The kid was hired to do this? I'm confused.

Some kind of circus act I think...still disturbing

An immediate correction was issued. Now why can't the New York Times and every other outlet of the MSM act as quickly when confronted with an error?

What? Did the kid know this whole thing wasn't real b/c his fear looks real to me. Anyway, that's really a relief. I was pretty upset about the whole thing.

Charles is to be complimented for this prompt retraction.

all in good fun I guess.

now just imagine if he had stolen some bread.

we should have known when we saw ashton kuchner holding the mic something was fishy

Animals.

...not surprised

Gordon,

why don't you show up on a paris riots thread?

WTF...I'm still confused.

I am confused. What the hell is going on? What is a "Maareke giry"? Whatever was going on, the kid didn't look happy.

I'm so glad was 'just' a stunt. Filthy way to early a living.

Okay, so it wasn't a punishment for stealing bread, but the kid was paid to get his arm crushed? I get it.

What we've got here is a simple misunderstanding. We're watching the latest Sideshow Bob showing off his new talents.

either way, its a backwards culture.

Still confused.

that kid has some potential, damn! Some day, if he dreams big, and works hard, he'll make it to the Olympic Games, where he will refuse to compete against Israelis.

So the kid got paid with bread to do this show - was it a fake or was he hurt still remains unclear

Is he trying to say that they're driving the car over the kid's arm as a form of entertainment?

Still sick.

I get the idea, Big Mo doesn't have the money to buy a monkey for his sideroad circus act, so he uses Lil Mo (his son).

Where are the human rights groups when you should be hearing from them? Next time, say this was happening at Gitmo.

I have no idea WTF that guy is talking about in that email.

Fake. But Accurate.

Well that makes everything alright. Crushing an eight year old boy's arm for entertainment purposes is AOK! Next we will be told that clitoral multilation is just a fashion rage sweeping the mid east. How un-PC of us!

From what I've read, boys in Iran are not subject to corporal punishment until they are at least 14 or 15. Girls on the other hand are subject to the full range of punishments (flogging, amputations,stoning, hanging etc.) from the age 9.

Ahhh....Maareke giry, now it all makes sense.

Bye.

Is that response supposed to resolve the issue of blatant child abuse?

To think that I was beginning to believe that Persians (as opposed to Arabs)will make a difference in Iran is gone.

Such a culture is not worth hoping for.

#16

It’s some sort of carny stunt from the Religion of Peace folk. But it's still child abuse.

It's real funny.

/not

They are still sickening people.

Something was lost in the translation. I happen to speak fluent Irna. Allow me to clean it up a little:

Hi!

It seems you have not read the text that came with the pictures.

In irna we are happy to be subject of caliphate. We caught this kid stealing bread for her sick mother. You see, we have no medical resources or jobs. But thankfully we have these great big Korans, all of us do. And we have Sharia to make clear our path from these troubles.

You read the text that came with photos.
bye to girl

#12
I'm with you - dazed and confused.

What does "Maareke giry" mean? The note from the publisher is as clear as mud.

Guess I'm a little thick but I can not conjure up any circumstance that would justify what is going on.

Is the Islamist equivalent of "I dare you"?.

Perhaps they are trying to steal from the Indian "fakir" acts like walking on broken glass...

Just wondering.

cn

Thanks, Baikal. This was great fact-checking. That's the good thing about the 'net. All you have to do is send email.

Thanks for making this a topic, Charles.

Like I said on the open thread, this is destined to be a UL, documented at the About.com UL site, and at Snopes.com.

Don't misunderstand my post, please -- the fact that it's a sick stunt doesn't make it any more forgiveable. But the attribution of the photos was incorrect, and that should be noted.

23 BIG

From what I know of FGM, it's a village (women) affair. They all get in there and make sure 'its' been removed.

Sick.

2000 deaths in 3 years combat operations in Iraq. That is 667 combat deaths a year. Which by the way is the lowest rate of any conflict our military has been engaged in.

Los Angles county is raising hell because they have had 814 killed this year.

Boys and Girls when you come home from Iraq dont stay over in Los Angles county.

#33 Murqtad
So... it really DOES take a village.
/

#30 Colin

Perhaps they are trying to steal from the Indian "fakir" acts like walking on broken glass...

I suppose that the kid gets up at the end of the stunt and waves his arms around completely unharmed. Was there some U-shaped piece of metal inside that cloth that his arm fit in so it wouldn't be crushed?

It is a fairly small car (looks kinda like a very old Ford Escort, or a UK Chrysler 180), and they did put a rolled-up towel under his arm (I thought that was kinda fishy yesterday). Also, if they laid the arm right (ulna next to the radius), he probably got away with just some bruising.

Hope the kid got paid well, as he was probably sore for a few days.

Thanks Charles. Good job.

I saw the "correction" posted yesterday and had this response:

In what way is it any better that this is "fake"?

"irna" is referring to IRNA, the official Iranian government news agency, so when the emailer says "In irna there some who earn their bread by Maareke giry. In our case one of these maarke gir _ha had hired a kid to do those unhuman show," a deciphering bacially implies that IRNA has employees that stage or acquire violent or "gory" images.

