Comic Con began in the USA in 1970 and has since spread worldwide as a largely nerdy youth based experience ....
Up until now it has been considered largely an innocent pastime.
But that doesn't take account of the hard-line Islamists whose attitudes control much of the Middle-East. So perhaps its no surprise that when those members of Libyan society who don't belong to the bearded militias, or roam the streets killing people, decided to hold their own Tripoli Comic Con this year, it hit trouble. Several hundred young Libyans had attended the event and some even innocently dressed up as characters from American and Japanese comics.
One of the local militias, the Special Deterrent Forces (SDF), which the BBC like to coyly describe as being a 'conservative Islamist group' - meaning of course, hard-line Islamists who practise a more barbaric version of that religion than the usual version - didn't like it. So they raided the con, even though it had official permission to stage the event from the UN-backed Government of National Accord, who the SDF leadership support.
The raid was aggressive, and over twenty people; organisers, participants and visitors, were arrested and taken away. Those who were released a few hours later had been subjected to torture in the form of beatings and were told that 'Libya is a Muslim country not a free or liberal country' .... quelle surprise, does anyone really think it is?
They were the lucky ones, six members of the main organizing committee are reportedly still being held, and are likely to be subjected to far worse treatment.
The SDF social media page stated the convention caused "a widespread public outpouring of criticism", and that it breached the country's "morals and modesty". They later issued a statement claiming that the festivals "derived from abroad and exploit weakness of religious faith and fascination with foreign cultures" .... although they apparently don't mind using Facebook.
Every one of the Arab Spring uprisings, with the exception of Tunisia (perhaps the only full democracy in the Arab World), has turned sour. They have all ushered in governance that is far worse, or at least no better than the regime that was supplanted. Others started civil wars, with hard-line Islamists taking over the struggle. I remain convinced that Muslim culture is innately contrary to having a free and liberal society.
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| Comic Cons Are Innocent Fun In Free And Liberal Societies. |
Up until now it has been considered largely an innocent pastime.
But that doesn't take account of the hard-line Islamists whose attitudes control much of the Middle-East. So perhaps its no surprise that when those members of Libyan society who don't belong to the bearded militias, or roam the streets killing people, decided to hold their own Tripoli Comic Con this year, it hit trouble. Several hundred young Libyans had attended the event and some even innocently dressed up as characters from American and Japanese comics.
One of the local militias, the Special Deterrent Forces (SDF), which the BBC like to coyly describe as being a 'conservative Islamist group' - meaning of course, hard-line Islamists who practise a more barbaric version of that religion than the usual version - didn't like it. So they raided the con, even though it had official permission to stage the event from the UN-backed Government of National Accord, who the SDF leadership support.
The raid was aggressive, and over twenty people; organisers, participants and visitors, were arrested and taken away. Those who were released a few hours later had been subjected to torture in the form of beatings and were told that 'Libya is a Muslim country not a free or liberal country' .... quelle surprise, does anyone really think it is?
 |
| Tripoli Comic Con Had Been A Peaceful Cosmopolitan Affair .... Until The SDF Arrived. |
They were the lucky ones, six members of the main organizing committee are reportedly still being held, and are likely to be subjected to far worse treatment.
The SDF social media page stated the convention caused "a widespread public outpouring of criticism", and that it breached the country's "morals and modesty". They later issued a statement claiming that the festivals "derived from abroad and exploit weakness of religious faith and fascination with foreign cultures" .... although they apparently don't mind using Facebook.
Every one of the Arab Spring uprisings, with the exception of Tunisia (perhaps the only full democracy in the Arab World), has turned sour. They have all ushered in governance that is far worse, or at least no better than the regime that was supplanted. Others started civil wars, with hard-line Islamists taking over the struggle. I remain convinced that Muslim culture is innately contrary to having a free and liberal society.
Who wants to live in a society where even fun is proscribed by rules set by fanatics, or fundamentalists? ... they apparently can't or don't want to change their societies.
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