The reaction over Fort Hood and the US Stockholm syndrome

I give you two articles:


1. Definition

The "Stockholm syndrome" is a psychological response sometimes seen in abducted hostages, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger or risk in which they have been placed. The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm, in which the bank robbers held bank employees hostage from August 23 to August 28, 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, and even defended them after they were freed from their six-day ordeal.

2. from the Associated Press (AP)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. Homeland Security secretary says she is working to prevent a possible wave of anti-Muslim sentiment after the shootings at Fort Hood in Texas.

Janet Napolitano says her agency is working with groups across the United States to try to deflect any backlash against American Muslims following Thursday's rampage by Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a Muslim who reportedly expressed growing dismay over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The shootings left 13 people dead and 29 wounded.

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What if after 9/11 the US would have started to actually prevent potential retaliatory attacks against Islamist groups (Al Quaida included)? Oups, I almost forgot: there were many who tried that.


Enjoy this crazy world!

Andrei

J Street student group drops pro-Israel slogan

from Jpost, with my comments:


"J Street's university arm has dropped the "pro-Israel" part of the left-wing US lobby's "pro-Israel, pro-peace" slogan to avoid alienating students.

That decision was part of the message conveyed to young activists who attended a special weekend program for students ahead of J Street's first annual conference, which began on Sunday.

At their earlier weekend session, the 250 participating students mapped out strategies for bringing J Street's approach to college campuses and encouraging students to join in the effort.
"We don't want to isolate people because they don't feel quite so comfortable with 'pro-Israel,' so we say 'pro-peace,'" said American University junior Lauren Barr of the "J Street U" slogan, "but behind that is 'pro-Israel.'"

Barr, secretary of the J Street U student board that decided the slogan's terminology, explained that on campus, "people feel alienated when the conversation revolves around a connection to Israel only, because people feel connected to Palestine, people feel connected to social justice, people feel connected to the Middle East."

She noted that the individual student chapters would be free to add "pro-Israel," "pro-Israel, pro-Palestine," or other wording that they felt would be effective on this issue, since "it's up to the individuals on campus to know their audience."

Yonatan Shechter, a junior at Hampshire College, said the ultra-liberal Massachusetts campus is inhospitable to terms like "Zionist" and that when his former organization, the Union of Progressive Zionists (which has been absorbed into J Street U), dropped that last word of its name, "people were so relieved."

Shechter said that J Street U allows students who support Israel to have an address on his campus, adding that nothing more to the right exists or would be sustainable and the only other Jewish student group "is decidedly not political... they won't go beyond having felafel on Independence Day."
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Researching (google, dont worry) a bit on "Lauren Barr" I found out she was in Ramallah last year as part of a broader tour to "the region". I have to warn you Lauren - next time you're in the city, you might end up lynched (see recent history) - that's what usually happens to Jews there. Instead, you received a very warm welcome - you are becoming useful to the Palestinians.

And this is what you and J-Street really seem to want out of this entire endeavor: to be useful to the Palestinians. Fair Enough: their leadership is not there for them, so you might as well be!

But then..whats with all the "J" in "J-Street"? Who's there to "be useful" to the Jews in the Middle East? If the JEWISH STREET (J-Street, let me assume) in America is not ready for that...than who is? The "A-Street", the M-Street?

Thank you for being useful to the "underdog" (or is it?!)

Beyonce Postpones Malaysia Tour after Islamic Criticism

Courtesy of INFDaily.com

If you like it then you shoulda put a burka on it.

Single ladies in Malaysia won't be hearing "Single Ladies" any time soon. Not from Beyonce at least. The star pop and R&B singer has indefinitely postponed her tour in Malaysia after the nation's Islamist party objected to her revealing costumes, provocative song lyrics and sexy dance moves.

Beyonce was set to perform at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on October 25th when the show was suddenly cancelled by promoter Marctensia.

