Not Enough Tears...

[J. Gracey Stinson]

...to even begin to convey my feelings over this news article.

In our local paper today (The Packet), under "world briefs" with a tiny headline:

WOMAN TO GET 40 LASHES

Cairo -

A 75-year-old widow in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in jail for mingling with two young men who are not close relatives, drawing new criticism for the kingdom's ultraconservative religious police and judiciary.

The woman's lawyer told The Associated Press on Monday that he would appeal the verdict against Khamisa Sawadi, who is Syrian but was married to a Saudi. The laywer said the verdict issued March 3 also demands that Sawadi be deported after serving her sentence.

Serving her sentence? If she even survives the 40 lashes.

I can't even comment right now...I am bereft of words.

[H M Bascom]

There are no words strong enough to express my feelings. I am disgusted.

[Matthew Penfold]

This is just another example of the inhumanity of humans and more to the point, the sickness of those who claim to do what they do in the name of some man made god. Religious zealots are the bane of our very existence and yet these countries imposing religious laws and denying the basic human rights of their citizens continue to thrive.

Modern democracies should be constantly speaking out about these atrocities but they are too afraid because of their dependence on the vast oil reserves controlled by these evil regimes. Collectively, we are a sicko bunch of greedy people who basically don't give a shit as long as we can live our lives in the manner to which we have become accustomed. Very sad indeed.