To what end? For what purpose?

Since IRNA stands for "Islamic Republic News Agency," one assumes the purpose to is to instill the fear of Allah into people, as an aspect of shari'a.

To me, this is almost more disturbing than if the photos were "real." We're supposed to be reassured that a government agency openly creates fake news for propagandistic purposes?

Furthermore, whether or not the kid was actually being punished for stealing bread, the images depict a dangerous stunt that no child should be involved in. It's still child abuse even if it is not as "real" as we thought.

*******Military Current and Vets********

just a quick stop by because this is very important to me

My daughters' Girl Scout troop is getting a care package together for the troops over there. What kind of things are hard to get that little girls can send. ( no "mouthwash" aka vodka please)

I'll be lurking for the next few hours to watch for lists

And yes they will be writing letters telling the boys and girls how much they appreciated the job they are doing for us.

So, does this "stunt" get used in Iran's schools to impress Muslim children not to steal, or is it simply twisted entertainment for the sicko's who love to see their people become suicide bombers?

It wasn't like he stole an iPod.

So this is someone's idea of a cute ad campaign?

"Maareke giry bread- worth an arm and a leg!"
YUMMMMMM.

Clever folks, these.

JWM

Sick , Sick ,Sick ! They treat their own children worse than I would treat my dog. There is nothing of value to be found in the Rop.

#42 SlothB77, he didn't steal anything.

Still fucked up.

Just like the USC Football fake suicide stunt, lindell white/ carroll thing

/or not

at least give the kid a mouth piece so he doesnt break his fng teeth.

still child abuse,
probably got enough money to feed his family for one meal.

If the arm is well padded against the ground (looks like it is), with a smaller car running over the shaft of the ulna/radius as shown, staying off the elbow and the wrist, and with the forearm supine the ulnar, radial, and median nerves would be well padded and protected against crushing, you're not near the growth plates, etc............

I would imagine the child could get through this with nothing more than a sore arm.

Assuming this is supposed to be some sort of a geek stunt. I hope the onlookers tipped well.

I am assuming that is what this was supposed to be, a stunt for pay.

I don't plan to try that with my own kinds, thank you.

Let's assume that this was some kind of "stunt". The greater question is why did we find it conceivable that this was punishment for stealing? Could it be that this kind of "treatment" is not far-fetched? Afterall, the Iranians routinely chop off hands for stealing, decapitate for more serious crimes, and stone to death "adulterers".

It's a sick culture which is oppressive, abusive, and nihlistic.

#45

what do they mean by show? Was this off-off-off-broadway or the teaching of a lesson that you can either steal bread and get a crushed arm or starve?

and gordon is still being agreeable.

My only suprise is nobody was suprised they would treat a kikd stealing a loaf of bread in that manner.

I mean this is the culture that wraps women in cloth, burries them to their necks and slowly stones them to death for an hour. (Yeah they dictate a rock cannot be so big it kills you all at once, nor so small it does not do some damage)

/slouching to Armageddon

#49 American Infidel, no. See a towel, clothe or drapery and think David Copperfield.

Zombie,

Will you be visiting any of the Bush re-election celebrations in Berkeley or San Francisco today?

Sounds like all the fun people will be there.

Of course we all should know that young children are used/forced/taught to do things for money in the world over. If you don't, get out of the U.S. and travel to any "third world" country. That being said, why should we trust anything Iran's government-run news agency, IRNA, says.

#50 arf, or support hidden by the padding. I've seen people have a truck drive across their chest while covered with a 'blanket'.

#40 Keep and bear

they will be writing letters telling the boys and girls how much they appreciated the job they are doing for us.

That would be MEN and WOMEN. Our brave soldiers are not boys and girls.

"#39 zombie:
"'irna' is referring to IRNA, the official Iranian government news agency..."

Actually, given the context, I believe "irna" is a typo for "Iran."

OT

Carter: White House Manipulated Iraq Intel

The Bush Administration's prewar claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction were "manipulated, at least" to mislead the American people, former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday.

The decision to go to war was the culmination of a long-term plan to attack Iraq that resulted from the first President Bush not taking out Saddam, Carter said on NBC's "Today" show.

Take the pictures however you want. Bottom line is that they clearly display that human evolution also works in reverse in some parts of the world.

#58 American Infidel, have you looked at all 8 of the photos? Especially 7 and 8? His arm is fine. This time anyway. If they ever screw up then he'll lose his arm.

Have you ever seen sword swallowing? lying on a bed of nails? fire eating? fire walking? etc?

When I saw the photos yesterday, I visited the site and posed a question asking for any authentification or background regarding them. I did get one response from someone who identified himself as an Iranian and stated this was a street stunt and the photos had been seen previously in Iran.

"I'm an Iranian and I've seen these pictures in a report in a local newspaper before.
It's not a 'punishment' or anything like that. If it was a punishment they wouldn't put the soft thing under the boy's arm.

According to the report, the man in the picture is making a show of the boy's abilities just to make money from the people standing there. This is their everyday activity. Very Very sorrowing."

Well done by the various blogs to track down and try to correct what appears to be an error. If only the MSM would do the same.

