Shia ringtone sparks scuffle in Iraqi parliament

The Times ^ | May 10, 2006 | Sam Knight

[nickcarraway]

The fragile state of the sectarian divide in Iraqi politics was exposed today when a fight broke out in parliament after a mobile phone ringtone played a Shia Muslim chant.

A procedural session of the Iraqi parliament was suspended as Shia and Sunni leaders stormed out to protest the ringtone and the subsequent scuffle, which erupted between the armed bodyguards of the Sunni speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and the hardline Shia politician, Gufran al-Saidi.

The mobile phone belonged to Ms al-Saidi, who is a member of the Islamist movement led by the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. According to Ms al-Saidi, one of her guards was holding her phone when it rang, playing a Shia prayer.

Mr al-Mashhadani sent one of his guards -- because of the risk of assassination in Baghdad, all Iraqi politicians come to parliament accompanied by armed men -- to ask her to turn it off. But the phone rang again, at which point a fight broke out in the lobby of the parliament building, with guards from both sides and a veiled Ms al-Saidi joining in.

Ms al-Saidi led a walkout on to the steps of the parliament building, where she told waiting television crews: "I demand an urgent investigation". She was joined by the independent MP, Mithal al-Alusi, a Sunni who leads the small Nation party, who said "those involved should be sued" and that bodyguards should be unarmed in parliament.

The incident will provide more fuel to Shia leaders who have already accused Mr al-Mashhadani, a Sunni who was appointed speaker last month to increase the representation of Sunnis in national politics, of being partisan and undiplomatic in his new role.

After 20 minutes, the protesting MPs were led back into the chamber by the outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Nouri al-Maliki, the incoming Prime Minister, said yesterday that he was on the verge of appointing a Cabinet, the last stage in the long and fraught process of creating a government of national unity.

Eighteen Iraqis were killed in scattered violence today. In the worst attack, gunmen opened fire on a bus full of employees travelling to a state-run electronics company in Baqouba, 55km (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

The gunmen stopped the bus, opened fire and threw a bomb on board, killing 11 people. The toll of yesterday's suicide attack in the northern city of Tal Afar rose today to 22 dead and 134 wounded, according to Iraqi authorities.

[rocksblues]

Doesn't take much to piss off muslims.

[null and void]

They're kinda like liberals that way...

[NativeNewYorker]

they really ARE raving nutters, aren't they?

[Rakkasan1]

Cingular Pulls Offensive Ringtone

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1630017/posts

guess I need to find my own offensive ring tone now...

[BenLurkin]

IIRC, Taiwan's legislature went through a period of fisticuffs in the chambers -- not that long ago.

Things seem to have settled down eventually.

[HKMk23]

Great.

"So, what'd YOU do today?"

"Oh, I had the BEST of times today. I went to see Parliament in session and a rugby match broke out! A cellphone went off, everyone dove on it, and the Speaker nearly suffocated in the bottom of the scrum..."

[BobS]

The Russians throw chairs.

[Thinkin' Gal]

The fragile state of the sectarian divide in Iraqi politics was exposed today ...

Nothing new under the sun.

However, the Arabs are as divided as ever - there is disarray and chaos in the Arabs' attempt at unification and government in the Town Hall in Damascus. Loud shouting erupts from one faction to another, ancient animosities flare up, and dissension arises between tribal leaders over the division of powers and responsibilities. Lawrence quiets the bickering by pounding his gun butt on the round table:

We here are neither Harith nor Howeitat nor any other tribe but Arabs at the Arab Council acting for Prince Feisal.

http://www.filmsite.org/lawr.html

[winner3000]

(Ms al-Saidi led a walkout on to the steps of the parliament building, where she told waiting television crews: "I demand an urgent investigation".)

It was HER cell phone that started the whole fracas! We have an Iraqi McKinney on our hands!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Mithal al-Alusi, a Sunni who leads the small Nation party, who said "those involved should be sued"

Sued? Ok who ever is letting these people watch American TV needs to stop it right now!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You are aware that in 1798 Congressmen Matthew Lyon and Roger Griswold fought on the House floor?

[NativeNewYorker]

Yes, in our culture, over the centuries, there have been occasional fisticuffs in the legislature.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It must have been fun back then.

