with evidence of such statements being released by CAIR or other leading Muslim organizations on September 11th itself or soon thereafter as they claim? I searched many archives and can't find such statements, only their claims well after the fact that such statements were made.

GazetteOnline.com : Muslim American women frustrated about defending their religion

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 23:30:03 +0000

I'll try to reply again as I've entered the Gazette's land of the disappearing post. The first link I clicked was http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/AboutSite.... 2point, you say those who are truly uncertain of the truth as posed in my question "should be ashamed" or they "choose not to listen." Maybe you should check this site you provided and read further than the first few paragraphs. You'll see that the article is not in agreement with your claim of widespread condemnation of terrorist acts by the Muslim communities around the world. Care to read and respond?

GazetteOnline.com : Muslim American women frustrated about defending their religion

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 23:03:43 +0000

Two questions I'd like to know answers to: Why do we not hear loud and clear, statements from Islamic organizations condemning the heinous acts of terrorists who kill and maim in the name of Allah? Are such statements proclaimed and supplied to the media who does not choose to report, or are they actually as absent as they appear?