Random Notes From My Part of the World
It has been a while since I have written anything. I guess I just haven't really been thinking much lately either. Need to jumpstart my brain. Here goes.........................oohhh that was nice.
Anyway, my brain will have to run on a generator because they have started the winter power cuts here. They started this weekend when I was in Pogradec and the past two days here in Durres we have been without power for about 4 hours each morning. The state electric company said that there would not be cuts and then they revised that statement to say, "Well, we were wrong." Evidently there is a shortage this year throughout Europe, so Albania found out last minute that they won't be able to buy as much juice as they thought.
There is a new controversy here in Durres. A new public university just opened here in Durres this fall and the director has decided not to allow two Muslim students to attend class because of their "religious attire". One is a man with a beard and the other is a woman in full covering. Now the first thing you may say is, "Isn't Albania majority Islamic? Didn't it used to be part of the Ottoman Empire?" And I would answer, "Yes, but live here long enough and you learn to distrust rational thought." Evidently the director is intent on banning any religious attire. For the life of me, though, I wouldn't be able tell a Muslim beard from a beard on a guy who has an aversion to showering and shaving. The kicker is that the constitution here explicitly says that no discrimination can be made due to a person's faith.
We got news a couple weeks ago that the Federal government is looking to invest in a project in our area of Keneta to install water pipes. This would be a great step for the area because, as you can see from the picture, the current water system is not holding up too well.
posted by David Sheern @ 7:55 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
"Yes, but live here long enough and you learn to distrust rational thought."
Isn't the answer much simpler: It is a secular country.
albania was part of the ottoman empire as much as usa was part of the united kingdom.
as you can see the word 'part of' is used very loosely here.
In case you didnt know, albania was invaded, occupied by the ottomans in the early 15 century and for five miserable centuries we endured oppression, heavy taxation, deprivation of faith and massive forced conversion of our religion which was christianity. this is the land where paul preached the gospel. the ottomans tried to stop us from learning to read and write in our native language. conseguently, 500 yrs later we were not much of a nation. totally divided, underdeveloped, poor, uneducated, and at this point with nothing to show for our thousands of years of excistence all was left was a faint sense of pride and nostalgia about the bright past of the 'illyrians'.
anyhow, i think, this was the point when we lagged so far behind the rest of the world. and with so much catching up to do, the first thing we need to do is get rid of the messed up muslim mentality that plagued us so badly. there's lost of placed in the world for them to practice their religion and show dedication to their faith. But it is not in our secular schools. I can't believe i am saying this, but although expelling those two students was discrimintion, what about 500 yrs of bloodshed that we endured from the hands of the muslims. that was far harsher my friend than discrimination. as far as i know the turks never gave us a penny, or lek, in restituition.
so lets move on now, work hard, rebuild. for those who are fanatics of their religion, they can get out of here. i hope we never go back to those days when our women are covered head to toe again. we fought so much to have the equal rights that we have now.
what next???
Now the first thing you may say is, "Isn't Albania majority Islamic? Didn't it used to be part of the Ottoman Empire?" And I would answer, "Yes, but live here long enough and you learn to distrust rational thought."
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Let me ask another question:Isn't turkey majority(98%) islamic? and i would answer u, "yes, but no one has the chance of frequenting the university in full covering." So i sorry to say but your rational thoughts are wrong this time.Just don't miss the big picture!
P.S. I would like to thank u for the good things u r doing here in my city and wish u good luck!
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