"One of Satan's soldiers." That's what a Saudi muslim cleric called Mickey Mouse, saying that the cartoon character must die:
Sheikh Muhammad Munajid claimed the mouse is "one of Satan's soldiers" and makes everything it touches impure.
But he warned that depictions of the creature in cartoons such as Tom and Jerry, and Disney's Mickey Mouse, had taught children that it was in fact loveable.
The cleric, a former diplomat at the Saudi embassy in Washington DC, said that under Sharia, both household mice and their cartoon counterparts must be killed.
Mr Munajid was asked to give Islam's teaching on mice during a religious affairs programme broadcast on al-Majd TV, an Arab television network.
According to a translation prepared by the Middle East Media Research Institute, an American press monitoring service, he said: "The mouse is one of Satan's soldiers and is steered by him.
A review of the stories MEMRI translates and makes available reveals that most if not all of them fall into the "Muslims are fools" or "Muslims suck" categories.
MEMRI stepped into the propaganda breach in the wake of 9/11 supplying English readers with a cornucopia of negative stories in English reinforcing negative stereotypes about the Muslim world.
I'm tempted to believe Adam here because I'd hate to believe anybody would be stupid enough to confuse Mickey Mouse with Tom (or Jerry, I don't remember who's who)...
But if we replace all cartoon mice with hamster counterparts the prolem would be solved :D
Unless what they're really upset about is the incredible power that the Disney corporation wields. But I think that sort of reasoning might be a little beyond them.
Mouse! Bad! Kill it!
When Islam will unify its PR messages it will be a great improvment. You hear about anything from real good to utterly stupid.
What a psycho.
Spare me your "the Jews run it!" line, Adam. (And so what is they do? They should be experts reagrding the subject of hatred from Muslims aimed at them, it's been going on for 1400 years!)
It's not a silly idea; Mickey Mouse is a dangerous cultural icon. Just like Harry Potter.
2. I don't doubt for a moment that the story is true - that some crazy person somewhere in the Islamic world has condemned Micky Mouse. Remember the gay Teletubbies scandal in the US?
3. The problem with MEMRI is that it cherrypicks Arab/Persian media for stories that make Arabs/Iranians look like either fools or killers. Try to find a MEMRI story about a Muslim's kindness or a Palestinian saving the life of an Israeli who accidentally ends up in Gaza after making a wrong turn. MEMRI isn't in the business of translating articles like that for the English-reading world's consumption.
It looks like their campaign has some sympathizers here on this thread! Notice how they lash out at me for suggesting that perhaps the 1.4 billion Muslims in the world aren't all medieval savages.
"The truth hurts, eh, Adam?" - you mean the version of the "truth" that says that implies that Muslims are stupid, petty and mean? Yes, Evil Pundit - I do find that particular variety of "truth" to be quite hurtful.
Finally, as for you, Stephanie: Shame on you for implying that I'm an anti-Semite because I've pointed out the negative bias of the organization responsible for this particular set of "news."
Rest assured, Stephanie - if a known clearinghouse for anti-Jew, anti-Israel or anti-Zionist propaganda ends up being responsible for a story that gets play here or elsewhere, I'll be sure to point that out as well.
I'm so tired of all of these articles celebrating the fact that Muslims are somehow not with it. There's all kinds of crazy people out there, not just Muslims...
Imagine the furor here from our esteemed regulars if extreme examples were justifiable in painting others with a broad brush. Is the westborough church indicative of christianity and other religious 'nuts' in America? Were guys like Hal Turner representative of the conservative/republican movement?
Seems like if it's Islam it's absolutely A.O.K. for many out there to stereotype and generalize.
Such hypocrisy.
Evil Pundit: What's wrong with you, really? You only seem to show up when there's hatred to be spread. I'd tell you that you're a terrible human being, but I'm afraid you'd take it as a compliment.
More information on Islam for those interested.
To which I say: Okay, from a Judeo/Christian/Muslim religious standpoint, then. Who has the power to create life? God. Does Satan have this creative power? Nope. Ergo, snakes (and mice, too) are all God's creatures, according to the dictates of their own adopted religion.
And if they go on about how snakes and mice might be demons in disguise --- then why do they generally avoid us? Looks to me like mice simply enjoy the same foods we eat. (So do pigs, which in a land where resources are scarce may have given rise to the kosher/halal laws proscribing pork.)
If there is a mouse problem in your house, folks, try not to leave crumbs lying around. A little box of D-Con will take care of the stubborn ones. There's no need to issue a fatwah here.
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/03/17/1936-japanese-cartoo.html
But the Arabic world doeas seem to fal over itself to supply the world with stories of their idiocy and intolerance.
And to say that the Westboro Baptists don't represent Xians, is to be deliberately disingenuous.
For none of the Phelps family are anything else than knuckle dragging religious zealots from the very fringes of society, like Anne Coulter with out the stylist if you will, while Sheikh Muhammad Munajid is a senior cleric and former DIPLOMAT TO WASHINTON CD.
Sure the MEMRi are spinning this cr*p for all they're worht but there is a lot of crazy sh*t to pick from there and a lot of it emanates from very high up the food chain.
How surprising.
And, this dude's not the Islamic equivalent of the Phelps family, but of the more general fundamental folks who object to Harry Potter and Halloween.
Certainly, all news sources cherry-pick their stories. Remember the inflammatory story about the Muhammed cartoon from Denmark a coupla years ago? They chose to run a trivial story about a cartoon in a little-known rag in a distant country to incite Muslims all around the world. Sounds like there's cherry-picking no matter who the source is.
And why didn't this guy condemn Sneaker-Ganesh?
MEMRI is to impartial translation what the Canadian Coalition for Democracy is to...democracy.
Please feel free to call me a Jew hater or whatever other slimy things you can think up.
Cheers!
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/en/
Someone needs to use their god given ability to determine logic in this case. How is this ok? Why do they still show these programs during the morning when my three-year old is watching tv. I understand that I have the power to turn the channel to another station, but, Why is this crap on tv to begin with?
Everyone, give me one reason to let my kids watch this stuff? Why are the Saudi's wrong? I think it makes a great deal of sense. Mickey mouse, tom and jerry should have been killed off a long time ago, especially in these modern times.
Thanks,
Paul
BRING IT!!!! I want to hear your argument for this stuff being broadcasted on your television. How does it help your kids? Give me one example how.
muhammad f*cking whore and must be killed
Al-Munajid Responds to Media About Killing Mickey Mouse