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Subscribe to RSSTEL AVIV – The Israeli towns of Rosh HaAyin, which is mainly Jewish, and its neighbor, Kfar Kassem, a mostly Muslim town, enjoyed a peaceful relationship – until now.
The Israelis have had enough of their neighbors’ call to prayer.
They claim that the traditional call to prayer, which occurs five times a day, is a nuisance and disturbs their daily life. The 4:50 a.m. call is considered especially annoying.
“We hear the call to pray very loud, the situation is unbearable,” a local Rosh HaAyin resident was quoted as saying in the Hebrew version of the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper.
Another resident said, “We must find a way that we will not be disturbed and that they will be able to continue with their rituals.”
The issue is headed to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, this Sunday.
Anastassia Michaeli, a member of the Knesset, will put forward a bill proposing a ban on mosques using loudspeakers to announce the call to prayer.
Her proposal stipulates that “religious freedom doesn’t need to harm the quality of life.”
Oded Balilty / AP
Israelis protest as they call for support of democracy in Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel on Nov. 22, 2011. Approximately 2,000 protesters rallied in Tel Aviv against the series of Knesset bills they see as draconian and anti-democratic.
Michaeli, who belongs to the right-wing political party, Yisrael Beiteinu, led by the ultra-nationalist foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, knows her bill will cause outrage among Muslims and among Israeli human rights groups. While Israel is a Jewish state, approximately 17 percent of its 7.4 million people are Muslim, according to a 2008 census.
But she is adamant her new bill is not a “mosque bill.” Rather, she says, it is a “noise bill” aimed at improving quality of life, indicating that synagogues and churches also will be asked to adhere to laws restricting how much noise they can make.
Mosques have been using loud speakers to announce the call to prayer in the country for decades, leading some to ask: Why is there a move to ban them now?
Long list of controversial bills
It seems to be just the latest in a wave of controversial bills that have been introduced during the two years since Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed his right-wing coalition government.
Those bills, which haven’t all become laws yet, but are in various stages of legislation, include:
-limiting donations from foreign countries to human rights organizations in Israel;
-a defamation law curtailing the media;
-outlawing calls for political boycotts on Israel or the settlements;
Sebastian Scheiner / AP
An Israeli singer sings during a rally against gender segregation, in Jerusalem, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011. Hundreds of women's rights activists gathered in central Jerusalem for a rally themed
- and the so-called “Nakba Law” that punishes groups that associate Israel’s Independence Day with a day of mourning (Palestinians commemorate the day after Independence Day annually as a “day of catastrophe”).
These bills have gotten the world’s attention – including from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She voiced her deep concern about the growing influence of ultra-orthodox groups on Israel’s society during a closed discussion at the Saban Forum at the Brookings Institution in Washington last Saturday, according to media reports.
Clinton criticized the wave of anti-democratic legislation and especially the exclusion of women from public life in Israel in the wake of limitations on women singing in public and growing gender segregation on public transportation.
She said the requirement that women are forced to ride in designated sections on some bus routes in Israel reminded her of segregated busing during the civil rights era in the U.S.
Men and women are segregated on public transportation in some ultra-Orthodox Jewish areas of Israel.
'We will fight this bill'
But Patin Issa, a Muslim who is the director of the Kfar Kassem municipality, said the new bill will not add honor to the state of Israel.
“We will fight this bill, there is a minority here and it is the country’s duty to protect its long heritage and rituals,” Issa told NBC News. He added that this is a very delicate matter that needs to be handled “with silk gloves.”
He said that he is willing to work with the Israeli authorities to find a solution that will work for both sides, but that a one-sided bill is not the answer.
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The calls to prayer would drive me nuts. Of course, I don't like having to listen to church bells on Sundays or rap music at any time.
I think it'd be perfectly reasonable to limit the decibel level to a certain amount that all places of worship would adhere to..
Not like religion had a problem existing before loudspeakers were invented (one can always wish)
Not are problem...
I humbly submit that a simple box fan is probably a safer and cheaper solution than risking a "stereo jihad"
Ban the noise!!!
I've lived with church bells and calls to prayer and found them to be more pleasant than the bleating of car horns or worse, the sound of a train's whistle/horn every morning coming into the station.
