OT: How safe do you feel now, Jim?

I dont feel completely safe by any means. I dont believe there is an immediate threat of terrorists here in Canada, but as long as we have a significant number of females wearing headscarves, I am sure there is a potential future threat. The key issue for me at the moment is the extent to which the Muslim community in the UK is prepared to actually

*do* something. Sir Ian Blair has stated he is prepared to work with the Muslim community to this end, but so far I have seen nothing to indicate that the Muslim community in the UK is prepared to act. I hope my fears are unjustified. If the Muslim community in the UK is not prepared to act, then there is little hope that the Muslim community in Canada will do so.

-- Jim Cripwell. From Canada. Land of the Key Bird. This creature of doom flies over the frozen tundra in winter, shrieking its dreaded call; "Key, Key, Key, Key rist but it's cold!!"

Oh yes, you do have to be alert for "females wearing headscarves"! How about your Queen when she's riding? How about me when I'm out on a windy day? Get a grip, Jim!

Felice

And how scary is a woman in a Bourkha! Just think what could be hidden under THAT!

I wish the Queen would lead by example and wear a crash hat, when riding, by the way! Not that I ever did, apart from when showing, LOL!

Pat P

I am perfectly serious, as have explained many times. The Al Qaeda cell in the UK, hid amongst a significant Muslim fundamentalist society. I believe that wherever a significant Muslim fundamentalist society exists, there is the potential for them to hide an Al Qaeda sleeper cell. And what is the most visible sign of a significant fundamentalist Muslim society? Why a bunch of females wearing the telltale Muslim headscarf.

-- Jim Cripwell. From Canada. Land of the Key Bird. This creature of doom flies over the frozen tundra in winter, shrieking its dreaded call; "Key, Key, Key, Key rist but it's cold!!"

Though I try to stay out of such discussions...

Sikh women wear a very similar (if not indistinguishable) head covering. They are not Muslim.

I wear a head covering to protect myself from UV light because I have lupus. I am a Methodist.

Both parties (Sikh followers and myself) have been the target of profiling since 9/11. I sometimes fail to grasp how a pale redhead with a light nylon cover attached to a cap looks Islamic. But when assumptions are the guide for our fears... so it goes.

it's a logical connection, but not entirely rational or fair.

Quite honestly, I wish that such head covering was the standard for any faith (or lack thereof) in my part of the world (Texas) as it's hot as H*ll here and until the past several days, brutally sunny.

I stay out of these things too but I think I can answer your question somewhat.

That's because Muslims come in all nationalities, skin tones, hair colors and societies. The great majority do come from the middle and near east, but there are Muslim groups in Spain and North Africa, in China and Mongolia, in Albania, Russia, Bosnia, Romania and other Eastern European countries, as well as sub-saharan Africa. They are blonde, brunette, redhead, white, black, brown and yellow. And,as has been pointed out, are not the only ones to wear head coverings. Orthodox Jewish women do so as well when they choose not to wear ther wigs (I have a colleague who does this when the weather gets exceptionally warm). The covering of one's hair is a sign of modesty, as prescribed in the Koran. You do not have to be fundamentalist to wear one either. For some women it is a sign of cultural pride rather than religious fervor. Muslim men also have a dress code, and are admonished to keep the arms and legs covered for modesty's sake, which means their code is less noticable, though some sects also have men cover their heads, much as Many Jewish men wear a yarmulke or Sikh men a turban.

I hope that helps.

EJ (who returns to lurk)

And no..I am not a Muslim. Just have a respect for other traditions.

In any case, the Muslin/Sick/what-have-you head scarf is usually worn in a totally different way to that in which Europeans/Americans wear it!

You seem to confuse "fundamentalists" with "fundamentalist terrorists". They are not the same thing by any stretch of the imagination. If we lived in a fundamentalist society wear nearly everyone wears fundamentalist attire, THEN we might have a legitimate fear of which headscarf wearing woman is a terrorist. But in Western societies, terrorists try to BLEND IN, since they're already under such intense scrutiny from the likes of men such as yourself! The terrorists in London were not headscarf wearing terrorists. Nor were the terrorists of 9/11. Show me one terrorist act done in a Western society by a "fundamentalist looking" terrorist, and THEN maybe your argument will have some credibility. I, for one, am tired of having my headscarf wearing, fundamentalist friends persecuted by ignorant Muslim McCarthyists.

