11/13: Destroying Pakistani firearms
 

http://cellar.org/pictures/pakifirearms.jpg

Pakistani authorities in Lahore use a bulldozer on Oct. 27 to destroy illegal firearms, some of which were handed in during a recent amnesty and others that were recovered during police searches. Security has been beefed up throughout the country, following violent demonstrations by Taliban supporters who condemn Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for his backing of U.S. military action in Afghanistan.

Musharraf was on Meet The Press last weekend, looking very impressive. For those who want to abide by the idea that we should not go after bin Laden without proof he's responsible for 9/11, Musharraf said that he's seen the proof, and he's the guy who would have been shown it - in order to get his OK to use his country's land as a launching pad.

Although this guy is a military dictator, he seems like he knows what he's doing, has his act together, etc. Although you never know.

What a striking image. I'd like to see the "after" shot of flat guns though.

He is bold. I guess a prerequisite to the gig of Military Dictatorship. He suggests a ceasefire for Ramadan (sp?), making a compelling arguement for demonstrating respect for Islam. He is articulate and has been a key US bedfellow, but undoubtedly an opportunist. Time will tell.

If you can find images of clean shaven Kabulites digging up their TVs and VCRs I'd like to see that! Or better yet, an unescorted, uncovered woman grooving to some music, dancing in the street. Ah freedom.

MAN!

I was gonna post this one too. Pretty cool how often you and I think images are worthy of IotD. Hehe. But I guess that's why I stuck around here - 'cause of all the cool IotD's.

On a side note, Musharraf has definitely got his shit together. Of course he's looking for help from the US, but he definitely has reason to. And we have reason to look for his help. It's definitely a relationship of convenience right now, but it might turn into much more. Never know.

Here you go. I don't know if they're grooving to some music, but there's definitely an uncovered woman or two here...

http://www.digipulse.org/images/iotd/happy-afghans.jpg

Thanks, nice to see smiles. Even in the face of such a long haul full of retaliatory acts, guerilla war and anarchy. I read one news account of a man digging up his VCR and TV and popping in a dusty cassette of Titanic- HUH? I mean... Titanic? Hey, its your choice right! maybe its the water imagery...

On second look, is that a woman? are there women in the crowd? It may be a boy in the front left.

I saw news video of people playing music in the streets and men getting their beards shaved. The people were in a state of TOTAL JOY.

But it would not surprise me if the womenfolk still felk a little uncertain about the new glasnost, and didn't come out right away.

Here's a nice picture drawn by an 8-year old Afghan child.

http://rawa.false.net/kid-4.jpg

:(

From the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan's web page. (be warned: it's pretty disturbing stuff)

It's no wonder they're happy now.

RAWA has my utmost respect and admiration for their heroic defense of human rights. This image drawn by a lucky little girl with brave parents risking all to get her schooling - to say nothing of emotional help. Amazing.

The Northern Alliance...
 

...may be better than the Taliban (ain't saying much), but they are still Muslims and they still believe in Islamic law. I wouldn't be surprised to see women STILL required to cover up (though perhaps not with that thing that even covers their eyes) once they've solidified their hold on power.

true dat, russotto. i been thinking about that. and i think what would probably be best would be a mini-US. like they gots over there in japan. :) freedoms, of course - not destroying culture. but i don't know that it can be done without destroying some culture. i dunno. it's tough to say. the thing is, do we even have the right to help them out? where does one draw the line? i dunno. surely we don't want to get into "nation building", but where does "helping them out" stop and "nation building" begin?

I'll vote for basic human rights over traditional cultural practice any day.

The tricky part comes in when there is a dispute over what is a basic human right. Somewhere in my big ole cookie file there is a quote from a mayor, who says that cable is a basic human right in his town, because there is bad reception in certain areas.

Cable TV, Okay. But I should hope it's only basic cable he's talking about - no HBO. You gotta draw the line somewhere.

That's one thing that's always bene the palce i've drawn the line, where religion (or culture) comes before or impinges on basic human rights, dignity or quality of life. example: Catholic church forcing the stopping of the morning after pill being given out in french PUBLIC high schools because of what they beleive. France has one of the highest teenage birth rates. ....On a related issue a reasonably group of us at school (public) are fighting the singing of a hymn at speach night at the moment...


AH - good old arguement this one - is there such a thing as absolute rights. Yes - inside any structure (such as human society) there is, or should be so i believe. Universal decleration of human rights is usually considered a good starting point. THat mayor sounds like a very stupid person - reminds me of the DC(?) one i heard quoted "the brave men who died in vietnam, more than 100% of which were black..."

The sad part is I'd bet on a bigger protests for excessive cable fees than we'd ever see for these unaccountable courts they are setting up.

What constitutes a basic human right?

To me, and I expect most of you, the right to wear what you want seems like an easy answer. However it's easy to go to far with that. I work with a guy that finds most of Brittney Spears outfits offensive. I certainly don't, but I might find it disturbing if someones great-grandma or a guy was wearing the exact same thing.

My point is that everyone has a different interpretation. More, I don't think anyone is right. This is all opinion. What is a basic human right is no more determinable than what the best color is.

This being said coming from a democratic republic (the US) I tend towards the majority rules idea. Point is, none of us has a right to say what they should become. It's up to them. Yes, I realize they are woefully ill equiped to do much of anything too. We can offer advice and aid but that's really as far as I think our rights go.