I just got back from the Rally to Restore Sanity....

[Vigilante]

I've never seen so many god damn people in my life. This EASY dwarfed Beck's rally. Unfortunately getting up at 8am for a 12pm rally wasn't a good idea, but I still got there an hour and a half into them starting, so I didn't get into the national mall (it filled fast).

Some random pics I snapped w/ my phone (the first two pics give a good idea of how many people were there, you can see heads the whole way back, and this was a side-on view, not a lengthwise view):

(Can kind of see the stage in this one)

I know the pics aren't great, but a few of them give you an idea of the scale of the amount of people.

Was anybody else there?

 

[xcellerate]

I nearly went down, but then I decided there were too many damn people. Even though I could walk from my place...I'm so lazy.

I'm ready to see how fox covers this this evening.

 

[Stigmata]

I hope they use footage from Beck's rally to downplay the attendance.

 

[VirusType2]

I hope they use footage from Beck's rally to downplay the attendance.

lol :cheese:

 

[Russian Mafia]

I woke up at 9am to watch it live, so I was there in spirit.

 

[Kakashi]

Was thinking about heading down there, a bunch of my friends ended up going. But I watched nearly most of it on TV while I was at the fire dept. O heard upwards of 150,000+ people showed up, no exact count has been up yet.

 

[Warped]

i had a friend who traveled like 700 miles to see it, he said he loved it, and he wore a shirt that said 'Team Asian'

 

[evil^milk]

moar

For those of you who know: What's this whole thing about, and was it done in response to something?

 

[Shakermaker]

The idea for this rally began as a joke on The Daily Show and The Stephen Colbert program. It was to a response to some rally Glen Beck et all organized on Labor Day. Thanks to the huge response it got (with a little help of the internets) it grew into this. More info here:
http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com/

 

[love_nutz2]

I laughed.

 

[Warped]

lol that was good....sad part is...95% of want that too

lol bunch of local yahoos we have here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=absBSi4og3U&feature=sub

 

[No Limit]

I'll post my pictures later, we got front row pretty much. I agree, never in my life have I seen so many people. It was a nightmare afterwards. Me and my brother were standing in the same place for over 10 hours. Just to go sit and eat somewhere since we hadn't eaten since the night before took over 3 hours.

 

[Solaris]

I think it is an utter disgrace that Jon Stewart invited Cat Stevens ( a muslim) to perform. Stevens called for the execution of Salman Rushdie for writing a novel.

It seems a lot of people went to the rally to protest against the right saying all muslims are wackos, and the person they use to show not all Muslims are bonkers is a guy who wants to kill people for writing books?

 

[No Limit]

Well shit I liked that Cat Stevens until you just made me aware that he was a muslim and that he may or may not have made some stupid statements over 20 years ago. Thanks for clearing this up for me, never gonna watch Jon Stewart again.

 

[Eejit]

I think it's probably worth mentioning that Yusuf Islam is a muslim.

 

[Solaris]

Well shit I liked that Cat Stevens until you just made me aware that he was a muslim and that he may or may not have made some stupid statements over 20 years ago. Thanks for clearing this up for me, never gonna watch Jon Stewart again.

Stupid Statements? May or May not?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-wjxwpvqps Here is a video of him saying he wishes Salman Rushdie was being burnt alive for writing a novel.

The guy is a nut-job and should have no place at a rally to 'restore sanity'.

 

[CptStern]

that bolded "S" is kinda of dodgy. someone should investigate that guy

 

[StarBob]

Fun fact: Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) actually receives royalties from the band The Flaming Lips for the song "Fight Test" because of copyright infringment on his song "Father and Son".

However, I don't think Cat Stevens is particularly dangerous, maniacal, or even that bad of a singer.

 

[15357]

Heh, I heard some foreign people talking about it today. They seemed very happy and all.

 

[Solaris]

Fun fact: Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) actually receives royalties from the band The Flaming Lips for the song "Fight Test" because of copyright infringment on his song "Father and Son".

However, I don't think Cat Stevens is particularly dangerous, maniacal, or even that bad of a singer.

He repeatedly called for the murder and burning alive of somebody for writing a ****ing book. This was at a time when people were actually being hunted and killed for having anything to do with the book.

But sure, he's got Brown Skin so he's allowed to be a fascist without the left saying anything...