Complaining about something that's been tolerated for decades is nothing more than inflammatory. Go ahead, stir up your neighbours and then you wonder why they turn a blind eye when you're in the cross fire.
Just give all the muslims pagers and beep them at prayer time instead.
Interesting, but the barbarian Jews from that 1/2 acre of Zionist hell seem to have no problem bombing a Palestinian home at 2:00 a.m. and murdering a family of 8 because they think there might be a terrorist inside, huh Pilgrim?
I would think they wouldn't need a loud speaker to remind them to worship, if they are serious about their religion. ITS CALLED AN ALARM CLOCK! I have one. Wakes me up every morning to go to work. Unbelievable
Really? Harm the quality of life? LOL
Israel you know what harms the quality of life? WHEN YOU DROP BOMBS ON PEOPLE WHEN THEY SLEEP!!! Yeah, maybe you need to reassess what harms the quality of life, do you think the mass graves you have with Palestinians in them is harming the quality of life? do you think murdering muslim women and children may harm the quality of life instead of the call to prayer which has been in the area for centuries? This is more of an attack on peoples civil liberties to pray which is the problem. Maybe we should not have hannuka candles lit anymore because they hurt my eyes, cant you light just one candle instead of 8? and than the Israelis wonder why the Palestinians will not come to negotiate anymore, you want this whole middle east to be a jewish state when you wont allow small civil liberties to be respected? take a look at your own bigotry and racist rants before you everrrrr call someone anti-semitic again
All of this noise disturbance needs to be eliminated.
We're not living in the 7th century for crying out loud.
Send out a damn text message for chrissake.
.
Andrew-2169556, if you were my neighbor, I'm pretty sure you'd drive me nuts too.
What you said in your post is absurd. True nonsense.
4:50 AM? Really? "Plesant"?? I think I'd have to kick some @$$.
I do not see it as being at all unreasonable to stop them from blasting the call to prayer over loudspeakers at 4:50am. This is not a religious issue, it is about making too much noise at an unbelievably early hour in the morning. They should probably just pass a blanket noise ordinance like most jurisdictions here in the US have to prevent people from disturbing their neighbors with loud noises when most people are trying to sleep.
I served in the Middle East. The call to prayer was always kind of pleasant and soothing to listen to. And, no, I'm not Muslim.
Michael-3842950, you can move to the Middle East and be soothed all you want.
Back in the U.S. we have noise ordinances.
.
We also have a lot of ignorant, stupid and intolerant people. And I will live anywhere I please.
We also have a lot of children who are asleep at 4 am and if a fukn horn wakes my kid up so some halfwit can go worship it's God you bet your ass I'll be intolerant of it! Get a damn alarm clock! And if you like soothing sounds get a fukn soundwave machine @!$%#
How inconsiderate of the Muslims, our garbage trucks are not even allowed to empty dumpsters or start until 8 am.
Love the pager idea surfer, and hey what an epiphany it would be to use alarm clocks, the alarm could be like an imam singing aaahh yaaaahh eeeeh yaaaa akbar laaaaaaa eee aaaaaaa ooooo eeeeee!!! Or whatever the hell that chanting like sound they belt out out at 4:50 am, and then 4 more times in a day.
Maybe I will jam some PETRA into their homes see how they like that, it is the same as odor if I can smell you, you are invading my space even though you did not touch me. The same goes with unecassary sound. aaaaahh eeeeyyaaaaaa ooooo eeee yaaahh maaaaa laaaaa.
Us1776: They're not talking about the United States, they're talking about the middle east where calls to prayer have been happening for the last 1500 years. Also its not the loud speakers and such thats the problem, its just those people being muslim thats the problem. I say if they cant call each other to prayer than dont light the hannakah candles either or is that being ignorant just like this article
@ Patriot; U.S 1776, is using a comparison, as to how we handle these issues. Thanks for letting us know this is in the ME, We thought it was the South Pole we were talking about. Loud speakers arent the problem??!! Let me come to your house and blast a call to prayer outside your bedroom window at 5 am.
You compare lighting a menorah to Akmed yelling at the top of his lungs at 5 am, sorry Patriot, but FAIL.
