NEW ITEMS ARE ADDED AT THE BOTTOM The Diversity File: A Downsized View of Human Nature Should diversity be celebrated or should it be questioned? These days, the media lecture endlessly about the glories of increasing diversity in American society. It's a lovely picture of multicultured people holding hands in peaceful sharing. Of course, that view has nothing to do with the reality of human nature. Our crowded little planet is awash in wars and smaller conflicts that are based on just those differences we are urged to celebrate — religion, ethnicity and culture. Have these benighted peoples not heard the politically correct gospel of peace, love and diversity? Or are they just acting like normal tribal humans? The State Department continues to hold annual "diversity" lotteries for 50,000 lucky recipients based on the curious idea that the United States is not yet diverse enough. Year 2001 lotteries include Somalia, Bangladesh and Sudan. These countries are home to practices of slavery, purduh (lifelong house arrest for women) and female genital mutilation, so America's cultural variety will indeed be increased. The question is whether we want more diversity of this sort. For 2005 results, see here. One might further notice that not all cultures are compatible. Would an American woman be happy living in Afghanistan, wearing a burqua and never leaving the house without a male chaperone? Would an American want to raise a daughter in Saudi Arabia? Would any western person be happy living among animist superstition on a distant island of Indonesia (where the headhunters carry machetes instead of briefcases)? Yet our government policies mandate a similar cultural clash by importing any and all to the United States. Following is a collection of press clippings illustrating that the world can be a cruel and capricious place, particularly when cultural differences come into play. And making room in Europe and America for everyone's cultural differences can get absurd. — by Brenda Walker     FURTHER READING, INFORMATION AND SOUND: Why Multiculturalism Is a Fraud for Women Elsewhere on this site is a collection of information about the continuing oppression of women in many parts of the world. Impact on Black Americans Also on this website, why blacks in particular should reject mass immigration. Diversity's Deceptions — Washington Times, 9/5/02 Brenda Walker's op-ed examines the ideas behind the diversity cult and demonstrates in real-life examples how wrong-headed it is. National Brotherhood Week Tom Lehrer's excellent song from the 1960's, making fun of American's racial hang-ups and illusions. (In MP3 format.) Afghan Angst Some of the 60,000 Afghans living in the cities of Fremont and Hayward, California, are supporters of the Taliban. Bus Ride through the New Diversity Los Angeles as Babel, in this Christian Science Monitor article. Here is a response that the paper printed. Good-Bye Pythagoras? 'Ethnomathematics' embraces non-European methods of math; critics fear a decline in academic rigor. Police hope for Muslim head start Appropriate head gear is introduced for Muslim women who aspire to be British police officers. Segregation trends emerge in high-tech industry “Diversity” in Silicon Valley is talked up quite a bit, but the reality is somewhat different. Europe's Islamic Encounter From naive cultural relativism to a recognition of the chasm of difference, European attitudes have evolved. Europe Suddenly Doesn't Even Recognize Itself The new, unified Europe also has millions of non-Europeans in its midst, bringing difficult questions of identity and assimilation, particularly in France, once the main engine of European integration. A 1997 poll by Le Monde found that 60 percent of French respondents believed that there were “too many Arabs in France.” When Cultures Clash on the Job Companies struggle to accommodate workers of different religious faiths without alienating others. (Frosty the) Snowman is a sexist, racist British academic declares the pale snowperson to be a “reminder of masculine dominance, ordering and surveillance.” Tricia Cusack further stated, “Some members of cultural minorities in Britain find the central power relationship of Christmas threatening, not to speak of its whiteness.” She wants to include ethnic diversity in snow-based individuals to provide inspiring role models to the downtrodden. (Phew! What are we going to do for satire when reality has gotten so warped?) Muslims step out at Gay Pride Several dozen gay Muslims openly joined San Francisco's Gay Day Parade for the first time in 2001. Gay Muslims literally face death in declaring their sexuality, since Muslim clerics say that such people should be stoned to death. Summer of Violence This is the BBC's comprehensive site for the summer 2001 series of violent outbreaks in British communities. The fighting is between Brits and “Asians” — immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. The politically correct in the country insist that the future is “Multicultural Britain,” complete with fictionalized diversified past (the Saxons and Normans). But somehow, the people aren't cooperating. Though the violence is called racial by some, differences appear to be more cultural, the result of poorly considered immigration policies of the 1950s. French suburbs under siege France, particularly Paris, had its own “summer of violence” in 2001, though less publicized than the one in Britain. Near Paris, in the town of Trappes, where 2/3 of the residents are of Moroccan and Algerian origin, cars are set on fire nearly every night and police come under frequent attack. The police station has been fire-bombed several times. The Other Side of the Rainbow This Columbia Journalism Review article recounts the 1992 Diversity Summit convened by two major journalism organizations. Author William McGowan (who more recently wrote Coloring the News) describes the atmosphere as being like a tent revival, so enamoured were the journalists with their own virtue as they embraced diversity. Sikh demands right to wear dagger A 12-year-old Sikh demands the right to carry a ceremonial knife to school. And that's in Quebec. When the "kirpan" clunked out on the playground during recess, a fascinating bit of Sikh culture was discovered by Canadians. Many local parents kept their kids home in protest, while Sikhs sniffed that majority Canadians didn't appreciate Sikhs' unique cultural practices. Lawyering to follow. Hmong Mass Murder In Sacramento, an immigrant father murdered five of his children after an argument with his wife over money. (He wanted to spend $400 on a hunting jacket for himself, while his wife thought that the money should be spent on their seven children. Presumably $400 was a lot of money for the family, since Mr. Xiong was employed as a lawncare worker.) Interestingly, this article cleaves to political correctness, blaming America for the crime (no domestic violence in the idyllic homeland, we hear), with no responsibility taken for having many more kids than the family could support.     