The Propagandist

Stephen Colbert. Corporations Are People

Editor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:53:01 +0000

Loved this recent bit from Colbert: "Corporations are people. You won't weigh in on whether some people are people? That seems kind of racist, George."

Iran. Passage of Islamic Penal Code Violates Rights

Lauryn Oates — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:39:43 +0000

Circulated on behalf of Justice For Iran

Following a meeting on January 18, 2011, the Guardian Council ratified the final text of the new Islamic Penal Code and did not find any part of this code to be in contravention of Islamic Sharia law and the Iranian Constitution. Passage of this code renders the former penal Code ineffective, providing the new and more severe code as replacement.

Prior to this and on multiple occasions, Justice For Iran and other monitoring and human rights organizations had expressed their concerns and reservations regarding the text of the new Code and yet, the Islamic Republic paid no mind to any of the said concerns. Read more

Censorship Bad. Culture Good. Therefore, Censorship Good

Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:36:15 +0000

Richard Dawkins on the most recent censorship of Salman Rushdie, the courageous response of his literary comrades and the increasing threat to free speech:

At the Jaipur festival, in defiance of intimidation from the civil government, three courageous Indian writers began their literary presentations by publicly reading from The Satanic Verses. I chose to support Rushdie in a different way, by reading from my own ‘Words for Rushdie’, published in New Statesman at the time of the original fatwa – for that magazine was an honourable exception to the widespread fashion to blame the victim rather than the Muslim perpetrators of the outrage.

The organizers of the festival were placed in an impossibly difficult position. Let down as they were by the spineless Rajasthan government, who had eyes only for the Muslim vote in the current elections, they did their best. They were personally threatened by a baying mob of bearded youths who invaded the festival compound promising murder and mayhem if Rushdie was allowed so much as a video link (as Germaine Greer said at the time of the Danish cartoons row, “What these people really love and do best is pandemonium”).

Propaganda Roundup. Iranian Weapons, Solidarity with Gaza and Mocking the State

Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:08 +0000

The Propagandist magazine's Allies have broken on through to the other side thanks to some timely heavy-weapons support by the Doors.

Here are some of the latest dispatches from the front:

Iran More than Doubles 2012 Defense Budget. But don't worry about a big regional war. It's mostly for shooting at their own people.
China: Zhu Yufu's Sham "Incitement" Trial; No Verdict. He is being tried for "inciting subversion of state power."
Today I stand in solidarity with Gaza. Thwack!
New York Times Backs Islamist Movement Without Even Looking at It. So what else is new?
Disgusting BBC piece sympathizing with a child-killer terrorist. It's actually worse than it sounds.
Can an Indian cartoonist be barred from mocking the state? Yes, as long as good people let the thugs do what thugs do.
Syrians are Taking Note. But after Assad is overthrown, will Syrians really turn their back on Russia and Hezbollah? The opposition far more routinely and incoherently blame America and Israel for (gag!) backing Assad.
A Welcome Addition to The Conversation About China. Very much so. Thanks, Terry.

Confusion to our enemies!

Why We Fight. This Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Jonathon Narvey — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:44:08 +0000

We're often asked why it is that we keep plugging away, working as propagandists to mobilize the masses. Precisely what are we mobilizing to do?

As we say in The Propagandist Manifesto, "our cause is freedom, modernity, reason, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness." But I will often add that we are also defined by our enemies.

I believe this photo I captured at Occupy Wall Street in New York City a little while back pretty much says it all. I would not taint all Occupy Movement activists by association with the Spartacist League -- but I'm not at all convinced that many of them would be willing to give these bozos the rhetorical slapping-down they so richly deserve.

Confusion to our enemies!

Jonathon Narvey is the Editor of The Propagandist

Egypt Is One Messed Up Country

Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:50:29 +0000

You want proof? Forty Egyptians dead in clashes -- following a soccer match.

Presumably, the losing side blamed a conspiracy of soccer players aligned with American-Zionist agents. The other side took offense and counter-claimed that the other fans were being funded and supported by Mossad and the CIA, in league with the current Egyptian military regime. Then the mob did what mobs do.