As a South East Asian country with over 60% of its population Muslim, Malaysia has had its run-ins with provocative performers in the past. Female singers and dancers are often required to wear burkas, as it is against Islamic law for women to perform for men other than their husbands where "immoral activity" may take place. The country's Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) also recently tried to ban Avril Lavigne and The Black Eyed Peas from performing.

So when uproar started over Beyonce's upcoming tour, the show's Malaysian promoter cancelled. However, according to a statement released by Marctensia, the concert cancellation was purely the decision of Beyonce's people.

"The postponement is solely (the) decision of the artist and has nothing to do with other external reasons," it said.

Either way, it doesn't look like Malays will get to see Sasha Fierce booty-drop any time soon.

Inglourious Basterds or Instant Gratification

Just out of watching Inglourious Basterds - and just before it I was told by a friend this is a "silly movie" and "a disappointment".

My opinion is simple, but ..Ill just tell you what it felt watching the movie for its full 153 mins!


At the beginning (Chapter 1 - killing of the Jewish family) I was cold, damn cold and only got a bit more relaxed during Chapter Two (the forming of the "basterds" team and its first "activities"). Being more relaxed than turned into me being really hot and anxious..with the chapter showing life in Paris, the awkward meetings there, etc (I won;t steal too much from the pleasure of watching the movie ;))..

"Operation Kino" turned me into a cold, tensed b*stard again! This was in many ways a pre-climax like moment.. :)

The end was what turned this entire thing into the fulfillment of many teenage Jewish boys' dreams ...killing H*ler and all the other real bastards.

The end brought a big huge relief laughter from my side, suppress immediately by the image of my family being killed by the nazis and the realization that this is just a film ... just a film!

BUT....what a gratifying sensation and epic image ..with h*ler being turned into mashed potatoes by the rage of million Jews!!!

I got carried out by emotion even during writing this incoherent synopsis, so you can imagine this movie can not be watched without feeling something.


A bad movie? A good movie? Not sure what it is...except for: instant gratification.

Ex-IDF commandos rescue U.S. citizen, son from abusive Palestinian husband

from haaretz.

Several ex-Israel Defense Forces commandos rescued an American woman and her two-year-old son on Monday from the woman's abusive spouse, who was holding them against her will in a Palestinian village in the West Bank, Israel Radio reported.

According to the woman, her husband - who she first met in the United States - hit her, prohibited her from leaving the house and threatened that if she left she would never see her son again.

After becoming aware of their daughter's predicament, the woman's parents contacted an Israeli who used to serve in an elite IDF unit, and he enlisted some of his friends to join him in the operation.
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The ex-commandos spent several weeks of planning the successful rescue operation, which involved entering Palestinian Authority territory.

The woman and her son landed in the U.S. on Tuesday after being brought to the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem following her rescue.

Bravo Bahrain! Bahrain crown prince calls for direct communication with Israel

20 July 2009

The crown prince of the Gulf state of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, has called on Arab governments to communicate more with Israelis. “We need fresh thinking if the Arab Peace Initiative is to have the impact it deserves on the crisis that needlessly impoverishes Palestinians and endangers Israel's security. This crisis is not a zero-sum game. For one side to win, the other does not have to lose,” he wrote in an op-ed published by the ‘Washington Post’.

“The reality is that peace is a process, contingent on a good idea but also requiring a great deal of campaigning - patiently and repeatedly targeting all relevant parties. This is where we as Arabs have not done enough to communicate directly with the people of Israel. An Israeli might be forgiven for thinking that every Muslim voice is raised in hatred, because that is usually the only one he hears. Just as an Arab might be forgiven for thinking every Israeli wants the destruction of every Palestinian,” the crown prince wrote, adding that Arabs had to reach out to Israeli media to get their message across in Israel.

"Essentially, we have not done a good enough job demonstrating to Israelis how our initiative can form part of a peace between equals in a trouble land holy to three great faiths," al-Khalifa declared.