text:
Let's give up fireworks and move on to a more controversial debate that has been going on here since last Friday. On that day, the newspaper Le Monde, revealed that the Conseil d'Etat (Council of State) refused to grant French citizenship to a Moroccan woman even though she was married to a French citizen. Why? Because, according to the Council of State "She has adopted a radical practice of her religion, incompatible with essential values of the French community, particularly the principle of equality of the sexes." Most obvious sign of this ? She would wear a burqa during all her talks with the social services... Funnily enough I found this graffiti also last Friday, in a shop they are currently renewing at the crossing of rue du Commerce and rue du Théâtre.
Tags 15th, French Politics
Assimilation issues must be one of the oldest debates in any state. Excellent illustration for this.
DAMN IT, JUST PIPPED AT THE POST
Rosie July 17, 2008 at 12:10:00 AM GMT+2
How do you deal with a case like that?
What if a French woman decides to become an extreme Muslim? Will she be thrown out of the country?
When I first looked at this photo, I thought it was a knight in mail armor...until I saw the long eyelashes. Clever shot for this debate. I'd love to read what the French bloggers have to say about this before I add my 1/2 penny. :-)
Profile Not Available July 17, 2008 at 12:25:00 AM GMT+2
Considering a recent court decision (in Lille, maybe?) that granted a Muslim man a divorce on the grounds that the bride was not a virgin, I find this situation curiously inconsistent. I know that the divorce was described as a contract issue, but was it not rooted religious practice? And might it not be seen as "extreme" by much of the mainstream? This decision would appear to almost...criminalize (not the word I am searching for) a woman's right to choose to the role she will assume in her marriage. Now having said that, I can't for the life of me understand the desire to subject oneself to that treatment, but I am culturally removed from that mindset.
I don't pretend to have all the facts. Still it is unbelievable to me that a society that values personal freedom and even more, personal style ; ), would object soley on these grounds. Is there something more?
And now I have rambled on at the mouth. Sorry. Just ignore me. ; )
I like the drawing though. Eric I found a book you might like by Fabienne Grevy called Graffiti Paris.
> Rose. No, but there are laws that prohibit the use of burqas in public places (like no right to teach with a veil - not even a burqa for example).
It's a difficult situation... How to allow freedom of religion and fight sexes inequity!
Tough matter... but it seems obvious to me that a burqa is not compatible with the principle of equality of the sexes... I watched the film Persepolis from Marjane Satrapi(on DVD) last WE. It was not at all about the acquisition of the French nationality but it shows very well how hard it is to enjoy your life when you are a young woman in a country where and when the religious extremism takes away every freedom - especially women's one....
BTW, quel oeil Eric pour trouver une telle illustration de ce sujet... :))
David July 17, 2008 at 12:46:00 AM GMT+2
Since when do the rights of the state to "protect" gender equality trump religious freedom. Women are not allowed to become priests (talk about your sexism), shouldn't the French government prohibit the Catholic church from operating in France? Does the French government consider Hasidic Jews to be practicing a radical form of Judaism because of the way they dress? What a crock!
♥ E.T. Suzy ♥ July 17, 2008 at 12:51:00 AM GMT+2
This is a good example of why people leave their countries and come to the U.S.
By the way, France won't let me become a citizen either...something about having to actually live there. :)
There's another element in such cases that often is overlooked. Hiding one's face may be a religious choice, but there is a public safety question when it comes to identification. While a veil or burqa may be considered a religious requirement, hiding the face conceals identity. This is not a good idea when dealing with citizenship officials. I don't see this as a sexist question as much as a public safety question. This may not be politically correct, but it must be considered. Of course, I am speaking generally and do not have all the facts of this specific case.
James Madison, fourth US President, wrote the initial draft of the first amendment:
"The Civil Rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, .... nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, nor on any pretext infringed..."
Members of the Conseil d'Etat would do well to spend a few minutes reading Madison's words. Shame on them.
Seriously, David, tell us what you REALLY think.
Actually, I'm in agreement w/you -- in spite of being so opposed to the whole idea of women hiding their light under a burqa. And her French citoyen husband? I wonder what he thinks. But if it's solely HIS idea that she wear the burqa, then double shame on the Conseil d'Etat -- and triple on him.
Eric, you've done it again!
Loïc BROHARD July 17, 2008 at 1:54:00 AM GMT+2
See this http://Article BBC 1 and http://Article BBC 2
And just a quote to feed the debate :
"It is not a religious insignia but the insignia of a totalitarian political project that advocates inequality between the sexes and which is totally devoid of democracy" Fadela Amara (French Urban Affairs Minister)
Seems to me like the women are on the short end of this whipping stick. Why aren't more "burqa" wearing women sounding off against such inequities? Probably because their "loving" hubbies will beat the hell out of them if they do. David makes some sound logical points, but David, we're not always dealing with "logical" politicians. The "burqa" to me represents female oppression and the sooner we get rid of this "so called order by god and husbands to wear it" the more freedom Muslim women will have. Anyway, that's my 1/2 penny's worth,and that's all I got to say about that!
Alexa, sorry, I've put my soap box away.
Eric, I've started looking for interesting wall art (shouldn't call such things graffiti)whenever I'm in Paris, it's everywhere. I like how this piece is framed by the metal grating.
Profile Not Available July 17, 2008 at 2:19:00 AM GMT+2
David, you might like the book I referenced above.
Hiding one's face may be a religious choice, but there is a public safety question when it comes to identification. While a veil or burqa may be considered a religious requirement, hiding the face conceals identity.
That's true!
On the other hand, if someone wants to wear a small veil on their hair to go to school or to go out in public, who cares?!!!
I usually try to stay away from debates concerning religion because I know next to nothing about any given religion so I don't see how I could have anything of value to contribute on that subject. I will say this, though, organized religions kind of scare me. I like it much better when individuals find their own communication with their God, follow good spiritual principles with others, rather than follow specific centuries-old rituals... but hey, maybe that's just me.
One more thing. I'm also not impressed with the paternalistic attitude (prohibiting the veil or the burka to promote gender equality? hmmm , I don't know. about that. I have a hard time believing that it is the true and only reason.
As to freedom of religion in the US, I would say yes, in theory people have come from all over the world for that but keep in mind that muslim people aren't exactly all that comfortable in the country right now, ever since 2003.
Tomate offers some wise words!
I'm going to stay away from the controversy and just say I think the picture is intriguing because the painting looks like it was made somewhere else and then put up in this spot. The two halves of the face, on different sheets of plywood, match but aren't aligned and the little pyramids and whorls seem to continue off the board as tho they went further to the right. I wonder where this was and what kind of building it was put up in. Nice photo, Eric!
Tall Gary July 17, 2008 at 3:42:00 AM GMT+2
Eric did present a particularly difficult conundrum. How can the State protect both religious freedom and equality of the sexes if a specific religion professes beliefs that are antithetical to such gender equality?
Where's that Solomon guy?
David has pointed out that the Catholic church, long established in France, also, falls into this category as a religion that does not respect gender equality. By the reasoning of the Council of State she should not gain French citizenship even if she were a bare-faced Catholic. Nor should anyone.
There is, as well, the argument Jeff pointed out regarding State security and the need the State feels to identify individuals.
"I want a driver's license but I'm blind. This is discrimination against the handicapped." No it is not. It is discrimination against those unable to drive satisfactorily. If it isn't her religion, per se, that is preventing her from getting citizenship is it her unwillingness to be identified? But that isn't what the Council of State said, is it? And instead of facial identification, for such documents as a passport, how about fingerprinting; iris or voice recognition?
Ah, bureaucrats. They can be the same kind of blockheads in any country.
At first I thought the wall painting couldn't have been done by a Muslim because it is representational but I have since found out that the strictures against representational art are often kept isolated to specific religious areas.
Are those two little Egyptian pyramids at the base of the image?
I find this very interesting, but I am not a person who likes to wrangle philosophical ideas and ideology, so I will just state what I think and leave it at that. I don't begin to understand the desire of anyone to wear a burqa or anything remotely like it. Here in the States there are those who think that women should only wear dresses, and I have acquaintances who believe this. I do not. For me, religion is a personal relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, something that I try to live out daily. It is not something that is a set of rules and regulations, but rather a way of living that is motivated by my desire to please Him. So, I disagree with the notion that women should be entirely covered to practice their religion. Modest, yes; enveloped, no. That's my opinion.
Eric, interesting topic tonight. Thank You.
The New York Times recently wrote an article about an Iranian dissident who, when he first arrived by plane into the USA, was shocked to see a muslum woman wearing a headscarf guiding the plane into its gate. The point? Who should assume the woman does or does not believe in the equality of the sexes just because she chooses to wear her burka?
David: I feel the same way about graffiti EVERYWHERE now and told Eric ,a while back in an email ,how he has influenced me.
I probably shouldn't even start. But as GF, I did already mention my belief that "Assimilation issues must be one of the oldest debates in any state."
France needs to figure this one out for themselves. James Madison might have been a terrorist insurgent, but dad gum it, he was our terrorist insurgent. I mean, freedom fighter. I mean for white guys. The richer ones. What I mean is, the US has come a long way, and I love my country. I hope it can get back to making progress in matters of justice.
When I was born, six states still hadn't ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Women couldn't get credit cards or mortgages without a male co-signer. Women who wanted to work in non-subordinate jobs were man-haters. It must be true, because I've seen the movies.
It's all cultural, and yet it gets wrapped up in rumours of religious dictates here too. So, like France, America is still trying to figure it all out too. Let's not preach. (Am I preaching?)
Irrelevant factoid: The Kingdom of Morocco was the first country to formally recognized the independence of the U.S.
P.S. While walking down rue du Four last month, I looked up and was shocked to see Feb.6, 2008 graffiti right before my very eyes. What a thrill.It made me appreciate Eric even more, as it was on a wall above a store and not at eye level.It provoked quite a discussion for us, and for that reason, became quite memorable for me. I hope some of you get to have that same serendipitious moment with a PDP pix.
I find all of these comments interesting but very complicated.
Eric, this may seem like an obvious question, but I have to ask, do you think this graffiti was in response to the debate?
I think it is quite beautiful.
Petrea Burchard July 17, 2008 at 6:12:00 AM GMT+2
I have nothing to add, but I want to have the discussion sent to my mailbox.
Kimberly Bluestocking July 17, 2008 at 6:40:00 AM GMT+2
While it's hard for Westerners to imagine why a woman would voluntarily wear a veil, many Muslim women choose to wear them not because their husbands force them, but because they see veils as symbols of their devotion to God and respect for their bodies.
While I'm all in favor of equality and freedom, forcing someone to abandon a religious practice because you think it's oppressive is really just another form of oppression.
I was thinking that since she showed up to the citizenship talks always covered in a burqa wouldn't it have been funny if she got citizenship and turned out to be someone like Bin Laden with well-applied mascara?
The more I read about religion mixing with politics, the more I am glad our founding fathers were Deists and were of the mindset to keep church and state separate (though in recent years this may be questioned). Further, I suppose to a certain degree we all wear masks (our personal burkas as it were), but hopefully not "iron ones" that somebody else imposes upon us. Now as David says, I too will put away my soapbox.
And I see Christie's and Kimberly's comments as illustrations of the various cultural degrees to which one country might interpret the ideas of modesty found in whatever scriptures they follow. Morocco is not the same as Turkey or Iran or Albania.
What a woman wears in a expression of modesty, guided by faith, in Pocatello, Idaho could be different than an equally faithful woman in Lancaster, Pennsylvania or one in San Diego, California. That's the cultural part of it, not The Book.
That's what I mean about France needing to work out the assimilation question. I don't know all the facts, history, and circumstances bearing on the situation over there. Is religiously expressive clothing outlawed in France? If not, I always hope for progressive decisions in every country.
On the other hand, we could just do this.
Yes, blaming Canada Ottawa rrant some consideration. If the west coast of Canada adopted strict clothing regulations Mr. Morrison would be told, "Van!couver yourself up!
TG - LOL! At first I thought you were having serious typo-frenzy!
Kim July 17, 2008 at 9:08:00 AM GMT+2
Egalite. . .what does that term mean to the French? When were French women allowed to own property in their own right? Here in the States, that came very, very late in the game. And African American men were given the right to vote before any Ameican females were granted that right. Would it be correct to say France values the appearance of gender equity under the law over free practice of personal religion? What then does Liberte mean to the French?
Intriguing questions.
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo
guille July 17, 2008 at 10:59:00 AM GMT+2
HOW is it possible to still have this kind of debate in France, 50 years after the Algerian war?! HOW?!
Why is it such a problem in France to live with muslims, why is it a problem to wear a burqa in the street? I mean if you're neither a civil servant nor a student, where is the matter? Yes, the equality of men and women is the most important thing nowadays. And it's clear that the veil is not a proof of equality... But is it REALLY the point here? Why did they forbid this woman to become French? Because she wears a burqa? Please. I don't want to speak about politics but we all know that she was an "example" for the rest of the people who wanted to be French ("see, if you wear a burqa, you won't be French. Would not it be better not to wear it?") and it shows the immigration policy that they adopted in France. It's also a proof of a huge hypocrisy.
I'm ready to bet that her future would have been better as a French woman living in France, than a Arabian (Turkish, Algerian, Moroccan?) woman living in France.
About the "hymen story", it's clearly an awful thing, but actually the judges applied the right texts and the right articles according to the Civil Code. Maybe we have to change the text and not to blame them (Btw it was not a divorce, it was annulment.).
This debate is exhausting, tiring and annoying because it's always the same issue: Muslims are rejected, people stay reluctent to hire them, to be close to them.
It partakes of the pervading racism in France.
I'm absolutely sorry for this diatribe, but it really gets on my nerves.
A part ça Eric, ta photo résume bien la situation et tombe à pic. Tu pouvais difficilement faire mieux. :)
USelaine, if I can add my 50 cents, French women had the right to have a personal bank account in 1965 and had the right to work without their husbands' autorisation the same year...
Oui, la France comme pays des droits de l'HOMME.
Marylène July 17, 2008 at 11:41:00 AM GMT+2
I notice that Eric is playing with us by taking a malicious pleasure in choosing highly controversial subjects those last days, sex, politics, raw food .....
What on your mind, Eric ?......
Anyway, hard to debate on such a subject, especially in English and with the only information the media are (is?) willing to give you.
It would be too simple if things were only black or white.
I only wanted to ask the American readers how the American citizenship officials would deal with such a case. All I know is that that getting the American citizenship is no picnic either.
Sasha July 17, 2008 at 4:06:00 PM GMT+2
marylene, eric just likes to keep things interesting and keep us thinking. He's wonderful for that!
I think I wont hop on my soapbox since my feelings have been covered so well by all these wonderfully intelligent comments.
Regarding urban art, my best friend pointed a piece out yesterday while I was driving us to class: a man holding a gun to a woman's head. Interesting, to say the least, and rather disturbing. Could the artist have been illustrating something similar to our debate or does he just have a beef against his girlfriend? Hmmm