Just another day in post-Arab Spring Egypt

UPDATE. Now we're up to 74 people dead... and counting.

Just another Middle East country descending further into barbarism. Nothing to see here.

The Bigotry of Low Expectations of Muslim Immigrants by an Imam

Jonathon Narvey — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:27:45 +0000

The infamous case of the Shafia honour killings has made international headlines thanks to the horrific details of the mass-murder itself and the outrageous conduct of the defendants during the trial. A father, mother and son murdered the family's three daughters and the polygamous husband's first wife. It is certain to become a textbook example of honour killings, carried out according to the tribal traditions of numerous Islamic states; an abominable cultural import into the Western world.

The evidence seemed so overwhelming in this case (notwithstanding the almost-immediate launch of an appeal) that few objective observers could have been surprised by the harsh sentences of life in prison; 25 years without parole, according to Canadian law.

Indeed, one surprising commentator often (and weirdly) used as an alleged voice of Canada's Muslim community by the mainstream media appears to have felt compelled to make a statement that at once condemns the guilty. He does so while also seeming to partly blame the government that accepted this immigrant family in the first place.

Pay close attention to the words of Calgary-based Imam Syed Soharwardy:

‘I talked about domestic violence and honour killing. That this is absolutely horrible crimes that in Muslim may come and see this as there is room in our religion. There is no room for this kind of crime in religion," said Soharwardy.

The imam says the case has shed light on the tensions and challenges young Afghan women face and he says government has to do more to educate those women and their families when they arrive here.

"Not only just have a test, you know, about Canada but before anybody comes here I think the government has a responsibility to clearly say what kind of society this Canada is," said Soharwardy.

That's very, very odd. Not that Soharwardy is wrong when he says that these were absolutely horrible crimes. Nor that the government has a duty to outline to immigrants clearly what kind of society this is -- though one would think that immigrants would make the common-sense preparations such as checking into these sorts of things before they move. Read more

Rested. Reloaded. Ready for the Fight

Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:11:45 +0000

A salty island breeze, the sound of waves against a pristine Pacific beach and the twangy tune of a ukelele sure can take the fight out of a fella. But the war goes on and our scheduled R&R is done.

Now we're back and ready to rumble once again.

Until victory, comrades.

The Propagandist is on Vacation

Editor — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:21:35 +0000

Our leave pass just came in! The Editor is taking time off for some R&R. We'll be back in about a week!

In the meantime, feel free to drop us a line on Twitter, Facebook or via email at info [AT] propagandistmag [DOT] com

We want to know what you think:

Stories and themes we cover at the magazine. What do you like? What do you want to see more of?
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Donate to the cause! We've got to pay for web hosting, not to mention groceries. It's easy to donate through PayPal.

We're back next weekend. Until then, confusion to our enemies!

Propaganda Roundup. Hunger Strike in Cuba, Threats to Freedom, Hamas and Human Rights

Editor — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:27:22 +0000

The Propagandist's Allies are on the warpath. Better get out of their way, bubba.

Jailed Cuba dissident dies in hunger strike. "Villar launched his hunger strike shortly after he was arrested in November, put on trial and sentenced to four years in prison for crimes including disobedience, resistance and crimes against the state."
Defend Freedom of Expression on 11 Feb. Gladly.
Malawian women protest over 'trouser attacks'. Just try to imagine some retail vendor beating you up and stripping you down in the middle of the street because he doesn't like how you dress. Yes, this really happened.
France gets a clue, suspends all operations with Afghan army after Afghan soldier murders four French troops. It happened again. "Scores of Nato troops have been shot dead in recent years by their Afghan partners raising fears of widespread Taliban infiltration and underlining the tense relations on the ground between the allies."
Hamas says it will investigate attack on human rights activist. Sure. Foxes guarding the henhouse.
The Arab spring through women's eyes. Not looking good.
Are you now or have you ever been an Islamophobe. Nope.

Confusion to our enemies!