for those of you who followed this thread, there is a recent development involving John Kyl (R-AZ). http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/02/action-alert-senator-kyl-under-pressure-for-hosting-fitna.html have a good weekend, jmz On Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 11:51 AM, Joshua Zeidner wrote: > On Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 11:07 AM, Alex Dean wrote: >> >> On Feb 2, 2009, at 10:10 AM, Joshua Zeidner wrote: >> >>> On Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 8:25 AM, Alex Dean wrote: >>>> >>>> You are confusing Muslim with Arab. >>> >>>  how is he confusing them?  -jmz >> >> The dress standards you cited are specific to UAE.  There are many >> Muslim-majority countries, and Arab-majority countries, where this clothing >> advice would not be appropriate.  Statements like "Heck of a night life they >> must have, oh wait, their MUSLIM!!!!!" and "I'm saying that they way they >> treat women. I will not be going." conflate Arab and Muslim, and infer the >> most conservative social norms (which are most common in a place like Saudi >> Arabia, but not elsewhere). > >  You're a thoughtful man, Alex.  But you didn't think about how these > norms are common if not required all across the Muslim world, and even > amongst European Muslims.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6Wrhivp7eQ > >  And I think that Scott might have been joking.  Lets hope that he > doesn't make any blasphemous cartoons. > >> >> The link you posted makes it pretty clear that there are a variety of >> standards within the UAE, nevermind in the wider Arab or Muslim worlds.  You >> quoted a sentence specific to workplace attire, but there are other >> statements like "Outside work, anything really goes, to a limit. In the >> malls, many wear jeans and t-shirts or the like, and clubbing gear is as you >> would expect elsewhere."  This matches the first-hand statements I've heard >> from people traveling in Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc. >> http://www.grapeshisha.com/UAE-National-clothing.html >> >> Hooray for me if I score popularity points. > >  Perhaps in your infinite wisdom, you may want to take a head count > of who it is these views are popular with. > >> That's not my goal, and your >> sarcasm is unnecessary. > >  In this country, we say what we want and we joke about what we want. > >  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders > >  -jmz > > > >>  I see an important difference here, and I said what >> I wanted to say about it.  Questioning my motives by implying I have some >> ulterior motive is silly. >> >> Craig's point is taken, though.  I can just delete this stuff, and I will. >>  I don't have any regrets for pointing out some excessive generalization, >> but I'm content to be done with it now.  Apologies to anyone who found my >> comments uninteresting or off-base. >> >> alex >> >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> > --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss