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Politics : Stop the War! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Augustus Gloop who wrote (18510)	6/18/2003 1:44:05 PM
From: Augustus Gloop	Respond to of 21614

Now if we could just get the rest of them to follow these gals lead Fiery Death for Iranian in Paris Raid Protest 2 hours, 24 minutes ago Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo! By Laure Bretton PARIS (Reuters) - An Iranian woman died and another struggled to survive extensive burns on Wednesday after both set themselves on fire in protest against a mass round-up in France of left-wing Iranian exiles opposed to religious rule in Tehran. Marzieh Babakhani, aged about 40, died in hospital after setting fire to her clothes early on Wednesday at a protest of about 100 exiles at an Interior Ministry office near the Eiffel Tower, the Paris prosecutor's office said. Protester Segigheh Mojaveri, 38, set herself ablaze later at the same protest and was taken away badly burned, said exiles on the scene. In Berne, Swiss police stopped an Iranian from doing the same after dousing himself with a flammable liquid. "We condemn the shameful deal with the mullahs," chanted the Paris crowd, accusing France of rounding up 159 exiles early on Tuesday as a favor to the Islamic republic with which Paris maintains diplomatic relations. By Wednesday morning, police released all but 26 of those detained in Tuesday's raids on homes and offices of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a left-wing opposition group that opposes religious rule in Iran. The raids also netted several suitcases of $100 bills worth at least $8 million as well as a large amount of communications equipment, police said. Judiciary sources said NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi and others still detained could face terrorism charges for allegedly planning attacks in Iran from their suburban Paris headquarters. Rajavi is the wife of Massoud Rajavi, leading figure in the NCRI military arm the People's Mujahideen, which the European Union (news - web sites) and United States say is a terrorist organization. In Tehran, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) indicated he wanted the detainees extradited to Iran, saying: "Because Iran has been their victim...our natural request is that they be prosecuted in the place where they have committed their crimes." NCRI officials said the Paris detainees had begun a hunger strike and that the self-immolations were spontaneous acts of protest. An Iranian set himself alight in London on Tuesday. An NCRI official at the protest added that Babakhani had had two brothers who were killed by Iranian authorities and had been living as a refugee in France. AIMED AT MUJAHIDEEN Tuesday's raids were aimed at the People's Mujahideen, which is based in Iraq (news - web sites) and was recently disarmed by U.S. forces there. As a force opposed to the Islamic state, the Mujahideen also have women in uniform who in the past have shown journalists visiting their Iraq base how well they can fire Kalashnikov automatic rifles and drive armored cars. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has accused the Mujahideen of wanting a "rear base" in France since being disarmed in Iraq. Police said the detainees were rounded up on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks in a raid ordered by leading anti-terrorist investigating judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere. The NCRI said the arrests would spark anger in Iran, but diplomats in Tehran said the group was unpopular there even among those opposed to Iran's Islamic clerical establishment. In an unusual convergence of views, both Washington and Tehran -- who have not had diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic revolution -- praised the round-up on Tuesday. The Mujahideen joined the Islamic revolution against Iran's shah but later broke ranks with the clerical leadership. Based in Iraq since the 1980s, their fighters clashed with U.S. forces in the recent war but then reached a truce with them.

To: Augustus Gloop who wrote (18510)	6/18/2003 1:52:45 PM
From: tsigprofit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21614

Marriage is a civil contract also, authorized by the state. Some religions are opening up, gradually, to things such as gay priests, etc. It would create no more of a burden than if a straight couple married. I think you will find that when this becomes law, you WILL abide by the law, or suffer the consequences. Many in the South would not hire African Americans, or sell them their home. Try doing that today, and you'll be in a world of trouble. Your fallacy is in believing that it is somehow "special treatment". It is equal treatment. Not the same thing. Try to put yourself in the place of another. What if you were gay? If you had a lifetime partner of 30-40 years, wouldn't you want the same kind of benefits as other couples? Not more - just the same. What if it were your son or daughter, or grandson? Would you really want to exclude them in this way - by denying them the same rights and opportunities as everyone else? I hope you will reflect on this, and try to keep an open mind.

To: Augustus Gloop who wrote (18510)	6/18/2003 5:34:23 PM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21614

The fact you seem to miss is that marriage is not just another contract, it's a religious contract. Since all the religions I know of don't approve of homosexuality it makes it impossible for same sex couple to marry. I always suspected that people who were married by a Justice of the Peace, or a Captain of a ship weren't really married. Does that also mean that atheists can never get married? Furthermore, it would create an economic nightmare to force companies to offer benefits to same sex couples. You must have a significant number of persons that live as same sex couples. 50%? I would find a way around it I'm sure you would give it your best effort. Should we off[er] people who share needles the special family plan as well? They do inadvertently share DNA so does that qualify them too? If you believe that "sharing DNA" is the only defining part of marriage relationship, then yes. Of course that would suggest that two people shaking hands probably inadvertently share DNA. jttmab