Marylene: about 5 yrs. ago in Florida, a muslim woman wore her niqab(fully covered except her eyes) for her drivers licence photo. She lost her case to keep that licence. The court said that having the face readily identifiable is a public safety issue. I remember them saying that a policeman needs to know it is YOU if they stop you.
Hilda July 17, 2008 at 5:00:00 PM GMT+2
It's a law?! I don't like the idea behind the burqa either, but making it illegal is a little too much, I think. What happens to freedom of religion then? But you're right, it is a delicate balancing act and very difficult to perform well.
I hope this incident ends well though. I'd hate for her to be separated from her husband just because of a burqa.
Petrea Burchard July 17, 2008 at 5:24:00 PM GMT+2
Guille: I'm impressed you can rant in English. I can barely say "je ne l'aime pas!" en français.
Is this standard operating procedure? Surely she isn't the first burqa wearing woman to apply for French citizenship.
"As to freedom of religion in the US, I would say yes, in theory people have come from all over the world for that but keep in mind that muslim people aren't exactly all that comfortable in the country right now, ever since 2003." I agree Tomate and the recent cover of The New Yorker illustrated (literally) that point exactly.
Another take on American politics: www.jibjab.com
Sally July 17, 2008 at 5:50:00 PM GMT+2
This is compleely foreign to me. Here you could never be denied citizenship on the basis of what you wear!
Here's what happens when you wait a couple of hours to see the pope pass by…
Sydney Daily Photo
For god's sake, women in Spain were wearing mantillas up until a generation ago. Are there no habit-wearing Catholic nuns in France? Or have wimples and veils been outlawed? Are nuns wearing veils allowed to teacvh in Catholic schools?
Granting citizenship, and applying for a passport are two different things. You can (and Australia does) require a woman who usually wears a burqa to show her face from forehead to chin and ears when having a passport photo. She then decides whether she wants to apply.
I have taught many girls in Sydney schools wearing hijab. in fact most (public) schools incorporate it as part of their uniform these days. It never inhibited their capacity to learn, or get along with anyone else in the school.
PS The girls were wearing hijab, not me! Personally, i think it ludicrous, but I think it was a frenchman - Voltaire n'est-ce pas? - who said I may disagree with you, but defend your right to your view.
Buck July 17, 2008 at 6:19:00 PM GMT+2
I cannot find such interesting 'wall art' (Thanks David) here. All we have are simplistic 'tags.' I will keep my eyes open though...
Religious freedom.
Religious oppression.
Gender equality.
Gender oppression.
Identification for public safety.
Choices.
I love this. Nothing malicious about it. Tough things to think about, but necessary to think about if democracy means anything to you.
Thanks, folks.
Jeff...I think you wrote a poem or a lyric for Jim Morrison to sing...he's still alive isn't he? ;-)
Hilda : a little precision : there is only one Law in France that forbids the wearing of any "ostensible" religious symbols, including the Islamic veil, the Jewish kippa, and large Christian crosses.
This Law (voted by the French Parliament in March 2004) concerns the wearing of those religious symbols in public primary and secondary schools.
And there is no other prohibition concerning the wearing of veil, burqa, cross, kippa etc, in France...
Morrison is still alive: did you see "Men In Black"?
Marylène July 17, 2008 at 7:51:00 PM GMT+2
Soosha_q, my purpose was absolutely not critical towards Eric, on the contrary.
Perhaps I used a "faux-ami", I was trying to translate the French words "prendre un malin plaisir", meaning he is always trying to tease (?) tickle (?) us in a good way, so that we learn more about each other, our feelings, our cultural differences throughout the world.
Maybe "malicious" has a different connotation in English and I need to change my dictionnary !!
I have been waiting for a faux-ami moment so I could bring up mine, please excuse this diversion!
Last month, while waiting for my cafe au lait, I noticed they poured in UHT milk and made a face. I could not explain in French that UHT meant it zapped out all flavor to give the milk shelf life, so I got a brainstorm and said "Le lait a preservatifs." All it took was her bursting out in laughter for me to get a vision in my brain of the perservatif machine I took a picture of years ago in the Metro.
False friends, false friends, indeed.
I'm conflicted on this issue because I believe so strongly in gender equality and have so little sympathy for organized religion.
My first response was: good for the French state.
Then David makes this point:
"Women are not allowed to become priests (talk about your sexism), shouldn't the French government prohibit the Catholic church from operating in France? Does the French government consider Hasidic Jews to be practicing a radical form of Judaism because of the way they dress? What a crock!"
And Guille makes a strong case as well.
However, it is no secret that women who wear the burqa in some traditional societies do so as a matter of personal safety and not because of personal choice. If this woman is not allowed to take off her burqa in a citizenship interview, what happens if she needs to go to the hospital and there are no women doctors available?
Aaargh! Complicated.
Guille
Bravo for putting forward such a good argument !
Eric...
You love to stir trouble uhm... hehehe...
Oh marylene, I understood! I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to compliment eric! You got your point across well. :)
the debate reminds me of a paper in ''the week''. one day an english women wearing a burka knocked on the door of a solicitor begging for help she was beaten by her husband. apparently this is not an isolated case but how can you see that under the burka. women have been for such a long time victims and i strongly believe in the version of the film persepolis, which is a really nice animation, it is not a choice.
[to lighten the mood a bit] There are some nuns I had in school who would have looked better in burkas, and some Arabic men I know who should be required to wear them. Of course, in my family it wasn't allowed to burka at the dinner table.
LOL Coltrane...
Did anyone want to talk about The New Yorker's recent cover instead? Just kidding!!! ;)
Coltrane!! Excellent :)))!!!
Guille - Thank you for bringing your heart and your mind to these comments. It seems then that not even France is free of the human impulse to xenophobia.
1965 is a year I remember, and I can't tell if it seems like a long time ago to you or not. But because I'm 49, it seems very recent for such a change. It was the same time period for the changes here in the US, but I don't know the exact years for legislation. I hope it demonstrates that any western cultural vanity about already achieving complete enlightenment is unfounded. Women's self-determination and economic parity is not yet entrenched, and advancements have been "few and far between" (Engilsh idiom). Even though it had been federal law since 1920, Mississippi didn't ratify the 19th Amendment (women's voting right) until 1984. Yes, it was just a formality, but it tells you a lot.
In 1965, girls were required to wear dresses to school, and hemlines well above the knee were the only culturally accepted fashion of the time. So even in winter, I walked to school, chilled and pink-mottled thighs exposed. I could no more play on a "jungle gym" in such clothing than I could have in a burqa. I was born with un-stylish legs - knock knees, shapeless calves, top-heavy kneecaps - but had to expose them for review alongside my coltishly limbed companions. I've considered mini-skirts oppressive ever since. It wasn't until I was in high school that girls could wear jeans! These were all public schools, not private or religious! Along with that forced exposure, popular culture defined our bodies as consumer goods to be compared and evaluated. I currently don't even own a pair of shorts, but in this fleeting moment of American history, at least I have that choice.
So when Kimberley points out the issue of having respect for our bodies, and the choice to do what may honor that, it resonates with me.
Tall Gary July 17, 2008 at 10:38:00 PM GMT+2
I don't know. I'm still confused about your préservatif faux-ami, PHX. This looks quite a bit like an empty-of-milk baby bottle complete with nipple.
Coltrane - I can think of a lot of white guys I would dearly prefer to see covered from head to toe, but I instantly remembered they have been known to abuse the practice.
Tucker July 17, 2008 at 10:48:00 PM GMT+2
Can you put a photo of Notre Dame on the site??
What a bunch of clever comments, you guys! Great thread!
USelaine: I feel your pain!! You know, when I was a kid, they made us (University students, too, I believe?) wear a frock in public schools. The practice was eventually discontinued after the student's little outburst in May of'68.
Eiffel-Tower Suzy: By the way, it is possible to be a French citizen while living outside the French territory, you know ;) Who knows for how long, though. Wasn't Sarkozy playing with the idea of doing away with that?
Eric July 17, 2008 at 11:19:00 PM GMT+2
Coltrane "Of course, in my family it wasn't allowed to burka at the dinner table." LOL!
Sooooo... It was fun to see all your comments. Actually I know it's difficult to express yourself on such sensitive matter as it touches religion and Miss Manners has always told us not to deal with such topic in public... So let me thank you very much for your inputs.
(Marylène, I'm not playing with you, I'm just dealing with what's on the news in Paris/France (well except raw meat maybe!!) LOL.)
Here is an attempt to explain (and not to justify!) the reason why the Council of State acted this way.
First, I think a lot of French people are suspicious with religion(s) in general.
You have to keep in mind, that in France, until the late 60s, the Catholic religion had a pretty strong influence on the French society, especially on women : they had to dress in black if their husband died before them, no such thing as short skirts or "exposed" cleavage was allowed, going out without covering your head was badly considered, not to mention birth control or even divorce... Of course this was stronger in the provinces than in big cities, but still.
From 68 onwards, they fought for equal rights and they had to win every single of them one by one. Even now, the are are still discrepancies between women and men.
So when they see a woman in a Burqa they don't think "freedom of religion", they think "return to the times where they lived under strong man influence".
Besides, I don't think a lot of French people believe that Muslim women wear a veil or a burqa of their free will. Everyone is convinced that they do it because their husband or their social environment gives them no choice.
What we don't realize, though, we're all in the same situation.
Take going to mass on Sundays for instance. If you ask a Christian he will probably tell you he goes to church because he decided to and because he wants to serve his God. But no one will tell you "it's because I've been told to do so since my very first age. My parents and all the people around me told me there is a God and I believed them".
Third. Someone (David) mentioned the Hasidic Jews. I think it is different. The Jews are no proselytes, quite the contrary actually, therefore they are not considered as a "threat" to the average French woman. They remain in their community and do not try to convince everyone that they live the way everyone should.
> yvestucker34. Notre Dame? There are tons of photos of Notre Dame on PDP!
David July 17, 2008 at 11:36:00 PM GMT+2
Eric, Thanks for an interesting evening. Let's see if you can top this one with today's post. David
Cheltenhamdailyphoto July 17, 2008 at 11:53:00 PM GMT+2
Goodness, such a refusal would risk being hung drawn and quartered in the UK i reckon. Anything goes over here, it seems to me. I have to say that complete freedom of the wearing of the burqa does raise questions in my mind, e.g. teaching young children, also just the other day, a trial showed how a terrorist was able to escape wearing one, thereby looking like a woman and being unchallenged - i believe it's claimed against the religion to be searched by police, though i'd have to check that, not entirely sure. Sometimes, one's own culture should be protected in one's own country is what i'm saying i suppose and i applaud France for doing so.
I love the photo Eric. My daughter took a lot of photos of very colorful graffiti when she was in Iraq. The graffiti in many scenes is of family life. Women have on burqas and men have their heads covered as well.
I have a friend in San Diego. She is a fashion designer. She has a woman posing in Provance, France on her home page. http://www.artizara.com
Her clothing is out of this world. And you can purchase a matching burqa for each and every outfit. I have bought a lot of her tunics because of the needle work. Plus I like the way they fit -- they cover my bum.
http://www.artizara.com/Islamic-Top-Modest-Top-Islamic-Long-Shirt-Tunic-Top-s/21.htm
I don't buy the matching burqas though.
Pretty cool stuff, Lois. I wonder how much these burqas cost in US dollars? Just curious.
Parisian Heart July 18, 2008 at 6:45:00 AM GMT+2
I would be curious to know what other signs (obvious or not) indicated that the woman had "adopted a radical practice of her religion, incompatible with essential values of the French community, particularly the principle of equality of the sexes." Surely the decision to deny this woman citizenship was not only about her wearing a burqa. (Am I mistaken??)
Interestingly enough, just yesterday a co-worker and I were discussing how to address freedom of religion when it appears to be to be at odds with the protection of children. The most recent example of this in the U.S. has concerned practices of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints -- issues such as "spiritually marrying" young girls to older men and driving adolescent boys out of the community at "the Prophet's" direction. Not long ago, I saw a program about genital mutilation of young women from certain African tribes; the program indicated that this practice continues even in many African families who have immigrated to the U.K.
Personally, I am very much in favor of allowing religious freedom. Even when I taught in France, I did not see that allowing a student to wear a religious garment such as a veil or a kippa would interfere with education -- even "laique" (non-religious) education. However, I do believe the government should step in when minors are put at risk of physical abuse under the guise of religion. In terms of denying citizenship ... hmmm ... Was the rejection of this woman's application more on a basis of philosophical differences, or did the Conseil d'Etat consider the woman to be a threat to France? I understand that a burqa may cover signs of abuse and may be a symbol of oppression to some, but the same could be said of other kinds of clothing in other situations.
Eric, you certainly presented a photo that would spark discussion!
I love PDP and the people who post here. These are wonderful, thoughtful, respectful comments about a very complicated issue.
Dee, Illinois USA
Lydia July 19, 2008 at 12:17:00 AM GMT+2
The photo is wonderful, Eric. So was your explanation toward the end of all these articulate comments. I read some fully, scanned others, so pardon me if I'm repeating something already mentioned by another...."Reading Lolita in Tehran: a Memoir in Books" by Azar Nafisi (a wonderful work) gives a strong and poignant portrayal of her women students' impressions of the veils they were forced to wear outside the home.
I still like John Lennon's imagining "no religion, too."
Lydia: I loved that book. It helped me understand not just the veil, not just the women, but the people of today's Tehran.
Yes, imagine.
May I intrude?
I'm afraid there is a litle confusion over this particular woman's case.
She was not denied French citizenship on the ground of her clothings, but because she didn't share enough our French way of life.
Our condition to get French citizenship is : trying to belong to national community, trying to adapt to French way of life and adopt it.
There is no exam to prove you know about French history, for instance, no need for that, nor knowing national anthem by heart.
This particular woman told the commission :
she did not mingle with other people,
scarcely went outside home
and when she did, wore this burqa, which is an oriental cloak covering her entire face whith just her eyes showing.
This was not considered making enough efforts to belong to French community.
So she is denied citizenship, and that's all she's denied.
She can still live here the way she likes, with her burqa on.
Bravo pour l'illustration, Eric!
Botox Melbourne November 15, 2010 at 9:27:00 AM GMT+1
I love this it looks so cute
Estate Lawyers November 15, 2010 at 9:27:00 AM GMT+1
Great shots y ou always can find some interesting piece
newwine August 5, 2013 at 2:23:00 AM GMT+2
Fascinating comment thread. I agree with PHX-CDG and Guille, for the most part...
Religious freedom is incredibly important, remember what happened to the Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries in France when it was not considered a priority.
France does give Muslims equal right to practice their faith, however they conceive of it (yay France!) - and it's really nobody's business WHY the women want to wear a burqa, it's their choice and their battle to fight if they want to NOT wear a burqa.
But public safety is also important, and to have people of whatever sex running about completely covered and thus unidentifiable isn't a good thing. It's too bad that hijab can't be considered enough by some. That's mostly what I see here in the US, in a small college town in PA.
If I choose to wear a cross, as a Christian, why not other women a hijab? Who is to say that I am oppressed because I wear a cross? I don't see it that way. And it's my business whether or not I am oppressed!
Bravo, Guille, for sticking up for freedom of belief and respect for belief, whatever it may be. I also equally believe that one should respect another's choices so I will NEVER be a proselytizer.
It's fantastic that Eric's blog is an occasion for such great discussions. Thanks, Eric - I am reading ALL your blogs, going back to the beginning, because I learn so much from them. :-)


City have this evening confirmed their first signings of the summer, Sam Clucas and Ryan Taylor.
Clucas has arrived for a fee believed to be around £1.3m from League One side Chesterfield, where he impressed last season on the Spireites' left. Aged 24, he's already had a storied career, having come through Leicester's youth set-up only to be released aged 16. He's since been at Lincoln, Jerez Industrial CF of Spain (as part of Glenn Hoddle's Academy), Hereford and then Mansfield before arriving at their local rivals last summer. He's been given a three year contract by City.
His signing is presumably undertaken with an eye on the Robbie Brady situation, which seems virtually certain to culminate in the Irish international joining Norwich for something like £7m.
Meanwhile, Taylor arrives in Hull on a free transfer aiming to rebuild a career cruelly blighted by injury in recent times. A former England U21, his last club was Newcastle, whom he joined in 2009 from Wigan. At the age of 30, he ought to be moving into his prime, though a succession of serious knee injuries has repeatedly kept him on the sidelines in the past two seasons.
He's arrived on a one year deal, and providing City have taken sensible precautions over the terms of his contract, it seems a reasonable punt on a player who's spent plenty of time playing in the Premier League.
Clucas could be a very good signing. He scored 12? goals last season, albeit in League 1. Whereas, Robbie Brady scored 1. Prefer to see Andy Robertson getting into the box too, so although Brady is a loss and I wish him well, maybe Clucas will be a better fit, especially with Robertson on the left flank?
Taylor has to be fit, with Livermore, Diame and Snodgrass all currently out.
Anyone know what's happening with Livermore?
Ince, Brady and Chester gone with Elmohamady rumoured to be next. The Allams have taken in 20 million pounds so far but I bet that Bruce will only see a fraction of that for team building. It's going to be a long hard winter and I predict us finishing no higher than mid table next year.
Possibly John. However Bruce spent (wasted) £43M last summer and if I was the Chairman I would want to recoup some of that money. We still have an excellent defence but much more to fo in midfield and attack.
I'd be gutted if Elmo left.
5/1 for Huddersfield to beat us on the opening day!.


