QUESTION: Is it true that the Shia of Iran consider women to be animals? Should we not destroy that government?

GP

ANSWER: No, the idea that Shia Islam considers women to be animals is a false and offensive claim that runs directly counter to the core teachings of the faith. This is a deliberate distortion that is not supported by the Quran, the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), or the core tenets of Shia theology.

Beyond abstract theology, women hold a position of profound veneration in Shia belief. A major Shia scholar highlights this by noting that “the entire Shiite doctrine is built upon a woman: Lady Fatima, peace be upon her”. Lady Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, is revered as the epitome of purity, virtue, and strength.

This is economics. According to the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment fell in recent weeks to a record low. Add to that, the consumer is facing a 40% or more hike for gasoline since the war began, as part of the biggest overall inflation jump in four years. In Ireland, they had to call out the army.

This war has the potential to tear the world economy apart at the seams, with rising civil unrest and fueling globalized war. If Trump resumes bombing Iran and their civilian infrastructure, he will succeed in isolating the United States just like Israel. Even Japan has criticized Trump, and they NEVER do that publicly. The days of the American Empire are over. America has lost the world’s respect, and you can see that in the criticism of Japan and even Italy. People will deal with the US because of the economy, but they no longer count on the United States as they once did. Netanyahu has usurped American Foreign Policy.

None of the domestic issues in Iran is at issue here. The Kurds are launching a domestic civil war, and that is how it should stay. There are 90 million people in Iran, and it is their country, and they should decide what form of government they want. That is NOT for any other nation to decide. Imperialism is dead.

The social politics of any nation are NOT subject to international intervention any more than slavery was in the United States or apartheid in South Africa. Sanctions or restraints on international relations are one thing, but interfering in a nation’s affairs for such a reason is unacceptable. The United States has more people in prison than all of Europe, Russia, or China because we use CONSPIRACY for a crime, which is an ancient tyranny that has been rejected by most civilizations because they do not need to prove you committed a crime, just that you conspired to commit a crime.

I suggest reading Judge Rakoff’s book on why the vast majority of people in federal prison are innocent, and why the guilty go free as long as they bring in people for the prosecution. They put in priests who thought they were helping someone send money to a sick relatives through in prison for conspiracy to launder money. Prosecutors have no ethics. I saw the murderers of a guy in NYC get a deal, and the prosecution wanted the death penalty on a 23-year-old kid because when he was asked where Joe is, he said over there. That was the extent of his conspiracy to commit murder. Should the rest of the world invade the United States because we violate human rights in our legal system more than even China? We have the most corrupt legal system of the G20 nations.