The TSA, Patriot Act and Cat Stevens

sovtek

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3682434.stm

What does one say? Does anyone still think this is a good thing?

Hobbes

It was never a good thing.

However Cat Stephens is hardly innocent in all this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stephens

"Yusuf Islam publicly stated that Rushdie was indeed guilty of blasphemy against Islam, and Rushdie deserved to be killed."

"During the Gulf War he raised further controversy by his comments in support of Saddam Hussein."

"It has been alleged that he gave thousands of dollars to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, and to the son of blind cleric Omar Abdel Rachman who was convicted of masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Yusuf Islam denies giving money to terrorists, and claims he thought he was donating to the poor."

oscarBravo

Hobbes wrote:

"Yusuf Islam publicly stated that Rushdie was indeed guilty of blasphemy against Islam, and Rushdie deserved to be killed."

I thought he'd cleared that up? He was a recent convert to Islam at the time, was put on the spot, and gave a rather equivocal answer. My impression of him is definitely that of a man of peace.

I'll try to find a more definite answer to the Rushdie point.

Hobbes

mentions it too in the link I gave.

"This led to a public outcry, and a drop in record sales. In response to this criticism, Yusuf Islam has since clarified that he believes that a death sentence can only be carried out by the authority of a court in an Islamic society, and that he is opposed to anyone taking the law into their own hands by murdering Rushdie."

oscarBravo

From the Biography Channel website:

A scandal broke out in 1989 when Yusuf was asked by a radio presenter to give his opinion on Salman Rushdie’s controversial book "Satanic Verses." Although he stated that he thought the book to be blasphemous to the Islamic faith, he also declared that he did not condone the views of Ayatollah Khomeini, who had called for the death sentence for Rushdie. However, Yusuf Islam was misrepresented in the press and his music was subsequently blacklisted by a number of radio stations.

bobbyjoe

He's denied supporting Hamas.

Despite being deported, which I can understand it in the paranoid system thats there now. (though wouldn't agree with it)
What is more worrying is that someone who is on some "watch list" was allowed onto the plane in the first place.

Also from the first article linket to

He has spoken out against the Russian school massacre and the 11 September terror attacks.

After 11 September, Mr Islam said: "No right-thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action."

He also set up a charity raising money for orphans and families afflicted by war in areas such as Kosovo, Bosnia, and Iraq.


Oh, I’m bein’ followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow
Leapin and hoppin’ on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow

therecklessone

They banned Cat from entering, but never laid a hand on Marillion? Whats the world coming to...

GuanYin

I think its a joke.

Even *IF* he had once stated that he had a rather extremist opinion on a matter, its hardly reason to be treated like a criminal.
This is spookily like the Thought Police of Orwell's classic, 1984.

As it stands, I was of the view that the Rushdie thing was a rather stupid misunderstanding, the type journalists are wont to make.

He is a reknowned pacifist and supporter of anti-war pro-peace movements. How he can be labelled a "threat" is beyond me.

If the US were to ban entry to everyone who had an opinion or voiced an opinion that they were unhappy about, it would be as closed a state as North Korea. There'd probably be a mass exodus for that matter.

Hobbes

Intresting (although maybe offtopic). I was looking for more stories when I came across this..

http://rtv.rtrlondon.co.uk/2004-09-23/2c32d78c.html

The intresting bit is you will not that the story is forbidden to be released in the US? Anyone know why?

therecklessone

Hobbes wrote:

Intresting (although maybe offtopic). I was looking for more stories when I came across this..

http://rtv.rtrlondon.co.uk/2004-09-23/2c32d78c.html

The intresting bit is you will not that the story is forbidden to be released in the US? Anyone know why?

The story was reported on by ABC news last night (broadcast on the Beeb), so I don't think there's a news blackout (if thats what you meant Hobbes?)

Hobbes

The story was reported. However reuters appear to have in their news feeds censorship flags for certain countries.

Go to..

http://rtv.rtrlondon.co.uk/

and select world1. You will see clicking through the stories that some are banned from being shown in different countries (not just the US).

Is that not a restriction on U.S networks using particular reuters feeds?
As the deportation happened in the U.S, there would have been no restriction whatsoever on local networks using their own camera work.
That could be for contractual reasons,it's not uncommon for media organisations to restrict their footage.
/slightly off topic now but...
I've watched reuters feeds here before(on a nice 1.5 m dish \o/)-they come without commentary but with their backing sound,some of them were encrypted but most weren't.
More interesting in a funny way though were the TV feeds where you get to watch the correspondents sending their live reports back from the states or wherever to their home news programme in Europe..
You can watch them live combing their hair and practicing their script.
There was a funny Italian guy who used sit in a chair smoking large cigars prior to doing his report to RAI
/ fascinating

Hobbes

Cheers Earthman. I was curious.

Intresting enough he also raised money for 9/11

http://www.vh1.com/thewire/content/news/1449391.jhtml
"I wish to express my heartfelt horror at the indiscriminate terrorist attacks committed against innocent people of the United States. No right-thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action."

Nuttzz

Its a bit extreme alright, but on the other hand do you really want to listen to father and son again???

mycroft

Don't suppose we europeans could return the favour back on oh Gerry Falwell

remember this gem

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say `You helped this happen.'"

Or Kid Rock

But it doesn't take much nudging to hear the Kid's policy analysis. "We got to kill that mother-[bleeper] Saddam," he says. "Slit his throat. Kill him and the guy in North Korea."

Profound insight......

daveirl

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oscarBravo

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

He gave money to a charity. That charity has been accused - not convicted - of giving some money to Hamas.

One of the contributors to that discussion put it rather succinctly: witchhunt.

FatherTed

The US has the right to decide who to allow entry into the US. The Homeland Security department found information concerning his activities and put him on a watch list.

Besides, who like "Morning Has Broken" anyway? That's enough reason to ban him.

Hobbes

Turns out he was turned away due to intel given that he has possible terrorist connections. Three guesses what country that was.

daveirl

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therecklessone

The spelling of his name on the "black list" was slightly different from his passport according to a BBC news report I saw in the wee hours during the week.

The authorities only noticed it when the aircraft was en-route after they examined the passenger manifest they received from the airline.

Pat Kenny on his radio show yesterday morning played an interview Gay Byrne did with him back in 1989 where he said that he would personally kill salmon Rushdie for the satanic verses .
Having heard that,I find his denial and attempts at expressing being mis understood in other interviews from that time to be somewhat shallow...

daveirl

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