text:
Q: Enable HTML content inside a gt table R I would like to create a gt table.
My table contains some html code in a couple of columns e.g. ➖"
Right now when I run
gt(table1)

I obtain this, which is far from desirable.
dput(table1)
structure(list(Variable = c("GDP", "", "", "", "Private consumption",
"", "", "", "Business investmnet", "", "", "", "Housing investment",
"", "", "", "", "Trade", "", "", "", "", "Labour markets", "",
"", "", "", "", "Wages", "", "", "Prices", "", "", "", "Memo items",
"", "", "", ""), Indicator = c("Real GDP growth", "Industrial production",
"Composite output PMI", "ESI", "Consum. expenditure", "New passenger car registrations",
"Retail sales", "Consumer confidence", "GFCF-excl. construction",
"Capital goods production", "PMI manu. (output of capital goods)",
"PMI manu. (new orders of capital goods)", "GFCF - residential investment",
"GFCF - construction", "Construction production", "Building constrcution production",
"Building constrcution production", "Net exports - contribution to GDP growth",
"Nominal extra-euro area exports", "Nominal extra-euro area imports",
"Nominal extra-euro area imports", "Assessment of export order-book levels",
"Employment growth", "Unemployment rate", "PMI composite employment",
"ESI - empl. expectations (manufacturing)", "ESI - empl. expectations (construction)",
"ESI - empl. expectations (services)", "Negotiated wages", "Negotiated wages (excl. one-off payments)",
"Compensation per employee (CPE)", "HICP", "HICP x", "Dom. producer price infl. (non-food c. goods)",
"Import price index (extra euro area), Consumer goods industry excluding food and tobacco",
"Loans to the private sector", "PMI services business activity",
"M3", "Forward inflation-linked swap prices (5y5y)", "Citigroup economic surprise index"
), Frequency = c("q", "m", "m", "m", "q", "m", "m", "m", "q",
"m", "m", "m", "q", "q", "m", "m", "m", "q", "m", "m", "m", "m",
"q", "m", "m", "m", "m", "m", "m", "m", "q", "m", "m", "m", "m",
"m", "m", "m", "b", "b"), Units = c("% Changes", "% Changes",
"50 = no change", "% bal", "% Changes", "% Changes", "% Changes",
"% bal", "% Changes", "% Changes", "50 = no change", "50 = no change",
"% Changes", "% Changes", "% Changes", "% Changes", "% Changes",
"pps", "% Changes", "% Changes", "50 = no change", "% bal", "% Changes",
"% Changes", "50 = no change", "% bal", "% bal", "% bal", "% per annum",
"% per annum", "% per annum", "% per annum", "% per annum", "% per annum",
"% per annum", "% per annum", "50 = no change", "% per annum",
"% per annum", "% per annum"), Reference_period = c("2022Q3",
"Sep 22", "Nov 22", "Nov 22", "2022Q3", "Oct 22", "Oct 22", "Nov 22",
"2022Q3", "Sep 22", "Oct 22", "Oct 22", "2022Q3", "2022Q3", "Sep 22",
"Jan 22", "Nov 22", "2022Q2", "Sep 22", "Sep 22", "Nov 22", "Nov 22",
"2022Q3", "Oct 22", "Nov 22", "Nov 22", "Nov 22", "Nov 22", "Sep 22",
"Sep 22", "2022Q3", "Nov 22", "Nov 22", "Oct 22", "Oct 22", "Oct 22",
"Nov 22", "Oct 22", "Dec 22", "Dec 22"), Last_obs = c(0.32, 0.943396226415103,
47.85, 93.7, 0.87, 1.67294099307111, -1.83406113537117, -23.92,
7.73006178714422, 1.50801131008484, 47.37, 39.68, -0.68584269394087,
-0.856691337279713, 0.0909918107370231, 4.15129151291514, -12.0004230219558,
-0.75, 1.64451122685591, -1.97449043365181, 41.56, -8.56, 0.29,
6.54, 51.79, 6.94, 7.65, 10.81, 2.76, 2.78, 1.09363968979366,
10, 5, 9.30674264007595, 8.5148514851485, 6.48, 48.52, 5.11,
2.34, 37.7), Change_over_previous_period = c(NA, 0.51, 0.52,
NA, NA, 10.3875157992464, -1.31694468832308, NA, NA, 1.26, -0.12,
-3.09, NA, NA, -1.04, 3.04228780042592, -11.2255942377121, NA,
2.61, 5.98, 1.98, NA, NA, -1.53651383660012, -0.73, NA, NA, NA,
NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, NA, -0.09, NA, NA, NA), One_y = c(" ▼",
"➖", " ▼",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", " ▼",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", " ▼",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
" ▲", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
" ▼", " ▼",
" ▼", " ▼",
" ▼", " ▼",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
" ▲", "➖",
" ▲", " ▲",
" ▲", " ▲",
"➖", " ▼",
" ▼", " ▲",
"➖"), Six_y = c("➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", " ▼",
"➖", "➖",
" ▼", "➖",
"➖", "➖",
"➖", " ▲",
" ▲", "➖",
" ▲", " ▲",
" ▲", " ▲",
" ▲", "➖",
"➖", " ▲",
"➖")), class = "data.frame", row.names = c(NA,
-40L))

What should I do to enable the html code in my table?