[coladirienzi]

Before the Civil War, South Carolina Congressman, Preston Brooks, stormed into the Senate Chamber, and just about beat abolitionist New York Senator Charles Sumner to death with a walking stick.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yep. And that was unfair. You should always give a man a chance to defend himself.

[Steely Tom]

Before the Civil War, South Carolina Congressman, Preston Brooks, stormed into the Senate Chamber, and just about beat abolitionist New York Senator Charles Sumner to death with a walking stick.

Did he tell the police he was heading for a vote?

[Sender]

Cartoons, ringtones, people who won't submit...

[Clemenza]

Sumner (who was a great patriot, but kinda of an arrogant individual) was the Republican Senator from MASSACHUSETTS. Preston Brooks was white trash, but may have been justified in his beating of loud moth Sumner.

[Sometimes A River]

However, the most important news is that the Muslim "Offense Level" has been raised.




Just to remind you what the various levels mean:

LOW
Meaning - We are slightly miffed, although we are not sure why. We think we are not as popular as we would like to be.
Non-Muslim response - Tread very carefully and do not offend us
Consequence of non-compliance - We will get very cross and stamp our feet

GUARDED
Meaning - We are quite offended, because people are generally picking on us.
Non-Muslim response - Stop making jokes about us
Consequence of non-compliance - We will rant on about "Islamophobia" and "Orientalism", although we don't understand what those words really mean

ELEVATED
Meaning - We are definitely cross, because people keep blaming us for 9/11, Parisian cars getting torched, Saudi women getting stoned
Non-Muslim response - Pretend that these things have nothing to do with Islam or Muslims, tell everyone how we brought algebra to 9th Century Spain
Consequence of non-compliance - We will cause even more mayhem. Did you leave your car out in the street?

HIGH
Meaning - We are extremely offended by a particular individual or country
Non-Muslim response - That individual or country must apologize
Consequence of non-compliance - Individual; Fatwa, assassination, or both. Country; Boycott (unless you export things the Saudi Royal Family are consumers of), and Saudi newspapers write a long string of boring and repetitive articles that you will never read but will drive Saudi readers to distraction.

SEVERE
Meaning - We have had enough of your rudeness and ridicule and have gone completely ballistic
Non-Muslim response - We demand that the Pope and President Bush go down on their knees and apologize personally for every rude thing that everyone has ever said about us over the last 1400 years, and promise that it won't happen again
Consequence of non-compliance - We will cease the export of oil, therefore depriving the numerous Saudi Royal Family of all income, we will cease the import of all cars, tanks, airplanes (military and civil), computers, building technology, infrastructure and general professional expertise, and we will stop visiting Western fleshpots like the South of France, the USA, London..... Honest. We will. We really mean it this time. Just you wait. We really will. You better believe it. We're not kidding. We're telling you. Honest. Don't make us do it.....

http://muttawa.blogspot.com

[wideminded]

Taiwanese MPs hold a food fight

Already known for their heated debates, and even the odd fist fight, Taiwan's legislators now seem to have resorted to another form of insult - hurling food at each other.

One minute they were sitting in a conference hall having lunch, engaged in a strongly worded discussion about international arms sales.

The next minute it was the lunch that was doing the talking, as the island's lawmakers hurled rice, meat, vegetables and even hard-boiled eggs across the room.

According to the Associated Press news agency, a local TV crew caught the incident on camera, but said it was difficult to tell who had started the food fight.

Opposition member Chu Fong-chi was filmed shouting at ruling party delegates, and then ducking to avoid something being thrown in her direction.

She quickly responded, picking up a cardboard lunch box and throwing it at another legislator, Chen Chong-yi.

Mr Chen gave as good as he got, leaving Ms Chu with what appeared to be food stains on the back of her blouse.

"My whole body smells like a lunch box!" she is said to have yelled.

The ministerial food fight was all over in minutes, with the only evidence being a few pieces of egg and fistfuls of rice in various corners of the otherwise austere conference hall.

Taiwan has a history of rowdy behaviour in parliament, and a number of fights broke out there in the late 80s and early 90s.

- BBC News

[Billthedrill]

Yep - that was the one I was trying to remember. Then there was that thing between Burr and Hamilton...

[Rakkasan1]

http://mp3search.hit-logo-ringtone.com/3-025/us_en/1/19288/allah.html