Cultural Practices around the World Indonesian vigilantes deal swiftly, harshly with petty criminals Not much respect for law in Indonesia, where stealing a chicken can get a person beaten to death. Borneo evacuation chaos as violence spreads The indigenous headhunter Dayaks of Indonesia have killed hundreds of Muslim Madurese who had been resettled by the government in the Dayaks' ancestral homeland in Borneo. The article contains what must be the ultimate remark of political correctness: "[The Dayaks] accuse the Madurese of being insensitive to their culture and traditions, which include head-hunting." Beheading: A Dayak ritual More details about how the indigenous Dayaks have returned to their cultural tradition of decapitation. Missing penis sparks mob lynching in Nigeria Major cultural difference here — if an American man thought his dick had disappeared, he certainly wouldn't tell everyone about it. Oh, and more than 7000 diversity visas are available to be issued for Nigeria in 2004. Turkish media horrified at Eid slaughter The Islamic holiday of Eid is traditionally celebrated with ritual sacrifice of sheep and other animals. The practice brings with it widespread cruelty and threats to public health as rotting animal corpses hang from light poles and clog sewers. Indian 'apartheid' condemned Remember the noxious Indian caste system with 'untouchables' and other human rights travesties, including murder? It's still there. Nigerian Beer War Islamic law (Sharia) introduced in parts of Nigeria prohibits any drinking, but many non-Muslim Nigerians resent the intrusion on important cultural practices, such as beer. Hundreds of people have died in ethnic violence between Muslims and others. More about the conflict over beer. A December 2001 article explains the increasing divide between Muslim and non-Muslim Nigeria, noting how non-Muslims are forced to follow repressive Sharia law. In Zamfara, for example, women are prohibited from riding on the same buses as men. Hand Amputation in Nigeria Theft of a goat brings maiming as punishment, according to Islamic Sharia law. Harsh sentences are handed out to Muslim and non-Muslim alike and has led to violence. Five burnt alive in Guatemala lynching According to the United Nations, more than 160 people have been lynched in Guatemala since 1996. Indochina likely to be first in primate extinction A bioregional formerly rich in primates is being rapidly emptied by loss of habitat from expanding human encroachment, as well as by the the hunting of certain creatures, valuable for Chinese traditional “medicines.” An example is the loris, animals which are burned alive to produce desired products for the Chinese market. Inside Afghanistan: Behind the veil A BBC film crew went undercover to film a documentary and found women's oppression, public executions in football stadiums and mass executions in villages of supposed political enemies. China executions 'part of culture' A report from Amnesty International says that China has executed more people in three months of 2001 than the rest of the world has in the previous three years. That statistic is not surprising considering that executable crimes include not only murder, but also corruption, fraud and petty theft. Also attractive to Chinese authorities is the big money paid by westerners for body parts for transplants — the notorious “organ harvesting.” Islamic Child Abuse What else can you call it when an anti-Israeli group trains impressionable boys, aged 12 to 15, to strap explosives to themselves and become suicide bombers? The Islamic Jihad summer school teaches the boys that such martyrdom will send them directly to paradise where they will be greeted by 70 virgins. This story from the New York Post reveals that very young boys — aged 4 to 8 — are trained to go through the motions of being suicide bombers as the children are dressed up in camo fatigues and fake explosives. They learn skills like how to keep the explosives hidden until reaching the desired target. This page has particularly unsettling pictures of children being raised in the Palestinian style. In Intifada and Education the author says that Palestinian culture "hardwires" cruelty into the upbringing of children. In another article 'Baby bomber photo' shocks Israel we see a disturbing picture of a toddler dressed in terrorist drag, although the parents said the photo was a joke. For the best selection of photos of Palestinian child abuse, Little Green Football's slide show is the best. It's a very disturbing look at a culture that raises its children to glorify and to become suicide bombers. Expanded Taleban Restrictions Summer 2001 brought a new list of objects which could no longer be imported to Afghanistan, including neckties, cinematic projectors, chess sets, greeting cards, articles with pictures of animals, certain traditional musical instruments and other various items. Crime war rages in Nigeria More like a civil war, police battle criminal gangs numbering up to 50 whose members are armed with AK-47s and wear bullet-proof vests. For example, in the first week of July 2001, nine policemen were killed just in the capital city of Lagos. Modern missionaries The BBC's correspondent in Afghanistan reflects on how much Islam encourages missionary behavior to create converts, while it considers the conversion from Islam to be among the worst sins, a crime that can bring execution in Afghanistan. Activists urge caste debate Equal rights activists are working to end the caste system of India, that apparently is as entrenched as ever. In one example cited, a young low-caste man was tortured and murdered by being burned alive for being too uppity and self-assured. In Sudan, Ancient and Evil Slave Trade Persists Government-backed soldiers capture women and children to be enslaved. “Many are Christian and are forced to submit to Islam, the dominant religion in northern Sudan.” Christians face dismal plight in Islamic realms Do Christians in Muslim countries have anything like the freedom and protection that Muslims have in this country? Nothing like it. Churches are simply not permitted in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, attacks from Muslim militias since 1999 have