Real World Libertarian: Islam

Showing posts with label Islam. Show all posts

Sep 24, 2014

Probable terrorist incident in Melbourne

Initial reports were of a stabbing of two police officers in suburban Melbourne, however as more information becomes available, there is little doubt that this incident is terrorist related:

A MAN shot dead by police in Melbourne’s southeast tonight was a “person of interest” in a counter-terrorism operation and had been under surveillance for making threats against Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Senior intelligence sources confirmed he was among a number of people who have had their passports cancelled recently.

A Victoria Police officer and Australian Federal Police agent involved in a joint agency investigation were stabbed by an occupant of a car they pulled over outside Endeavour Hlils police station about 7.40pm.

It is believed the Victoria Police officer drew his gun and shot the alleged attacker dead.It is not known what the threat involved, or whether the man had been involved in planning some kind of attack. It is understood the counter terrorism operation was aimed at detaining and questioning the man in relation to the threats.

A bomb squad officer dressed in an explosives suit and bomb squad robot are combing the police station as forensic detectives comb the scene.

The Prime Minister was tonight on a plane to New York from Canberra, where he will attend UN meetings dealing with the rising threat of Islamic State.

A Monash Health spokeswoman confirmed one of the officers was taken to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. He was expected to be discharged late tonight or tomorrow. The other was taken to The Alfred and his condition is unknown.

There are unconfirmed reports that the second officer is in a critical condition. We wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery, and thank both of them for their effort on our behalf.

While it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the difference between random acts of drug, alcohol, insanity, or radical Islamic fueled acts of violence, this one appears to be the latter.

The passport cancellation is most likely the result of a reasonable suspicion that the person involved was attempting to leave the country in order to join foreign fighters in conflict zones. Threats against the prime minister (or anyone else for that matter) are not to be tolerated and it is reasonable to suggest that the police officers were within their rights here.

While its possible that the suspect was playing with a couple of cards short of a full deck, or the odd fatwa short of a jihad, there are reasonable grounds to think that this is a terrorist incident.

Sep 15, 2014

Fred Nile calls for dress code

Cartoon: by R May

Australia’s wowser in chief, Fred Nile is having a second crack at banning the burqa, or at least preventing the covering of the face in public. He doesn’t mention the terms, burqa or Muslims in his bill and it will be interesting to see how this affects brides at traditional Christian weddings.

Fred is a man who knows what he hates and believes that all things he detests need to be prohibited via the auspices of the great and good benevolent state which, under his gentle guidance knows what is best for all of us.

He will though, allow us to wear ski masks in a blizzard, but only if it becomes fashionable:

He says the measures come at an "opportune" time after Wednesday's arrest in Queensland of two men allegedly linked to terrorist groups in Syria.

"We also face the new Islamic State (IS) terrorist threat, whose black uniforms for both men and women include face coverings to prevent identification," he told the upper house.Labor MP Amanda Fazio said the measures were "anti-Islamic" and had more to do with Mr Nile's bid for re-election in March. …

… Under Mr Nile's plan, a person who covers their face in public would face a $550 fine and a person who forces someone else to cover their face would be hit with a $1100 penalty.

The plan allows faces to be covered under certain conditions, such as during a parade or if "Sydney is suddenly hit by a blizzard and ski masks are the latest fashion", the MP said. …

… John Blaxland, an intelligence and security expert at the Australian National University, said authorities already had powers to ask for face coverings to be removed. He said Mr Nile's plan was unlikely to be supported by the security community. …

It is uncertain why the time is “opportune because of the arrest of two men with terrorist links.” None of the reports on the incident indicate that either of them was wearing a burqa at the time.

It is difficult to see this as anything other than an attempt to capitalize on anti-Islamic sentiment using their traditional dress as an excuse. We shouldn’t fall for the PC line that anti-terrorism measures are by nature anti-Islamic, (we have yet to see a Lutheran or Baptist suicide bomber) but banning religious symbols does nothing to improve our security.

May 29, 2014

Oh dear; Cadburys not Halal

It took a fair bit of checking around to make sure that the following was not satire, in this modern age of victimhood it is often difficult to tell the difference.

