Harry Reid’s Anti-Islamic Agenda by: Stephen Zunes, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. (Photo: studio08denver) The moral bankruptcy of the Democratic Party could not be any more evident than in its continued support for Nevada Sen. Harry Reid as majority leader despite his decision to join the bigoted and Islamophobic campaign against the Park 51 Islamic Cultural Center in New York, arguing that it “should be built somewhere else.” This was also an apparent effort to embarrass President Barack Obama – who, in a rare example of showing some spine in … Continue reading Harry Reid picks on American Muslims

VIEW: Power without responsibility —Lubna Ramay Pakistan is a poor country, with an illiterate majority. The electronic media, which is a force to reckon with today, has a certain role to play. Unbiased and objective reporting is the need of the hour. People who are already ignorant must not be fed with a diet laced heavily with prejudice and lies I remember reading this book titled Power Without Responsibility by James Curran and Jean Seaton way back in 1990. I was in Cardiff doing my post-graduation in journalism from the University of Wales. My professor Jeff Mungham, who taught editorial … Continue reading Power without responsibility

PENSIEVE: Trust the IMF —Farrukh Khan Pitafi I do not intend to suggest that the IMF is the best solution we have or that it has no flaws in its policies. Yet the problem is that the country needs the kind of money for reconstruction that we can hardly ever get from any other donor Terrible times require extreme measures but somehow Islamabad manages not to appreciate this reality. There is no harm in keeping one’s chin high and marching on in the hour of trouble. However, the gruesome realities of an unfortunate series of events should not be ignored … Continue reading Trust the IMF

COMMENT: Why martial laws go horribly wrong —Ikram Sehgal By the time Musharraf exited, the army’s name was in mud within the country, and outside. Where once the uniform was worn with pride, it became a target of public anger and scorn. Rumour had it that somehow the army’s image had to be reinstated in public eyes The atrocious mob lynching incident in Sialkot, with the police present as conniving bystanders, and the despicable cricket ‘spot fixing’ incident, alleging the involvement (among others) of one of our new young bowling heroes, shocked the country and deepened the pervasive national depression … Continue reading Why martial laws go horribly wrong

COMMENT: Floods and humanitarian medicine —Dr Mohammad Taqi Unlike spontaneous volunteers, healthcare professionals must think critically to avoid overwhelming the local resources and decide where in the disaster cycle they would be most effective “Bani Adam aaza’ e yak o deegarand, Keh der aafreenesh ze yak gauharand. Choon uzvi ba dard aaward rozgar, Digar uzvha ra na manand qarar. Tu keh az mehnat-e-deegran beghami, Nashayad keh naamet nahad aadmi.” (Human beings are members of a whole, In creation, of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy … Continue reading Floods and humanitarian medicine

The Turkish Germans to whom these racist comments mean little Thilo Sarrazin’s chitchat has nothing to do with their lives. And that’s why they feel neither disgusted or insulted Deniz Yücel guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 September 2010 14.00 BST Article history Who is central bank executive Thilo Sarrazin talking about when he accuses migrants from Islamic countries of unwillingness to integrate? Surely he can’t mean my sister Ilkay, who celebrates Christmas every year. She’s not religious, but she thinks that her two daughters could feel disadvantaged if they didn’t get any Christmas presents. He can’t be talking about my colleague Yasemin, … Continue reading The Turkish Germans and Thilo Sarrazin’s Panic Attack

The president’s health is in the spotlight – and it is hardline generals who are set to determine the face of Zimbabwe’s future Blessing-Miles Tendi guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 September 2010 19.07 BST Article history Informed sources lend credence to reports that Robert Mugabe is losing his physical powers. Photograph: Desmond Kwande/AFP/Getty ImagesDuring August, Robert Mugabe was pictured walking unsteadily and requiring the assistance of aides when going up and downstairs at various summits. The images sent long-running speculation in Zimbabwe about the state of Mugabe’s health – he is said to have a form of cancer – into overdrive. Mugabe … Continue reading After Mugabe Dies

The dark side of gay liberation Officially no one cares about a politician’s sexuality. The William Hague case shows that isn’t true Julian Glover guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 September 2010 20.33 BST Article history Gay, blue, proud and out? Then book your table at Tory conference pride next month. “Adam Rickitt will host the evening at Nightingales, Birmingham’s top gay club, and there will be appearances from cabinet members and high-profile MPs,” a party email urged last night. And then, moments later, news came that William Hague’s special adviser had resigned after an internet smear, and the foreign secretary felt so … Continue reading UK Still Has A Gay-Phobic Problem

Words in the blogosphere are powerful things, as the William Hague case shows. We must learn to self-police this new world Graeme Archer guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 September 2010 10.59 BST Article history William Hague and former special adviser Chris Myers. Photograph: Xposurephotos.comI have a very good friend, called Ben, like me a Hackneyite. What we do is this: every six months or so we meet in a scuzzy pub in the middle of an afternoon, like schoolboys skiving off double maths, and we get very drunk on cheap white wine, and laugh at the various absurdities of modern life. Now, … Continue reading The end of privacy affects us all

Czech female MPs have reduced politics by posing as pin-ups Posing for a girly calendar is just one way Czech politicians have dodged engaging with issues that really matter Peggy Watson guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 September 2010 12.00 BST Article history The publication of a 2011 calendar showing a number of newly-elected Czech women MPs in come-to-bed poses has caused something of a media furore in recent weeks. As the Wall Street Journal enthused: “A new generation of Czech women is coming of age that is embracing femininity and sex appeal while at the same time fighting for, and winning, more … Continue reading Czech Republics Democratic Tits!