left 5,000 dead and at least 400,000 refugees. Many more examples are included in this piece, based on the annual State Department Report on Religious Freedom. This article has a summary of the information. South Korea Dog Meat Row In Korean culture, dog meat soup is considered a great delicacy and a boost to virility. The practice of beating the dogs with bats as a tenderizing procedure before slaughter is officially banned, but is said to continue. Another Korean practice is to blow-torch dogs while alive. Dog restaurants are also popular in Vietnam. People in that country who are fond of their pets are vigilant when the animals are outdoors. Many Chinese Americans Say U.S. Appears Arrogant In April 2001, after an American surveillance plane was shot down by China while flying near its coast, many Chinese living in the Bay Area took China's side, even though common sense indicated otherwise. As noted, "Spokesmen for two of the most popular radio and television shows estimated more than 90 percent of their callers have criticized the U.S. government's handling of the incident." Slavery in the Modern World According to Anti-Slavery International, there are currently about 200 million people in actual bondage around the world today. For example, Arabs in northern Sudan take slaves from non-Muslim blacks in the south, a practice they consider a traditional right. Slaves who are not willing to convert to Islam are often crippled by having their Achilles tendons cut. Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh Raise Fears of Talibanization In October 2001, Hindus in majority Muslim Bangladesh were attacked in great number and with frightening ferocity; the violence affected 4 million people. The nation has been considered a “moderate” Muslim society, but that may be changing. The size of the Hindu minority has been dropping from 35% in 1947 to less than 10% now, and Muslim extremists would prefer the remainder to leave or convert to Islam. US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report for 2001 Here is the Executive Summary of the report — some pretty dismal reading. Governments and religions themselves are busy discriminating against or persecuting religions. A representative bit of text: “Freedom of religion does not exist in Saudi Arabia. The Government requires all citizens to be Muslim and continues to prohibit all public manifestations of non-Muslim religions.” Columnist Don Feder examines some of the more shocking items from the report in this column. Islamic World's Democracy Deficit (Press Release) In a major study, Freedom House found that “a non-Islamic country is more than three times likely to be democratic than an Islamic state.” Furthermore, the gap between the democratic West and the autocratic Islamic world is getting worse. More information on the survey. Islamic Snuff Films Is Islam really a "religion of peace"? Films of brutal wartime atrocities in Afghanistan and Algeria have been shown in London mosques for recruitment purposes. Close-ups of bloody carnage are cut with admonishments to kill infidels. Decapitation, slitting of throats, brains splattered — all for Allah. Sin City Makes a Comeback Once the Taliban were chased out of Kandahar, the Afghan city went back to its old ways of sex and drugs, or to be more precise, pedophilia and opium smoking. Pretty boys, even very young ones, are much prized by powerful warlords, now back in power. Pakistan braces for bloodshed in holy month Islamic holy month of Muharram is "a traditional time for sectarian slaughter in this country" as branches of Islam continue a violent 1300-year blood feud. Sunni, Shiites and other groups assassinate each other by the hundreds every year in Pakistan. Musharraf's government has tried to quell the massacres unlike previous governments which actually promoted violence. Shooting at Tennessee mosque Isn't that all you need to hear? But no, there's more... Fong plunks Najeh Abdel-Karim. Only in America. The Fire This Time In late February, 2002, a Muslim gang murdered 58 Hindus by burning them alive on a Gujarat, India, train. Previous instances of religious violence in India subsided rapidly, but this one continued for weeks. In early April, the BBC estimated the number of deaths at more than 700. By August, deaths were figured to be more than 1,000, with around 12,000 still in relief camps. In Murder in India the New York Review of Books (8/15/02) examined the Human Rights Watch report on the unrest. Dutch court clears anti-gay imam The imam had been charged with discrimination by saying that homosexuality was a contagious disease, but the court sided with the constitutional right to religious freedom. (Hmm, if homosexuality were contagious, wouldn't ALL of San Francisco be gay?) To Be Gay and Muslim The Koran is quite clear on the idea that homosexuality is bad, very bad. But if you are bonking rather than getting bonked (i.e., not being the submissive partner), and don't call yourself gay, and are cranking out the requisite quantity of Muslim kiddies, then it is not so terrible. 14 Christians Killed in Indonesia The Laskar Jihad Muslim group was blamed for the brutal attack and murder of a village of Christians. The region of Maluku has seen previous fighting between Christians and Muslims. While Indonesia is about 85 percent Muslim and is the largest Islamic country in the world, Maluku province is evenly divided between the two religious groups. A BBC article on this event. More general information about the situation in Indonesia, particularly how Laskar Jihad promotes terrorism to get all Christians out of the country. Helping Islamic Gays Gay writer Paul Varnell asserts that with the fall of the Taliban, Saudi Arabia is the most repressive Islamic nation on earth, with its "truncheon-wielding religious police, a nationwide ban on other religions, state support for fundamentalist religious schools, and complete censorship of media and the Internet." For example, on January 1, 2002, three men were beheaded by the state for engaging in homosexual acts. Who Let the Dogs Out? (Formerly "unclean," dogs are more accepted in Tehran) You have heard the expression "shot down like a dog" — it must have originated in the Islamic People's Republic of Iran. Only a few years ago, religious police killed canines on sight because they are thought to be as unclean as pigs under Islamic law. But a dog's life has been gradually improving there, and some brave souls even walk their Fido in public. China's Taste for the Exotic In China, people are fond of dogs — barbecued, stir fried, in stew. But in south China, the real specialty is wild animals, including