Hi Everybody,
Did any of you follow the plight of Brit Gillian Gibbons?

Thousands of Islamic fanatics wielding knives demand jailed teddy bear teacher is executed | the Daily Mail

They actually wanted to provide this woman with a nice whipping. Thankfully she should make it out of the 8th century with her life and no lashes. No good deed goes unpunished.

What I just don't understand is why it is fine to name your children after the prophet but children naming a teddy bear after him result in such crazy outrage.

At least the Brit Muslims expressed outrage at this absurdity. The USA actually gives these people money. I would rather burn the money than give it to these barbarians.

Lesson learned to everybody who feels badly about the plight of West Africa, stay away or you could end up like Ms. Gibbons. Lend them a hand and they would rather spit on you and chop off that hand than say thanks.

__________________
After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her.

Mark Twain

My oldest DD and I were following this.....I think this is just horrible! I feel sorry for the poor woman.

__________________
"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

Sometimes I think these poverty stricken foreign countries just don't want anyones help.They just want to be left alone.That seems to be the message they they are all sending out to me,
I hope she makes it out of there alive and unharmed.

Funny, the message they're sending out to most of us is that they want US money, THEN leave them alone.

I'm sorry for this woman. I think she meant well and they're using her as a scapecoat for their hatred. I think this ridiculous situation is another reason why charity should begin at home. Great Britain has planty of children that could have used her help. She should have stayed at home. She put herself at risk the second she entered that country. It's a shame that she wasted her energy on people that behave this way. I hope this case serves a deterrent for other misguided souls to stay away from West Africa.

When I initially saw this thread I had to click on it, such a weird title. (I have been so busy I haven't seen any news in about a week) Then I followed the link to the story...oh my gosh...what the heck is going on in the world!

I am just stunned! That poor woman, you know the 15 days she has to spend in that over-crowded prison is going to be horrible and dangerous. I hope the UK can step in and do something.

And all these young men rioting...that country needs to get some projects going to get these men working. Even if it's for limited pay on government projects like FDR's New Deal.

__________________
Mary

I saw something on TV about this........but, don't know the intimacies of the situation. While I understand the outrage over what they want to do to this woman over the name of a Teddy Bear, could it be that she/we just don't understand their "ways"??? Maybe this is such a horrible thing over there that they feel it warrants this punishment. While we as Americans don't accept it, it's not our country and culture to understand. Much like when traveling to another country, you, as a responsible person should learn what is and isn't acceptable over there.

Again, I don't know all the details, just throwing in my spin on it. And, yes, I think it's ridiculous the punishment they want for this woman. But, that is based on OUR culture here in the US. Some countries worship the cow, WE eat it. Would you go there and butcher a cow and expect sympathy from that country????

Just a thought.

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

She allowed the children to name the bear, and it was named after one of the students. I think since the kids named it, and they practice the religion, that she assumed it would be ok. I'm sure no one could have seen this coming.

__________________
"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

From this and previous comments that you have made, it is evident to me that you have acquired a great deal of misformation and precious little understanding of Islam.

Of course not, but I certainly wouldn't "expect" to be KILLED for butchering a cow, either Would you????

It is crazy for them wanting to have this lady killed. But I remember when my nephew was in the Air Force and he had to go over there. He was given a LONG list of do's and don't's. Most of them were ridiculous by our standards. From what I've read now they've put her in secret hiding to spend her 15 days and then will be deported.

It does sound so extreme to want to kill someone over this.

Reminds me of the woman over there who was gang-raped by a group of men and now SHE is in prison! And it's even being talked about stoning her. (I heard this on the news the other day).

Of course not, in OUR country, and by OUR culture. The point I am trying to make is that this woman is another country, and their standards should be taken into account. As for the cow, I don't know, maybe they DO kill people for killing them. It is THEIR justice system is what I'm saying.

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

The problem in this case, is that there are no standards. As a matter of fact, it's quite common for the Islamic to name their children after their prophet. To muddy the waters even more, it was THEIR children that named the bear! Clearly, they haven't trained their young very well if they consider it to be such horrendous blasphemy. And to top it off, the more reasonable Muslims in other countries don't consider that she should be punished at all.

These are the fanatic Muslims who are calling for her to be killed. The police are wearing riot gear to stop them from dragging her out of the jail and beating her to death. The problem isn't the naming of the bear. It's just their excuse. The problem is that she's white, female, and a British foreigner. Fanatical Islam hates all three and they're using her as a symbol for their religious hatred.

