May 20, 2005

Koran-flushing and Pakistan

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Patricia Lee Sharpe has some crucial backdrop to the Newsweek-Koran flushing-rioting fiasco that’s well worth reading. Islamic parties in Pakistan, it seems, are employing so-called “Blasphemy Laws” and whipping up violence for their own political gain. They’re the primary culprits here. On the other hand, the mistreatment of detainees in Guantanamo and elsewhere has long been playing right into the hands of these demagogues, and weakening the ability of Pakistani President Perez Musharraf to oppose them. Read the post in full.

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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