I am so moved by Ayaan Ali's book, I feel compelled to write. There are so many problems, too many to be addressed here...
The author is Somali born and raised in a strict environment. She fled an arranged marriage at the age of 22 and moved to Holland, where she made a new life. I have to admit I didn't know much about Somalia exept they have not had a stable government since 1991. Like everyone else, I remember the events of Mogadishu and the Black Hawk incident. I saw the footage of the Canadian soldier being dragged down the street. It burned on me and haunts me still.
With the exeption of a few here, I find it difficult to have a conversation about Islam with anyone. A person who I thought was a thinker said, when I told him Ayaan Ali had a fatwah on her, "You mean contract. I don't speak raghead."
I am frustrated also with the Save Darfur Coalition. They keep asking for money but it seems no progress is being made. Al Bashir, the president, (A war criminal) was even allowed to travel to Mecca. Darfur rarely makes the American news. I had to look on the BBC Africa site to see that the murderer of diplomat John Granville was caught. Granville was killed in Khartoum, along with his driver.
I have John LeCarre to thank for making me so passionate about Africa and its problems. His book The Constant Gardener really opened my eyes.

Like Sen. Claire Mccaskill, I am baffled by the violence and anger at the town halls. Screaming and thrusting papers in someone's face is no way to conduct a dialogue. I did see Arlen Specter's meeting yesterday and I appreciated the sensible older men who had done their homework. Sadly, these types are few. I agree with Bill Maher's comment that we need to replace town halls with study halls (a few deportment classes wouldn't hurt either.) The authentic frontier gibberish I am hearing at these things is getting tiresome.

A fundamentalist sect which deems God is the ultimate birth controller and the Husband is the Ultimate authority figure in the home. The wife's role is to be submissive to the husband and have as many babies as God sees fit. It (the ideology) is seen as a backlash to feminism.The children are always homeschooled and if the couple are unable to have children they are to adopt. The purpose is to create "God's Warriors." This should sound familiar to those who have heard of the Leibensborn Homes (And I expect to get a lot of hate mail for this.)

--
Edited by alswhore at 03/18/2009 9:01 AM PDT

If an alien dropped down and saw American news, he would think we are the only ones here. I have to get my international news from the BBC. True they were good at covering Mumbai but as soon as it was over it seems to have fell off the radar. Did you know they were having huge protests in England and Ireland? I didn't...Until I saw it on the BBC. I also have been dropping in on the Shell to Sea project which the American Media hasn't mentioned ...

I am pummeled by ads. I agree with the writer that is sick of the 2 1/2 minute Celebrex commercial. If I need any of those advertised meds that is for my doctor to figure out, not me. I did not go to medical school. I am a nursing assistant but I do not have time to research all the new meds, and I doubt my doctor does either, so how can you sell me on your crap in 30 seconds? I am sick of that Viagra band, too. Elvis is probably glad he's dead rather than listen to them butcher one of his songs.

This sound dorky but I live on the West Coast and expecting a tsunami. I hope I can be as courageous as the female characters and their counterparts (assuming I live, of course)! I really admire their drive and resourcefulness. I love all the female characters but I think Joanie and Trixie are my favorites.

I can't wait to see Deadwood again, I even love the opening with the gorgeous stallion, the gold, etc. it is a work of Art. I resisted the show because of the overuse of the C word even though everyone told me how good it was, so I gave in and have been hooked since. I also love "Wild West Tech" on the history channel, they devoted an episode to Deadwood tech! I also love the actor who plays the preacher (the smallpox victim left for dead and nursed by Jane) I love his voice. he could read the phone book and I would be in Heaven.