Jinx

I believe at least a couple of the men involved in 9/11 had been known to frequent local nightclubs. Supposedly to blend in. I have only a passing comment on a news program to tell me that so I may not recall correctly.

Hi EJ. Technically I understand that and have seen a few redheaded muslims myself. But really, if you saw me that wouldn't even be half the issue. I have a sun-protective hat that looks basically like a baseball cap. It has a drape on both sides to protect me from the sun. I wear baggy blue sun-protective pants, a baggy t-shirt, and a big ol' loose safari-style shirt over that. Big clompy tennis shoes. I may look scary and some even think I'm contagious apparently. But to look at that and see anything to do with any religion or ethnicity always surprises me. I suppose to the uninitiated it could be an "easy" mistake. But to have the law enforcement of a small TX town actually stop us... well, it just seemed bizarre to me.

It also made me feel for the folks who go through that and *are* of one of those faiths or ethnicities who are being judged by appearances.

I had just adjusted to everyone looking at me as if I was contagious and pulling their small children into their arms when I walked by...

and now...i'm off to watch the news because we may have a hurricane to deal with next week..

and I'm gonna stitch!

Oops, sorry - that should have been "Sikh" of course (not "Sick). No offence intended - that would be the LAST thing intended as far as Sikhs are concerned!

Pat P

Let us put this another way. In the UK at this moment in time, Sir Ian Blair is trying to work with the Muslim community on what must be done to eliminate the possibility that Al Qaeda can launch another attack in the UK. What must the Muslim community in the UK do, so that some time in the near future, the Home Secretary can rise in the House of Commons and state unequivocally, that an Al Qaeda threat no longer exists in the UK? If this were to happen, it could set a trend which could then be implemented in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

-- Jim Cripwell. From Canada. Land of the Key Bird. This creature of doom flies over the frozen tundra in winter, shrieking its dreaded call; "Key, Key, Key, Key rist but it's cold!!"

NOW I do think you`re naive, Jim, if you ever think that that can happen with any element of reliability! It`s a lovely idea, but there`s no way that we could ever rely on it 100%! More`s the pity.

Definitely Cloud Cuckoo Land!

As I said before, it`s just like the amazing number of Germans who said they were against Nazism. All the Muslims are protesting that they are against terrorism.

Another point that my husband mentioned, is that they don`t actually appear to have an overall leader like the Catholic Church has the Pope and we have the Archbishop of Canterbury. There`s no-one with sufficient authority to negotiate with.

Hearing the news from Al Amara today of the death of three of our soldiers, I`m so glad that my grandson has just been moved to Basra from there.

Pat P

KCat wrote "> Though I try to stay out of such discussions...

Here in Regina, we often see groups of women wearing headscarves--Hutterite women. And in Saskatoon, when I was growing up, there were several stores where one could get the flowered printed babushkas no self-respecting baba (Ukrainian grannie) would be without. Now, babas should not be taken lightly--they might forcibly feed you at a moment's notice (you're so thin, eat something). Dawne

So is there a difference in babas and Yiddische Mamas? Darla Sacred cows make great hamburgers. Picture Trail Gallery:

User Name: Condorita Get naked to respond.

In Yiddish a grandmother is a bubba, or more lovingly a bubby. My Jewish grandmother came from Lithuania and wore babushkas on her head.

Lucille

Not unlike a good Suthun mama.

Can I get you something to eat? No mom, I'm fine, thanks. Are you sure, I've got some (pork chops, beans, potatoes) in there. I can heat 'em for you. No Mom, I'm fine thanks...

ad infinitum.

Even now that I'm 41 and see her only once a year (sniff) she still tries to feed me.

Got you beat on this one. I'm 69 and short and thin so my friends are still trying to feed me. I'm sure if there is a beyond and my mother is listening, she's approving of who I hang out with. lol

Lucille