snakes, turtles, owls and hawks. Rarity makes a creature even more desirable, so local kitchens are busy cooking up endangered species for enthusiastic eaters. Iranian court sentences 45 to flogging, fines after dancing at birthday party Despite rumors to some social liberalization in Iran, the place is still not open to even innocent fun. There has been a crackdown by the mullahs on "acts of social immorality," so playing music on a car radio can get a person in trouble with the jack-booted, turban-wearing Islo-Nazis. Hindus mourn "monkey god" Villagers in southern India became convinced that a monkey lurking around the local temple was actually an incarnation of the deity Hanuman. The creature starved to death after being trapped in the temple by enthusiastic worshippers. Niger slave flees castration In 2002, the institution of slavery is alive and well in parts of Africa. In this instance, a victim had to escape from his owner in order to avoid physical mutilation. Analysis: Why is Gujarat so violent? Now known as the scene of horrific ethnic violence, Gujarat was once noted as being the adopted home of Mahatma Gandhi and for its tradition of peace. This article blames prosperity for bringing in disparate outsiders who never assimilated to the local culture. When local textile mills closed in the area, frustration created increased crime and violent religious fundamentalism. Barbarians at the Gate of Paris Here is yet another grim story from France (lots more in the importing antisemitism section). Social breakdown there seems to be proceeding rapidly, as shown by the example of a couple of Rumanian youths nonchalantly breaking into parking meters in a busy section of Paris during the afternoon, and only a couple of elderly people bothered to object. Other unsettling details: when professional robbers from the Muslim communities rip off a bank or armoured car, they do so with bazookas and rocket launchers. When Jacques Chirac campaigned in two rough immigrant enclaves during the 2002 election, he was greeted with molotov cocktails. More ethnic diversity means less trust At a 2001 lecture in Ottawa, Harvard sociologist and author of Bowling Alone Robert Putnam discussed the difficulty in maintaining social capital when communities are in flux due to ongoing immigration. The writer struck an unexpected chord when his book about declining civic engagement became a surprise best-seller in 2000. Nigeria's leader blames riots on press Reports put the number of dead at 215 in the city of Kaduna after the rioting that started over a remark in a local paper saying that Mohammed would have chosen a wife from the Miss World pageant. The Nigerian city of Kaduna has been largely segregated into Christian and Muslim areas since clashes two years ago, in which more than 2,000 people died. 'Shariahphrenia' Reigns in Northern Nigeria Sadly, brutal religious police enforcing sharia law have largely quashed the lively music scene of the muslim area of Nigeria. For many musicians, it is not worth getting beat up and they are leaving for the Christian and pagan south, where people still enjoy rhythm, dance and song. How dreary. Belgium's Arab Leader Preaches Separatism Dyab Abu Jahjah looks and dresses like an assimilated Arab. However, he is the founder of the Arab European League, seen by many as a racist and divisive group. His message includes demands for Arabic as an official language in Antwerp, where 30,000 residents are North African Muslims. He is also a frequent agitator for Palestinian causes. Antwerp race riots militant charged The aforementioned Abu Jahjah was arrested by Belgian authorities for conspiracy to foment disorder in a little-reported riot that occurred in Antwerp in late November 2002. After the murder of an Arab by a Belgian, Jahjah inflamed local North Africans to disorder, in which Flemish and black-owned businesses were attacked, but those showing Arab European League stickers were spared. The Telegraph of the UK remarked that, "Belgium's liberal media agreed yesterday that the country's experiment with tolerant multiculturalism had totally broken down." Cleric 'sowed seeds of Australian Islamic state' The leading Islamic cleric in Australia has called for Sharia law there. "The Islamic faithful in Australia must endeavour to bring about an Islamic state in Australia, even if it is 100 years from now," he remarked to a gathering in a mosque. Islam in Australia This cheerful government document notes that the Islamic population of the nation down under is now 300,000, "an increase of some 161 per cent in 15 years, while the Australian population as a whole only grew by 21.7 per cent in the same period." The piece further states that Australia is "one of the world's most successful multicultural societies." Hindu party sweeps state vote: Hard-line Indian nationalists win post-riots election in Gujarat (Dec. 2002) While Muslim extremists get a lot of attention these days, Hindu fundamentalists are no day at the beach either. India has had a secular democracy, which has been threatened by violence between the 100 million Muslims living among one billion total Indians. It is particularly tragic that Gujarat has seen so much prolonged religious violence, since it has been associated with Gandhi and his tradition of peaceful protest. Islam's Immigrant Invasion of Europe Many examples and quotes are presented the show Islam's insularity in Europe — its complete lack of assimilation, in fact. The hostility is palpable, particularly in the sentiments about turning Europe Muslim through demographic warfare. A serious article. Pakistani boys sold as jockeys for camel races "Parents sell their children into virtual slavery for as little as $40" reads the subhead. Not only are the boys sold, but they are fed very little in order to keep their weight down. Many cannot remember their names, families or original language. Belgium, Islam and the Boomerang of "Multiculturalism" Europe is indeed a cautionary tale for America, in particular those nations where the Muslim influx is thick. Many of the 20 million Muslims in Western Europe do not regard assimilation as desirable or necessary. The "tolerance" of European cultures gives a wink and a nod to vile practices such as veils for women and polygamy in the name of multiculturalism. Islamic revolutionary Abu Jahjah has led rioting in Antwerp, and stated that local immigrants "simply demand our rights to housing, employment... while preserving our Arab-Moslem identity." Iranian teen faces death for drinking In a sort of three-strikes law from hell, young Davoud had been caught self-medicating with alcohol for the third time and has been sentenced to hanging for his offense. Some believe that living in Iran actually requires drinking to maintain a semblance of sanity. Dog Stoned to Death A doggy messenger (Big Joe, by name) was killed when his delivery of love notes from a young man to his would-be girlfriend aroused the anger of the girl's protective brother, who stoned the dog to death. Happy ending, though — the love note fracas got the families together and the couple has been united. Social customs hide child sex abuse Much abuse is hidden by cultural practices, such as dowries, arranged marriages and accepted homosexual molestation. For example, in Pakistan little boys are used by older men for sexual purposes. In South America, children are kept in indentured servitude as household servants and for sex. Boys Rescued form Islamic School of Torture Eleven teenagers were released from chains in a Nairobi school where they were taught to hate Christianity. Relatives, many of whom lived in Europe, had sent the boys there to learn about Islam. But the lesson plan centered around jihad and killing infidels. Fear and loathing of US immigrant rule The short version of this is "I hate your country but it's my right to immigrate there." Pakistan has been mounting a full court press (January 2003) for unfettered immigration from that country. The ambassador and foreign minister have been pestering Sec. Powell to cut more slack to illegal Pak aliens in the U.S. because Pakistan is such a great ally in the war on terrorism. Free speech, slavery and Islam The fact-rich article points out the many times American liberals have ignored terrible limits on free speech from Islam while focusing on silly and insignificant topics like divestment from Israel and championing convicted terrorist Laura Whitehorn. Supposed free-speech advocates from the liberal side have mostly ignored people like Oriana Fallaci, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Khaled abou el Fadl, whose courageous truth-telling about Islam has gotten them death threats and very little support from groups like the ACLU. Mom: Genie Circumcised Her Infant Son One little-mentioned difference in cultures between the rational West and the rest is superstition. In this case, a family is perfectly satisfied with the explanation that a mysterious genie-surgeon tip-snipped the plumbing of a baby boy while the mom fried up some breakfast. The existence of genies is widely accepted in Indonesia, according to this report. Keeping spiritual passports renewed: Shaman inhabits 2 worlds Speaking of superstition, this adoring article about shaman Xong Lao Vang of Sacramento informs us that the secret of this traditional Hmong man is that "he never let America defeat him." (Presumably he collects a substantial amount from the American taxpayer, but no mention is made of his means of support.) He practices medicine without a license, presides over animal sacrifice and opines that "In this country there is too much freedom for women." There is plenty in this piece to cause revulsion in Americans, although it doesn't mention that Hmong practice polygamy. Pig books banned in deference to Muslims A British elementary school has banned books that contain porcine references in deference to Muslim kiddies who might be offended or confused by books like "The Three Little Pigs." Head teacher Barbara Harris defended her decision, saying "I very much regret that anyone should find this controversial as all we are doing is trying hard, and reasonably successfully, to ensure that all of our children are awarded the respect that all human beings deserve." Mob justice kills eight in Guatemala — 2001 Eight alleged robbers were clubbed and slashed with machetes by a mob of 2000, then doused with gasoline and set on fire. The article notes that the UN peace mission counted 185 people had been killed by mobs between 1996 and the end of 2000, and 450 had suffered serious injuries in lynching attempts. In April 2000, a Japanese tourist and a bus driver were lynched in a highland village because of rumors of satanism and ritual sacrifices by foreigners. Tunisia's Hopeful Example Deserves World's Attention For a change of pace, here is a cheerful article from columnist Georgie Anne Geyer about the successful modernization of a Muslim Arab nation. Important building blocks have been education, women's emancipation, family planning and rejection of extremist ideologies. New Immigrants Masters at Food Stamp Fraud Somali asylee Shahid thought it would be a fine idea to offer to pay his lawyer bill with food stamps he would sell, but his attorney replied that he could no longer represent the immigrant after being offered money gotten through fraud. But many Somalis regard the selling of food stamps as a perfectly good way to make a buck. In fact, a Seattle-based group of Somalis used millions of dollars skimmed from food stamp fraud to contribute to al Qaeda. Europe's Arab Street Foreign Policy takes up the politics of rapid demographic change in Europe and why the continent looks at the Middle East differently than America. Shockingly, a labor shortage in the 1950's and 1960's convinced France and Germany to invite guest workers who not only didn't leave, but had enormous families and sent for all their cousins as well. According to this article, the European Muslim population will double by 2015. Guy Milliere states that France Is Almost Finished because that nation will be majority Muslim in just 20 years. Demography is merciless indeed. Anti-War Demonstrator Report Torture In the spring of 2003, some of the arrested San Francisco anti-war demonstrators complained about the quality of the sandwiches they received. In Egypt, conditions are somewhat more difficult. "I don't recall anyone who was arrested and not beaten up," reported a local psychiatrist. There's little incentive to end torture, since "Nobody who commits torture is convicted unless a citizen dies." Park carcasses hint of nocturnal rituals Caribbean immigrants to the Boston area have brought animal sacrifice with them. Bostonians walking in Franklin Park in Dorchester now regularly find strange arrangements of packages of dead animals with melted candle wax. 