Tag Archives: politics

Centering

That liberal-conservative continuum, where Democrats and Republicans represent ‘polar-opposites,’ — I am not on that continuum.  I can see it from where I stand.  But I am not defined by Democrat nor Republican points of view.  I am defined by my own point of view.  Not everyone sees the world this way.   Some can only see it from the perspective of the fish they school with.

Two Symptoms of the Same Problem

In Saudi Arabia, the 14 prisoners who were condemned to death for attending a pro-democracy rally have had their death sentences upheld by their ‘justice system.’  The prisoners have been transferred to Riyad, where executions are typically held.  Now they await a royal decree that the executions can take place.

In Davis, California, an Egyptian-born Muslim cleric named Ammar Shahin gave a sermon this past week during which he prayed for the death of all Jews.  Why?  Because, in his mind, this is what Allah wants.

Mr. Shahin and the Saudi judicial system are guilty of the same flawed thinking.  They both believe that God ordained the violence in their hearts.  He did not.  They merely have dark hearts.  Neither party speaks for God.  And neither speaks for Islam.  I keep hearing that Islam is a religion of peace.  But I cannot see peaceful intentions in praying for the death of Jews, nor in the execution of people who simply want a voice in how their government is run.

Islam has to change.  It is unimaginable that a hatred for Jews, or the execution of these prisoners, is something that God would want.  Ammar Shahin.  Saudi judges.  Why are your hearts so dark?  Why do you stand on the side of evil?

Only Two Names

In the news stories about the 14 condemned Saudi protesters, I only saw 2 names being shared.  Munir al-Adam and Mujtaba’a al-Sweikat.  I wanted to learn the names of the other 12.  Sharing their names would be a great way to bring awareness to their plight.  I emailed Reprieve.org.uk, looking for a full list of names.  They responded first thing this morning.  Unfortunately, at this time we don’t even know the identities of the condemned men.

Reprieve has an online petition to the Saudi Government speaking out against the death sentence handed to these political prisoners.  Anyone who values human rights and democracy, and wants to do something, they can sign the online petition.

Saudi Arabia and the Islamic State

Morally speaking, is Saudi Arabia any better than the Islamic State?  The Islamic State is our enemy, and deservedly so.  They use Islam as justification for violence.  The violence is meant to silence their critics, and to intimidate the masses.  Saudi Arabia is our ally.  They are set to execute 14 men for attending a pro-democracy rally.  The youngest of the group, Mujtaba’a al-Sweikat, was only 17 when he was arrested at an airport in his homeland, on his way to study at Western Michigan University.  He never got there.  Instead, he was tried and sentenced to death for attending a rally.  He is set to be executed for exercising political speech.  What is the difference between ISIS and Saudi Arabia?  Why are we allied with one and against the other?  Do they not represent the same form of evil?

Stop Saudi Executions!

This is outrageous.  Saudi Arabia, an economic ally of the United States, is prepared to execute 14 men for the crime of  what we in America would think of as a simple exercise of free speech.  Five years ago, they were convicted for attending a pro-democracy protest.  Another man on Saudi death row was convicted of inviting people to the protest, and administering first aid to demonstrators at the event.  (This story does not make clear why demonstrators needed first aid.  In all likelihood, Saudi police were involved.)  These men were convicted of simply exercising the freedoms of thought, speech, and to organize.  Saudi Arabia is an ally of the United States, but they do not share our values.  We support freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.  Saudi Arabia uses Islam to brutally control the masses within their domain.  They are in many ways, the antithesis of America.  Their government is founded on an irrational set of beliefs.  It stands for immoral positions.

Enough is enough!  As an American, I am compelled to oppose the execution of all political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.  Anyone who supports democracy is our friend.  Anyone who opposes democracy is our enemy.   Saudi Arabia must make a choice.  These men facing execution are allies to our values.  The Saudi Government wants them dead.  We cannot allow this to happen.  If they want to be our partners, they must embrace our values.  If they cannot embrace human rights, the people of the United States should demand that our government force the Saudis to stop.  As nations, we should either go our separate ways, our we should work to separate Islam from government within Saudi Arabia.

To stop these executions, please reach out to your congressmen and congresswomen.  Please call or write the White House.  Demand that the United States Government take a firm an unequivocal stand against Saudi human rights abuses.

The UK based legal charity, Reprieve, is spearheading the fight for the lives of these 14 men.