and that of my forebears is not dissimilar to the Palestinian experience.

But, what I find very interesting is that, Palestinians always appear to blame others for their

misery.

My country Taiwan was invaded by the Chinese in the 1940s. We also experienced genocide. The likelihood of us ever becoming independent is but a dream.

But I don’t ever recall the Taiwanese lamenting about our fate and about how we were and are treated (by others).

As you see, Taiwan is one of the most dynamic

economies and its people prosperous. I see a correlation of this to the Taiwanese people’s attitude, don’t you?

Frankly, international opinion is important. When you

try to justify the existence of suicide bombers - on any level - it just doesn’t work.

I am not taking sides - I am quite neutral in this issue. I know just as well as the

rest how much pain Israel has inflicted on the Palestinians. But if that’s enough to justify suicide bombers/bombings, then I think we’re definitely living on different

planets.

Just my two cents.

African film. The best foreign film is always a difficult category to predict the winner of because it is doubtful that many of the people voting ever saw any of the nominated

films. Most likely, those who voted read a brief blurb of what the films were about or read a review by a critic or by somebody who was predicting the film likely to win and

cast their votes accordingly. So don’t feel bad . . .

Just to demonstrate the kind of culture that would nominate ‘Paradise Now’ for an Oscar, though: ‘Hard Out Here

for a Pimp’ got the Best Original Song Award! LOL! Hollywood is truly ridiculous and completely disgusting!

Arab demands for ‘Jews out of Palestine’ highlights both the hypocrisy of the Muslim world, which kicked countless Jews out of their countries after centuries if not eons of

coexistence, and the fact that giving into Muslim demands would not make the Muslim world any less racist towards Jews.

discourse being in sadly short supply these days. (Am persona non grata with some Jewish friends at the moment for gently reminding them that the origin of Israel had

much to do with the terrorism of the Irgun and the Stern Gang, of which several Israeli Prime Ministers were members. Really, I was merely hinting that it’s not a long walk

from terrorist to statesman.)

Small “r” republicanism’s a family tradition, dating from the English Civil War when some Puritan earls thought they just might not win

against Charles I and sent some of their kids to what’s now Maine. That gives me, oh, twenty generations of ancestors twirling in their graves over the ongoing perversion

of republican values.

Cool cat you’ve got there–it even looks Canadian. My wife keeps squelching my suggestions that we move to Canada’s PEI–too cold. Guess

we’ll get to drown here in Florida…unless the Black Helicopters come first to take us off for reeducation in patriotic ideals. (Maybe in Bulgaria? You know, I prefered the

word “rendition” when it was almost always preceded by “musical.”)

Take care.

fact allow the goose the same rights as the gander.

In your comments, the only

thing you seem to do is say ‘no’ or you make bold statements. When people react you take little pieces from their reaction and say ‘no’ again. You’re like a child that

doesn’t want to hear what his friend or parent has to say. The child has had it’s say, covers his ears and says repeatedly ‘I don’t hear you.’

Many people are

interested in dialogue. Litening to each other. Do you honestly believe that 1.4 billion Muslims are bloodthirsty porential terrorist. If you really read Eman’s Blog, you do know

there’s at least one exception. If you go to http://www.bridgethegap.blogspace.com you can meet many more. If you really don’t want a dialogue, if you just want to keep on

proving your point that Muslims are evil, period, then what’s the point in visiting this weblog?

Fear and hatred are spread by many people in power on eather side,

East and West, both religious leaders and politicians. The people spreading this fear have everything to gain: power. The media are keen to cover these people. Who would

be interested in the opinion of over 1 Billion Muslims who don’t set fire to embassy’s. Who would read an article about one of the millions of friendships between Muslims

and Western People? NO, we want to see the bombs, we want our fears to be true.

Well, I don’t. I want to work and live together with my Muslim brothers and

sisters in the Netherlands. I don’t want to close my ears to what you say Dane. I’d be interested to know where you live, if you have any Muslim collegues, neigbours, friends

who can prove to you that what you write about Muslims doesn’t apply to all of them. Maybe not even to the majority.

In the mean time

petition, Eman. I’ve no idea if “Paradise Now” is truly a significant film, but as a republican (kindly note the small “r”), support republican principals, of which freedom of

expression is one. The work itself will either stand or fall on its own merits. And I’ll go see it, it being irrational to criticise a work without having viewed or read it. (Or an

argument without having heard it.)

As the film’s being distributed by Warner, which is not noted as a radical organization, there’s an excellent chance it’ll soon be

screened even here in Florida.

Cheers.

J.

here in the West will also in order to show that we really do believe in civil liberties for all.