Shift Buzz Earlier this week, Christian groups protested Lady Gaga's concert in the Phillippines. Now, Islamic fundamentalists in Indonesia are doing the same.
Culture Buzz A divided region comes together to marvel at a small miracle…snow in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Here are some gorgeous and moving photos of the first snowfall in this region in four years.
Culture Buzz Too bad the Vision Street Wear burqa is out of production. (via k1k1chan.com)
Politics Buzz Tony Perkins exposes the most dreaded playbook of all.
Culture Buzz Oh, and she's facing six years in jail for 'resisting arrest and reckless behavior'. Well, I guess it is better than being beheaded by your misogynistic overlords.
Culture Buzz Ouch. The Muslim world this past week observed Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The 10th day of Muharram is Ashura, when Shi'ite Muslims mourn the death of the grandson of the Prophent Mohammed. Very devout Shi'ites cut and whip themselves into a bloody froth in observance. Here are photos of Ashura from Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. WARNING: Graphic images.
Politics Buzz VICE reporter Sherif Elhelwa snapped some pics of the Al Qaeda flag flying atop the Benghazi courthouse where the Libyan revolution started. Elhelwa was later told by a guard, “Whomever speaks ill of this flag, we will cut off his tongue.”
Politics Buzz Is it Sharia or Shariah? Shari'ah? Whatever, just wait until the Republican candidates hear about this. (via english.aljazeera.net)
The FBI is investigating death threats directed towards David Letterman found on a jihadist website, including statements such as, “Is there not among you (someone)…to cut the tongue of this lowly Jew and shut it forever?” The author of the threats was angered over jokes Letterman has made involving al-Qaida leaders Osama bin Laden and Ilyas Kashmirandi. Oh, and Letterman isn't Jewish.
Politics Buzz There's been a recent flap over Whole Foods promoting halal food as part of a Ramadan marketing campaign, and most of said flap stems from one post by a crazy-pants blogger who thinks Muslims are “savages.” Here is that blogger's post, called Anti-Israel Whole Foods Wishes You a Happy Ramadan, boiled down to the nuttiest soundbites and paired with the Michele Bachmann cover of Newsweek.
Islam is super hot on the BuzzFeed Network right now. Here's all the best viral buzz on Islam.
This is the video that sparked the ongoing riots in Afghanistan which have left at least twenty dead, including two Americans. Pastor Terry Jones, of Florida's Dove World Outreach Center, is an asshole.
Glenn Beck believes that Google is somehow involved with his grand conspiracy regarding a Muslim caliphate, Van Jones and Egypt. Since it's all very elaborate and confusing, here is Glenn Beck's Google-geddon theory distilled.
Culture Buzz Assad Sawey, bandaged and bloody, describes being beaten and shocked with cattle prods by Egyptian police while he was covering the mass uprising. He considers himself lucky, saying that other reporters were being rounded up by plain clothed authorities and taken to “somewhere unknown.”
Disturbing footage of a street protester being shot in Egypt. The condition and identity of the victim is unknown. They appear to have been participating in anti-government protests that have engulfed the Middle Eastern nation in the past few days. The Mubarak regime has imposed an internet and text messaging blackout in Egypt, presumably to stymie further organizing and prevent images such as these from sparking a Tunisia-style overthrow.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/st_vinny_eye...
Controversial center may move to the West Village.
Taken from this book. You would think the last 3 events on this page were a really bad joke, but instead they are actually in a world religions book for undergraduates.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/ground_zero_...
Developers of the Islamic center two blocks from Ground Zero have applied for $5 million in federal grant money.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mostemailed/*http://...
Major Iranian-backed Shiite groups announced a new alliance Monday but excluded the Iraqi prime minister in a rare display of disunity among the country's majority Islamic sect. The move puts pressure on Nouri al-Maliki to strike a deal with Sunni parties if he hopes to keep his job after Janua
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123654552575064501.html
So says this WSJ op-ed. The fact that the author used to be a member of a terrorist organization led by al-Zawahiri is kind of an interesting twist on an argument that we've heard before.
Culture Buzz This talking doll has been accused of promoting Islam. While Mattel says the doll simply coos and says “mama,” some parents hear it saying “Islam is the light” or “Satan is the king.” Check out the videos and judge for yourself: innocent babbling, or some kind of sinister plot to turn America’s children into Satan-worshiping terrorists? Fox News recommends you return the evil doll immediately, just to be safe.