Call me a narrow-minded turd, call me what you will, but large chunks of the Pakistani population continue to demonstrate a kind of intolerance that would give a Nazi pause. The above picture shows a group demonstrating against the knighting of Salman Rushdie. Aparently effigies of Sir Salman and the Queen were burnt in various places and the Pakistani Parliament almost unanimously voted (one vote 'nay' apparently) to declare Salman a 'blasphemer'. This is frankly embarrassing behaviour, matched only by the cartoon riots of last year.
As close as we get in the US, besides our generally abissmal foreign policy, is when our Congress voted to rename 'french fries' to 'freedom fries' in the capital building cafeterias as a protest of France's unenthusiasm for an Iraq War. (I sincerely wish our bellicose administration had bothered to listen to the French at the time.) Still, it was a lackluster protest to be sure. Not one single burning Parisian in effigy -- nor one single burning Parisian for that matter, not one single burnt french flag, no burning wheels of Brie nor a single smashed bottle of 1958 Chateau La Tour (thank you, there is a god). Just a ridiculous name change that if anything reminded the rest of the world that the United States is run by dorks.
Well, that's about enough whining out of me for now. Here are my crocodile tears for Pakistan. Now I think I'll go get myself a cup of cofffee, and maybe a nice rose of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). I'm feeling a bit peckish.
