Is There Anything That Can't Be Seen As An Insult To Islam?
This time it's the latest New York City Apple computer store. Here it is under construction, and apparently at its most offensive. MEMRI, the Middle East Research Institute, quotes an Islamic website calling it "clearly meant to provoke Muslims":
The fact that the building resembles the Ka'ba (see picture below), is called "Apple Mecca," is intended to be open 24 hours a day like the Ka'ba, and moreover, contains bars selling alcoholic beverages, constitutes a blatant insult to Islam. The message urges Muslims to spread this alert, in hope that "Muslims will be able to stop the project."
Oops...stop it...how? Since a number of Muslims seek violence as a means of protest, isn't their suggestion illegal (very possibly, or even very likely, inciting violence)?
Apple says, via a K.C. Jones story on TechWeb News:
Apple's Web site states that the store opened May 19. Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said Wednesday that the entrance to the Apple Store is not meant to resemble the holy structure and the company has never referred to the site as "Mecca.""New Yorkers have given our store on Fifth Avenue a resoundingly positive reception," he said. "A couple of blogs referred to it as 'Mecca,' and others observed that, during construction it looked like the Ka'ba. Apple has never referred to our store as Mecca, and the entrance is not an attempt to look like the Ka'ba. We respect all people's religions and regret that the comments of these independent bloggers have offended anyone."
You know, if living in a secular, free country disturbs you...perhaps go back to where you came from and have as little freedom as works for you?
UPDATE: MEMRI mention corrected.
Gee, my house is open 24 hours a day and if you squint and sort of tilt your head just right it kinda looks like the Ka'ba, and since we drink a beer from time to time CLEARLY it's an insult to Islam!!!
Great logic, there, MEMRI.
Melissa at October 14, 2006 6:40 AM
Hello? Anyone home?
"apparently at its most offensive, according to the MEMRI, the "Middle East Media Research Institute." Please."
and
MEMRI calls it "clearly meant to provoke Muslims":
Oh Amy, it isn't MEMRI that is saying this, it is MEMRI quoting an islamist website.
I think you, and the first commenter, could both use a more prolonged (that is more than .5 second) look at MEMRI. Happens to be the only site I know of that collects islamofacist bullshit and translates it for the rest of us.
MEMRI is reporting, not supporting.
You owe MEMRI an apology.
me at October 14, 2006 11:35 AM
Oh Amy, spend more than a picosecond reading your source.
"This time it's the latest New York City Apple computer store. Here it is under construction, and apparently at its most offensive, according to the MEMRI, the "Middle East Media Research Institute." Please."
and
"MEMRI calls it "clearly meant to provoke Muslims":"
It's not "the MEMRI" calling the Apple cube anything, it's MEMRI finding an islamofascist website saying that, and translating it for us.
MEMRI is an invaluable resource, and I'm surprised that you apparently aren't more than glancingly aware of it.
I hope that was just careless writing on your part- but in any case your post deserves correction, and MEMRI an apology.
Me at October 14, 2006 11:43 AM
Chill, Amy's one of the good guys here. It would be a real surprise if Memri's feelings were hurt or its reputation permanently wounded.
> perhaps go back to where you came from and have as little freedom as works for you?
That thought came to me yesterday when reading the LAT piece about Russian immigrants pestering gays in Sacramento (search "For Gays, a Loud New Foe").
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-russgay13oct13,1,3996875.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
They can finally live as they want to, so they come here and fuck with people. It's just too ironic. Harry Shearer said it as a joke once: You really don't want to hang out with a recently liberated minority. They have weird energies and overreach.
Crid at October 14, 2006 12:25 PM
Crid,
Only did the second because I thought the first hadn't posted.
I know Amy's one of the "good guys here" - but as you can see from the first commenter, if you don't already know what MEMRI is, this post can leave the wrong impression. And MEMRI is one of the few truly indispensable services/websites in the struggle.
BTW, great Shearer quote.
Me at October 14, 2006 12:39 PM
From the InformationWeek article by K C Jones, 11-Oct-2006: An earlier version of this article contained an inaccurate reference to alcohol being sold at the retail site. That incorrect statement has been removed; we regret the error.
Ibid:
Update, Oct. 12, 9 am: the sentence "MEMRI did not specify the name of the Islamic Web site it was referring to." was added to the fourth paragraph. In addition, in the interest of clarify, the word "unspecified" was added in paragraph two before the phrase "Islamic Web site."
So MEMRI published inflamatory material which was inaccurate and unsourced. For all we know the entire Muslim thing was made up or was the opinion of one hot headed web monkey in the Middle East. That's downright irresponsible behaviour by MEMRI - who are still pushing the alcohol line on their web site. I'm less than impressed. Is there any evidence that they are not deliberately stirring up trouble?
Norman at October 16, 2006 5:03 AM
Oooh, looky, I'm being held up as a bad example!
How 'bout this-- after thirty-odd years as a devout believer, years spent studying world religions and participating in interfaith dialogues, and people continuing to be assholes about their religion, I'm bloody sick of people being assholes about their religion. Whether or not MEMRI is an instigator or just the messenger, I'm inclined to vulgarly abuse the messenger. Cunts. :D
Melissa at October 16, 2006 7:03 AM
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