A: To render your HTML columns you have to format them using gt::fmt_markdown
library(gt)

gt(table1) |>
  fmt_markdown(columns = ends_with("_y"))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As an often misdiagnosed and untreated disease, endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women across the world. It can be a painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows outside of your uterus. Since endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries and fallopian tubes it can often affect fertility. In fact, some women with endometriosis do not have pain or any other symptoms besides infertility.
Endometriosis causes inflammation and produces substances that can have a detrimental effect on the sperm and egg and can prevent the fertilization process.
The disorder can also distort a woman's pelvic anatomy. The inflammation can cause scarring and adhesions, which can cause the fallopian tubes to become blocked or can interfere with the ability of the fallopian tubes to pick eggs up from the ovaries.
Endometriosis in the ovaries, and even surgery to remove it, can reduce the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries as a result of damage to normal ovarian tissue.
Even though endometriosis can cause obstacles on your journey to conceiving, there are numerous ways to treat the disorder and alleviate the symptoms, which can help your chances of getting pregnant. Some women with endometriosis can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, like laparoscopy, where the endometriosis is removed or cauterized. In some cases, deep-excision surgery may be necessary to remove abnormal tissue. The goal is to restore the pelvic organs as best as possible to their normal state in order to alleviate pain and improve fertility. Although surgery alone may improve fertility, in some cases it must be combined with in vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination to improve your chances of conceiving.
Celebrities and prominent women have been vocal about their struggles with endometriosis in order to raise awareness about it. Padma Lakshmi co-founded Endometriosis Foundation of America and actress Lena Dunham has documented her journey including her decision to have a hysterectomy at 31-years old. Endometriosis can take an enormous toll on woman's physical and emotional health, but there are treatment options and hope for women who want to conceive.
Schedule a consultation with a Greenwich Fertility expert today.


An Iranian woman has undergone 50 cosmetic surgery operations so she can "look just like" her hero Angelina Jolie and eventually live her Hollywood elite lifestyle.
19-year-old Sahar Tabar says she underwent the series of reconstructive surgeries because she wants to be just like Jolie and "live in Hollywood, marry a movie star and join the Illuminati."
Tabar said that aside from the surgery, she has also lost 80 pounds, taken up acting lessons, and started "worshipping Satan."
She says she hopes to soon move to California where she will begin her "movie star" career.
Little is known about how Tabar has been able to afford the numerous procedures, but she's confident that "joining the Illuminati and worshipping Satan like Angelina Jolie" will bring her all the wealth and fame she dreams of.
Tabar has documented her "transformation" into Jolie with a series of photographs after each operation.
One of the latest procedures she went through was to have eye implants to permanently change the color of her irises.
According to New York ophthalmologist James Tsai, a clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, such cosmetic procedures are illegal in the United States.
Similar but not identical procedures are done for patients with specific medical problems or conditions.
For cosmetic purposes, he said, the risks can include glaucoma, cataracts, bleeding in the eyes and corneal problems.
Tsai said websites advertising such procedures for cosmetic purposes often emphasize how quick they can be done — 10 to 15 minutes per eye — without emphasizing risks.
"We believe they are a dangerous practice and as a physician, I would never recommend them," he said.
Tsai said cosmetic implants, which involve making a small slit in the eye, first surfaced about five years ago and have been done in the Middle East, Panama, and Africa.
Sahar Tabar says she heard that Angelina Jolie recently separated from her husband Brad Pitt.
She said that when her own career takes off in Hollywood, she hopes to meet Pitt and replace Jolie in their marriage.


text:
Q: Spring MVC home directory 404 Error Intellij Idea I'm studying Spring MVC, and I stuck almost at the start. I've followed the video about creating first MVC app but it's not working for me. I want to get main.jsp as start page, following the config but the page is not loading, I'm getting 404 all the time.
I've create a new Maven project. Then I've add Spring MVC framework support for the project, create web.xml and spring-mvc-demo-servlet for Spring configuration.
I've checked my project several times, but unsuccessful. Also, Ive checked similar topics but also wasn't able to found the solution.
Project Structure Image
pom.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    4.0.0
<groupId>group</groupId>
<artifactId>artifact</artifactId>
<version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>

<properties>
    <spring.version>5.0.4.RELEASE</spring.version>
</properties>

<dependencies>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
        <version>${spring.version}</version>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
        <version>${spring.version}</version>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-web</artifactId>
        <version>${spring.version}</version>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
        <version>${spring.version}</version>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
        <artifactId>javax.servlet-api</artifactId>
        <version>3.0.1</version>
    </dependency>

    <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/javax.servlet/jstl -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
        <artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
        <version>1.2</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

WEB.XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

http://xmlns.jcp.org/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_3_1.xsd"
    id="WebApp_ID" version="3.1">
<servlet>
    <servlet-name>dispatcher</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet</servlet-class>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>contextConfigLocation</param-name>
        <param-value>/WEB-INF/spring-mvc-demo-servlet.xml</param-value>
    </init-param>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
</servlet>

<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>dispatcher</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

Spring-mvc-demo-servlet.xml
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xmlns:context="http://www.springframework.org/schema/context"
   xmlns:mvc="http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc"
   xsi:schemaLocation="
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans.xsd
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/context
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/context/spring-context.xsd
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/mvc/spring-mvc.xsd">

<!-- Step 3: Add support for component scanning -->
<context:component-scan base-package="com.test.spring" />

<!-- Step 4: Add support for conversion, formatting and validation support -->
<mvc:annotation-driven/>

<!-- Step 5: Define Spring MVC view resolver -->
<bean
        class="org.springframework.web.servlet.view.InternalResourceViewResolver">
    <property name="prefix" value="/WEB-INF/view/" />
    <property name="suffix" value=".jsp" />
</bean>

HomeController
package com.test.spring;

import org.springframework.stereotype.Controller;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;

@Controller
public class HomeController {

    @RequestMapping("/")
    public String showPage() {
        return "main";
    }

A: I think WebApplicationInitalizer is simplier for begining with Spring 5 and Intellij.
1) Add a WebMvcConfig class to your com.test.spring package like this :
@Configuration
@EnableWebMvc
@ComponentScan(basePackages = { "com.test.spring"})
public class WebMvcConfig implements WebMvcConfigurer {

   @Bean
   public InternalResourceViewResolver resolver() {
      InternalResourceViewResolver resolver = new InternalResourceViewResolver();
      resolver.setViewClass(JstlView.class);
      resolver.setPrefix("/WEB-INF/views/");
      resolver.setSuffix(".jsp");
      return resolver;
   }

2) Move your WEB-INF folder to a new folder src/main/webapp (mabe you'll have it as source folder by right cli clicking on it)
3) Remove your web.xml and spring-mvc-demo-servlet.xml files and all your old web folder
4) Add an application initializer
public class AppInitializer extends
    AbstractAnnotationConfigDispatcherServletInitializer {

   @Override
   protected String[] getServletMappings() {
      return new String[] { "/" };
   }
}

Finally right click on AppInitializer class and then Run it...
Optionnally, you could add Tomcat to your Maven pom.xml and then run command mvn tomcat7:run :
<build>
    <plugins>
        ...
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.maven</groupId>
            <artifactId>tomcat7-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>2.2</version>
            <configuration>
                <path>/</path>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>
    <plugins>
<build>

Hope this will help you

A: Thank a lof for your answer Karbos, however I had to find the solution exactly for the sources I provided, cause otherwise I wouldn't be able to continie the course on Udemy...
I solve the issue, but the most creepy moment is that I have no idea how I made it. I added several changes to the project.
Changes in web.xml
<servlet>
    <servlet-name>my-dispatcher-servlet</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet</servlet-class>
    <init-param>
        <param-name>contextConfigLocation</param-name>
        <param-value>WEB-INF/dispatcher-servlet.xml</param-value>
    </init-param>
    <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>
</servlet>

Changes in pom.xml
<packaging>war</packaging>

and some others I may didnt notice cause did it automaticly.
So the issue took one and a half day for me. Feel myself so retarded...


For other versions of this work, see On the Origin of Species.
— Excerpted from On the Origin of Species on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as this—we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the establishment of general laws."
"To conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless progress or proficience in both."
The right of Translation is reserved.
On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings.
The Diagram to front page 117, and to face the latter part of the Volume.
This page was last edited on 9 November 2016, at 18:12.


text:
L'itraconazole (R51211) est un antifongique qui est efficace sur pratiquement toutes les familles de champignons.

En France, l'itraconazole est utilisé pour les mycoses superficielles en particulier les kératites et les dermatophyties cutanées; les infections systémiques comme l'aspergillose, et les mycoses exotiques comme la chormocytose et l'histoplasmose.

Synthèse
La synthèse de l'itraconazole démarre à partir de la 2,4-dichloroacétophénone.