Muslim groups in Malaysia are threatening a holy war and lawsuits against chocolate manufacturer, Cadburys over traces of pork found in their products; you just can’t make this stuff up. Apparently this is seen as likely to weaken Muslim bodies and lead to social ills and apostasy:

… “They have betrayed us Muslims by putting ‘haram’ elements through the foods we consume in our body, to weaken us Muslims. “That is why Muslims are weak, divided,” Perkasa Selangor chief Abu Bakar Yahya told reporters.

Perkid president Ustaz Masridzi Sat said most social ills and apostasy cases in the country involving Muslims stemmed from them consuming food which was not halal.

“Because the person eats pork it is difficult to guide him to the right path. When the day of judgment comes, that person will be wearing a pig-face because of what he has eaten,” he said.

“We need to unite, we must declare jihad!” said Masridzi to shouts of “Allahuakbar” (God is great!) from the others in attendance.

PPIM president Datuk Nadzim Johan said that they have begun discussing matters with Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) and other Malay NGOs on possible legal action. “But even RM1 billion in compensation won’t be enough.

“Will Cadbury wash away the tainted blood in our veins? I want to wash away the tainted blood of my children who have consumed the chocolates... how will money even compensate that?” a Malay woman present shouted hysterically. …

If we had made this one up, we could have claimed to have scooped the Onion as a quick check reveals that it hasn’t appeared there yet.

If Cadburys is trying to dispose of the offending products, I will send them my address, as I have no worries about a bit of pork in my food. Perhaps some of the more laid back Muslims will take it though; a number of Catholics have reported that meat always tasted that bit better on Fridays when it was forbidden.

Oct 20, 2013

Indonesian clerics rort our abattoirs

A powerful body of Indonesian clerics is essentially holding Australian abattoirs to ransom over the certification of meat as Halal and suitable for export to that country:

QUEENSLAND abattoirs are being slugged thousands of dollars a month through a religious levy on meat exports so powerful Muslim clerics in Jakarta can raise money for Islamic schools and mosques. The Halal certification fees can cost some meat processors up to $27,000 a month.

The Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), the top Islamic body which orders fatwa religious rulings, has even banned a Brisbane business from operating - because it was not charging Queensland abattoirs enough to give the religious tick-off to export meat.

The scandal has stopped most of Queensland's Halal meat exports to Indonesia, as angry abattoir operators boycott the more expensive Halal certifiers endorsed by the MUI.Australian companies that certify meat as Halal, or legal under Islamic law, must be accredited with Indonesia's MUI - which approves just one certifier per state or territory.

The MUI has suspended Brisbane based Australian Halal Food Services (AHFS) for engaging in "unfair competition'' that could "weaken (the) Halal certification movement". Certifiers must donate a share of their revenue to mosques and Islamic schools.

AHFS - which refused to comment on Saturday - sponsors the As-Salaam Institute of Islamic Studies, based in Eight Mile Plains. It has also spent funds repairing and maintaining mosques in Rochedale and Rockhampton. …

… But MUI chairman Amidhan Shaberah said AHFS had been suspended for trying to work interstate, as well as Queensland. He said setting minimum fees and restricting one certifier to work in each state was "part of our control''. "We have to standardise the charge to avoid any unfair competition between certifiers,'' he told The Sunday Mail during an interview in Jakarta.

This has nothing to do with the backlash from the live export ban, an ill conceived and misbegotten act of the Labor government in a knee-jerk reaction to a TV show. While this act destroyed Australia’s reputation as a reliable supplier and crippled the northern cattle industry, damaging the rest in the process, this is the separate issue of processed meat exports.

Such high fees leave abattoirs with only three options:

First, to stay out of that particular market, as they appear to be doing;
Second, Charge more to all consumers including those with no religious fetishes, or charging the Halal market for the entire additional cost which could make the product too expensive and leave the company open to claims of religious discrimination under the Human Rights Act which was written and enacted by people with little or no commercial experience; and
Third (which is most likely), pay less to struggling producers for their livestock.

Where a product has to be produced under special requirements and is not visually different to the normal one, a certification system is necessary. Such systems though, can be abused.

The usual form of abuse is for an industry to use it to make it impossible for new competitors to enter. In cases where government runs the certification, industry lobbyists push hard for conditions to ‘protect consumers’ which have the same effect while leaving those already established to hog the lot.

In this case it is being used to extort money from meat processors by monopolizing the certification with the stated aim of preventing competition.

Aug 10, 2013

Richard Dawkins hits the PC barrier

Prominent atheist, biologist, writer, and a number of other things, Richard Dawkins has run foul of the PC crowd over his comments on Twitter.

