View Full Version : Militant Moderates Stage Massive Lack Of Protests


Daryl17
Feb 26, 2002, 11:58 AM
Found this on satirewire.com and couldn't stop laughing:
Police Not Called in to Put Down Mild and Ruly Crowds Across Middle East
Karachi, Pakistan (SatireWire.com) — Alarmed almost to the point of action, millions of radical moderates across the Middle East and Asia today didn't take to the streets in what wasn't a massive show of force that might have convinced the world that not everyone here is a violent, fanatical nutcase.
Riot police said no demonstrators were killed, and as many as all of them weren't injured.
Warned one Karachi shopkeeper, his eyes blazing with moderation as he didn't join throngs of militant midliners who weren't throwing stones or blocking intersections: "We may not agree with the U.S., but like most people in our region, the majority of Pakistanis do not support these violent extremists who think only of jihad, and we will stay put in our homes and our businesses in overwhelming numbers to make this known. It is time that we stand down to proclaim that we will not be moved one way or the other!
"I am sorry, I did not mean to shout," he added.
In other parts of the region, majorities chose to lash out in similarly unprovocative ways. Moderate zealots in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — brimming with pent-up dispassion and chanting slogans such as "Both sides have a point" and "What's for lunch?" — quietly called for an unofficial nationwide Day of Hoping Everything Kind of Gets Better on Its Own. In Indonesia, where the bulk of the population is said to want peace and harmony, temperate elements expressed their fervent moderation by avoiding the enraged minority.
"The angry, maniacal ones get all the attention. and then influence, and eventually, most probably, control of the government, but kids today. What can you do?" said one postal worker from Jakarta.
According to some moderates in the area, however, much of the blame for disregarding the peaceful majority should fall on the Western news media, which they say is only interested in filming chaotic protests.
"The reporters want to see blood in the streets, they want to see the crazy people," said an Egyptian college student. "Why don't they come into our homes and film us just watching television, not doing or saying anything contentious? Yes, there are a few thousand people out there chanting and burning flags and shooting guns, but there are millions of us not doing anything."
Asked why the moderates are not out there doing anything, the man frowned.
"Perhaps you didn't hear the part where I said they're shooting guns," he answered.

Dell19
Feb 26, 2002, 02:16 PM
:lol:

Very nice and makes a good point that you cannot judge a group of people on the basis of a few individuals...

Simon Darkshade
Feb 27, 2002, 10:51 AM
:lol:
Quite classic. Very nice satire, in the tradition of the Onion, and Private Eye in print form.

Lefty Scaevola
Feb 27, 2002, 01:40 PM
I really do not care about this story.

Apollo
Feb 28, 2002, 06:41 PM
Here is an article I just read on King5.com, the website for a Seattle TV news station. Something about the way its written made me think of this thread.

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Canadian fighters shadow New York-bound Indian airliner
'Suspicious' passenger aboard

02/28/2002

The Associated Press


NEW YORK – Canadian fighters shadowed a New York-bound Air India jetliner over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after authorities found a suspicious passenger was aboard, U.S. government officials said.

The commercial plane, flying from London to New York, apparently would be allowed to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. U.S. fighters were expected to escort the plane once it entered U.S. airspace, the officials said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the concern about the passenger, but the officials said Federal Aviation Administration authorities had spoken to members of the Air India crew, who were in a reinforced cockpit and indicated they were not alarmed.

The jetliner was being shadowed from a distance, not escorted, so the passengers would not see the Canadian fighters, the officials said.

The North American Air Defense Command – NORAD – was monitoring an Air India flight from London to JFK, NORAD spokesman Maj. Barry Venable said. "NORAD is aware of a potential situation aboard an Air India flight, and is monitoring it," he said.

FBI spokesman Joseph Valiquette said federal agents would meet the flight at JFK, but declined to comment further. FBI officials in Washington said there is a person on board "we want to talk to."

Arlene Salac, a spokeswoman for the FAA's New York regional office, said Air India Flight 101 was due in at JFK at 4:50 p.m. She referred all other questions to the FBI.

"There is no problem with the flight," said Lulu Iphraim, an official with the airline in New York. "We've had no official information whatsoever. We've checked and there's absolutely no news about this."