Bless the beasts and the children

A major story took place in my hometown last week. Two missing boys were found in an apartment in Kirkwood, Missouri. One had been abducted the previous Monday. The other had been missing for over four years. It's a wonderful story, and practically unbelievable.

Now authorities are looking into possible ties the abductor may have with at least two other missing children. It's said someone who does that sort of thing usually starts early.

The abductor's family didn't realize that the boy he took four years ago had been abducted. I dlon't know how they missed it. He wasn't married, but he had close relatives in the area. How could they not have been suspicious?

As the evidence came out, some of his coworkers began to talk about strange behaviors. But initially, from coworkers and neighbors, he was basically an all-around guy. He just had a short fuse.

This is what scares me the most. The Decider talks about "evil doers" as if they have a special mark on their faces to distinguish them from the rest of us. But "evil doers" are among us. And many don't become "evil doers" until reaching a certain point in their lives.

I have children. I have always worried about them. Now I worry more. It's not safe for a boy to ride his bike in his neighborhood. And we're worried about shadowy terrorists on the other side of the world? Let's take care of the terrorism in our own back yards.

Blocked?

I tried to post last night but I wasn't allowed to access my blog. In fact, I was told it was shut down.

In the pre-Bush days I would have simply attributed this to a technical error somewhere along the way. But times have changed. I tried to remember exactly what I had written which someone would find so offensive.

Of course I offended. I attacked the Christian far right at a time when they are working to increase their political power. John McCain, Republican senator and presidential hopeful, is actively courting the favor of James Dobson. And the Decider regularly looks to his evagelical friends on the far right to help bring him support.

If I were still a Christian, I would be deeply offended at the way my religion is being used for political gain. And yes, as a Muslim I am sometimes deeply offended by those who use the pretext of religion to support their own political agendas.

This used to be a free country. Freedom of speech was taken for granted. Now it is becoming a much rarer and more precious commodity.

Seeking Armageddon

Some fundamentalist Christians, I've heard, have the perverse idea that they need to take action to hurry along the final showdown. They're anxious to wipe out the heathens once and for all and ascend to the right hand of God.

Muslims believe otherwise. We are told not to wish for the Day of Judgment. It will be a terrible day. And there will be no second chances. Unlike the fundamentalist Christians, we're n.ot confident on our entrance into heaven. It will depend mostly on God's mercy.

At any rate, the Christains--fundamentalists, that is--feel they must have a final victorious battle in which they completely wipe out Islam. I can tell, with confidence, that that won't happen.

It has become a battle of the religions. And innocent civilians are caught in the cross fire. Children in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine whose only crime was to have been born into Muslim families. The newest battleground is Somalia, where nomads are being picked off by American forces. It's always Muslims.

Now they're talking about a war against Iran. In fact, it's been on the table for quite isome time. As stupid as the warmongering neocons appear to be, I believe they know exactly what they're doing. Iran is a strong country and will fight back hard. Possibly China and Russia will come to Iran's aid. We're talking about world war. And leaders in the White House couldn't be happier.

I don't understand the lust for blood and war, no matter what rationale is used to support it. The religious argument is the most offensive of all. God did not create us so we can kill each other.

I pray several times a day that God-Allah will stop the plan of an Iranian invasion. He's the only One who can.

War is peace

I've decided to join the millions of other bloggers commenting on the speech tonight. Let's see, what were those high points?

Hmm. Freedom. Democracy. 9-11. Radical Islam. Yes, I think that about covers it.

It's time for the Decider to get some new material.

It makes me sick

I'm feeling better, but I still don't think I'm strong enough to handle the news out of Washington. In November, voters elected a Congress to get us out of Iraq. This Congress gives the lip service, but I'm not holding my breath.

Today Sen. Kennedy sponsored a motion to halt the proposed increase in troops. But it's a non-binding resolution. Doesn't the Constitution say something about Congress having the right to declare war? Not the president.

Every time I hear about terrorist organizations, the names Hamas and Hezbullah thrown out. I haven't taken the time to thoroughly study either group. But weren't they both democratically elected? Which is more than we can say about our own dear leader, who was chosen by a vote of five to four.

I don't want to hear about how the U.S. stands for democracy and freedom. Most of the people do, I think, but not the government. It's just a line to placate the masses.

I remember when this country stood for something besides greed.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can. . .

When I wrote, last Monday, that I may not be able to post during the week, I wasn't kidding I lived through a very strong dose of the flu. But I survived. and I'm starting to regain my strength. Now that I'm through it, I'm sort of happy for the experiecne. They say whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. This flu definitely made me stronger.

I have had the presence of mind these last few days to follow the shenanigans in Washington D. C. I look forward to start writing about them tomorrow.

Take care.

Not today

There is so much to write about, but I have the flu and can barely put two sentences together. I'll be back soon.