Maha Zimmo

Mubarak's convenient heart attack

onefemalecanuck — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:53:42 +0000

Rumours are rampant that Egypt's dictator -- former and present yet -- Hosni Mubarak suffered a heart attack just as he was to be "interrogated" regarding charges of financial corruption, and abuse of power during his reign. Above these two major claims, it was also expected that he would be questioned as to his direct involvement in the orders for violence which led to the deaths of near 800 demonstrators and the injury of over 5,000 more.

All eye-witness reports tell the same story: He was driven to the hospital under heavy protection, exited without aid, and made his way to the presidential suite.

Dictatorship 101: What can we learn from the Ben Alis and Gaddafis of the world?

onefemalecanuck — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:40:57 +0000

Tunisia's Ben Ali accused the demonstrators of "unpardonable terrorist acts."

Mubarak blamed the "Islamists" for the "rioting," which the world of technology would prove was in fact peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations.

Gaddafi blames "Al Qaeda Terrorists" for the demonstrations in Libya, colourfully adding that Osama bin Laden "had [the demonstrators'] milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs."

Gender violence is everyone's responsibility

derrick — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:57:11 +0000

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

When using the terminology of 'honour killings,' we must understand that in this specific instance, Islam is used by certain members of a community as an excuse to wage this violence against women.

Sadly, it still seems en vogue, possibly even necessary, to react with hysterical abandon and with bigoted superiority to the Muslim.

Never has this reality been more evident than it is today, when one reads the violent opinions in response to the arrests made in the alleged ‘honour killings’ of Zainab, Sahar and Geeti Shafia, and Rona Amir Mohammad.

In a micro-blogging world, caution needed on macro of #iranelection

derrick — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:29:17 +0000

Friday, June 26, 2009

In a world when technology allows information to spread as a global wildfire and when our attentions are turned to the TinyURL, it becomes easy to miss the macro politics that may be playing out.

In a world when technology allows information to spread as a global wildfire and when our attentions are turned to the TinyURL, it becomes easy to miss the macro politics that may be playing out within a given political situation.

Among the calls for reform in Iran, there is great opposition and dissent amongst the reformists themselves. We need to be cautious when we are told to believe it is a case of black and white, without shades of grey, a case of Ahmadinejad vs Mousavi.

Of traffic and Tamils, apathy and action

derrick — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:49:45 +0000

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

'Tamil protesters in Toronto hold the city hostage, disrupt traffic! Poor Torontonians; weren't you able to reach your TiVod Oprah episode on time?'

While reading the news coverage of the recent Tamil protests in Toronto, one could easily be misled to believe that the protests are neither in support of human rights nor in opposition to a particular political situation which has degenerated beyond redemption, because neither of these points seem news worthy.

Disaster relief or civil rights disaster?

derrick — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:06:36 +0000

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A look at the potential creation of military-based emergency centres, which will be used to “meet other appropriate needs, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

On January 22, 2009, the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act (NECEA) was submitted to Congress for consideration. It was introduced by Congressman Alcee L. Hastings of Florida, a man who, in 1989, became only the sixth federal judge in the history of America to be removed from office by the Senate for corruption and perjury.

Poor judge-ment on display in scholarship discrimination

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:53:58 +0000

Monday, March 2, 2009

Paul Staniszewski, who funds scholarships at the University of Windsor and Osgoode Hall Law School, "is asking that those scholarships not be awarded to any students 'of Islamic background.'"

Last week, the Globe and Mail reported that retired judge Paul Staniszewski, who funds scholarships at the University of Windsor and Osgoode Hall Law School, "is asking that those scholarships not be awarded to any students 'of Islamic background.'"

Staniszewski asserts that his decision is a form of "retaliation" against the Taliban's beheading of a Polish engineer. Never mind that Islam is not merely a background, but is rather one of the world's greatest faith traditions; let's focus instead on Staniszewski's execution of judgement in this context.

White Phosphorus: And so the Israeli argument goes...

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:07:14 +0000

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Even though White Phosphorus is not technically an illegal agent by international legal standards, both human rights groups and international law warn of its use in highly dense civilian areas.

On January 10, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement: "Israel appeared to be using white phosphorus as an ‘obscurant' (a chemical used to hide military operations), a permissible use in principle under international humanitarian law (the laws of war). However, white phosphorus has a significant, incidental, incendiary effect that can severely burn people and set structures, fields, and other civilian objects in the vicinity on fire".

Fashionable death in Gaza

derrick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:38:22 +0000

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The recent war on the civilian population of Gaza has been one of the greatest and most violent attacks levelled by Israel since its birth.

The recent war on (not to be confused with the popular news cultures' 'with') the civilian population of Gaza has been one of the greatest and most violent attacks levelled by Israel since its birth. We repeatedly hear that this is the worst it has been since 1967, but when one considers the awesome advancement in military power since 1967, there really is no precedent to the Israeli terror currently being inflicted on Gazans.

Subtlety does not become War, Inc.

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Co-written by Mark Leyner, Jeremy Pikser and John Cusack, War, Inc. is a political satire, Western love story and dynastic drama rolled into one.

Less than one hour into War, Inc., four clearly agitated audience members left the movie theatre. As they made their way, shaking their heads, up the aisle and out the door, I heard them mumbling âeoenonsenseâe and âeoebullshit.âe

The official line is that War, Inc. is set in the near future.

The pre-emptive strike: Security certificates

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Monday, June 19, 2006

Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada heard a challenge to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Certificates or, as they are more commonly known, the Orwellian security certificat

Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada heard a challenge to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Certificates or, as they are more commonly known, the Orwellian “security certificates.” In the name of protecting “national security,” the Security Certificates provide for the arrest and indefinite detention of non-Canadian citizens.

Mr. Commitment and the power of love

admin — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:16:40 +0000

April 16, 2006

I wonâe(TM)t lie to you: I picked up All My Friends Are Superheroes because the picture on the cover made me smile. Inside this 106-page novella, I found a sweet and humorous look at relationships and, well, superheroes who live in present-day Canada.

Andrew Kaufman uses mostly flashbacks to twirl the reader through the story of Tom and âeoeThe Perfectionist.âe All of Tomâe(TM)s friends (and even his enemies) are superheroes but he is not âe" itâe(TM)s a wonder heâe(TM)s not dubbed âeoeThe Genetic Underachiever.âe Tomâe(TM)s superpower is the ability to continue to love The Perfectionist (his wife) in the face of adversity and despair.

Andrew Kaufman twirls the reader through the story of Tom and âeoeThe Perfectionistâe in All My Friends are Superheroes in a tale that, in the end, is a gentle love story . All of T

One thousand and one nights

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Friday, August 26, 2005

On September 6, 2005, it will have been 1,001 nights since Sophie Harkat's husband Mohamed was arrested via the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Certificate, accused of having ties to te

On September 6, 2005, it will have been 1,001 nights since Sophie Harkat's husband Mohamed was arrested via the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Certificate, accused of having ties to terrorists. Justified as protecting “us” from “them,” the Security Certificates are used against permanent residents or refugees as a means to detain, and potentially, deport them.