Dawkins, who tends to be scathing about all religions, apparently made the mistake of thinking that given his across the board disbelief in all faith based thinking, it was OK to criticise the religion of peace:

RICHARD Dawkins has sparked a backlash on Twitter after he claimed the world's Muslims have won fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge, but added: "They did great things in the Middle Ages, though".

The outspoken author went on to defend the remarks which sparked fury on the social network where he was accused of disguising his "bigotry" as atheism.

A series of high-profile Twitter users weighed in to condemn the comments prompting Professor Dawkins to question what Muslims had achieved since the Dark Ages.
The row broke out after he observed: "All the world's Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge.”

He responded to the barrage of ensuing criticism by telling his followers: "A statement of simple fact is not bigotry. And science by Muslims was great in the distant past.” In a further posting he wrote: "Where would we be without alchemy? Dark Age achievements undoubted. But since then?”

He sought to justify the controversial observation by adding: "Why mention Muslim Nobels rather than any other group? Because we so often hear boasts about (a) their total numbers and (b) their science.”

One angry Twitter user hit out at the remarks telling the author: "You absolutely disgust me.” Writer Caitlin Moran added: "Think it's time someone turned Richard Dawkins off and then on again", while Channel 4 News economics editor Faisal Islam questioned Prof Dawkins' "spurious use of data".

Writer and commentator Owen Jones told Prof Dawkins: "How dare you dress your bigotry up as atheism. You are now beyond an embarrassment.” ...

It appears, that while it is perfectly fine to knock the Bible, dispute Judaism, criticise Buddhism, Taoism, and all but one of the rest, Islam must be given a pass, even among atheists.

There appear to be ten Muslim recipients of the Nobel Prize, although six of these have received the largely discredited, or at least, devalued Peace Prize. Two have won the literature prize, one, Physics and another, chemistry.

Trinity College has 32.

Jul 18, 2013

Note to Dr Hook; you’re in the wrong game

Well Doc, you have been singing about your problem for a long time now:

Change your act and you won't have that old situation where everybodys making it big but you:

Jun 21, 2013

Muslim incensed at Australian stamp

Image: the offending stamp. (This appears to be the action at Tel el Saba, a Kiwi action.) Courtesy News .com.au

The latest in Australian stamps that has been distributed jointly with Israel has incensed a Palestinian activist who is having conniptions over it being a ‘disgraceful insult’ to whoever. The problem she is frantic about is that they feature the Battle of Beersheba.

The charge of the Light Horse at Beersheba is one of the iconic battles in Australian history. The 4^th Light Horse was ordered to take the town by dark after the British XX Corps had attached the town for most of the day, making little headway against stiff resistance.

The 4^th and 12^th Regiments were ordered to attack the Turkish trenches in a cavalry charge rather than the traditional tactic of dismounting and attacking on foot. The town was secured within the hour.

There only seems to be one complaint so far, but it has apparently been a slow news day:

Australia Post's noble envelope-carrying mission is embroiled in controversy today - with the company accused of making a "disgraceful" insult to the Palestinian people in a range of 60c and $2.60 postage stamps.

"Just the other day I needed a postage stamp," Australian Palestinian activist Sonja Karkar wrote on her blog, "I duly handed over my 60 cents at an Australia Post outlet and received far more than I bargained for - nothing less, would you believe, than a dollop of Israeli propaganda."

The issue? The stamps feature World War I near the town of Beersheba where Australian soldiers fought the Turkish. But Ms Karkar says the stamp is tied to Israel when Beersheba was a Palestinian town in 1917. Israel did not exist until 1948. …

… An Australia Post spokeswoman said it received its information from sources including the Australian War Memorial. And the stamps were fact-checked by war historian Peter Stanley.

It is difficult to understand why this has been given publicity, given that the ‘outrage’ described consists of one blog post by a Palestinian radical who wishes to censor the history of this nation. We can though, now expect plenty of bleating and bitching to follow from the usual sources.

Giving these idiots oxygen is only likely to result in more demands in the name of political correctness and the avoidance of offense to Muslims. There is already far too much appeasement of these people who seem to find nearly everything ‘offensive’.