Was she foolish? Absolutely. She assumed that it was ok because the children said it was ok. It should have been ok except that it provided an excuse for them to get her. She went to their country with no comprehension of how much they hate her. She doesn't have an all consuming hatred so she didn't understand how much they dislike anyone like her. She didn't realize that they always wanted her dead. She should have realized. She should have known that they were waiting for any misstep to vent their rage on her. She should never have gone to a place where she was so hated to teach their children anything.

As for butchering a cow in India, yes, you will be killed and you should expect to be. You should also avoid all leather products lest it give any radicals there an excuse to vent their hatred on you. Better yet, avoid India too.

i think the press in third world countries like to stir up trouble this happened in 1994 and islam was not to blame


Before she was dragged from her bus and beset by the mob that demanded her blood, the blood of the American accused of stealing children to harvest their organs, before she was called a witch and almost beaten to death with sticks -- before all this, June Weinstock probably fell in love with Guatemala.

In her last conscious hours before the attack, the 51-year-old environmental activist from Alaska discovered the Guatemala of a traveler's dreams, the highland villages where the descendants of the Mayas grow moon lilies on the sides of dead volcanoes and time in the dusty town squares seems expanded and almost still.

But this was not that Guatemala. This was the other Guatemala, the one travel guides do not speak of, the violent, unknowable Guatemala, where rumors have been circulating for months that there are gringos -- evil longhaired hippies, their dusty backpacks filled with surgical gear -- who roam the countryside, hunting.

Olivia de Ruiz, the prim matron of an inn here that bears her name, drank good Guatemalan coffee with Weinstock on the morning the national baby-snatchinghysteria consumed the American woman.

It was Holy Week in San Cristobal, March 29, and the town was dressed in flowers. So pretty, remembers Olivia de Ruiz, so tranquil. The streets were filled with Indians from the outlying villages and farms, following the processions of the saints.

De Ruiz remembers there were only a few foreigners in San Cristobal -- a four-hour drive from Guatemala City -- a highland town of 7,000 people on a lakesurrounded by coffee plantations and pine forests. Later, De Ruiz heard that Weinstock -- a rugged outdoors woman -- strolled the plaza, the market, taking photographs of the brown-eyed children. Then a boy wandered off to follow the religious processions, and a mother panicked. Though the child was found within the hour, it was too late.

More than four hours later -- as police watched and desperate officials at the U.S. Embassy in the capital monitored reports -- the mob finally smashed into the bathroom in the judge's offices where Weinstock was hiding, abandoned, alone. It did not stop beating her until it was convinced she was dead.

__________________
I think it's good you get a tattoo that reflects your heritage. I'm adopted, so I'm getting one of a recycling bin.

Hi,

I usually lurk here but I wanted to pipe up about this.

I am muslim and everyone one I know, every muslim I know online and off thinks this case is rediculous and insane. She had no way of knowing it would be offensive and her intentions were good.

We all feel sorry for this poor woman and hope she returns home safely... If she really had any problems with Islam then why the heck would she be there helping their children?

It is really embarassing and a complete crock. There is nothing in Islam that says you can't name your teddy bear Mohamed or anything, in fact, while we respect and revere the prophet, he isn't god and we shouldn't treat him as such. She didn't name the bear Allah. Besides, it was a student who suggested the name in the first place. It's just a common name she assumed was ok.

I am really infurated by the whole thing and wish Gillian Gibbons a safe and swift return home.

The Sudanese President has pardoned Gillian Gibbons.

Sudan pardons 'teddy bear' row teacher - Yahoo! News

__________________
Don't dream it. Be it.

People are not butchered in India for killing cows nor for using leather. The philosophy behind worshipping cows is it provides milk and nurtures you just like a mother and the same respect is accorded to it. India is one of the largest exporter of leather goods. Please check labels on leather goods. As for avoiding India it will be your loss

India's citizens might not be but white foreigners run a very high risk of being butchered for any infraction. From a technical standpoint, the penalty is 'rigorous imprisonment' (and a fine). It'll take years before the trial even if you get one and the truth is, that a white foreigner probably won't live to see a jail cell. Just ask Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons. They were burned alive by the crowd for eating beef. They didn't even kill a cow.

White foreigners are at great risk in India, period. It's a hotbed of terrorism and political unrest. White foreigners are about as popular there as they are in West Africa. There's no point in pretending it's safe. This report is current, dated through tomorrow, in fact. And white Americans are at much higher risk than Australians! I think I'll take that loss. At least, I'll stay alive.

Travel Advice for India - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade