tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post116421216238581991..comments2023-10-31T11:37:50.028-04:00Comments on on life & other inconveniences: When The Fur FliesSandra Ruttanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164299172225746342006-11-23T11:26:00.000-05:002006-11-23T11:26:00.000-05:00I don't think there are prayer rooms here, James. ...I don't think there are prayer rooms here, James. And one thing about the way they have these terminals is that sometimes you're so far down and away from anything, including bathrooms. If you're past the time you've been ordered to your gate you aren't supposed to leave, and sometimes you're ordered to your gate long before you need to be there.Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164298694212895762006-11-23T11:18:00.000-05:002006-11-23T11:18:00.000-05:00Amra, if I remember right, most UK airports have n...Amra, if I remember right, most UK airports have non-denominational 'chapels' or quiet rooms where people can pray before entrusting their lives to the air. I don't know if the US is as enlightened.<BR/><BR/>And of course, in an ideal world, immams would be able to pray wheresoever they chose without anyone noticing or commenting or feeling threatened or embarrassed. They shouldn't <I>need</I> to consider the effect of their act of praying on other people. Sadly, we live in a world where people claiming to be Muslims blow themselves up in crowded places and fly planes into buildings, and so I would suggest true Muslims need to be a little more thoughtful when interacting with a mixed- or no-faith society.JamesOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09332376784689207703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164263919167444442006-11-23T01:38:00.000-05:002006-11-23T01:38:00.000-05:00Oh...oh....that joke was great! Darn...I can't gra...Oh...oh....that joke was great! Darn...I can't grab that one!Bonnie S. Calhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11769607640246518804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164240654701943612006-11-22T19:10:00.000-05:002006-11-22T19:10:00.000-05:00And the Tories have been saying Bill Graham is gay...<I>And the Tories have been saying Bill Graham is gay for years. He keeps trying to tell them, "metrosexual, metrosexual..."</I><BR/><BR/>LHM John! I can just see this. My blog's been picked up by news services before. There will be a headline tomorrow, Bill Graham: Metrosexual or Just Misunderstood?<BR/><BR/>Now James, that's a good point, about manners. One would like to think that everyone would act with some measure of consideration for others. If we all showed such consideration we'd have far fewer problems in this world.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately I doubt that will be the reality any time soon.Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164237830888767312006-11-22T18:23:00.000-05:002006-11-22T18:23:00.000-05:00The freedom to express oneself without fear of rep...The freedom to express oneself without fear of reprisal is something we take too much for granted in the west. Personally I go with Voltaire, but with the added question: would you do the same for me?<BR/><BR/>The case of the Muslims being removed from the flight is an interesting, if slightly different point - the freedom to pursue one's religious beliefs and practices, and it's getting a bit of an airing in the press right now.<BR/><BR/>I've not followed the story closely - as you say it's been ignored by a lot of the press - but one thing strikes me as worth commenting. These passengers, immams on their way back from a conference, went through their evening prayer ritual in the waiting lounge at the airport. Now it is their absolute right to do so, and, as Voltaire would probably not have said, I would defend their right to do so (though perhaps not to the death.) But before they rolled out their prayer mats and turned towards Mecca, did they for one moment stop and think about the effect their actions might have had on the largely non-muslim crowd of passengers also awaiting their flights in the airport that evening? The crowd fed a daily diet of terror stories on the news about mad mullahs and suicide bombers? Did they look, or even ask, for a quiet room where they might observe their religious obligations? <BR/><BR/>From the reporting (and I will be the first to admit I wasn't there to see for myself) it seems that these clerics had no thought, and no respect, for the feelings of those around them. The only thing of importance to them was to pray. Everyone else could go hang.<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying they got what they deserved - that's not my point at all. The near-hysterical reaction of some people to the thought of sharing an enclosed space with a bearded man is a separate problem, and the behaviour of the authorities when dealing with difficult situations leaves much to be desired. <BR/><BR/>What I am trying to say is that the world would be a lot better place if people thought a little more about their actions, and the consequences of those actions for other people.<BR/><BR/>That's what 'manners' areJamesOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09332376784689207703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164235415466512222006-11-22T17:43:00.000-05:002006-11-22T17:43:00.000-05:00I like to think I'm not usually this anal, but I'v...I like to think I'm not usually this anal, but I've been looking up dictionary definitions of censorship and I get this:<BR/><BR/>Main Entry: cen·sor·ship<BR/>Pronunciation: 'sen(t)-s&r-"ship<BR/>Function: noun<BR/>1 a : the institution, system, or practice of censoring b : the actions or practices of censors; especially : censorial control exercised repressively<BR/>2 : the office, power, or term of a Roman censor.<BR/><BR/>So, I guess if you're in ancient Rome it's the government, but otherwise it seems like it's anybody.<BR/><BR/>One blogger said that the meaning of censorship has become so loose it's meaningless.<BR/><BR/>But as Lisa says, to the people being silenced it doesn't really make any difference. Except that governments come and go (and theoretically, anyway, represent all of us) and stockholders, viewers, readers and so on speak only for themselves.<BR/><BR/>What was that line, something about I hate what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it? Poor old Voltaire.<BR/><BR/>The "fine line" doesn't seem so fine - it's when the talking stops and the action starts.<BR/><BR/>And the Tories have been saying Bill Graham is gay for years. He keeps trying to tell them, "metrosexual, metrosexual..."John McFetridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442198820998606682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164232750558430192006-11-22T16:59:00.000-05:002006-11-22T16:59:00.000-05:00You raise an interesting point Lisa, about censors...You raise an interesting point Lisa, about censorship. Everyone hails the rights to free speech. Yet, if we go with the bastardized versions on it, we all practice some degree of censorship. Young children aren't allowed to swear. Or talk about siblings rudely or be disrespectful to their parents.<BR/><BR/>Is that 100% justifiable? What if a child's parent is a drunk? Is it okay for the child to call them a drunk? They're being truthful. Perhaps disrespectful...but perhaps the parent isn't worthy of their respect.<BR/><BR/>I think if you start dissecting some of the arguments people used to justify gingerbread nazis yesterday, you run up against these counter points. We're all hypocrites to some degree, I guess.<BR/><BR/>Interesting stuff to think about.Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164231780102169742006-11-22T16:43:00.000-05:002006-11-22T16:43:00.000-05:00We need to be clear what we mean by censorship her...We need to be clear what we mean by censorship here. Lots of people mis-use the word. Censorship, technically, means that the government is forbidding someone to say something freely. Stockholders, viewers, readers, and the general public protesting or boycotting until someone is effectively silenced isn't censorship, even if it seems that way to the one who's being hushed.Lisa Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273391238820872246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164217924101695762006-11-22T12:52:00.000-05:002006-11-22T12:52:00.000-05:00LOL James.I think you know exactly what I meant. ...LOL James.<BR/><BR/>I think you know <I>exactly</I> what I meant. I'm too much of a lady to elaborate. ;)Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18499463.post-1164217714518621932006-11-22T12:48:00.000-05:002006-11-22T12:48:00.000-05:00tell Mr. Graham to put a sock in it, and by that I...<I>tell Mr. Graham to put a sock in it, and by that I didn’t mean his silk shorts.</I> <BR/><BR/>Wait...I'm unclear. Did you mean put silk shorts in his mouth instead of socks or did you mean stick the socks in his silk shorts? :DJames Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08807865320537867045noreply@blogger.com