This is not a religous problem, it is a noise issue that people are growing tired of. If it were a true religous problem I would not be poking fun. Stop the yelling Imams today!!!lol
The Catholics in my town built a beautiful knew huge church near me to replace a small one on the other side of town. They too thought that bells at 6AM, 12PM and 6PM every day was OK. We used the existing noise ordinance to stop the ridiculous 6AM bells. The overwhelming comment at the town meeting was "This ain't Mecca!" Don't get me wrong I was raised Catholic. The bells sound pretty. But NOT at 6AM on my day off.
Don't forget that there are many Christian Palestinians living there...
There is much tradition behind the "call to prayer." The adhan is a mandatory part of the Islamic faith. The tempo, tone and other aspects are also specified by ritual. Muslims pray silently to themselves in time with the call while progressing to the mosque as well.
Text messages/beepers/alarm clocks would not be an adequate substitute for observant Muslims.
@ atheismoe; Text, beepers and alarm clocks are not adequate for a call to prayer ? But they are o.k to use the rest of the day?
I would say an observant Muslim would not need a call to prayer, more than likely the non observant Muslims, OH! There is my call to prayer, good thing or I would have forgotten to pray.lol
Have you ever been in a Muslim prayer room, it is not so quiet, when 300 men are mumbling to themselves.
They are multi taskers listening to the call and praying at the same time? That is pretty good concentration. Point is, this is invasive of nonbelievers, and permeates their homes, it is also pompous to disregard others and yell your religion across the city.
@Patriot201
The Muslim call to prayer may be 1500 years old, but the loudspeaker isn't. Probably no more than 70 yrs or less, and invented by westerners ie. christians. Not a very pure Muslim practice then is it.
An alarm clock would require that the Muslim male assume some responsibility for his actions. As the dozens of recent articles in which women were blamed for their rape because they showed too much skin, a Muslim male will most likely not have enough self control to use that alarm clock. Thus missing prayers and being forced to find yet another scapegoat.
And yea, that's sarcasm btw.
I'm with Chris from Yucaipa!!!!!
Reduce the decibel's of the announcement. Patriot201 - Israel would not be dropping bombs if the other side would stop the mortars and missiles being fired at Israel. Allowing the announcement at a lower decibel is a small price to pay for peace.
I'm a convert to Islam, served in the US army and permanently damaged my back in the process. First off, saying 4:50 am is inaccurate, the time fluctuates and is roughly an hour before sunrise, essentially at first light (anyone who was in the military is quite used to waking up at first light), sometimes this will be at 4 am, and in shorter days it could be as late as 7 am. Though I do not agree with the bigotry and fact that many of you just want an excuse to criticize Muslims I do not consider it necessary to use a loud speaker. I am not entirely aware of the Athan system in Palestine, but I will say that a lot of Muslim countries have strayed from the origins where there were generally 1-3 masjids in a city, depending on need. Now there are masjids on nearly every block, and quite often each one gives the athan on a loud speaker. In my opinion this has destroyed the beauty of the Athan, as you can now hear 3-4 people giving athan at the same time. Also the distortion of the the loud speaker takes away from the quality. One thing I have been looking into (because in the US many majids are not allowed to use an athan that can be heard outside of Masjid property) is short wave radio signals, so that the athan is heard in your own home via radio while leaving people of other faiths in peace, though I'd prefer the athan went back to the way it was where one would get on a roof top or minaret and call the athan by voice but this has become too much hassle in this day of laziness. Though compromise is a word generally not understood by our community as this often means to change our religion even slightly (which is forbidden), being aware of the rights of Muslims and NonMuslims alike has been practiced since the Prophet Muhammad. I love the athan, it is beautiful, but I am not ignorant enough to believe that every appreciates it the way I do.
Perhaps the announcements can be performed at a lower volume.
Any devout Muslim knows when prayer time takes place.
Yes! or maybe a pager system, text message or something else.
That's a million-dollar idea, dave294! If there's not already such a service out there, I'd pursue it if I were you.
Who says Islam and capitalism are mutually exclusive? ;)
I'm sure there has to be an "APP" for that, of course there would need to be different APP's to accommodate various sects to start with, but can't you just imagine how cool the commercials for this new phone service would be? Can you hear me now?