'Belgian Malcolm X' seeks office Dyab Abou Jahjah has been mentioned earlier on this page for his efforts to organize Belgian Muslims into militias and being arresting for starting a riot in Antwerp. "Many of us are angry," remarked one Muslim. "You can't get a job, you can't get an apartment, and most of the Belgians don't even speak to you. That's why a riot is like a party." Immigrants bring increased crime, says police chief The police chief quoted is Chris Fox, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), warned that many criminals were slipping into Great Britain amid genuine refugees in the largest flows of immigration for 40 years. "They bring with them different cultural values," Fox remarked. "The danger of this subject is everyone starts talking about racism. It's not about racism. But they bring with them some of the things they used to do in their own countries." Pygmies beg UN for aid to save them from Congo cannibals Both rebel groups in the four-year war taking place in the Congo regard the eating of Pygmy flesh as conferring magical powers, and have been committing acts of cannibalism. "In living memory, we have seen cruelty, massacres, and genocide, but we have never seen human beings hunted down as though they were game animals," stated Sinafasi Makelo, a representative of Mbuti pygmies. Cultural Odors The immigrant tabloid India Currents printed this Q&A item about Indians who were too rank from insufficient hygiene and faced subtle disapproval in American culture. An acupuncturist "had a reaction" to a patient's body odor and had to leave the room. Angry villagers in southern Mexico stone to death alleged witch The accused witch, a male person, was stoned and hacked with machetes, then the crowd burned his body. The killing took place in a town 460 miles southeast of Mexico City, San Juan Chamula, which has seen numerous acts of religious violence since the 1960s. Kingdom's Leading Executioner Says "I Lead a Normal Life" Well, of course you do, Muhammed. We all lop half a dozen heads off in a day's work. But we are talking Saudi Arabia normal here, not Cleveland. Mr. Al-Beshi started out with more pedestrian prison work, blindfolding criminals about to be executed, which convinced him he'd found his life's calling and decided to move on up to full-on executioning. Police Quiz 21 over 'Adam' In September 2001, the headless and limbless torso of a young boy was found in the Thames in London. Nearly two years later, police believe the child, called "Adam" by the authorities and press, was brought from Nigeria to be used in some sacrifice ritual by West African followers of a ju-ju religion. Another story about this case reported that a Nigerian man was stopped at Heathrow Airport for wearing a human tongue on a chain around his neck, which he believed would bring him good luck in the fraud he was planning. A box of dried human penises was found at the same airport earlier in 2003. (In 2002, 6,049 Nigerians were welcomed to the United States under the Diversity Visa program.) Battle over India's marriage age The legal age for marriage in India is 18, but a traditional Muslim group has challenged that standard, insisting that it should be acceptable for very young girls to marry. In fact, it's not unusual for 13-year-old girls to be married among Muslims, Hindus or tribal groups. Behind the Muslim dispute is a desire to institute Sharia law. S.F. Schools 'Diversity' Formula Scrutinized in Chinese Community A Chinese newspaper in China, the Sing Tao Daily, has investigated the complaints of Chinese living in San Francisco who object to the city's "Diversity Index," a formula by which students are bused to different schools to create culturally and economically diverse student bodies. A group of Chinese parents were withholding more than 20 students from school they had been assigned to low-performing schools far away from home. There is apparently a growing movement for neighborhood schools among some ethnic groups. Love across the Pacific: Disabled in China have tough time, say couple It's not surprising that China has no facilities for people in wheelchairs. But disabled people there face rather shocking social discrimination, such as severe disapproval merely for appearing in public. Hou Lei was fired from her job as an English teacher after a car accident put her into a wheelchair. Muslim rioters burn 13 churches in north Nigeria Low intensity religious warfare continues in Nigeria. In this case, a Christian boy was accused of insulting Mohammed and some Muslims were not satisfied with the response of school authorities. A mob attempted to invade the school but was repelled. The rioters then attacked homes, business and churches in the town of Kazaure with much destruction. Mob burns down police station in rural Guatemala Two drunks were arrested for disorderly conduct, so a mob burned down the police station. Gangs terrorizing Central America: Governments struggle to end mutilations, killings, rapes Gangs are such a problem in Central America that a Honduran official remarked, "They are a threat to the stability of our democracy. When people see their neighbors being killed and their daughters being raped, they start to believe that democracy is not working." Five people were beheaded in a gang-led prison riot last December in Guatemala; gang members there later dismembered a man and forced others to eat his remains. Four men were beheaded on the streets of Guatemala City in February. It's more like terrorism than normal crime. European Dishonor The spread of Islamic sharia law throughout Europe continues with the passive permission of national authorities. Not only are "honor killings" of women on the increase, but so also are incidents of Islamic punishment, such as the young Algerian who appeared in the emergency room of an Italian hospital with the fingers of his right hand chopped off. Dick Lamm's prescription for destroying America George Putnam takes us through Gov. Lamm's brilliant speech at the Social Contract Writers' Conference, starting with: "Turn America into a bilingual or multilingual and bicultural country. History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. Invent multiculturalism, encourage immigrants to maintain their own culture, impose a belief that all cultures are equal ­ that there are no cultural differences. We could make the U.S. an Hispanic Quebec. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity."     