Probably one of the most ludicrous examples was a report by Veterans Affairs fretting over whether ANZAC day was likely to upset their delicate sensibilities:

The Government squandered $370,000 so that Veteran’s Affairs Bureaucrats could finance a number of ‘Focus Groups’ to develop still more political correctness and tell us that ANZAC Day commemorations were “unpopular with younger people” and offend recent Islamic immigrants. Someone forgot to tell the focus groups about the increasing numbers of young people that are attending dawn services and other ANZAC Day commemorations around Australia, at Gallipoli and other memorial sites on the battlefields of WWI and recent immigrants are offended by everything Australian.

The Government then spent another $105,000 to measure the impact of ANZAC Day on recently arrived Islamic migrants and to tone down the commemorations by not mentioning the current and recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq as Muslims may be offended. What consideration was give to the offence that will cause the survivors and/or families of those Australian servicemen killed or maimed in those conflicts? …

About the only offensive thing about this stamp is the cost of posting a letter.

Jun 15, 2013

US to back al Qaeda in war against Hezbollah

It seems like the urging of Bill Clinton has done the trick in getting President Obama to commit to aiding the rebels in Syria. We should not forget the campaigning for intervention by John McCain who just loves to see the troops deployed, and Lindsey Graham who can think of a dozen good reasons to invade most countries, from Austria to Zimbabwe and in a pinch, even Hutt River Province.

Reports indicating that up to 100 – 150 rebels may have suffered injuries from chemical weapons have helped him make this decision as well.

Several months ago there were clear indications that the rebels also possessed chemical weapons, which seems to have been forgotten. With the relatively small number of injuries by these weapons, it is not inconceivable that they were caused by weapon strikes on their own stocks, unless it is assumed that Assad is not very good at targeting.

Owing to the fact that the Syrian government is backed by Hezbollah, and the rebels are backed by al Qaeda, it makes no sense at all to be involved. Putting advanced weapons into the hands of radical Islamists is a recipe for having them used against you in the future and regardless of who wins they will be opposed to the West.

Jun 2, 2013

An Islamists advice to the sensative new age husband

Apparently Western men fail to understand that a wife needs a bit of discipline from time to time, which teaches them respect and honours them:

Modern feminists seem to agree as hardly any complain about this sort of thinking except for right wingers.
H/t Libertarian Republican

May 6, 2013

Immodestly dressed women cause earthquakes, Iranian cleric

Did one make the earth move for him?

A senior Iranian cleric says women who wear revealing clothing and behave promiscuously are to blame for earthquakes.

Iran is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and the cleric’s unusual explanation for why the earth shakes follows a prediction by the president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that a quake is certain to hit Tehran and that many of its 12 million inhabitants should relocate.

“Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which increases earthquakes,” Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi told Iranian media.

“What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble?” Sedighi asked during a prayer sermon last week. “There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam’s moral codes.”

Some of these people make Todd Akin look sane.

H/t Breitbart

Here is a little something for them:

Apr 27, 2013

Dutch abandon multiculturalism

Much of the Western world is in the thrall of multiculturalism, a bad idea whose time has passed. In Europe, which seems to have embraced the concept like a viper to its bosom, serious problems have arisen owing to extremely liberal human rights laws of the EU, and a virtual open border allowing unrestricted migration from the Middle East and Africa.

The Netherlands, where Party for Freedom (PVV) leader, Geert Wilders (L) and former politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali (R) live under constant threat of being murdered has had enough and are abandoning the concept:

The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism that has encouraged Muslim immigrants create a parallel society within the Netherlands.

A new integration bill, which Dutch Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner presented to parliament on June 16, reads: “The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people.

In the new integration system, the values of the Dutch society play a central role.” With this change, the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society.

The letter continues: “A more obligatory integration is justified because the government also demands that from its own citizens. …

Among the changes, immigrants will be required to learn the Dutch language, a tougher approach to immigrants who ignore Dutch values or disobey Dutch law, no special subsidies for Muslim immigrants, and a ban on face-covering, Islamic burqas.

Apr 23, 2013

Bill Maher gags on the kool-aid; calls ‘liberal bullshit’

Comedian Bill Maher is in many ways your average liberal progressive big government creature of the state, although he has on occasions disagreed with some aspects of it. Recently he commented on the exorbitant California tax rates, stating that liberals could actually lose him. This possibly indicated a move out of the state rather than any chance of him becoming a Republican or libertarian.

On other fronts, he donated a million dollars to the Obama campaign at the last election, and is not only anti gun, but also anti Second Amendment.