 

[ríomhaire]

The idea for this rally began as a joke on The Daily Show and The Stephen Colbert program. It was to a response to some rally Glen Beck et all organized on Labor Day. Thanks to the huge response it got (with a little help of the internets) it grew into this. More info here:
http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com/

I still don't really understand this thing. :\

 

[CptStern]

I havent seen the video but:

The singer attracted controversy in 1989, during an address to students at London's Kingston University, where he was asked about the fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie. The media interpreted his response as support for the fatwa. Yusuf released a statement the following day denying that he supported vigilantism, and claiming that he had merely recounted the legal Islamic punishment for blasphemy. In a BBC interview, he displayed a newspaper clipping from that time period, which quotes from his statement. Subsequent comments made by him in 1989 on a British television programme were also seen as being in support of the fatwa. In a statement in the FAQ section of his web site,[55] Yusuf asserted that he was joking and that the show was improperly edited. In the years since these comments, he has repeatedly denied ever calling for the death of Rushdie or supporting the fatwa.

 

[Solaris]

I havent seen the video but:

It's a cop out, watch the video it's clear what he was saying and it certainly wasn't the time or the place anyone would make that kind of joke.

"Robertson: Would you be part of that protest, Yusuf Islam, would you go to a demonstration where you knew that an effigy was going to be burned?
Y. Islam: I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing."

In an article in The New York Times on May 22, 1989, Craig R Whitney reported Stevens/Islam saying on a British television programme "that rather than go to a demonstration to burn an effigy of the author Salman Rushdie, 'I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing'.''

He added that "if Mr Rushdie turned up at his doorstep looking for help, 'I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like. I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is'.''

In a subsequent interview with The New York Times, Mr Whitney added, Stevens/Islam, who had seen a preview of the programme, said that he "stood by his comments".

http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3551

 

[CptStern]

doesnt sound like an extremist to me

Immediately following the 11 September 2001, attacks on the United States, he said:

I wish to express my heartfelt horror at the indiscriminate terrorist attacks committed against innocent people of the United States yesterday. While it is still not clear who carried out the attack, it must be stated that no right-thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action. The Qur'an equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of the whole of humanity. We pray for the families of all those who lost their lives in this unthinkable act of violence as well as all those injured; I hope to reflect the feelings of all Muslims and people around the world whose sympathies go out to the victims of this sorrowful moment.[56][57]

He appeared on videotape on a VH1 pre-show for the October 2001 Concert for New York City, condemning the attacks and singing his song "Peace Train" for the first time in public in more than 20 years, as an a cappella version. He also donated a portion of his box-set royalties to the Fund for victims' families, and the rest to orphans in underdeveloped countries.[58] During the same year, Yusuf Islam dedicated time and effort in joining the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism, an organization that worked towards battling misperceptions and acts against others because of their religious beliefs and/or racial identity, after many Muslims reported a backlash against them due in part to the grief caused by the events in the United States on 9-11.

 

[No Limit]

You see, as Solaris knows nobody ever changes their minds about anything. Once you establish a position you hold that position for the rest of your life.

What he was saying in that video that if a Islamic court in an Islamic country ordered him to kill the guy he would. The comment about the real thing clearly was more of a joke (as dumb of a joke as that is) than him saying he wants to burn the guy alive.

Again, these statements were made over 20 years ago. And as dumb as they were the guy clearly doesn't support extremism.

 

[Solaris]

I simply don't accept it. Salman Rushdie has spent his life hiding from Islamic Fascists, people have been killed for translating his books and Cat Stevens repeatedly called for his execution. If he's changed his mind, he should come out and admit he once supported it but now does not and apologise to the man who's life he's helped ruin.

Instead he hasn't, he merely insists "It was a joke". Which is an utterly pathetic thing, becuase he obviously wasn't joking or else he wouldn't have repeatedly said it.

He is a clear example of how people like Stewart and the Left in general are very happy to criticise the Christian right, but unwilling to confront the equally dangerous religious lunatics of Islamism.

 

[No Limit]

When did he repeat them? Did you read his statement on the topic?

http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/talks_cw.html#20

Because of imaginary scenarios set by courthouse TV interviewers, in 1989 I was drawn into making stupid and offensive jokes about Rushdie on a program called, ‘Hypotheticals’; however they were meant to lighten the moment and raise a smile - as good ol’ British sense of humor occasionally is known to do – unfortunately for me…it didn’t.

