Friday, March 21, 2003
Monday, March 17, 2003
Human rights
If the mainstream news media is so "liberal," why didn't they report this? (My commentery in parentheses.)
A criminal court in Egypt sentenced 21 men to three years in jail Saturday on charges stemming from a suspected gay sex party in a case condemned by Egyptian and international human rights groups (human rights groups, those damned liberals!) as persecution of gay people. Officials told the Associated Press that another 29 men were acquitted in the retrial, which began in July following an order by Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. (And we court this guy as an ally?) The officials said the defendants were not in court to hear the verdicts, but their lawyers attended. The 21men were sentenced to three years in jail on charges of practicing debauchery, the officials said.
The defendants are among 52 men arrested in a May 2001 police raid on a Nile riverboat restaurant on suspicion they had taken part in a gay sex party. (Notice that there's no proof, just SUSPICION of being gay is enough to get you thrown into the slammer in Egypt.) The Emergency State Security Court initially sentenced 23 of them in November 2001 to jail terms ranging from one to five years. The rest were acquitted. Mubarak, in his capacity as Egypt's military ruler, last May ordered 50 of the men--including the 29 acquitted--to be retried on the debauchery counts before a lower court, annulling the original verdicts (in America, this is known as Double Jeopardy, and is unconstitutional) because the emergency courts did not have the jurisdiction to hear the charges.
Human rights groups and the international community (those damned quiche-eating Liberals) have denounced the trials and condemned Egypt, where homosexuality is met with zero tolerance. Homosexuality is not explicitly referred to in the Egyptian legal system, (Talk about the Love that Dare not speak its name!) but a wide range of laws covering obscenity, prostitution, and public morality are punishable by jail terms.
A final thought:
Not too long ago, homosexuals, along with Jews were persecuted and exterminated by the Nazis. Don't think it can't happen again. There are those, especially some of our so-called "Allies" in the Middle East, who would love nothing more than to rid the world of Jews, Homosexuals...and Christians.
In today's world, one can basically judge the human rights record of a country by the way it treats three groups: religious minorities, women, and sexual minorities--i.e. gays, lesbians and the transgendered. By that measure, Egypt measures somewhere below Cuba and above Saudi Arabia
Our government needs to reexamine its priorities and stand for something more than Oil and Commerce.
A criminal court in Egypt sentenced 21 men to three years in jail Saturday on charges stemming from a suspected gay sex party in a case condemned by Egyptian and international human rights groups (human rights groups, those damned liberals!) as persecution of gay people. Officials told the Associated Press that another 29 men were acquitted in the retrial, which began in July following an order by Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. (And we court this guy as an ally?) The officials said the defendants were not in court to hear the verdicts, but their lawyers attended. The 21men were sentenced to three years in jail on charges of practicing debauchery, the officials said.
The defendants are among 52 men arrested in a May 2001 police raid on a Nile riverboat restaurant on suspicion they had taken part in a gay sex party. (Notice that there's no proof, just SUSPICION of being gay is enough to get you thrown into the slammer in Egypt.) The Emergency State Security Court initially sentenced 23 of them in November 2001 to jail terms ranging from one to five years. The rest were acquitted. Mubarak, in his capacity as Egypt's military ruler, last May ordered 50 of the men--including the 29 acquitted--to be retried on the debauchery counts before a lower court, annulling the original verdicts (in America, this is known as Double Jeopardy, and is unconstitutional) because the emergency courts did not have the jurisdiction to hear the charges.
Human rights groups and the international community (those damned quiche-eating Liberals) have denounced the trials and condemned Egypt, where homosexuality is met with zero tolerance. Homosexuality is not explicitly referred to in the Egyptian legal system, (Talk about the Love that Dare not speak its name!) but a wide range of laws covering obscenity, prostitution, and public morality are punishable by jail terms.
A final thought:
Not too long ago, homosexuals, along with Jews were persecuted and exterminated by the Nazis. Don't think it can't happen again. There are those, especially some of our so-called "Allies" in the Middle East, who would love nothing more than to rid the world of Jews, Homosexuals...and Christians.
In today's world, one can basically judge the human rights record of a country by the way it treats three groups: religious minorities, women, and sexual minorities--i.e. gays, lesbians and the transgendered. By that measure, Egypt measures somewhere below Cuba and above Saudi Arabia
Our government needs to reexamine its priorities and stand for something more than Oil and Commerce.
Saturday, March 8, 2003
Thursday, February 27, 2003
One of my hobbies
In my spare time, I enjoy writing reviews, mostly on Classical music, but occasionally on movies or books which are published on Amazon.com and a few other sites. Here's the latest review, of pianist Vladimir Horowitz's recording of his 1968Carnegie Hall recital, which was broadcast on CBS (could you imagine a Classical piano concert on network TV these days? I didn't think so).
Click here to read
Click here to read
Friday, May 3, 1991
Brendel in Boston
Alfred Brendel played in Symphony Hall last night. The centerpiece of the program was Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes (including the Posthumous Etudes) with all the repeats. Brendel did nothing to add variety to the repeated sections - no changes in dynamics, voicing, or phrasing - just a rote repeat. It became rather monotonous. I love the Symphonic Etudes, but Brendel proved there can truly be too much of a good thing. He really writhes on the platform - like someone put itching powder down the back of his shirt.
Saturday, January 12, 1991
Yo Yo Ma in Boston
Went with friends to see Yo-Yo Ma at Symphony Hall. An eloquent recital of the final three Cello Suites of J. S. Bach. He offered an encore as a prayer for peace. There was a reception afterwards at which he was present. The drive back was awful due to the snowstorm. The roads were almost impassable. We didn't get back until after one in the morning.
Saturday, December 15, 1990
Ashkenazy in recital, Boston
Went with my teacher Charles to hear Ashkenazy at Symphony Hall on Wednesday. He played Beethoven’s Opp. 110 & 111 for the first half. A touch bland, but Charles loved it at first. The second half was much better, Brahms Op. 119 and Handel Variations. Very strong playing.
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