The event might best be characterized as "street theatre," with the child as willing performer. I do not know whether there was some injury to the child, but the event was intended as entertainment. As abusive as the event is, I am sure the MC would not want crippling harm to come to one of his "attractions."

According to the contacts, this type of performance is not unusual.

The quote

Hi!
It seems you have not read the text that came with the pictures. In irna
there some who earn their bread by Maareke giry. In our case one of these
maarke gir _ha had hired a kid to do those unhuman show.
You read the text that came with photos.
bye

First I am being chided for not reading the Farsi caption. (Rightfully, I'd say - even after apologizing for not understanding Farsi)

irna = Iran

Maareke giry (performance?) Maarkegir_ha (performer?) At any rate the child was hired to perform an "unhuman show".

Then I am chided again.

A prior email stated that the Farsi caption was accurate according to the original photographer.

thanks Charles,

but this kid only looks like he is 5 or 6 years old.

Gordon

So the act of rolling over an small boy's arm is okay then?

a-hole.

Hey, this is an example of Muslim compassion. Most of the times they cut the hand off for stealing.

Also, I'm sure the rag under the arm probably kept any real damage from happening, but this is still an outrage so typical in the Muslim world. We don't hear 1/100th of what goes on every day in that culture.

#68 FrogMarch, Gordon never says or implies any such thing. So why trot out the a-hole remark?

Don't misunderstand my post, please -- the fact that it's a sick stunt doesn't make it any more forgiveable. But the attribution of the photos was incorrect, and that should be noted.

In other words, because this was mere street theater intended to make money, your credulous attempt to use the pictures to bludgeon the "Religion of Peace" (said with self-satisfied sneer) was "incorrect". This should indeed be "noted". Congratulations on your Dan Rather moment.

OK - thought so.

The cigar in the guy's mouth gave it a carny feel.

Still child abuse. Still hurt - kid still cried. Kid still too skinny.

Is there somebody on here who can read Farsi (or does somebody know someone who can), so we can get a good translation of the stuff on peykeiran.com?

#71 American Infidel, true. Not saying it is right, just talking about what it is. Parents buying illegal fire crackers that take off kid's fingers and thumbs isn't right either. The world is full of isn't right.

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
who earned their bread by Maareke giry.

oddly, NOW it makes sense.
bye!

#72 John-Paul Pagano

Dan Rather moment

Hardly! Dan Blather STILL wont admit he was wrong.

ishcabibble?

No NO!
ishcabobble!

aha!

#47 SlothB77

Kind of like tha USC football stunt.

Except the USC football players used a dummy, this was a real kid...

#72 John-Paul Pagano, not anywhere close to Dan fake-but-accurate Rather. If you have any discernment at all...

How to tell a right-wing from a left-wing site...:

The right-wing site posts corrections.

#68 Roger

I agree, lay off Gordon.

What? No no no. Fake but accurate, we stand by our story! I can get some memos written in crayon to support our story, just give me a few minutes. :)

/sarc off

72 John-Paul Pagano

Dan Rather moment

Nope. Charles has better fact-checkers and knows how to issue a timely correction.

Kudos on the correction, Charles.

While its bad the kid was hired, it is different. Corrections, and proper context, are why the blogosphere, and LGF in particular, are making headway.

That was bad intelligence.

Bad! Bad! intelligence.

Team America
!*~* Yeah!

#72 John-Paul Pagano, let me guess without looking; you have maybe 10-30 post on LGF after being registered over a year. And they all bear resemblance to 72?

6 Gordon

I agree.

This is the second day in a row that I've agreed with you 100% on something.

:)

punishment, stunt, whatever. that is child abuse. it doesn't matter what the condition of the 8 year old was after the fact. clearly these is a backwards culture. if this was an 18 year old who's capable of deciding and prospering from this kinda thing, nothing to say. but this was a child. and i personally doubt the after effects of this punishment-stunt where less than horrific. these are the guys who gave 79 lashes to a teen who died from the punishment for breaking fast. i don't believe a word from the 'source'. why should i? i think the fact that this is viewed around the world with proper disgust - that is motivation to lie. check the source? hell no, show me the kid's arm today.

Roger,

you must be psychic.

john-paul,

now all of islam is vindicated, douchebag.

i'm glad it turned out to be incorrect. i'm just relieved that kid wasn't actually hurt...

So this is what?

A PSA for Vocational training?

And what do you want to be when you grow up?

#72 John-Paul Pagano

The fact that Charles corrected his mistake within 24 hrs, and Dan Rather has yet to offer a correction over a year later....means nothing to you?

if it is a stunt that is different than punishment. but that doesent make it ok.

In today's WSJ Francis Fukuyama comments on the first anniversary of Theo Van Gogh's murder and future of Europe and Islam:

One year ago today, the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh had his throat ritually slit by Mohamed Bouyeri, a Muslim born in Holland who spoke fluent Dutch. This event has totally transformed Dutch politics, leading to stepped-up police controls that have now virtually shut off new immigration there. Together with the July 7 bombings in London (also perpetrated by second generation Muslims who were British citizens), this event should also change dramatically our view of the nature of the threat from radical Islamism.

There is good reason for thinking, however, that a critical source of contemporary radical Islamism lies not in the Middle East, but in Western Europe. In addition to Bouyeri and the London bombers, the March 11 Madrid bombers and ringleaders of the September 11 attacks such as Mohamed Atta were radicalized in Europe. In the Netherlands, where upwards of 6% of the population is Muslim, there is plenty of radicalism despite the fact that Holland is both modern and democratic. And there exists no option for walling the Netherlands off from this problem.

Contemporary Europeans downplay national identity in favor of an open, tolerant, "post-national" Europeanness. But the Dutch, Germans, French and others all retain a strong sense of their national identity, and, to differing degrees, it is one that is not accessible to people coming from Turkey, Morocco or Pakistan. Integration is further inhibited by the fact that rigid European labor laws have made low-skill jobs hard to find for recent immigrants or their children. A significant proportion of immigrants are on welfare, meaning that they do not have the dignity of contributing through their labor to the surrounding society. They and their children understand themselves as outsiders.

The real challenge for democracy lies in Europe, where the problem is an internal one of integrating large numbers of angry young Muslims and doing so in a way that does not provoke an even angrier backlash from right-wing populists. Two things need to happen: First, countries like Holland and Britain need to reverse the counterproductive multiculturalist policies that sheltered radicalism, and crack down on extremists. But second, they also need to reformulate their definitions of national identity to be more accepting of people from non-Western backgrounds.

New policies to reduce the separateness of the Muslim community, like laws discouraging the importation of brides from the Middle East, have been put in place in the Netherlands. The Dutch and British police have been given new powers to monitor, detain and expel inflammatory clerics. But the much more difficult problem remains of fashioning a national identity that will connect citizens of all religions and ethnicities in a common democratic culture, as the American creed has served to unite new immigrants to the United States.

The Dutch have at least broken through the stifling barrier of political correctness that has prevented most other European countries from even beginning a discussion of the interconnected issues of identity, culture and immigration. But getting the national identity question right is a delicate and elusive task.

Many Europeans assert that the American melting pot cannot be transported to European soil. Identity there remains rooted in blood, soil and ancient shared memory. This may be true, but if so, democracy in Europe will be in big trouble in the future as Muslims become an ever larger percentage of the population. And since Europe is today one of the main battlegrounds of the war on terrorism, this reality will matter for the rest of us as well.

Sorry no link but WSJ is by subscription only.

How much the kid take home after taxes and a crushed arm?

#72 dickbrain

No, Charles got hoaxed, and issued an update and retraction.

Dan Rather is still in denial.

All in all, a good object lesson in fact-checking (thanks, Baikal).

#90 jonkendall, maybe, just maybe you should look at your own culture:
[Link: www.cdc.gov...]

I can't find statistics on how many kids lost the arm due to the Thread's topic.

Thanks Charles, I ran it too..........
posted new development (sorry fellas it's still a horror to me)

there are plenty of stonings, beheadings, public hangings ........

#87

Yup, you were right.

#91 Murqtaad, you checked? I know I can't prove I didn't check but there is a trend:-)

53 jehu

My only suprise is nobody was suprised they would treat a kikd stealing a loaf of bread in that manner

i was surprised toO, I was under the impression they cut off hands for stealing

THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE A SOFTENING IN PUNISHMENTS

#97 JWF

He was definitely crying, but with the towel, and the way they positioned him arm, he probably just suffered some bruising.

That being said, it's still child abuse. If it had happened here, the kid would be in a foster home today, and the dad would be in jail.

#105 American Infidel, not a defense.

65 JOHN BIt's not a 'punishment' or anything like that. If it was a punishment they wouldn't put the soft thing under the boy's arm.

funny, my daughter said they same thing
"at least they put a blanket under his arm"

she sneaks looks at my blog, but has becomed inured to their barbarism eh?

102 roger,

yeah, I checked. 14 posts in 14 months. trend is noted.

#76 stevezilla

LOL!

It's all well and good until the kid's arm goes snicker-snack and the MC comes off as a frumious Bandersnatch.

You know... Actual physical damage or not, the boy still lives with the knowledge of what having had ones' arm under a moving car feels like. Such wonderous teachings Islam has to offer to young boys.

Yesterday I commented that this sight sparked a "muderous rage" in me that anyone would do this to a child. So I now understand that this was a performance- street theatre- geek show- to earn money for bread. That makes it all better, no?

No.

On the other hand, I've moved from "murderous rage" to "seething disgust".

Better, no?

JWM

As horrible as I felt while seeing those pictures yesterday, this is not child abuse. Many, many, many circuses use children, in America and other parts of the world. The boy was not injured (probably metal in the blanket to cradle the arm) and I'm sure he's done it many times before. Now, I am not entertained by it but neither am I entertained by Chris Angel and much of the grosser Penn and Teller stunts. Look at Cirque du Soleil, for crying out loud. They have children in their acts all the time.

Yes this exoneratesd Iran alright........

