Saturday, February 23, 2008

Fair and Balanced Reporting

I want everyone to know that I am fair and balanced (well, one out of two aint bad). The other day I posted about Saudi Arabia putting a woman on trial for witchcraft and sentencing her to death. Just so I don't give the unfair impression that Saudi Arabia is a sexist, male dominated society (be careful where you step, don't slip in the thick coating of SARCASM) I thought I'd post about this related article that turned up today:

Saudi Arabia arrests 57 men for flirting at mall

I mean, it was only one woman that was accused of witchcraft. They arrested 57 men for flirting. Never mind the fact that even if they're found guilty they'll probably get a slap on the wrist and the women they were flirting with will be stretched on a rack, tortured, hanged, beheaded and burned because they were the evil objects of temptation that caused the men to flirt in the first place. I mean, all that aside, surely this is progress.

Here is the list of charges being investigated:

  • "flirting with women in front of a shopping mall"
  • "dancing to pop music blaring from their cars"
  • "wearing improper clothing (believed to be tee shirts with images and/or (gasp!) English on them)

The ANIMALS!!! Praise the lord that we don't have that kind of criminal behavior here. Now if only we can force the stores inside the malls to put veils and head scarves on the mannequins in the windows of Victoria's Secret and Frederick's of Hollywood I wouldn't have to fear impure thoughts in the heads of the young men attending Bible study group meetings in the mall food court.

Actually what I find most seriously disturbing and terrifying about this article are these two phrases:

"The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice"

and

"the fearsome religious police"

If those two particular combinations of words don't underscore in no uncertain terms the dangers of a state religion and a legal system based on a holy book, I don't know what the hell does.

We should be very, very thankful for the Constitution. And yet...we have a current Republican Presidential candidate who stated that the Constitution should be rewritten to reflect the Bible and the religious right won't back the other Republican candidate because he isn't conservative (the New English to Political Bullshit Translation Dictionary defines this usage as meaning "Right Wing Christian Religious Extremist Nut-job who wants to wage a holy war, make the Bible the law of the land, establish a Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, and unleash the fearsome religious police on the sinners of America") enough. The fact that these people can read an article like the one posted above and see only the differences - and not the vivid crystal-clear reflection of themselves - boggles my mind.

Wake up America. Apathy is going to kill us.

9 comments:

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Brother you said a mouthful. Glad you made it back from JoeSmithLand.

Malach the Merciless said...

Hey ISLAM, give it rest!

Kitty said...

I'll be sure not to wear my 'Kiss Me Quick, Squeeze Me Slow' hat, should I ever venture over to Saudi Arabia. ;-) x

Malicious Intent said...

Bruce, I agree...you are fair...but you are stretching it a bit with "balanced." You are no more balanced than me. That might be a compliment, not sure...I'll have to think about it some.
Anyway, I just get sick to my stomach when I read these stories. They are terrifying and I am always amazed at how American's are so arrogant to believe that shit like that will never happen to them here just because it is America. Get off your asses and do something people! Wake up!
Most would just rather sit on the couch and watch cnn convincing themselves that someone eles will take care of it, like Bush.
As I have listed on my links section: CNN -front row seats to the end of the world.

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Mal, they really need to develop a sense of humor. This is what happens to people when you outlaw all "vices". Of course they are also the guys that visit America and the first place they go is to a strip club.

Kitty probably not a good idea. You could wear that in New Orleans, no problem. Along with a "Pinch Me, Peel Me, Suck Me, Eat Me" Tee shirt. Hey, I'm talking about crawfish.

MI, I did say one out of two aint bad. And I will take me being as balanced as you as a compliment. I'll try to find something else to blog about for a while to releave your gastrointestinal distress.

Malicious Intent said...

**BURP**

Bruce, a work in progress said...

To quote Tom Jones, "She's a Lady, whoa, whoa, whoa, she's a lady..." :-)

meggie said...

I get too enraged to comment!

Tequila Mockingbird said...

i think anything i comment here might be laced with entirely too much profanity, so i wont comment