For more of Dick Lamm's thoughtful commentary, see The Ten Commandments of Community Children in Chains Slavery expert Donna M. Hughes shares her expertise about how to notice slavery in plain sight in the Third World. Those cute but insistent children begging for cash may well be slaves, and their slavemaster may be lurking close by and threatening them with punishment if they don't produce. Acid attack on boy who 'refused sex with Muslim cleric' A 14-year-old Pakistani boy was blinded and disfigured by a disgruntled Islamic teacher who threw acid on the boy because he rebuffed sexual advances from the cleric. The case is making news because Abid Tanoli has the grit to insist that the perp be prosecuted in the courts. His father Haroon Tanoli has bravely refused bribes and intimidation, stating, "I despise hypocrites who sport huge beards in the name of religion and hinder the passage of justice in the name of Islam." US officials visit Hmong refugees In order to gain favor among the many thousands of Hmong who are his constituents, Mayor Randy Kelly hopes to be able to bring more than 14,000 Hmong refugees to his city. A glitch in the march of importing multiculturalism is the practice of polygamy, which is illegal in America. But the rule of law matters little to politicians and globalist functionaries: Anthony Newman of the International Organisation for Migration said that in practise the issue was negotiable. "On paper, they can have one wife only. But in reality they can all move together to the United States and stay together as a family group," he said.     The U.S. government's refugee eligibility website clearly states that "A person who is intending to practice polygamy in the United States" may NOT be admitted as a refugee. Hangin' with the Hmong A young western traveler shares his photos from Laos, including one of dragging a cow's head around: "This is definitely the most whacked thing I've seen to date. One guy started playing a bamboo bagpipe-type instrument while marching around a pot of boiling blood. Following him was a man dragging the cow's head, a guy 'walking' the forelegs, another 'walking' the hindlegs, and a kid dragging the tail!" Origin of the word 'thug' Thugees were members of a criminal underworld that thrived in India, part gang and part cult. They preyed upon travellers in remote areas, particular those persons who appeared wealthy. Thugs would befriend the travellers and then strangle them when the victims were put at ease. Thousands were killed and robbed yearly until British reformer William Sleeman cracked down on the group in the 1830s. Curiously, the killers thought they had the excuse of religion for their criminal enterprise because they believed the goddess Kali approved. 'Torture chamber' agony of China's bears Because traditional Chinese medicine values bear bile very highly as an ingredient, terrible factories exist that "milk" the substance from living bears. The animals are kept in tiny cages where they cannot move around so that the open wounds draining bile will not be disturbed. A 2002 study found that 7000 bears were so treated in China. Muslim culture has contributed little for centuries, says Carey According to the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Islamic society is authoritarian, inflexible and under-achieving. His remarks upset many British Muslims for noting that while most followers of the faith are not terrorists, "moderate Muslims" have failed to condemn suicide bombing. Plan to save plants too toxic for some Native plants are very popular among some gardeners in California. However, even the concept of "native species" gave San Franciso Supervisor Leeland Yee the PC fits: "Plants and trees without the proper pre-Mayflower lineage are called 'invasive exotics' and are wrenched from the soil to die," Yee wrote. "How many of us are 'invasive exotics' who have taken root in the San Francisco soil, have thrived and flourished here, and now contribute to the diversity of the wonderful mix that constitutes present-day San Francisco?" Lawmakers seek to curtail Venezuelan bull dragging The Florida version of the "sport" involves two mounted cowboys who chase a bull up and down an oblong arena, competing to flip the animal over as many times as possible within a period of two minutes. "This is what we do every weekend. This is our baseball," said Carlos Barrios, a judge at the Southwest Dade competition. "It's part of the Venezuelan cowboy." It's Christian bells vs. Muslim prayer calls Americans still living in Hamtramck, Michigan, are not happy about local Muslims working to change a zoning ordinance such that the Arabic "azan" would be loudly broadcast five times daily. Please note that the chant is not a call to prayer: it IS a prayer. There are five mosques in the city and three other mosques just over the border in Detroit. An estimated 20,000 Bangladeshis live in Hamtramck.     Update: City council votes to allow Muslim prayer five times daily, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Metro Muslims eschew radicalism More from Michigan, Islam's main foothold in the United States; it helps to read the fine print and overlook the PC headline cited above. Read down a bit into the article and you find this: * Asked whether they agreed or disagreed that "America is an immoral society," 61 percent "strongly" or "somewhat" agreed. Also, no questions were asked about whether they disapproved of terrorism, or agreed with Hamas and the Palestianian Authority that Israel should be destroyed, etc. Is this man the left's Enoch Powell? David Goodhart is a Brit liberal who has a bit of common sense about immigration. He wrote an article in the Feb. 2004 Prospect that shook many people up, and its influence is still being felt. His idea was that in a social welfare state, people are less willing to redistribute financial resources with others (e.g., foreigners, immigrants) whom they believe do not share their values. For that simple wisdom, he has been castigated up and down. Lying for a good cause Lying to promote Islam is acceptable, according to the Koran and Islamic scholars. An example presented is a hoax news story about a giant skeleton found in Saudi Arabia (4/22/04). Because Mohammed said that Adam was 90 feet tall and that humans have been shrinking in size ever since, the hoaxers would believe that spreading such an absurd lie would be beneficial to Islam. Eight die in India 'caste attack' Caste violence is alive and well in modern India. According to the BBC, "Thousands of people have died in decades of sporadic violence between different caste groups in India." China Loves St. Bernards — to Eat Chinese rave over the excellent taste of the dogs, which conveniently have large litters and an easy-going nature. "Animal protectors in China protest mainly against the brutal slaughtering methods. 