Iran Press News reported that Ahmad-Reza Shiri, Journalist and blogger from Mash'had who had been arrested and imprisoned temporarily, awaiting trial.
Iran Press News reported that Iranian dissident Payman Peeraan's new trial begins.
MosNews reported that industrial contracts between Iran and Russia could reach $10 billion per year.
Iran Press News published a horrific letter of political prisoner Mehrdad Lohrasbi.
Iran Focus reported that Iran’s top national security official and a senior aide to Supreme Leader, Larijani, said: If the West wants to refer Iran’s nuclear file to the Security Council, we won’t have any problem. It just means that oil prices will reach 150 dollars, which will bring good luck for the government of [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that politicians from Italy's left and right have said they will attend a rally in front of the Iranian embassy on Thursday to protest remarks by the Iranian president.
Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Tuesday rejected a call from a supporter of the MKO terrorist group to start talks with Iranian opposition groups to overthrow the country's government.
Ha'aretz reminded us that the phrases “death to Israel” and “Israel must be eliminated” are Khomeini's original coin phrases. These are the very words that Khomeini uttered to his first-ever foreign visitor - Yasser Arafat.
Alon Ben-Meir, United Press International reported that many believe that the Iranian president’s call to 'wipe Israel off the map,' is tantamount to a declaration of war.
The Guardian confirmed that Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has embarked on a purge of senior Iranian diplomats.
Martin Indyk, The Los Angeles Times warned that Iran's recent bluster isn't a bluff.
And finally, Abbas Milani, The Wall Street Journal argued that the clerical cabal that rules Iran is pushing its captive population ever closer to the precipice and the only answer to the Iranian nuclear problem is democracy.

To read the entire briefing click here:

[Link: regimechangeiran.blogspot.com...]

Hmmm, yeah...
Would Gordon anyone please report to the testing facility for car versus lower arm experiments?
Thank you!

# 33 Murqtaad

'Cause if they can't have fun, by Allah, ain't nobody gonna have fun. Misery loves company.

Is it just me or does the fact that they paid the kid for this actually make it worse?

Gordon,

why don't you show up on a paris riots thread?

Gordon is pretending it's not happening, like the MSM.

If the riots were in the U.S you'd see him commenting on every other line.

#112

yes it is wonderful that they are teaching youngsters throughout the muslim world the dangers of playing in traffic! i would think this was probably made for the muslim version of sesame street

So 63% of firework-related ER visits were from burns?

How many of us have been burned before? It's not a big deal.

I hold to the opinion that all ER statistics MUST be taken with a grain of salt. Think of the number of times over-reactive parents rush little Jessica in because she blew her nose twice the same day.

When you play with fire, you're going to get burned. Usually, you're fine the next morning. If not, rub some Vaseline on it and go on with life.

Never forget the young brainwashed boys (8-12 years old) that the Iranians lined up at minefields in ranks during the Iran/Iraq war, got them chanting to Allah, and marched them across the minefields. Iranian troops would follow close behind. When a mine went off, the kids were trained to close ranks and keep marching. The Iraqis, knowing what those kids were trying to do, bombed and machine-gunned them down as soon as they came in range to keep the follow-on Iranians from freely advancing.

Imagine the mindset of an Iranian who could participate in such a slaughter of innocents and walk over the broken and dismembered bodies of their children in order to serve the Ayatollah?

Those are the guys still in charge of Iran.

You go AI.

Could "Maareke giry" be some sort of broken english for "magic" then or "a magician" or even"imagination"?

Hey wish I could get my teenager to help me make some extra dough for our family; but you know how they are; to even try to get them to help sheesh; especially with those pesky extreme entertainment stunts. It's hell.

The little ones are much easier to get cooperation from.

/holy cow.

Brand-new zombie report -- and it's completely ON-topic to this thread:

Anti-Mullah rally in Berkeley!

Yes, there are sane and brave people in Berkeley. Definitely worth a click!

This low budget child torture is a long way from Penn running over Teller's head with an 18-wheeler.

Some entertainment.

Looks like some of us were conned, myself included. Still it isn't a ROP and Sharia is barbaric.

#75 Roger

Parents buying illegal fire crackers that take off kid's fingers and thumbs isn't right either. The world is full of isn't right.

Roger,

this type of relativism doesn't compute, since you're equating idiotic unintentional with idiotic deliberate.

rwz

Now I've seen it all.

The Chicago White Sox are World Champions and a rational Gordon complimentd Charles.

All within a 7 day span.

Wow. Just wow.

"Ma`reke giri" is street theater. I ran the link to the photos by a few of my Iranian friends and they all said it was street theater and not punishment. I was also told that Ma`reke giri commonly uses children in these kind of horribly abusive ways, because the spectators give more money to see children abused like this, out of sympathy for the child. It seems they dont understand that their sympathy-buck ensures the continued abuse. Also, Ma`reke giri is not permitted from what I'm told, in the large citys of Iran. It is almost an entirely small poor town occurence. Certain familys have been involved in it for many decades and always teach their children the practice by using them in the performances.

#126 American Infidel, It wasn't a defense of the dangerous stunt but a response to #90 jonkendall making it a my-culture-is-better-than-your-culture thing. We need to be careful about such things. My only beef is when cultures include a religion that is not tolerant of me and mine. I focus on that religion; not the culture. jonkendall speaks of the whole culture while you speak of stupid American parents. I see both cases having to do with stupid people and not a difference of culture or religion.

#124 Zombie:

Based upon your previous work I have a hard time believeing this is Berkeley. They all have their clothes on! ;-)

Cheers.

#128 right wing zephyr, only if you think the boy's arm was damaged. I'm one who thinks they got away with it one more time. Next time maybe not so lucky.

not to sound naive, but do you think child abuse is called for in the Koran or is it a cultural thing? I mean clitordectomy isn't asked for in the Koran as far as I know, it's part of African culture which does not make it ok, it's repulsive.

Anyway, just asking.

#133 Roger,

You mean to say that it's morally better to deliberately endanger a child than to unintentioanlly endanger a child if the outcome is that the former is unscathed and the latter is not?

Really?

Things that make you go 'hmmmmnnn'.
If this really was a stunt, then I can only say it is still a disturbing thing to have to do to make a few shekels.
But why do I think this is back-pedaling/spin?

It was stated on another site that the little boy was being used because he had superior pain tolerance.

So, how do you find that out in the first place?

Just keep running over little kids arms til you find one that can handle it?

That is so cool!

Like peformance art, if you don't get it, it is you that is screwed up!

#135 right wing zephyr, no I'm saying the idea in both cases is entertainment. Both are deliberate acts. Either can injure.

like it all makes sense now!why not just go to a cineplex like everyone else

Of course we were mislead. If the kid HAD been caught stealing bread, they would have beaten him to death with stones instead of just rolling over his arm.

This is a steaming pile of maareke giry.

Over at Bareknuckledpolitics an Iranian named Mohammed writes:

I'm an Iranian and I've seen these pictures in a report in a local newspaper before.

It's not a 'punishment' or anything like that. If it was a punishment they wouldn't put the soft thing under the boy's arm.

Read that closely, folks.

Mohammed says:

If it was a punishment they wouldn't put the soft thing under the boy's arm.

See?

No towel for the kid, so it can't be a REAL punishment.

Um ... am I the only one who is LESS comforted by Mohammed's unwittingly damning comment?

We're also talking about it at Iraqi Bloggers Central.

*

#140 American Infidel, true and I think we should frame it in a thankful way instead of the way jonkendall was using it. I like all the cultures of the world and am not interested in putting them on a scale. Hearing about [potentially] harmful practices is different though and should be condemned. Carefully though.

#144

If that's the case, what's the punishment for us Infidels were we to live under Sharia law?

I mean just wondering what horrors my grandchildren have to look forward to.

So, we're supposed to take comfort from the fact that this poor child is being abused to make a few pennies instead of being 'punished'?

I don't see that this is a distinction that makes one bit of difference when it comes to the sickness of that 'society'.

Memo to multi-culturalists...not all societies are equal. Some are measuarably better than others.

Charles is nothing like Dan Rather, but there are still lessons for Lizards to learn.

Despite the fact that many Muslims constantly provide proof of a level of depravity hard to conceive, one always needs to be skeptical of unsubstantiated claims and be aware that generally justified prejudices can still mislead.

Charles' correction is exactly what differentiates him from the likes of Rather. LGF has long been distinguished for its skepticism about claims--which makes this occasion an anomally.

Charles assumptions were entirely plausible, and in any case he very willingly set the record straight at the first possible moment.

Those who actually do deserve blame are those who trashed posters yesterday for expressing reasonable skepticism. If you were one of the trashers, you need to take a hard look at how you think and how you act on those thoughts.

Apologies to those abused should be forthcoming (I was not one of them, as I didn't post one way or the other).

I like all the cultures of the world and am not interested in putting them on a scale.

I lost a lot of respect for you just there.

#148 William Wallace! The good Lord tells me I'm going to be ok but you're foocked!

/Stephen, the Irish Fighter

Stephen,

All men die, but how many really live?

#150 American Infidel, your're right when it comes to practices in other cultures that would harm us.

#152 William Wallace, uh, oh. I'm in trouble! You have a lot more of it memorized. Not just a nic!

#145 Roger

No, not all cultures are equal. Why is it that libs like you have no qualms about attacking Western culture but still all cultures are equal? Look, if they were stoning women to death and abusing children for fun and profit in America I'd be the first in line to bash this country. If all cultures are equal, why can't people sacrifice goats to Satan in the US? Do you consider that a sign of American arrogance or something?

#155 shimra, never said that. I suppose you aren't interested in being a tourist anywhere? Watching a travelog? Reading National Geographic? Watching the Discovery channel about another culture?

Stephen,

I heard tales of Wallace on my granny's knee, decads before "Braveheart" author Randall Wallace went to Edinburgh and discovered he had a famous ancestor.

What I want to know is: Where's the sequel! Wallace started it, but Bruce went on to finish it, and in a spectacular underdog win at Bannockburn. How about a movie ending with a Scots victory?

We could use a few Wallaces in Europe right now.

#131 Roger

Quit with the moral relativism. Our culture IS better: we are civilized, they are back in the 7th century. When was the last time you heard of a Christian/Jewish jihad against someone who offended them? Did anyone's throat get slit over Piss Christ, or the Virgin Mary made out of elephant dung? Anyone die when the NeoNazi's had their little parade down Main Street, Podunk? No heads rolled the last I heard. Do we whip, stone or saw off heads here in the U.S.?

Their culture treats women as property...oh, why bother? If you have to compare their barbarism with U.S. kids getting hurt with firecrackers, then there's nothing to see here...move along, no critical thinking, rational thought here.

#158 ladycatnip, I compared a dangerous stunt with a dangerous stunt. Nothing more.

#157 William Wallace, I'm all for a sequel!

BTW that was Stephen, the Irish fighter in BraveHeart:-)

145 Roger

Carefully though?

Carefully put down that sword you are swinging over that poor man's head.

Carefully, now, put down those stones before you hurt that poor woman buried up to her neck.

Carefully, verry carefully put down that AK47...

You must be joking.

#161 ladycatnip, what is you're religion? If you don't mind the question. I ask so as not to post a Christian Scripture verse that would have no meaning to you.

#159 Roger,

No thinking person would call it "comparing stunts" by contrasting stupidity with firecrackers here in the U.S. to running over an 8-year-old's arm for entertainment in Iran.

How on earth would you come up with that rationalization/justification? Why would you feel a need to vilify the U.S. by using kids getting their fingers blown off with firecrackers? No sense here.

Go the distance; did said parents deliberately want their kids' fingers blown off? Did they do it for entertainment? Anyone make money? Was it televised? Is this a national sport here?

#163 ladycatnip, first prove to me the purpose was to damage the kid's arm and that it was damaged.

Roger,

My religion is not material to the argument here. This is not tit for tat. We're talking about a religious system of government in the middle east that is all about death and dismemberment to those who get in its way.

Haven't heard of any Christians/Jews/Budhists or anyone else committing acts of terror across the globe, have you? No threats there.

Haven't read about Budhists running over children's extremities for entertainment.

ohmygawd. Intent: discuss. That's what liberals are all about. I forgot.

If the idiot putting the kids arm under the car did not intend to hurt him, then it's ok.

WHERE'S YOUR BRAIN? (sorry, I couldn't help myself, yes, I am yelling at this stupid computer screen)

Answer me this: did the Muslims who chopped off the three teen-aged girls heads in Indonesia really mean to hurt them?

#166 ladycatnip, have you seen all 8 pictures of the series? Particularly 7 & 8?

About the Muslims who chopped the three girls heads off and seriously injured another(does anyone know how she is doing?) you should refer to what I wrote on that thread.

My 'Carefully though' was about taking care not to falsely accuse. Getting the facts straight.

Roger,

People can be so "sensitive" to other cultures that being careful blinds them to the atrocities and abuses that are going on.

The integrity of LGF is the moment Charles found out the caption read something other than assumed, he posted about it. However, just because there was a correction does not mean we are excusing the behavior. What was done is abusive in ANY culture.

The U.N. would fall quite easily under your "careful" category. Wonder how many countless millions have been butchered while the U.N. was careful not to accuse or step in.

Nice talking to you/gotta go to work.

#168 ladycatnip, nice talking. I think the U.N. falls under knowingly not accusing and even doing horrible things themselves.

#17 vdh in '08

It is a cause for concern for Iran. Israeli athletes have perfected the art of Judo to the point where they can dismantle nuclear facilities long distance through martial arts.

If the Israeli athlete wins, Iran's nuclear capability goes primitive.

It is all in how they direct the Qi energy.

#145 Roger 11/2/2005 11:12AM PST

As a comparative anthropologist I am sure you well appreciate the differences in various cultures and groups throughout the world. I have no doubt that there are communities you would not choose to live in because your life, liberty or person was threatened by that community.

But, more importantly, are you saying that a careful condemnation should be proferred to those who hear about potentially harmful practices? Can you be clearer about what you are saying please?

I would carefully describe your reasoning to be as muddy as your language.

Well that is totally different then. Can we get Ted Kennedy to do that with his head? I'd pay to see it.

Is this some kind of weird arm crushing fetish photography?

I don't understand the purpose of the stunt. Why would people want to create or see this stunt?

#171 zenbone, I am not a comparative anthropologist:-)

Hearing about [potentially] harmful practices is different though. and [Such practices] should be condemned.

:-)

#174 Roger

I know. :=>

For what it's worth, I posted this story on LGF yesterday morning.

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

#176 Shinken

Which was linked by Charles a few thread before:
[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com...]

Myself, I don't believe it is a sick stunt.

I think the Iranian minders told someone that this is the official story - he's a performer, an "artiste" like in America - you know, an "actor".

I smell B.S. and this kid really was being punished.

Stunt or not, I think the little fella was really frightened. This was horrific, and should be condemned, what ever the reason for doing so.

I think some of the posters from the blog these photo's came from were worried it would make people hate Iranians even more than they currently do. Although the act was awful, I believe we need to remember that there is a group of people in Iran that do want to overthrow the government. They are 1)probably in constant danger and 2) need our support now and in the future.

I loathe a culture that would permit something like this. On the same hand, although our own culture doesn't permit it, what is our record as a country, or in our individual states, on child abuse? That this occured is not a good barometor of a culture that is better or worse than another.

This doesn't mean I am okay by the RoP, or the 'culture' they inflict on people. I think of it like...the bird flu. There has to be an anti-viral medication to eradicate this horrible disease...before it kills us instead.

Count me among those confused by the note.

All their base are belong to whom?

#99 Roger. periphery, context, perspective - all lost on you. you have no ability to analogize. like those who link Iraq to Vietnam. no culture is perfect, and i didn't state as much. so let me be imperfect and backwards and call for authorities to hold you down and run over your arm - the one you type with.

Assuming that this version is the truth, there's the answer to the question about the kid's parents' "anquish" over seeing their child tortured --- they hired him out for it.

#179 beej

although our own culture doesn't permit it, what is our record as a country, or in our individual states, on child abuse? That this occured is not a good barometor of a culture that is better or worse than another.

If this "publisher, Peykeiran" is some kind of illegal underground violence-porn outfit that obtained and published these pictures, you might have a point.

But if Peykeiran is any kind of a legal publication, even equivalent to The Inquirer or The Star, supermarket tabloids, then that means pictures like these and use of children to make pictures like these is acceptable in the culture.

Excuse me, but a culture that allows and makes legal money off child abuse is definitely worse than one that does not.

FWIW, I had my sneaker-clad foot run over by the front wheel of a Ford tractor when I was about 12. My fault, foot where it wasn't 'sposed to be but fortunately there was a fully-loaded flat-bed trailer exerting some significant load on the hitch (less load on the front wheels), the ground was soft Tennessee soil and the tractor was going up a slight incline. I wasn't even bruised. Scared to death, but five minutes later, I was perfectly fine. (Now if it had been that big honkin' rear tire with the big nasty tread on it, I might be "Stumpy" instead of "Clutch"...) I guess what I'm saying is that the photo looks (and is) brutal, but there may be no lasting physical damage. It would have been good to see the pictures of the aftermath (was the kid jumping around with a hat in his hand, collecting money, or was he hauled away screaming in pain?)

#184 Clutch

On the other hand, I know a man whose foot was run over by his girlfriend (by accident) when she was driving a VW bug.

This man was hurt HORRIBLY because his foot was at an angle where the skin and muscles high on his foot were RIPPED WIDE OPEN.

I didn't see it happen, but I saw the scar from it after he'd had surgery and recovered.

The scar was pretty drastic - it's a wonder they were able to repair the damage at all.

I guess it just depends on the placement of the foot when it's being run over.

#184 Clutch, pics 7 and 8 are supposed to be after pictures.

I know of some horrible farm accidents involving children. None were deliberate stunts.

Not to go into all details but a kid's arm was completely unattached at the shoulder. A super doctor at Hershey Medical Center with a team of doctors put it back on with all actions functioning. Amazing micro surgery along with macro surgery. This doctor worked in South Africa for years until he felt it was too dangerous for his family.

Yep, islam is definitely the religion of peace. MSM? HELLO!

Whether this was a staged performance, or an actual torture, it was wrong. Period.

And for the muticultoids:
It would be wrong if they did this crap in Illinois. It would be wrong if it were done in Mexico. It would be wrong if Eskimos did it, and it would be wrong in China. Africans would be wrong to do this crap, and so are Iranians.

Does your moral compas tell you otherwise?
JWM

#183 nonic

a culture that allows and makes legal money off child abuse is definitely worse than one that does not.

I agree with this 100%. I made my comment based on what #130 justdanny posted:

Also, Ma`reke giri is not permitted from what I'm told, in the large citys of Iran. It is almost an entirely small poor town occurence.

Also, in the comments section from the original link to the photo's, there was an Iranian poster who made a similar comment. It isn't a lawful act. There is no doubt in my mind that our culture, way of life, etc. is light years better than any mid-east country...in fact, I am positive it is better than anywhere. But this particular incident is not a reliable factor on which to base that opinion.

And Moore voded for Bush. A picture says a thousand words, Islam is not peaceful.

Kragar, #62 :

The decision to go to war was the culmination of a long-term plan to attack Iraq that resulted from the first President Bush not taking out Saddam, Carter said on NBC's "Today" show.

Reason number five gazillion and three in support of the idea that Carter is absolutely positively the worst ex-president in the history of the U.S.

Bar none.

By light years.

#185 rightasrain

I have a friend whose arms were nearly severed by a streetcar in Chicago almost 50 years ago. Horribly scarred forearms, but whoever sewed him back up then did the Lord's work, since he has full use of both hands and arms.

#187 Roger

I hadn't seen pictures 7 & 8 prior to posting, but didn't they run over his other arm? As I see it, they ran over his left arm, but photos 7 & 8 show his right arm. The poor kid looks more scared and frightened in those photos than badly injured. Whatever, it still does not absolve these primitives of the horrendous crap that they put this poor child thru. (I have an eight-year old daughter and seeing pictures like this and worse just makes me hug her that much tighter).