Steven, did you not read that the complainants are in the next town over? These religious bigots are making trouble just to make trouble. They've been tolerating the morning calls to prayer for decades and suddenly they want to shut it down. How would you like it if YOUR religious freedoms, what you've been practising for centuries (and I don't mean in the public schools either) in your own church was being legislated against?
Andrew,
The use of electronic loudspaakers for call to prayer (which can be mind boggling loud in some instances) has not been in use for centuries.
Furthermore, if you want to talk about "religious bigotry".., try practicing Judaism in Palestine, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Aphganistan, Pakistan Syria or Egypt.. just to name a few: You would be killed for it!!!!
On the contrary, Isreal has a formidable percentage of Palestinian/Muslim residents that FREELY practice thier Isamic religon; and with the rights and protections provided by Isreal.
So who are the REAL "Religious Bigots" here..?!!!
Andrew, If you had traveled extensively in the Midde East.., then you would understand (through actual experience) that some calls to prayer (depending on the quality, decibles and location) are very beautiful to listen too.., and some not so beautiful.. and even quite annoying.
Think before you speak!!!
"Any devout Muslim knows when prayer time takes place."
Exactly
I believe series of horns were used before loudspeakers. Probably pretty loud. Guess they would be the next bill.
Hi Bearpaw & Others, who are supporting Israel and painting a rosy picture of it read the below Article in Sydney Morning Herald of Australia about the intolerance and hawkishness of Ultra-orthodox Jews of Israel about what they are doing to their own women and others who do not tow their line and follow their dictates.
Read it and you all will realise their true colors and yourself understand what they are and who some of the Americans call their only friend in Middle East. You will never be able to read this type of true stories in American media. After this if you feel they are right then spitt your venom about other religions, communities and countires.
Andrew believes they had loudspeaker centuries ago.....LOL!!!! Sounds like Andrew is the intolerant one. There is NO need to blare out calls to prayer, period, ever.
This is not a problem in Yemen and Saudi Arabia as they expelled all Jews to Isreal in 1948. Imagine the outcry if Isreal had expelled all Muslims within their borders to either of those countries? An Article on the conflict on the volume of the call to prayer is such a minor issue as compared to an entire people expelled from their home country soley because of their religion. MSNBC got to get better at writing articles on the bigger issues rather than nit pik on the petty stuff.
Israel tried its very best to drive every Arab from Israel when it was formed. They were mostly successful and would have been completely successful except for British intervention. Even the Israelis now have corrected their history books to that effect.
The major issue is that the right wingers in Israel are passing more and more laws to disenfranchise a large minority, Arabs who are Israeli citizens. They have already relegated the Israeli Arabs to a second-class status that is reminiscent of the 1930's in the South and their attitudes toward Blacks.
The same religious right wingers hate Christians every bit as much as Muslims. They even hate most Jews.
Jews in Yemen and Saudi Arabia were not massacred as the Palestinians were during the early days of 1948 when the zionists petitioned the UN to allow them a Jewish state ... these Jews left voluntarily to come to Israel for the most part. but the Palestinians had no place to go beyond displacement camps in Jordan, Lebanon, and a few in Egypt. Murder squads formed from Jewish gangsters (Stern Gang) from the US did some of the killings to warn the local people to move or they would also be killed, and this happened just weeks before the zionist Jews declared their independence.
Well, let's see, Judson. You're quite the anti-West poster, aren't you? "Jews massacred Palestinians in 1948." "Anne Frank's diary was a fraud." "The US is warmongering against innocent Iran." "Roosevelt made it his sacred duty to start a war in Europe." It's not too hard to see your agenda or to guess where your PC is plugged in.
Judson - YYYAAAWWWNNN, what you said something about the murderous, slime ball Palis? Sorry go ahead, I'm listening now.
What will the terrorist Israelis come out with next? They already murdered their way into owning more land, jailed people for their right to protest Israeli policies that allow the mass murdering of women and children as long as they're not Jewish. Hmmm what else can the Jewish state of Israel do to show Christians and Muslims that they have started a war against them
Here goes Muslim IRAN oh I meant Jewish ISRAEL again!! they (IRAN & ISRAEL) are same 2 sides of a coin, they love each other's existence & learn from each other. AHMADINEJAD=BIBI Netanyahu
Yet another misleading headline. The debated ban does NOT apply to the whole country but only one small area.
