Archive for May 13, 2010

Better luck next time.

I was all ready to cover Governor Patrick’s scheduled appearance in Fitchburg at J & R Glass on water street to talk about healthcare and it’s effect on small business. Had my photos of the place, photos of the sign “Welcome Governor Patrick” and the lot.

Employees talked about cleaning up the place and getting it all ready on short notice, tables were set up with pads and papers ready to begin, when the word suddenly came that the Governor had to cancel due to two arrests connected with the Times Square bombing.

Presume the governor is heading back to Boston to be ready to give a statement. Local stations are reporting searches in Watertown and Brookline.

Apparently after the arrest at 39 Waverly Street in Watertown Mass police raided two gas stations in Brookline. The two gas stations that are being searched are owned by a fellow named Elias Ali Audi (can’t vouch for the spelling) and is active and well liked in the community. A car registered to the Waverly Street location was found at one of the stations. Mr Ali apparently has a lot of family working at both locations but there is no word if he or is family is connected in the search or if the person taken into custody simply did business in these locations, although a neighbor at the Watertown location said there was always both a large quantity of men going in and out of the house and they were constantly working on cars.

Although one can’t assume any connection to Mr. Ali’s family the fact that both stations are being searched rather than simply the one where the car in particular was found might be significant.

Apparently the people were arrested for “immigration violations” no word on if LA will choose to boycott Massachusetts over these arrests.

All of this info is very preliminary at this time. I’ll give you more info as I get it.

Update: While I was waiting at the glass place the Jammie Wearing Fool was blogging it

Years ago when the Satanic Verses came out there was outrage when threats were made against Salman Rushdie. There was a move to have people buy his book in solidarity with Rushdie and to stick those who called for his death.

On of the functions of terrorism is to make a person or a group do something they would not normally do. I was outraged at the threats against an author’s life but I thought about it and asked myself this question…

Would I normally have purchased this book if these threats didn’t take place?

Since I found the answer was no I decided that the only reason I would be buying said book would be to prove to people that I was a supporter of free speech and opposed to the fatwa against Rushdie. I decided I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, so although whenever the subject came up I condemned the Iranians and expressed support for Rushdie I didn’t buy the book, I’ve never read the book and I never plan to read the book.

Now comes “Everybody draw Mohammed day” and the blog that comes with it and a decision comes again.

Would I be doing this to illustrate my opposition to Jihad? Would I normally do this? The answer both times is no.

I have unabashedly declared islamic killers as barbarians, I will continue to do so. I have condemned the cowardice of Comedy Central. I don’t feel I have anything to prove. In addition I don’t like caricatures of Christ, Mary etc that are unflattering. I want respect for my religion therefore I need to show that same respect. Free speech has to also include freedom to not speak if you don’t want to.

Therefore I am not going to draw Mohammed on May 20th. If you think less of me because of that, so be it…

…oh and I can’t draw to save my life either.

One more thing; there are items that are not offensive that some extremists have deemed offensive, that can’t stand. So I will be doing something on the 20th but not a drawing and not something that I think is offensive.

When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. Acts 1:9

Things like that produces courage like this, unlike what you can see at Comedy Central.