However, he is not into political correctness to the point where he is prepared to believe Islam is the same as other faiths. On the suggestion that Islam was the same as Christianity on hypocrisy and doing whacky things he fairly gagged on his Kool-aid calling “liberal bullshit:”

This will have more influence on liberal nut jobs than all the logic in the world, coming from one of their own.

Apr 3, 2013

Muslim serial rapist granted appeal on ‘cultural differences’

The joys of multiculturalism are coming to a courtroom near you. In the increasingly ludicrous legal system we have today, it appears that the court of appeal in Victoria believes that those who come from a culture in which a woman has no real rights unless she is covered from head to toe, must have that taken into account in sentencing decisions.

An Afghan serial rapist has won the right to appeal a fourteen year sentence for raping two women, days apart because the judge failed to take ‘cultural differences’ into account:

AN Afghan refugee who argued cultural differences led him to rape a drunken girl has won a bid to appeal against a 14-year jail term. Esmatullah Sharifi, 31, was given a total 11-year non-parole term for two rapes committed within days of each other in December 2008.

He pleaded guilty at separate hearings to raping a teen on December 19 and a woman, 25, on Christmas Eve. He's been granted leave to appeal against the sentence for raping the teen. A date is yet to be set.

Granting leave to appeal, Court of Appeal Justice Robert Redlich said: "The sentencing judge rejected any suggestion (Sharifi) didn't have a clear concept of consent in sexual relations. His Honour concluded that the protection of the community was the principal purpose for which the sentence was imposed.” …

… But in his sentencing remarks, Judge Mark Dean said Sharifi had gone hunting for vulnerable, drunken women to rape. His flight from the Taliban was no excuse for extreme violence.

"The offence committed by you was an extremely serious act of violence, and in my opinion you well knew the victim was not consenting," he said. "You have no remorse or insight into your offending."

Sharifi found the teen near to a Frankston nightclub and offered to drive her to meet friends at a Mornington hotel. But instead he drove her to a dark street and raped her.

"Your brutal conduct must be denounced by this court," Judge Dean said.

Australians going overseas have been warned on numerous occasions that they are subject to the laws applying in those countries. This decision indicates that visitors to this country are entitled to have the values of their home country taken into account if they break our laws.

This is not even a case of a newly arrived person committing the act. Sharifi has been here since 2001 and in the twelve years since has had plenty of time to gain an understanding of our values had he chosen to do so. Australian cultural values apply here, and should continue to do so.

Rape is rape in any culture. This decision devalues our cultural mores.

Mar 13, 2013

Jew annihilationist keynote speaker at Australian Islamic ‘peace conference’

Recently, Australian Muslims were outraged as they often are about nearly everything; this time over the visit of Geert Wilders who was on a speaking tour. Wilders they and their leftist fellow travelers explained was a divisive and racist person who vilified the religion of peace and its followers.

Australians responded with revulsion to the actions of Islamic rioters who were out in an orchestrated ‘spontaneous’ demonstration (left) against the rather silly video clip, ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ in which the participants carried signs calling for the beheading of those who insult the prophet or whatever.

There was even more disgust over the image (right) of a young mother taking photos of her child with one of the signs to send off to the folks back home to let them know he was being brought up the right way. She explained later that she was a 27 year old university student who was not aware of what the term ‘behead’ meant, which given the quality of the education system, could be plausible.

Islamic leaders responded by condemning the whole thing and declaring that it was not representative of their faith and agreeing to cooperate with authorities.

It seems though that they have now chosen to show their true colors in the guest list to what has been called “ The Australian Islamic Peace Conference” with the invitation of some right little bundles of joy as keynote speakers:

THE imam of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, who has called for the annihilation of Jews, is scheduled to give the keynote address at the Australian Islamic Peace Conference in Melbourne this weekend.

The attendance of Abdul Rahman al-Sudais will come despite calls from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and several Christian groups for the imam to be denied entry to Australia.

Sheik Sudais, who has called for violent jihad, has been denied entry to the US and Canada after describing Jews as "the scum of humanity" and "pigs and monkeys". The 53-year-old's name and face do not appear on the event leaflets, which were posted on the conference Facebook page on Sunday evening.

Instead, they denote him as "Imam of Makkah" and show the Saudi in profile, with a cloth obstructing his facial features.