He sure seems to accept his comments were stupid and offensive. What more would you like? For him to kiss your ass personally?

Certainly I regret giving those sorts of responses now. However, it must be noted that the final edit of the program was made to look extremely serious; hardly any laughs were left in and much common sense was savagely cut out. Most of the Muslim participants in the program wrote in and complained about the narrow and selective use of their comments, surreptitiously selected out of the 3-hour long recording of the debate. But the edit was not in our hands. Balanced arguments were cut out and the most sensational quotes, preserved.

Are you saying he is lying about the editting? What is your evidance for this?

Finally:

Providentially, they kept in one important response to a final question posed directly to me by Geoffrey Robertson QC. At the end of the debate he asked me to imagine if Salman Rushdie was taken to court in Britain and the Jury found him ‘not guilty’ of any crime - Blasphemy or otherwise - and dismissed the case, what I would do. I clearly stated that I would have to accept the decision and fully abide by the law! And that was no joke.

He is a clear example of how people like Stewart and the Left in general are very happy to criticise the Christian right, but unwilling to confront the equally dangerous religious lunatics of Islamism.

You are a clear example of how you will apply certain standards to muslims and different standards to yourself. You keep bringing up this bullshit idea that the left is friendly with extremists and will grasp at any straws possible to try and make your bullshit case.

 

[CptStern]

I simply don't accept it. Salman Rushdie has spent his life hiding from Islamic Fascists, people have been killed for translating his books and Cat Stevens repeatedly called for his execution. If he's changed his mind, he should come out and admit he once supported it but now does not and apologise to the man who's life he's helped ruin.

I simply dont accept that you went from imperialist-USA hating talking point liberal to imperialist loving talking point islamaphobe right winger. people just do that kind of about face in such a short time

Instead he hasn't, he merely insists "It was a joke". Which is an utterly pathetic thing, becuase he obviously wasn't joking or else he wouldn't have repeatedly said it.

kinda like the time you "jokingly" said that terrorists had the right to fire upon helicopter ambulances in the middle of a medi-evac because the helicopter people were part of the invading force and to hell with the geneva conventions

He is a clear example of how people like Stewart and the Left in general are very happy to criticise the Christian right, but unwilling to confront the equally dangerous religious lunatics of Islamism.

you're an open vessel to be filled by whomever can manipulate you the fastest. funny how to you Cat stevens is part of the "dangerous religious lunatics" but to the rest of us he's just some dude who at one time sang a few songs that were popular and now has a stupid beard and skullcap

 

[Eejit]

Burn, like, so it is.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

In his defence, The Satanic Verses was a pretty bad book.

 

[Eejit]

So was Midnight's Children. Burn the bad author!

 

[StarBob]

He repeatedly called for the murder and burning alive of somebody for writing a ****ing book. This was at a time when people were actually being hunted and killed for having anything to do with the book.

But sure, he's got Brown Skin so he's allowed to be a fascist without the left saying anything...

So making a statement makes him dangerous and maniacal? I live and work around people who daily make much more scathing and violent claims and I don't find them to be dangerous in any way. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if, while grabbing some groceries at wal-mart, a random hillbilly say Obama needs to be shot or lynched or something similar. The same could be said about anyone looking remotely middle eastern in ethnicity. They all say it. They may be pricks but they're not dangerous or maniacal. They're probably bad singers though. However they're all white and they get to be a fascist without the right saying anything. But yeah I guess it's ok for you to have a double standard. Freedom of Speech only matters when you agree with it.

I guess it's also not relevant that it was over twenty years ago that he said an off handed comment about a popular author who wrote something that offended an entire religion. I figure if JK Rowling wrote books that pissed off Christians (oh wait she did) they'd probably say similar things (oh wait they did). But I guess that means they shouldn't show the next Harry Potter movie... uh... in America?

Really I just don't know how your offense to Cat Stevens is in any way relevant to this event. A handful of words spoken 21 years ago have nothing to do with a guy singing peaceful songs at a satirical political event. Really... just go troll somewhere else until you can figure this out.

