BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

by Tawfik Hamid Muslims can start with better Quranic scholarship. The film "Fitna" by Dutch parliament member Geert Wilders has created an uproar around the world because it links violence committed by Islamists to Islam. Many commentators and politicians — including the British government, which denied him entry to the country last month — — reflexively accused Mr. Wilders of inciting hatred. The question, however, is whether the blame is with Mr. Wilders, who simply exposed Islamic radicalism, or with those who promote and engage in this religious extremism. In other words, shall we fault Mr. Wilders for raising issues like the stoning of women, or shall we fault those who actually promote and practice this crime? Many Muslims seem to believe that it is acceptable to teach hatred and violence in the name of their religion — while at the same time expecting the world to respect Islam as a religion of peace, love and harmony. Scholars in the most prestigious Islamic institut...

by Phil Mushnick The news media always seems to lose their nerve with the wrong people at the worst times. The news media almost always grows politely silent when it's time to be firm and inquisitive. Thus, thus the follow-up questions that audiences are eager to have answered are never even asked. The recent terrorist bombings that left 200 murdered and 300 injured in Mumbai inspired the usual shock and outrage. And the same, boilerplate responses from Muslim spokesmen here, there and everywhere: "This is not what Islam teaches" and/or "These are not real Muslims; Islam teaches respect for life." For example, an organization known as Muslim Matters, responded with: "As Muslims, we condemn such senseless carnage against innocent civilians, wherever it may occur. This goes against the fundamental spirit of Islam, which promotes a culture of life and humanity, not bloodshed and violence. And another example of why extremist ideology, whatever that ideology m...

WE'VE TRADED OUTRAGE FOR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS! The Outrage of Allowing American Muslim Women to Hide Their Face For a Driver's License Photo M. Toomey, PhD In 2002, Florida allowed a Muslim woman to have her driver's license picture taken with her face hidden. In the name of civil rights, religious custom was allowed to supersede a woman's human right to exist as an individual with an identity of her own. With her face hidden, a woman is declared the property of a man. Sexism of this magnitude should never be tolerated, yet without any public outcry, it is not only tolerated it is given legal sanction, in the name of freedom of religion. Why do we use a picture as identification on a driver's license in the first place? For the same reason I am decrying the permission to have a woman's face covered for the picture. To make it possible to identify us from our picture. Our face is the primary basis for this photo recognition. Not our hands. Not our feet. Not our ...

WHAT'S NEXT? HALAL HAGGIS? How much bending the rules for the Islamic tide is society going to do? When I was growing up I got called a "bread-eater" and "idol worshipper." My ex Mother in Law called me a "Papist." My brother and I as well as many other Catholic kids, got a very hard time for going to CCD classes every week which took time away from school. We had to accomodate the Protestants around us and vice versa. But nooooo, the Muslims have to have it their way. Jews know that Sabbath and fasts can be broken for health and safety issues (in some cases). This was a SAFETY issue. What the HECK? Sorry but accomodating this veil business is like saying, "O.K. we are going to give you a pass to use a religious custom to break our laws." Either the custom needs to be modified or those who are adamant about adhering to it can go live somewhere that it isn't an issue instead of forcing Sharia Law down our throats. The Scottish peo...