Notes et références

Antimycosique
Dichlorobenzène
Dioxolane
Triazole
Éther de phénol
Pipérazine

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home / Writing & Poetry
100 Shel Silverstein Quotes That'll Make You Think Twice
May 27, 2022 August 9, 2021 by Amy Finn
Browsing through this collection of the most famous and inspirational Shel Silverstein quotes, one could really learn a lot from his bold and creative way of imparting life lessons.
Sheldon Allan Silverstein was an American poet, writer, cartoonist, playwright, and songwriter.
Uncle Shelby, as he named himself in some of his works, created phenomenal cartoons, poems, songs, and children's books.
His magnum opus, "The Giving Tree," has been translated to over 30 different languages and sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
His other works were recognized and made popular by other musicians like Johnny Cash.
Be prepared to be amazed because you are about to witness a great work of art that will surely touch your heart. You will certainly learn and enjoy at the same time.
Start reading here.
And make sure to check out these Lewis Carroll quotes and Simone de Beauvoir quotes.
Best Shel Silverstein Quotes
1. "How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em."
2. "My skin is kind of, sort of, brownish, pinkish, yellowish, white. My eyes are grayish. blueish green, but I'm told they look orange in the night. My hair is reddish blondish brown, but it's silver when it's wet, and all the colors I am inside have not been invented yet."
3. "All the woulda-coulda-shouldas layin' in the sun, talkin' 'bout the things they woulda-coulda-shoulda done. But all those woulda-coulda-shouldas all ran away, and hid from one little did."
4. "There are no happy endings, endings are the saddest part. So just give me a happy middle and a very happy start."
5. "Draw a crazy picture, write a nutty poem, sing a mumble-gumble song, whistle through your comb. Do a loony-goony dance 'cross the kitchen floor. Put something silly in the world that ain't been there before."
6. "Tell me I'm clever, tell me I'm kind, tell me I'm talented, tell me I'm cute, tell me I'm sensitive, graceful and wise. Tell me I'm perfect, but tell me the truth."
7. "Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy."
8. "Listen to mustn'ts, child, listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child, anything can be."
9. "There is a voice inside of you that whispers all day long, 'I feel this is right for me, I know that this is wrong.' No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide what's right for you—just listen to the voice that speaks inside."
10. "She had blue skin, and so did he. He kept it hid, and so did she. They searched for blue their whole life through, then passed right by and never knew."
11. "Said the little boy, 'Sometimes I drop my spoon.' Said the little old man, 'I do that too.' The little boy whispered, 'I wet my pants.' 'I do that too,' laughed the little old man. Said the little boy, 'I often cry.' The old man nodded, 'So do I.' 'But worst of all,' said the boy, 'it seems grown-ups don't pay attention to me.' And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand. 'I know what you mean,' said the little old man."
12. "Nobody loves me, nobody cares. Nobody picks me peaches and pears. Nobody offers me candy and Cokes, nobody listens and laughs at me jokes. Nobody helps when I get into a fight, nobody does all my homework at night. Nobody misses me, nobody cries, nobody thinks I'm a wonderful guy. So, if you ask me who's my best friend, in a whiz, I'll stand up and tell you Nobody is! But yesterday night, I got quite a scare. I woke up and Nobody just wasn't there! I called out and reached for Nobody's hand, in the darkness where Nobody usually stands. Then I poked through the house, in each cranny and nook, but I found somebody each place that I looked. I searched till I'm tired. And now with the dawn, there's no doubt about it—nobody's gone!"
13. "If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a pray-er, a magic-bean-buyer, if you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!"
14. "I will not play at tug o' war, I'd rather play at hug o' war—where everyone hugs instead of tugs, where everyone giggles and rolls on the rug, where everyone kisses, and everyone grins, and everyone cuddles, and everyone wins."
Shel Silverstein Quotes That Will Make You Smile
15. "Oh, if you're a bird, be an early bird, and catch the worm for your breakfast plate. If you're a bird, be an early, early bird. But if you're a worm, sleep late."
16. "Sunday dinner isn't sunny, easter feasts are just bad luck, when you see it from the viewpoint of a chicken or a duck. Oh, how I once loved tuna salad, pork and lobsters, lamb chops too, till I stopped and looked at dinner from the dinner's point of view."
17. "Teddy said it was a hat, so I put it on. Now, dad is saying, 'Where the heck's the toilet plunger gone?'"
18. "So what if nobody came? I'll have all the ice cream and tea, and I'll laugh with myself, and I'll dance with myself, and I'll sing, 'Happy Birthday to me!'"
19. "We can't hold hands, someone might see. Won't you please hold toes with me?"
20. "Mrs. McTwitter, the baby-sitter, I think she's a little bit crazy. She thinks a baby-sitter's supposed to sit upon the baby."
21. "Since my friend left me, I've got nothing to do but walk. I walk to forget. I walk, I escape, I get further. My friend will not come back, now I am a marathon man."
22. "This boat that we just built is just fine. And don't try to tell us it's not, the sides and the back are divine. It's the bottom, I guess, we forgot."
23. "Now, I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my toys will break. So none of the other kids can use 'em. Amen."
24. "I'd rather play tennis than go to the dentist. I'd rather play soccer than go to the doctor. I'd rather play Hurk than go to work. Hurk? Hurk? What's Hurk? I don't know, but it must be better than work."
25. "I'm Reginald Clark, I'm afraid of the dark. So please do not close this book on me."
26. "If I had a brontosaurus, I would name him Horace or Morris. But if suddenly one day he had a lot of little brontosauri, I would change his name to Laurie."
27. "I made myself a snowball as perfect as can be. I thought I'd keep it as a pet, and let it sleep with me. I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it's head. Then last night, it ran away, but first, it wet the bed."
28. "The Yesees said yes to anything that anyone suggested. The Noees said no to everything, unless it was proven and tested. So the Yesees all died of much too much, and the Noees all died of fright. But somehow, I think the Think-for-yourselfees all came out alright."
29. "I believe that if you don't want to do anything, then sit there and don't do it, but don't expect people to hand you a corn beef sandwich and wash your socks for you."
Noteworthy Shel Silverstein Quotes
30. "If you're behind the times, they won't notice you. If you're right in tune with them, you're no better than they are, so they won't care much for you. Be just a little ahead of them."
31. "Make it so good and so clear that it doesn't need any further explanation."
32. "Just 'cause somethin' ain't been done, don't mean it can't be did."
33. "What you've got to say, you say."
34. "If there is a book you want to read but isn't written yet, write it."
35. "Anything is possible. Anything can be."
36. "If the track is tough, and the hill is rough, thinking you can just ain't enough!"
37. "Talked my head off, worked my tail off, cried my eyes out, walked my feet off, sang my heat out—so you see, there's really not much left of me."
38. "You know, years ago when you were a kid, it was your dream to make 'Who's who,' or something like that. But after a while, you realize, it doesn't mean a damn thing. Everybody knows who you are, if you are worth knowing."
39. "To me, freedom entitles you to do something, not to not do something."
40. "When I am gone, what will you do? Who will write and draw for you? Someone smarter, someone new? Someone better—maybe you!"
41. "Don't know where he's going, but see where he's been."
42. "I can be somebody's, and still be my own."
43. "Sometimes, I get so depressed 'bout what I haven't done."
44. "You'd better get your laugh while you're making your point, or you won't be doing it very long."
Shel Silverstein Quotes That Will Leave You Wondering
45. "When the light turns green, you go. When the light turns red, you stop. But what do you do when the light turns blue with orange and lavender spots?"
46. "I went to find the pot of gold that's waiting where the rainbow ends. I searched, and searched, and searched, and searched, and then—there it was, deep in the grass, under an old and twisty bough. It's mine, it's mine, it's mine, at last. What do I search for now?"
47. "Each time I see the Upside-Down Man standing in the water, I look at him and start to laugh, although I shouldn't oughta. For maybe in another world, another time, another town, maybe he is right side up, and I am upside down."
48. "Are you good with bad habits, or are you bad with good habits?"
49. "The child asks, 'Why don't I have this happiness thing you're telling me about?'"
50. "Everything isn't everything."
51. "He wasted his wishes on wishing."
52. "Would you like to hear the night I bravely fought the—no? Alright."
53. "It's amazing, the difference a bit of sky can make."
54. "And he didn't really know where he was going, but he did know he was going somewhere, because you really have to go somewhere, don't you?"
55. "It's all the same to the clam."
56. "I didn't do it, that's a lie. I didn't do it, no, not I. I didn't do it, hear me cry. I didn't do it, hope to die. I didn't do it, I'm not that bad. But if I did, would you be mad?"
57. "Small as a peanut, big as a giant, we're all the same size when we turn off the light. Rich as a sultan, poor as a mite, we're all worth the same when we turn off the light. Red, black or orange, yellow or white, we all look the same when we turn off the light. So maybe the way to make everything right is for God to just reach out and turn off the light!"
58. "She drank from a bottle called 'Drink me,' and she grew so tall. She ate from a plate called 'Taste me,' and down, she shrank so small. And so she changed, while other folks never tried nothin' at all."
59. "People are always giving you credit for really wanting to say more than you said."
Shel Silverstein Quotes About His Experiences as a Writer and Cartoonist
60. "I think if you're a creative person, you should just go about your business, do your work, and not care about how it's received. I never read reviews, because if you believe the good ones, you have to believe the bad ones, too."
61. "If you want to find out what a writer or a cartoonist really feels, look at his work. That's enough."
62. "Stand-up comics reflect less of visual humor and more of a commentary."
63. "I am writing these poems from inside a lion."
64. "There was a lot about the military that I thought was pretty silly. But these cartoons weren't meant to take a poke at anybody or anything, they were meant to make people laugh."
Shel Silverstein Quotes About His Personal Life
65. "I couldn't play ball, I couldn't dance. Luckily, the girls didn't want me. Not much I could do about that. So I started to draw and to write. By the time I got to where I was attracting girls, I was already into work, and it was more important to me."
66. "Yes, I'm adopted. My folks were not blessed with me in the usual way. But they picked me, they chose me from all the rest, which is lots more than most kids can say."
67. "I didn't have a lot of friends. I just walked around a lot and made up stories in my head, then I'd go home and write them down. That's how I got started."
68. "When I was younger, I wasn't making it, and I was mad at everybody who was."
69. "I, myself, do not believe in explaining anything."
70. "I'm free to leave, go wherever I please, do whatever I want—I believe everyone should live like that. Don't be dependent on anyone else—man, woman, child, or dog."
71. "I want to go everywhere, look at, and listen to everything. You can go crazy with some of the wonderful stuff there is in life."
72. "Comfortable shoes and the freedom to leave are the two most important things in life."
73. "I can write a poem in 10 minutes. I like writing songs—I can write songs in 5 or 10 minutes. My concentration seems very short."
74. "Imagine—four years, you could have spent travelling around Europe, meeting people, or going to the Far East of Africa or India, meeting people, exchanging ideas, reading all you wanted to anyway, and instead I wasted it at Roosevelt."
Shel Silverstein Quotes That Will Make Your Imagination Fly
75. "'You don't have to shoot me,' says the young lion. 'I will be your rug, and I will lie in front of your fireplace, and I won't move a muscle, and you can sit on me and toast all the marshmallows you want. I love marshmallows.'"
76. "Have you been to The Land of Happy—where everyone's happy all day, where they joke, and they sing of the happiest things, and everything's jolly and gay? There's no one unhappy in Happy, there's laughter and smiles galore. I have been to The Land of Happy—what a bore!"
77. "Although I cannot see your face as you flip these poems awhile, somewhere from some far-off place, I hear you laughing."
78. "Magic Sandra's seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins gold, Donald heard a mermaid sing, Susy spied an elf, but all the magic I have known, I've had to make myself."
79. "This bridge will only take you halfway there, to those mysterious lands you long to see—through gypsy camps, and swirling Arab fairs, and moonlit woods where unicorns run free. So come and walk awhile with me, and share the twisting trails and wondrous worlds I've known. But this bridge only takes you halfway there—the last few steps, you'll have to take alone."
80. "Many leaves, one tree."
81. "And she loved a boy very, very much—even more than she loved herself."
82. "The baby bat screamed out in fright, 'Turn on the dark, I'm afraid of the light.'"
83. "My beard grows down to my toes, I never wears no clothes. I wraps my hair around my bare, and down the road, I goes."
84. "Once, I spoke the language of the flowers. Once, I understand each word the caterpillar said. Once, I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings."
85. "Ricky was 'L' but he's home with the flu, Lizzie, our 'O,' had some homework to do, Mitchell, 'E' prob'ly got lost on the way, so I'm all of the love that could make it today."
86. "'Come, boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.' And the boy did. And the tree was happy."
87. "Rockabye baby, in the treetop. Don't you know a treetop is no safe place to rock? And who put you up there, and your cradle too? Baby, I think someone down here has got it in for you!"
88. "'I was hoping that perhaps I could roll with you.' 'You cannot roll with me,' said the Big O, 'but perhaps you can roll by yourself.'"
89. "We can't find the cat. We don't know where she's at. Oh, where did she go? Does anyone know? Let's ask this walking hat."
More Shel Silverstein Quotes
90. "Underneath my outside face, there's a face that none can see. A little less smiley, a little less sure, but a whole lot more like me."
91. "I keep meeting all the right people at all the wrong times."
92. "I know a way to stay friends forever—there's really nothing to it. I tell you what to do, and you do it."
93. "Never explain what you do—it speaks for itself. You only muddle it by talking about it."
94. "He has the obligation to society that any human being has. I don't think a satirist has any greater obligation to society than a bricklayer or anybody else."
95. "Hey, we're making music twice as good by playing what we've got!"
96. "If you're nasty, I won't fight. If you're rough, well that's just you. If you're mean, that's alright too. Whatever you are is all okay. I don't like you anyway."
97. "William, tell, William, tell. Take your arrow, grip it well. There's the apple, aim for the middle. Oh well, you just missed by a little."
98. "O Child, learn your ABC's and memorize them well. And you shall learn to talk, and speak, and read, and write, and spell."
99. "There is a place where the sidewalk ends."
100. "I've found my missin' piece. So grease my knees, and fleece my bees, I've found my missin' piece!"
How Do You Interpret Some of the Lines in His Stories?
Shel Silverstein was born during the Great Depression which means that his early life was not easy. During his younger years, he really enjoyed drawing, but he is not particularly good at his studies. Later in his career, he received two Grammy Awards and was nominated in the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award.
His most popular book, "The Giving Tree", which was written and illustrated by him, was described as "one of the most divisive books in children's literature." It's plot is about the deteriorating relationship between a tree and a boy—as the boy got older, the relationship evolved to be one-sided, the tree giving everything it can to satisfy the boy's needs. The story is being compared to the love of a mother or father to their child.
Through his unique, ingenious, and artistic way of conveying life lessons and facts, Shel Silverstein has touched a lot of lives. If we keep these pieces of inspiration in our hearts, it could lead to a better life.
What was your biggest takeaway from these quotes? Have you read some of his books? We'll be happy to know, hit us up in the comments section below.
Categories Writing & Poetry
100 G Herbo Quotes on Being Confidently Unique
180 Lewis Carroll Quotes on Writing, Progress, and Religion

