Peace in the Middle East???Are you joking? "Islam" a movie by Bryan Dali and Gregory Davis

First i had read the reviews for this movie. I saw from 5 stars to 1 star. This was the best indication for me not to judge the movie immediately, but to watch it myself.
The movie starts with the peaceful call for "salat", a peaceful Allahu Akbar, which is very calming.
It ends also with Allahu Akbar, but at that time not said for salat by a moazzin, but by a hateful immam in Iraq of February 2003.
Between these two scenes at the beginning and at the end, the directors switches from the political views, which are described as the diplomatic views, and the commentators, which are supposed to see the real Islam.
Blair, Bush, Clinton, and even Rice are shown, while saying that the Iraq invasion was not a fight against Islam or the arab world, but against the terrorists. Tony Blair even goes as far as saying that he really learned so much from Islam and greets his interviewer from al' Jasira TV in Arabic.
Then Bat ye'Or and Robert Spencer describe their vision of Islam, citing surehs out of concept, and rather going into the hadith. Apparently they forgot that NO religious book gets a 2nd edition, including the Holy Books of Christianity and Judaism. It is up to the human being and their brain to take the rule book and apply it to the modern way of life.
Robert Spence goes as far as saying that those who consider themselves peaceful Muslims, are infidels in the name of Islam.
He and a former PLO verbally attack Islam the same way the muazzin attacks Jews.
In conclusion I would actually recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see WHY we will never have peace in the Middle East. It is because of people like Robert Spence and the Imam at the end of the movie. it is because these people see the differences between religions, instead of concentrating on the similarities. It is because they want to get their 5 minutes of fame and are willing to watch and find reasons for killings of innocent people.
This said, I just say at the very end: Allahu Akbar for ALL human being, regardless of their faith.

Hand in hand for Iran: Shirin Neshat

Through the Chaos in Iran, Iranians around the globe have found each other. unlike the revolution from 30 years ago, where we had to distinguish between the Pro-Shah and the pro-Islamic revolution Iranians, this time, all Iranians want democracy. the one's in Iran do love Iran Zamin, meaning the Iranian Land, and do not want to escape like before. they are ready to fight for their country and want the Iranian s outside not to lead them, but to motivate them and encourage them to continue the battle for freedom. It is no wonder that the green wristbands and T-shirts most Iranians are wearing indicates that we should "Free Iran" and does not ask for a certain form of government.

In one of these gatherings at the Chelsea Museum in NYC, I had the pleasure to meet one of these unique Iranians: Shirin Neshat, the most famous Iranian artist living outside Iran. She is a petite lady, very sweet,and very shy. She was very happy that I introduced myself, since we have avery good friend in common (Siba Shakib, a bestseller author and Filmmaker) and gave me a great compliment as well. While I usually do not like people giving me compliments for my looks, getting one from Shirin Neshat, is a true compliment. :-)
As the picture indicates, she is one of the Iranians who encourages with her unique photography and short-movies the situation of women and men in Iran.
Her short-movie, which was accompanied by the voice of Susan Deyhim, was the perfect description for of women's position Iran. A woman standing and screaming in different volumes, no audience behind her, basically a silent scream. while the man on the other screen was just looking at her, backed up by a room filled with other men, and was silent.
This shows what has been going on in Iran for the past years: women screaming and asking for freedom, no one there to listen while being seen by men, who give them a glaze, questioning their action.
However, regardless of that short- movie, looking at the present political situation, and seeing men and women fighting together for the Iranian democracy, we see them working hand in hand.
Seeing Iranians outside and inside the country working hand in hand shows that maybe that scream is eventually heard. While the men in the Islamic revolution were not as oppressed for their attire and actions as women have been in the past 30 years, the fact that they are fighting hand in hand might indicate that the man who ist just standing there, IS actually hearing her. Maybe it just indicates that men's perception of the scream is different. Maybe they just do scream differently, not being used of showing their feeling and expressing them on the outside.
The picture I chose for this post could be transferred to any situation: men and women, Iranians outside and inside or anything: it shows that hand-in-hand the whole image can be seen and is not lost.

Thank you, Ms. Neshat!