'Many beat the dog to death, others burn off the skin of an animal which is still alive' reports Grace Gabriel of International Fund for Animal Welfare IFAW. The reason for this is the widespread believe that the suffering animal, which in its panic develops an important quantity of adrenaline, makes the meat tender." Iraq's Christians consider fleeing as attacks on them rise Here's another lesson about Islam being a Religion of Peace: Iraqi Christians are being killed for their faith and no one in authority appears to care. Many Christians left after the murderous policies of Saddam Hussein were turned against them, and now the community numbers fewer than one million. Christian leaders don't want a panicked exodus, but when chilren are murdered in cold blood because their father sold alcohol in his Baghdad store, there is good reason for Iraqi Christians to be very afraid. Muslims to Europeans: "We Will Dominate You" During an official meeting on Islamic-Christian dialogue, an authoritative Muslim person, speaking to the Christians participating, at one point said very calmly and assuredly: "Thanks to your democratic laws we will invade you; thanks to our religious laws we will dominate you." Tanzanian witch killers charged This is pretty shocking stuff: townspeople engaged in a secet vote to determine witches and wizards, who were then attacked with machetes and spears. Seven men were killed in the attack, with a like number being injured. Twenty men were jailed for the killings. "I thank God I am still here" A Nigerian witchdoctor's son describes how ritual killing still goes on in the land of his birth. Author Justus Amadiegwu was nearly murdered because he was one of twins, thought a curse in Nigeria. Babies born legs first or with one or more teeth are also killed at birth.    Incidentally, the subject of Nigerian witchcraft and superstition came up because of the recent discovery of a mass grave of 50 ritual murder victims. Thirty people were arrested. Despite official ban, slavery lives on in Mauritania This west African country keeps trying to outlaw slavery — it's been banned three times — but the practice persists. This article describes the life of a young woman who was born into slavery and has three children as a result of the rapes she suffered from her owner. Mauritania's Islamic government denies the existence of slavery and denounces anyone who says it still goes on. Young immigrants commit more crime From Denmark: in the first seven months of 2004, 63 young people under 18 years old were accused of serious crime in Greater Copenhagen, of whom 53 were immigrants. About seven percent of the population is immigrant. Players threatened to decapitate and rape Multicultural integration is not going well in Norway, it appears. Near Bergen, soccer players from the team Djerv 2 ("which mainly consist[s] of immigrants" — meaning Muslims) acted aggressively toward the other team and the onlookers, with one player assaulting a fan in the stands. Police had to be called to protect the spectators and calm the situation. This article describes the players as Kurdish and said that girls as young as 11 were subjected to crude sexual insults. Sharia 'used in Nigeria politics' As of September 2004, 12 northern Nigerian states have instituted Sharia law. The group Human Rights Watch has published a report on how abuses have grown under Muslim religious law. This page displays a Nigerian poster which shows in pictures the crimes and corresponding punishments. For example, a woman sitting close to a man on a motorscooter receives a stoning; a theif gets his arm lopped off. For the year 2005, the State Department is welcoming 6,725 Nigerians to immigrate to the United States under the Diversity Visa program. Witnessing Genocide in Darfur Sixty Minutes (10/10/04) went to Chad and Sudan to film the truth about the terrible violence in Darfur. Conclusion: the killing is ethnic cleansing by Sudan's Islamic government to "wipe out all the native Africans in Darfur, essentially to clear the territory for the Arabs." Interestingly, the Diversity Visa program for 2005 is welcoming 1,015 persons from Sudan, so some of these genocidal murderers may be coming to America. Family Ties and the Entanglements of Caste Indians come to America, a land with no class distinctions, and insist on bringing their racist caste system with them. The New York Times touches on the unpleasant truth only briefly, as it alludes to social boundaries that keep "untouchables" in their place. But there is no mention of the violence regularly inflicted on lowly dalits to this day in India. For a more thorough analysis, see India's Hidden Apartheid. Test of Tolerance After the assassination of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an apparent Islamic extremist, PBS showed this segment about the cultural clash of Muslims in the socially liberal Netherlands. This file includes an online video version, worth watching to see and hear the courageous ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali, now a member of the Dutch parliament. Norwegian imam supports van Gogh murder Dr. Zahid Mukhtar, spokesperson for Islamic Council in Norway, approved of the assassination essentially because blasphemy, or speaking ill of Islam in this case, is punishable by death under sharia law. Reactions escalate in Islam debate From Denmark come these reports of what happens to anyone who speaks ill of Islam. Journalist Masoum Moradi received a death threat in October after writing negatively about Mohammed in an editorial. An instructor at Copenhagen University was beaten up after reading excerpts of the Koran aloud, presumably from those parts which put the lie to the idea that Islam is a "religion on peace." Elderly feed opium habit through mail: Many immigrants addicted to drug Hmong and others from Southeast Asia continue to smoke opium despite its being illegal in the United States. Nigerian to hang for witchcraft murder Jacob Wakfan, 35, confessed to luring his friend into a remote spot in the central Plateau state of Nigeria in order to kill him for body parts considered powerful juju. The victim's tongue and penis were removed. Belief in tribal witchcraft is common in the country among both Muslims and Christians. In Mexico, kidnapped children usually stay missing There are disgusting perverts in every culture, so the important question is how does that society respond in order to protect children. According to this CNN report, missing kids get no attention at all from the authorities: "In ... Mexico, we get no support. Not from the police, not from anyone," one person said. "The authorities don't even bother to investigate." Koro - the Genital Retraction Syndrome Koro is the culturally determined psychological fear that outdoor plumbing can be upsucked into the body cavity. It occurs in Africa, China, Southeast Asia, and Malaysia where beliefs about the vulnerability to the male member from witchcraft and such are common.   © 2005 Brenda Walker