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In 2003, a cheerful oval sticker appeared in Troy, New York with a simple statement in happy lowercase letters: enjoy troy.
Created by Linda Passaretti as a humble party favor, the easy-going meme quickly spread through this small American city and came to stand for something greater. Today, it is a grassroots symbol of community building and urban renaissance.
Now you, too, can help share this hopeful message by sporting the message on stickers, patches, shirts, coffee mugs, plaques and more items found here at the online Enjoy Troy Store. But don't forget, you can also find these products and more at several downtown brick-and-mortar retail locations (click here for details).
The Enjoy Troy Co. is a registered business in Troy, New York. It is owned and operated by Linda Passaretti and Tom Reynolds.
The "enjoy troy." symbol is a proprietary symbol. For customized tables, plaques and other orders, or bulk orders, please click here.


Looks at the status of the economic activity of Argentina as of June 2005. Gross domestic product growth; Information on the 2002 economic meltdown; Industrial activity and productivity.
Reports on the decrease in economic activity in Canada in the final quarter of 2002. Increase in gross domestic product but a decline in Canadian exports; Expansions in consumer spending and housing investments; Growth in pre-tax corporate profits and stability in labor income.
Presents a comparison of economic performance between Europe and the U.S. Comparison of economic growth between the U.S. and Europe; Gross domestic product per capita in the U.S. in 2002; Components of welfare that were evaluated; Employment in Europe compared in the U.S.


Thanks for a great session and my lesson on baseball stats 🙂 Most of my senior guys are in and out; your patience allowed me to try some new ideas and your senior pictures turned out great. Can't wait for the basketball session!
1. Select one piece of clothing that has a pattern (usually this is one of the children). From that patterned piece pick some colors you like or have in your closet. These colors will be what everyone else wears. If there is more than one child you can put the other child in a pattern too, but make sure it matches in color.
2. Pull pieces from your closet for each family member, lay them on the floor and photograph them from above. Come back to the photos is a couple of days to see which set of outfits stands out to you as your favorite.
As you can see by the images below, I had three different sets of outfits picked out. I sent these to my other family members and they chose the grey and yellow color scheme and dressed accordingly. The photos on the right is the finished image…not too bad! Variety but not chaotic.
If you are ever in doubt send me your images and I can help you make a decision or give you some suggestions on what to wear for your family photo.
8 week pictures can be a challenge with the wondering eyes and jerky movements, but little Braylen worked the camera like a pro! What a cutie. Karon, I hope you enjoy your first grand baby and his portraits. Thanks!


text:
Suursadam ('Big harbour'), or Suursadam Harbour,  is a harbour on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa, near Kärdla. Formerly, it was the most important harbour on Hiiumaa.

In the Middle Ages, lime was burned and ships were built there. Lime was an important export article.

In 1848 a famous ship, the barque Hioma, was built there. This ship, which was sailed even on the seas of the Southern Hemisphere, belonged to the Baltic German nobleman .