 

[Solaris]

I simply dont accept that you went from imperialist-USA hating talking point liberal to imperialist loving talking point islamaphobe right winger. people just do that kind of about face in such a short time

It's not that I don't accept he may have changed his mind, I just don't accept he was joking in the first place.

kinda like the time you "jokingly" said that terrorists had the right to fire upon helicopter ambulances in the middle of a medi-evac because the helicopter people were part of the invading force and to hell with the geneva conventions

I wasn't joking I was serious. I've just changed my mind on the issue and apologise for my previous statements. Changing your mind is nothing to be ashamed out, it's only shameful when you deny your previous position as a 'joke'.

No limit, there are numerous other cases of Salman calling for Rushdies death here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens'_comments_about_Salman_Rushdie

Can you point out a link where he flat out says, Salman should not be killed for writing a book.

 

[CptStern]

funny how you dont accept that he was joking but when he tried to explain his "jokes" you dont accept that either

"Yusuf released a statement saying that he was not personally encouraging anybody to be a vigilante,[2] and that he was only stating that blasphemy is a capital offense according to the Qur'an."

"Providentially, they kept in one important response to a final question posed directly to me by Geoffrey Robertson QC. At the end of the debate he asked me to imagine if Salman Rushdie was taken to court in Britain and the Jury found him ‘not guilty’ of any crime – Blasphemy or otherwise – and dismissed the case, what I would do. I clearly stated that I would have to accept the decision and fully abide by the law! "


"I'm very sad that this seems to be the No. 1 question people want to discuss. I had nothing to do with the issue other than what the media created. I was innocently drawn into the whole controversy. So, after many years, I'm glad at least now that I have been given the opportunity to explain to the public and fans my side of the story in my own words. At a lecture, back in 1989, I was asked a question about blasphemy according to Islamic Law, I simply repeated the legal view according to my limited knowledge of the Scriptural texts, based directly on historical commentaries of the Qur'an. The next day the newspaper headlines read, "Cat Says, Kill Rushdie." I was abhorred [appalled?], but what could I do? I was a new Muslim. If you ask a Bible student to quote the legal punishment of a person who commits blasphemy in the Bible, he would be dishonest if he didn't mention Leviticus 24:16."


"I never called for the death of Salman Rushdie; nor backed the Fatwa issued by the Ayatollah Khomeini--and still don’t. The book itself destroyed the harmony between peoples and created an unnecessary international crisis.

When asked about my opinion regarding blasphemy, I could not tell a lie and confirmed that--like both the Torah and the Gospel--the Qur’an considers it, without repentance, as a capital offense. The Bible is full of similar harsh laws if you’re looking for them.[8] However, the application of such Biblical and Qur’anic injunctions is not to be outside of due process of law, in a place or land where such law is accepted and applied by the society as a whole..."

 

[No Limit]

So he made the statement that he should be killed according to Islamic law one other time?

And I gave you a link, he said that if courts in Britain find him innocent then he should not be killed. But all this doesn't matter. Because he said over and over again he regretted those statements. In your own link:

I'm very sad that this seems to be the No. 1 question people want to discuss. I had nothing to do with the issue other than what the media created. I was innocently drawn into the whole controversy. So, after many years, I'm glad at least now that I have been given the opportunity to explain to the public and fans my side of the story in my own words. At a lecture, back in 1989, I was asked a question about blasphemy according to Islamic Law, I simply repeated the legal view according to my limited knowledge of the Scriptural texts, based directly on historical commentaries of the Qur'an. The next day the newspaper headlines read, "Cat Says, Kill Rushdie." I was abhorred [appalled?], but what could I do? I was a new Muslim. If you ask a Bible student to quote the legal punishment of a person who commits blasphemy in the Bible, he would be dishonest if he didn't mention Leviticus 24:16. [3]

He said his knowledge of the Quran was limited and implies it was naive.

So you can either accept his apology or your can continue to call him an extremist. But don't pretend that he didn't apologize, because he did.

 

[Krynn72]

So like, how 'bout that rally?

 

[No Limit]

****ing awesome!

Alot of people on the left really pissed off at it. I think they need to stop whining.

 

[Krynn72]

****ing awesome!

Alot of people on the left really pissed off at it. I think they need to stop whining.

huh? On the left?

 

[VirusType2]

I just realized, that's the actor from Lost.

I only realized it because that's the way he talked in the show.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Missing words are "I do mind, the"