I was glad to realize that there is no question of banning the Call to Prayer in Jerusalem, where the young men enhance the tourist experience with their beautiful voices.
Cassandra - the headline is NOT misleading, at all. The article states:
"Anastassia Michaeli, a member of the Knesset, will put forward a bill proposing a ban on mosques using loudspeakers to announce the call to prayer."
The Knesset is the legislative branch of the Israeli government and passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister, approves the cabinet and supervises the work of the government. The bill Anastassia proposes would apply to ALL of Israel.
Hey Benjamin.....here's Vladimir Putin when ya need him.... Those are some mighty impressive laws the right-wingers have passed. That's a bigger story than the noise issue.....
Maybe they'll invade and occupy a quieter neighborhood next time.
Cynic: LOL thats soo true, they ethnically cleansed an entire country aand now that they built Illegally on stolen land, they also want to stop people from praying too
I ask again what the hell is the difference between nazi germany and Israel? they both commit genocide because people dont share the same religion or thought as they do, they both think they're the supreme race, and they both have crazy leaders
This could be solved in a way that both sides are fine with the outcome. Maybe set up a phone calling/alert system for the particularly bothersome times. That way those who want it can sign up, and those that do not can sleep in. The Israelis are a smart group, make radio activated mini alert devices and give them out to any who want it. The call could them be broad casted on FM or AM bands, and only those with these devices would be alerted. They would be cheap to produce too (probably could get them made for under $5).
With some outside the box thinking these peaceful neighbors could easily co-exist without any friction.
This isn't about noise. It is about trying to do anything that will aggravate Muslims.
You've got to be kidding me.
Seriously Chris?
Are you from the US? What would be the response in the US if Los Angeles had "call to prayers" over loud speakers broadcast 5 times a day?
Heck, people have issues saying "Christmas Tree"........................
If your neighbor blasted thier stereo at 5 am every morning you would be perfectly OK with that then, right?
chris, i live in israel near a mosque. they are not quiet at all... you deal with it because you have to. however, i moved to get away from it.
I absolutely agree with reducing noise! I insist that all church bells be silences immediately. They drive me crazy! Every Sunday my sleep is interrupted by their incessant ringing all over the city! Why should I be sleep deprived because some people want to hear bells announcing church services? It's an infringement of my right to have peace and quiet.
Some you might want to just THINK a little bit.
These muslims living here with their mosque, they've been here WAY LONGER that most of the jews in Israel, their families have been here since before the creation of Israel.
So how about we let them do what they want on their OWN LAND !?
You guys know what makes alot of noise at night? when Israel starts bombing you and your family as you sleep to make way for more housing for people that are jewish only. what about that loud noise problem? instead of focusing on someone calling to prayer in the morning(its not a stereo by the way) maybe we should focus on those people who are being bombarded with laser guided missiles as they sleep in the name of "defense" you know how people can be terrorist as they sleep at night,lol
Michael,
So if I was your neighbor and I've been living in my house longer than you, that gives me the right to blast my music at 5 am?
Why can't NAtive Americans build casinos wherever they want in the US? They were here WAY before us also. Since its there OWN LAND.
Was your house built on Native American soil, probably. You would be perfectly fine handing your house back to them?
The Muslim call to prayer is also heard in a couple of cities in Michigan. I would think the residents would have found it more to everyone's liking if they set up a fund. A fund which would provide for the purchasing of Timex alarm watches for every Muslim citizen. This way they would know what time to pray and not disturb nearby residents. You would think that the "Pursuit of happiness" should also encompass not having your "peace" interrupted five times a day. Church bells might also be argued, but it is only once a week, once a day, not 35 times. More silly PC at the expense of the masses.
Where I live the Catholic church rings its bells three times a day for each service performed. I'm sure they'd love it if someone told them to stop.
if it is before 0500 I am sure someone would have told them to stop by now.
A church bell sounds nothing like an enormously amplified whine through a loudspeaker.
I think Israel is right. Muslims should only pray once a day, once a week would be even better. Me? I'm an Atheist so I don't have that problem, I gave up believing in the tooth fairy and santa claus a long time ago.
I guess Muslims are too cheap to buy a watch.
is it dumbobro?
Ahhhh the real democracy at its best. I will do as a like but anyone different will have to follow different standards. Bravo israel a true democracy, what am I saying? israel has always been based on zionism, a terrorist oppressive doctrine...
If a church was ringing its bells five times a day through amplified speakers, you can bet neighborhood groups or even the ACLU would go after it.
Exactly my point, I visited a Muslim country and was shocked by the loud speakers hung on a telephone pole as high as they can get it and 5 times a day you would hear this god awful voice singing some terrible sounds. The Christians say you get use to it, not me I would rather listen to birds sing then some idiot sing through a Microphone. I's like listening to Mexican Music from a Boom box from a open door of a car, it's terrible and a terror to life......
Ron B You just showed your true colors when you included the Mexicans, you are a true racist bigot, just because you can't understand other languages or cultures. Notice that I wouldn't like the loud call to prayer neither listening to Mexican, rap or hillbilly banjo music.
What did Muslims do before the loudspeakers were invented? Let them go back to the practices of Mohammad on this one.
Very loud city officials.
Anonymous User:
Bingo!
I believe they used very loud horns .
Correcting myself, they used loud verbal prayers.
These stinking religions are at the same time hilarious, sad, infuriating, dangerous, oppressive, and most of all stupid. Is this really what two groups of people should be spending their time fighting over?
Not to mention the fact that there wouldn't be "two groups of people" if it were not for the proliferation of arbitrary primitive belief systems.
Nothing in human history has caused as much suffering and wasted resources as these primitive belief systems built around fictitious deities whose will is interpreted by a bunch of people seeking power over other people.
If I could have one wish granted by the sky fairies, it would be that all religions would just quietly cease to exist. But that ain't gonna happen.
and I'm almost sure that some one is going to call me an atheist because they have no clue in understanding what religion means.....
Ron B - Not that there's anything wrong with that.
If you’ve ever heard the call to prayer you would understand how absolutely obnoxious it is to hear 5 times a day, especially at 4am. Trust me, I grew up with it. It’s not pleasant. And it is really not something you can block out like a siren or a subway in NYC. I don’t think requiring them to skip a morning call to prayer or even decrease the volume in areas where the loud speaker is located near apartment buildings or housing would be a bad idea or impinging on their rights
Yeah, I'd imagine it's great for tourists. A quaint exotic ritual for their travelogue memories that they experience and then leave behind. But living with it day after day would get obnoxious pretty damned fast.
Why don't the Imams just require the faithful to own alarm clocks? Issue that Fatwah boys. We're done.
I grew up in Israel. Trust me, even after 14years I couldn't block it out and it would wake me up.
Forget banning the call to prayer...ban muslims, the same way Jews were banned in other a'rab countries.
NEVER AGAIN!
Except for the Muslims were there prior to 1948. If someone told me that my land of birth was being given to the Jews I would not move and I would not like the Jewish occupiers either.
And the argument that it is the Jewish homeland 2000 years ago and Abraham's children and prophecy etc... falls flat since it's ancient history at best maybe even a fairytale out of the bible.
leroy reed it was "their" land for a couple of hundred years, back and forth, when they conquered it, was theirs, when they got conquered, it wasn't, until the Romans took it for good 2000 years ago, from then they were not even living there much, they spreaded throughout Europe and became bankers and jewelers.
Leroy - check your history. 50% of Israeli Jews originated from middle eastern countries like Libya, Iraq, Egypt, etc where they lived for thousands of years...they were forced to leave their countries during the 1948, 1956, and 6-day wars, stripped of their belongings and ended up in Israel. Ironically, even with Holocaust survivors Jews in Israel never had a comfortable demographic majority until this happened. Nobody hears about this because the Jewish refugees were absorbed and became citizens. Because of this history, these Jews make up a good part of the Likud party and others even further to the right.
A few comments back, there was a white supremacist who claimed the Jews left voluntarily, but that's a complete lie and anyone can type in Jewish expulsion from Arab countries and do their own research.