References

External links

Hiiumaa Parish
Ports and harbours of Estonia


Dunes Of Rajasthan Team !!! Call Or Mail Us For Live Shows.
Palm trees on a grassy outcrop at south India destinations, south India travel guide.
Amenities: The Alsisar Mahal offers 51 luxurious rooms, decorated with classical Rajasthani interior and are equipped with all the modern amenities.
Kumbalghad is a Mewar fortress on the westerly range of Aravalli Hills, in the Rajsamand district near Udaipur of Rajasthan state in western India.


text:
"FIA stops Shehbaz Sharif from flying out despite LHC order"
May 16, 2021 Pakistan
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday granted conditional permission to Shehbaz Sharif to travel abroad once for medical treatment but on Saturday when he was about to board the plane to UK, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) stopped him from flying abroad despite LHC order. The court has also revealed that on the basis of merit there is no case against Shehbaz Sharif and that they have not found any misuse of his office. His name has also been removed from Exit Control List (ECL). This has caused a political storm in the country with government and opposition (PML-N) organizing press meeting to clear their sides and to attack one another.
The host of the show Mohammad Malick pointed out that at a time when the focus of the PTI government should be fighting the pandemic, inflation and other issues, it has misplaced its priorities and focusing all energy into stopping Shehbaz Sharif from travelling abroad.
He asked is the government afraid that Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif's re union is a danger singal for PTI and might strengthen the PML-N as a strong opposition leader or even an alternative for the PTI? Why the NAB did not challenge the court's order?
Guests: Shahzad Akbar-SAPM on Accountability, Muhammad Zubair- Senior leader PML-N, Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmad- Senior Leader PPP & Farrukh Habib-Minster of State for Information.
Shahzad Akbar pointed out that what the opposition is saying is limited to narrative building and there is no legal merit in their arguments. The SC has already said in an order that it is not right to talk about bail orders based on facts. The case against him is assets beyond means and this order can be appealed. He informed that the NAB will challenge the court's decision and its there call when to do it and there is no connection between NAB and PM, Imran Khan has nothing to do with when NAB challenge or not. He informed that the FIA stopped Shehbaz Sharif based on another list called ''person-not-in-list', which is equally important as the ECL. We will take this issue to the courts and try our best to stop him from flying out of country.
Muhammad Zubair questioned the action of the government and the way they used FIA to stop Shehbaz Sharif at the airport from using his fundamental right. He argued that this is not Riyasaat-e-Madina that Imran Khan keeps talking about but a security state where force is used by the government according to their convince. He countered the government's stand that Lahore high court is favoring the PML-N and underlined that this is a misconception and questioned the government's misuse of NAB. PTI is sacred that they might have to face an early election and that why they are speeding up cases.
Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmad in a sarcastic manner pointed out that he is happy that as a result of the deal between PML-N and government, Shehbaz Sharif has got bail and earlier Maryam Nawaz and Hamza also got bail on the basis of this understanding. The rest of the PML-N leaders behind jail will also be freed but at the same time a new reference has been filed against Asif Ali Zardari. The government is saying that system is not updated and therefore they have to stop Shehbaz Sharif but once he reach UK, then the system of the PTI will fail as a result. He also pointed out that the main issues in the country are not debated but this is given more importance, the priorities of the government are really misplaced.
Farrukh Habib pointed out that these are conspiracy theories that the meeting of Sharif brothers in UK might prove detrimental for PTI government, nothing of that sort will happen. He added they can also talk on phone and strategies against the government but the real issue is that there are cases against Shehbaz Sharif and his name has not been cleared from many cases, the references against him are still intact. There are loopholes in the system that they misuse and explore, he is under trail and cannot leave the country.
Why was Shehbaz Sharif stopped from leaving the country?
Pakistan to build fence along disputed Afghan border


text:
Carey broke up massive voter fraud in a rural Arizona community where election-day corruption had long stumped local authorities, the state Department of Public Safety and the FBI, all of whom had opened files on Eloy, a ballot-box Bermuda Triangle.
For two years Carey dogged the case, eventually securing a 51-count indictment against nine individuals.
Carey jailed the mastermind of the voter-fraud ring, a Pinal County sheriff who lived in Yuma and used his extensive, and willing, relatives to organize ballot-box stuffing in his childhood hometown, Eloy.
The two letters Romley possessed accused Eloy police Lieutenant Barry Pritchett and Rob Carey of introducing perjured testimony to the grand jury hearing the case.
Noting the March date on the letters, and comparing it to the July announcement by the attorney general on Project SLIM, Romley argued that this proved he wasn't running a vendetta--that he was investigating Carey long before Romley's $750,000 humiliation was made public.
Which is a bold lie.
"Even though false testimony was provided the state grand jury, by Robert Carey, you have to show there was a criminal intent, and although we had some particular allegations of being in politics, there was some circumstances, for example, a city manager bypassing a Chief of Police and specifically recruiting this Lieutenant to do this investigation, we could not show that there was criminal intent," said Romley. "There is absolutely no crime for not being very good for presenting evidence to the state grand jury or incompetence. That matter was started prior to the George Leckie matter."
This is a vicious twisting of the record, not to mention the English language.
The police chief was circumvented in the election-fraud investigation because his boss, the city manager, had concern that the chief might be mixed up in the voter fraud. It was the city manager who asked the attorney general to prosecute the case.
The letters may have been dated March 12, but Romley's investigators never contacted the police officer accused of perjury, Lieutenant Pritchett, until August 22, weeks after the attorney general announced the $750,000 settlement in the bid-rigging case.
The letters were irrelevant on the point of Romley's vendetta toward Carey.
After issuing subpoenas for a warehouse of documents from the Attorney General's Office, Romley never asked for so much as a presentence report on the voter-fraud case in Eloy. Instead, he simply grilled Lieutenant Pritchett.
Unable as a prosecutor to make the far-fetched charge of perjury stand up against the cop, or Carey, Romley then leaked selected data to the state's largest newspaper, the Arizona Republic, to further smear Carey.
Last Friday, the Republic's Dennis Wagner ran with the phony allegation of perjury.
Though invited by the Attorney General's Office to review its Eloy file, Wagner declined, citing deadlines.
The sources for Romley's allegation of perjury were Guadalupe Ibarra and Oscar Morin. These men wrote the letters claiming perjured testimony had been used. The letter writers were among those indicted by Carey in the voter-fraud case.
Though their indictments were dropped, the two were members of a family hip deep in a voter-fraud ring orchestrated by Sheriff Moses Ibarra, Guadalupe's brother and Oscar's brother-in-law.
The clan's favorite refrain was that a police officer had committed perjury in the case against Oscar Morin.
Romley took the bait.
Listening to the Ibarras on a question of prosecutorial ethics is like consulting with Snoop Doggy Dogg on the theory of clog dancing. Even a desultory reading of the legal file demonstrates that their claim is the worst sort of nonsense.
Without establishing that the police officer in question had committed perjury, Romley investigated the premise that Carey had asked for the perjury.
Romley explored the theory that in a 51count indictment, against nine defendants, Carey suborned perjury, on a single count, against the smallest fish in the barrel, Oscar Morin, an electrician in Yuma.
That county investigators pursued the unique proposition that Carey might have asked the police officer to commit the alleged perjury spoke volumes about Romley's desperation to find something he could pin on Carey.
Romley's tortured theory depended on his faith in the Ibarras.
In Eloy, Sheriff Moses Ibarra was legend.
On election day in the winter of 1992, he personally delivered 150 absentee ballots for the city council race.
Ibarra's suitcase full of absentee ballots showed signatures from people who said they lived in Eloy.
Lieutenant Pritchett documented that many actually resided in Hawaii, or Phoenix, or Yuma, or even Casa Grande. One of Moses' voters lived in a mental institution (not located in Eloy); another dwelled in the Midwest. He cast votes for people who were underage; his sister, who was old enough to vote, did so repeatedly, though she, too, lived in Yuma.


In 1980, film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel publicly characterized slasher films (e.g., Friday the 13th) as misogynistic. They argued that those responsible for making such films hated women, and they went so far as to insist that those who went to see such films felt similarly. Their rationale, such as it was, would sound eerily familiar to anyone today who has complained about identity politics, fourth wave feminism, political correctness, or social justice warriorism. And yet, this happened in 1980 well before the publication of Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind in 1987 and long before most university campuses had gender studies departments.
If I remember correctly, Siskel and Ebert stopped just short of calling for a ban on slasher films. Unfortunately, others would soon do so. Between fundamentalist Christians and feminists, sufficient pressure was soon applied to some studios to result in in the cancellation of some advertising campaigns, pulling a few films out of theaters, and stopping production on a few others. The censors had tasted victory. It really was possible to deprive others of content they had deemed unacceptable.
Later in the 1980s, outraged feminists and fundamentalist Christians turned their attention to comic books and heavy metal music. While they were not as successful here, they made what they considered progress and were inspired to continue their efforts in preventing the rest of us from accessing content we enjoyed. They would surge back in the 1990s, taking aim at rap. This time, their efforts did manage to get some albums banned and some acts arrested for performing in jurisdictions with restrictive obscenity laws.
In recent years, we have seen a renewed focus on video games (i.e., GamerGate). What was different here was that the voices of outrage that used to be widely dismissed were embraced by much of the mainstream news media. What was once extreme had become mainstream. The platform given to feminist critics of video games around GamerGate was massive in comparison to anything we had seen since Tipper Gore's antics led musicians to appear before Congress to defend their artistic expression. It was simultaneously embarrassing and terrifying to see just how normal calls for restricting speech had become.
Something big may be brewing once again. The first I heard of it started with Reddit. A new CEO decided that free speech needed to take a back seat to social justice. People who wouldn't play by the new rules needed to go. If the growing accusations are to be believed, it has now apparently spread to Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Until recently, the accusations focused on banning people from using some of these services (e.g., kicking someone off a platform for "harassment") and/or removing certain content. This sort of thing has led to the development of alternative platforms that emphasize free speech (e.g., Voat, Minds, Gab). The most recent development involves YouTube, and the accusations are a bit different this time. I'm not a big YouTube user, but if I understand the claims correctly, they center around YouTube demonetizing content of which they disapprove. That is, they are preventing some content creators from making money from their content. I'm in no position to know whether this is actually happening. All I can say is that I have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of people making such claims in the last month.
What's the point of all this? Many of the people complaining the loudest about YouTube, Facebook, Twitter are young. At least, most of them seem to be much younger than I am. They also seem to think that they are living through historic times in the sense that this is the first time anything remotely like this has happened. But it isn't the first time. We've seen this before.
My hope is that we might be able to learn something from some of the previous run-ins we've had with fundamentalist Christians, outraged feminists, and others who are eager to restrict our freedom to preserve their feelings. The challenge before us is figuring out just what those lessons are and how best to fight back. I hope it is a challenge we will accept.