They also note that conference guests "are subject to visa approval as well as their personal circumstances". Federation of Islamic Councils assistant secretary Keysar Trad said there was no comparison to be made between calls for Dutch anti-Islam activist Geert Wilders to be denied a visa on his recent visit to Australia, and similar calls regarding Sheik Sudais. …

… Other invited conference guests include Australian Sheik Abu Hamza, who ridiculed laws that prohibit rape within marriage, and Sheik Assim al-Hakeem, from the United Arab Emirates, who has called for homosexuality to be punished by death and on his website compares gay people to "animals that seek only their sexual satisfaction through their weird ways".

Sheik Sudais is not listed among the speakers on the conference website, which touts the occasion as the "largest, biggest and best ever Islamic event in the history of Australia" and says it aims to build links with other faiths and the broader Australian society.

Australia has had a 200-year history of living in harmony with the Islamic community within it who have been treated with respect during that time. In the last decade though, this has changed with the introduction of a radical element which is determined to drive a wedge between Muslims and the rest of the population.

Moderate elements of the faith need to reject these halfwits, and just get on with their lives in harmony with the Australian people. These idiots are totally out of touch with reality with their desire to build a power base on the planks of hatred and divisiveness.

Nov 30, 2012

Mali Islamists launch ‘charm offensive’; people want freedom back

One of the weaknesses of Islam is its controlling nature, demanding as it does, total compliance with patriarchal social rules from fifteen hundred years in the past. The new Egyptian democracy appears to be coming unstuck as Morsi attempts to seize totalitarian powers to enforce his will, turning the ‘Arab spring’ quickly to autumn with the winter of discontent fast approaching.

In Mali, where Islamists have taken control, a different tack is being tried with some success. They seem to be using funds from outside to subsidise such things as water and electricity supply and provide free services:

In Timbuktu, Amadou said, the Islamists provided free ambulances to the local hospital as well as a weekly shopping shuttle to bring women from outlying towns to market. "When people have a problem with their health, they bring a car and take them to the hospital for free," he said.

"When it was our government, they were always asking for something. But (AQIM) don't want anything. They say they are doing it for God and they will wait as long as you need." He and Aboubakar gave only one name, to protect relatives from reprisals.

During the Muslim festival of Eid, when it is traditional for families to sacrifice a sheep, the group capped the price of livestock to roughly $56 an animal, Amadou said, barring traders from charging inflated prices, which can reach up to 2 1/2 times as much.

Basic staples such as rice are about 50 per cent cheaper in Timbuktu and Gao, 320km to the southeast, compared with Bamako, because the supplies arrive tax-free from neighbouring countries.

Diplomats in Bamako suspect that the Islamists, who grew rich by kidnapping foreign tourists, are also subsidising food by deliberately overpaying. In Timbuktu, families pay just $US4 ($3.80) a month for water and six hours' electricity a day. In Gao, Ansar Dine spokesman Omar Hamaha said the price was $US3, compared with $US15-$US20 for an average family in Bamako.

While this seems to indicate that under Islam the people live in the equivalent of another socialist workers paradise, (at least while the money holds out) there is a downside in the loss of their accustomed freedoms:

More than 400,000 people have fled northern Mali this year as Islamist militants seized an area larger than France, instigating corporal and capital punishments for breaches of Islamic law.

Amadou, a fellow tourist guide who fled Timbuktu because he had a child out of wedlock, said AQIM put an end to the looting and lawlessness that followed the rout of the government. …

… "The problem is people still don't have any money," said Ali, a driver in Timbuktu. He said people were weary of the occupation, especially the women, who had been used to dressing and acting as they pleased.

"Everything is cheap but we were not free," said Aboubakar. "We miss our freedom. For six months we weren't allowed to listen to music, we couldn't smoke. When you are young you want freedom, to go to the beach, to go to the nightclubs."

Meanwhile the kids are given floggings for the heinous offense of ‘comingling’:

Timbuktu residents say that Islamist extremists controlling the city publicly whipped 6 young people, males and females aged between 16 to 22 years, who each received 100 lashes for having talked with each other on the city streets.

Aboubacrine Yattara, who lives in Timbuktu and witnessed the whippings, told Associated Press over the phone that the young people were arrested last week by the Islamists controlling the city and were convicted Wednesday of comingling. He said they were flogged Thursday in Timbuktu’s small market.

Any regime that forbids young guys and chicks from chatting each other up, is doomed to failure.

Real World Libertarian

Trigger warning: