August 5, 2014, - 4:06 pm
Muslims Did WHAT During Ramadan? The Only Job Available to Christians in Iraq Now
While American military personnel sent back to Iraq to protect the U.S. Embassy and officials from ISIS were ordered not to drink alcohol or to eat in front of Muslims during Ramadan, the Muslims don’t exactly observe their religious traditions the way our Armed Forces were forced to. In fact, Muslims snuck around during Ramadan to get a taste of their beloved, forbidden alcohol (which is forbidden always in Islam, not just during Ramadan). Yup, they are phonies, but preach against us and our decadence. They like their Johnnie Walker even more than they like their Johnnie Walker Lindh. And if you are Christian, selling alcohol is the only job available to you, even though it can be deadly. (Hey, aren’t you glad Bush “liberated” Iraq from one group of Muslims who hate us to another who hate us and persecute Christians more?) Check out this report that ran last night on National Palestinian Radio a/k/a NPR:
Listen to the report:
Or read it:
After a long, hot month of fasting, Baghdad is springing back to life now that the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is over. But that doesn’t mean it’s just restaurants and shops that are reopening: Baghdad’s liquor stores are also back in business. Along Saadoun Street, the sidewalk in front of a strip of liquor stores looks like a big block party — lots of young men decked out in new clothes, buying booze. It can get pretty rowdy here. There’s not a woman in sight, and a lot of the men are drunk. In one dark corner, someone’s passed out on the pavement. Soheil, who owns one of the stores, says he had to close early on the first night of Eid — the celebration marking the end of the Ramadan — because it got so crowded.
He’s an Iraqi Christian — they’re the only ones allowed to sell alcohol in Baghdad. The vast majority of Iraqis are Muslim, but that doesn’t stop many of them from drinking. The most popular drink at Soheil’s shop is beer — Tuborg, a Danish brew, to be precise. After that, it’s scotch. “Whiskey, Chivas 18, and black,” he says, meaning Johnnie Walker Black Label.
Selling booze in Baghdad can be a dangerous job. Just last year, a string of attacks on liquor stores left dozens dead. In most cases, gunmen pulled up to shops in SUVs and shot owners and their employees — sometimes in broad daylight. While no one claimed responsibility for these attacks, they’re widely believed to be the work of Shiite militias, who view selling and drinking alcohol as a violation of their strict interpretation of Islam.
It’s an unwelcome echo of the recent past: At the height of sectarian strife during Iraq’s civil war, alcohol stores were targeted for attacks by militants. With the rise of religious political parties in Iraq, alcohol sales were briefly outlawed in 2006; two years later, stores began cautiously opening their doors again.
And the caution is still there. The owner of another store says the attacks scare him. He’d rather not be selling booze, he says, but it’s one of the only jobs available to him as a Christian. . . . Two men who’ve come here to buy beer say they’re excited that Ramadan is over. They admit they didn’t stop drinking during the holy month, but they had to buy booze on the black market that thrives during Ramadan.
Today, Iraq. Tomorrow, America. Yay, Islam.
Debbie, you should get your head out of your ass.
You write about topics that only display your ignorance and complete and utter lack of knowledge. You humiliate yourself every time you post an article. You are a very bored lady and have too much time on your hands.
If you knew ANYTHING about religion you would know that the 3 major religions all agree that the consumption of alcohol isn’t permitted. You just because you pick and choose what you want to believe. Sure there are Muslims that drink but wtf is your point? Do you follow every aspect of your religion? Nope, you don’t. No one is perfect we are all humans. Just because Muslims are more committed to their religion doenst mean you should hold them to a differnt standard. The first and second testament prohibited the consumption of alcohol and pork you pig.
UE: That’s kinda funny since Christianity and Judaism do NOT say that alcohol isn’t permitted–it’s part of many Jewish sacraments and religious ceremonies. Especially funny, since you tell me I don’t know anything about religion, a statement best told to your mirror. But thanks for the “tip.” DS
Unas Elmawri on August 5, 2014 at 4:37 pm