If I lived near a mosque and was woken up by that inane wailing at 4:30am I would go ballistic. Nothing is preventing the Muslims from going to prayer or praying, but this centuries old practice neglects the fact that modern men have cellphones with alarm clocks that can awaken them and notify them it is prayer time. Way too much bending over backwards to assuage Muslim sensibilities, and it needs to be stopped
Correct. If the Muslims are willing to modernize their custom to the point of using an loudspeaker, they can modernize a bit further and beep or call their membership and respect the quiet of others.
This is not directly related to this semi-story, but I thought it may be of interest.
Journalism The Arab World Is Not Used To
by Khaled Abu Toameh
December 9, 2011 at 5:00 am
http://www.hudson-ny.org/2649/journalism-arab-world
Clinton makes me sick. Every time a politician wants to enhance their personal opinion they bring up the Civil Rights movement, even when it's not appropriate... and it's lost its "magic" punch.
Segregation of women is in no way comparable to segregation of an entire race. She could have used an example of segregating women from any number of employment opportunities or institutions, from medicine and politics to Ivy League colleges and Jockey Clubs.
What are you talking about? Clinton's name isn't mentioned once in this story. Just grinding your ax in any forum you can?
Did you not read the story???????? Can you read???????
It specifically says that Clinton likened the banishment of women to the back of the bus in Israel to the segregation of Blacks in the pre-Civil Rights movement.
Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Segregation of an entire race vs. segregation of an entire gender. Both are unacceptable. And we neither get to choose our gender nor our race. Sounds to me like you're splitting hairs.
I agree with neither, NFIL.
It's just getting tiresome to have politicians constantly trotting out the segregation issues that the Blacks had to deal with as if every problem faced by any faction whatsoever is equal to the scope of Civil Rights.... and it isn't.
And the point of my comment is that Clinton was indeed mentioned in this article.
Clinton's analogy lacks depth and perspective. Women belong to the gene pool which created civilization and therefore there is an unfairness in their access being limited to it. Hardly analogous to blacks. His comment is that of a politician, not a sage.
No reason why they can't lower the volume on the call to prayer, or not have one at 4:50 am.
Because they don't give a crap!
Tree201 : Lowering volume should not be an issue at all. Originally call to prayer was issued by an unamplified voice, the amplification is a result of urbanisation and the loss of the small community. The timing of the calls is based on the sun - so the first call happens at Dawn which of course at this time of year means it is much later than 4:30. I have lived with the call to prayer for twelve years ( apartment building next to a mosque in Abu Dhabi) and never found it bothersome, often found it beautiful and frequently missed it when I was out of the country. But that's just me
Let them test message the damn calls.
Whats with the loud speakers? They should follow sheery or what ever it is, lol. some guy standing on the top of the building singing is the old way, go back to it. Makes a better target than the loud speakers anyway.
israel realized that obama and other politicians will be quiet because of upcoming elections.. So its a good time to come up with more BS try to provoke muslims..
I think Israel figures that an attack by muslims will be an excuse to postpone "negotiations" which does not really mean jack.....
Ahh..the french alwayd loving the jews. How's your german?
Yes, we love jews. I mean how can you not? They are peaceful, sincere, humanitarian and honest people. Ask sarkozy if you do not believe me....
Re: Jack-The-French: "Those loving little kosher pigs from that 1/2 acre of Zionisthell - they're angels! (With horns!).
Kudos to you Pilgrim!
The closer you look at the differences between Jews and Muslins the less I see. Both religions are nuts.
Israeli residents get over it. Try to get along. Life is too short as they say.
john335345-6. Get 0ver it? Unless it's across the street from you. Hasn't happened yet, but the two, [very suspicious goings on], muslums that moved across from me sometimes play their terrible music. I yell at them to shut that d--- crap off. They do, and did. But if they start praying in my street, Lordy Lordy. That goes for rap cra- too.
No, John is right. This is stupid and petty and will end badly. Give me your address Crystal...I have some music I'd like to play at all hours of the night for you. You might like it.
Never met a Corpsman without sense of humor.
When you see a Corpsman let me know...I was an enlisted Marine.