# Ok, so what the hell happened in Germany in NYE? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 8, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538 "2016-01-08T23:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/301 "2016-01-11T06:42:06Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > I don’t know if it’s still up, but the Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani had a whole pile up on his website up responding to readers [Still up, and still awesome.](http://www.sistani.org/english/) I have loved that man ever since I read his awesome [_fatwa_ on cat hair](http://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01162/): > [@](#): > > Question: What is your ruling about cat’s hair on a person’s dress during _salat_? > > Answer: Cat’s hair does not invalidate prayer. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/302 "2016-01-11T08:28:30Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > I have loved that man ever since I read his awesome [_fatwa_ on cat hair](http://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01162/): He’s also extremely liberal on which cheeses it’s ok to eat. You have to love a man who’s open minded on cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/303 "2016-01-11T09:48:31Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Nah, just admitting it’s a safer bet. Nah, just admitting that while racial profiling is evil, bigoted and wrong, gender profiling is A-OK. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/304 "2016-01-11T10:51:19Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > He’s also extremely liberal on which cheeses it’s ok to eat. You have to love a man who’s open minded on cheese. Yep. Disappointed in his ruling of fleshlights though. C’mon Sis’, lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/305 "2016-01-11T18:11:23Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > What a person who lived over 1400 years ago has to do with Tunis in 2015 or the hateful bigot and well known extremist racist Geller is puzzling. I am sick and tired of Islam apologists using the charge of “racism” to beat their opponents over the head. I have three questions for you. 1. How can Islam be considered a race, when it contains blue-eyed blond Europeans, tan Arabs, brown Pakistanis, tan Indonesians, Chinese, and blue-black Africans. 2. Here is the definition of racism from Wikipedia. Do you agree with it? “Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Modern variants are often based in social perceptions of biological differences between peoples. These can take the form of social actions, practices or beliefs, or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based on presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualities. It may also hold that members of different races should be treated differently.” 1. Can anyone give me an example of a comment by Geller which indicates she subscribes to the ideas contained in this definition? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/306 "2016-01-11T18:20:48Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > There usually isn’t an ideology linking those shootings up, usually is with situations like in Tunisia. Actually, I think you will find a large number of the shooters will be Christian right wingers, if not actual Christian fundamentalists, or close to it. Also a large number of avowed racists. Racism/conservativism/Christianity in various proportions would be the linking ideology in the majority of cases. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/307 "2016-01-11T18:25:00Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > 1. How can Islam be considered a race, when it contains blue-eyed blond Europeans, tan Arabs, brown Pakistanis, tan Indonesians, Chinese, and blue-black Africans. I dunno - but I do know the same has been said of Jews for centuries even though they have a similar variety of phenotypes. I guess it’s more proof bigotry is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/308 "2016-01-11T19:03:09Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > I think its imperative that German girls start wearing burquas, so as not to offend these refugee’s sense of morality. Someone already said the classic “boys will be boys.” Wait a couple more pages. > [@CarnalK](#): > > Nah, just admitting it’s a safer bet. There’s usually a debate on what constitutes degeneracy, but I think most people would call gang rape and violent sexual assault degenerate behavior. So if people are in agreement men are more likely than women and children to partake in these activities then people should agree men are more degenerate. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/309 "2016-01-11T19:05:32Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Nah, just admitting it’s a safer bet. Hello, profiling and discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/310 "2016-01-11T20:33:05Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > I am sick and tired of Islam apologists using the charge of “racism” to beat their opponents over the head. > > I have three questions for you. > > 1. How can Islam be considered a race, when it contains blue-eyed blond Europeans, tan Arabs, brown Pakistanis, tan Indonesians, Chinese, and blue-black Africans. > > 2. Here is the definition of racism from Wikipedia. Do you agree with it? > > “Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. Modern variants are often based in social perceptions of biological differences between peoples. These can take the form of social actions, practices or beliefs, or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based on presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualities. It may also hold that members of different races should be treated differently.” > > 1. Can anyone give me an example of a comment by Geller which indicates she subscribes to the ideas contained in this definition? I take it though you’re happy enough to concede that Geller is a bigot? ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/311 "2016-01-11T20:54:41Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > I am sick and tired of Islam apologists using the charge of “racism” to beat their opponents over the head. I know you are sick and tired and hysterically upset about many things. Of the bibles in hotel rooms… However, you will have a point about precious dictionary definitions being applicable when the profiling of muslims and the hate crimes in the real world does not follow ethno-racial lines, so that the Sikhs, the Hindus, the arab and armenian Christians, even the Latinos are not racially profiled as \*\*\*‘Muslims by appearance’ \*\*\* and attacked, killed, detained on that basis. Since that day has not arrived, and in fact the contrary, this is nothing more than an excuse making hysteric. of course there are anti-islamic bigots that are only hateful religious bigots, but in the real world this supposed difference and pretension is only to excuse the delicate feelings… ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/312 "2016-01-11T20:56:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I dunno - but I do know the same has been said of Jews for centuries even though they have a similar variety of phenotypes. I guess it’s more proof bigotry is stupid. I rather think it is proof that the Islamist apologists will stoop to yelling “racist” at those who criticize a religion, because that is a good way to intimidate and silence those who ask the tough questions about the invasive ideology of Islam that is daily clashing with and attacking our western values. Indeed, faced with sexually assaulted women in Germany, massacred innocents in Paris and California, police officers gunned down by Islamist militants and endless atrocities day after day and month after month, the sum total of the apologists’ argument seems to be: 1. It is not all Muslims (True, but not really that comforting when 27% of European Muslims tell pollsters they feel the Charlie Hebdo people “got what they deserved”.) 2)Yelling “racist” that those who criticize Islam (Have you ever heard of an anti-Catholic being called a racist?) 3)Going back centuries if necessary to find examples to support the “we did it too” excuse. Look at the previous postings and you will be surprised how often those lame arguments keep coming back in one form or another. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/313 "2016-01-11T20:57:46Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > 3)Going back centuries if necessary to find examples to support the “we did it too” excuse. that is funny this sad excuse. such is the hateful. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/314 "2016-01-11T21:09:57Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > However, you will have a point about precious dictionary definitions being applicable when the profiling of muslims and the hate crimes in the real world does not follow ethno-racial lines, so that the Sikhs, the Hindus, the arab and armenian Christians, even the Latinos are not racially profiled as \*\*\*‘Muslims by appearance’ \*\*\* and attacked, killed, detained on that basis. That is completely irrelevant to my question. First of all, I have never “attacked, killed, or detained” anyone on any basis. Secondly, I personally am about the same colour as most Arabs. So let me ask you a question. If I, a brown-skinned gay atheist, were to be put to death by a light-skinned Muslim in one of the many Muslim countries where they execute homosexuals, would I have a right to accuse that light-skinned Muslim of “racism”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/315 "2016-01-11T21:15:10Z")
No it is not, but I do not expect rationality or clarity or even relevance. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/316 "2016-01-11T21:20:44Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > I take it though you’re happy enough to concede that Geller is a bigot? I didn’t say that, unless we use the definition supplied by the immortal Ambrose Bierce: \*\*BIGOT, n. One who is obstinately and zealously attached to an opinion that you do not entertain. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/317 "2016-01-11T21:22:30Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > No it is not, but I do not expect rationality or clarity or even relevance. Fear not, kind lady, your ideas appear to be marvellously free of all three!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/318 "2016-01-11T21:23:34Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > that is funny this sad excuse. > > such is the hateful. You seem to only be concerned about hatred when you are imagining that you see it in any and every criticism of Islam. You alternate between obliviousness and apology whenever the discussion touches on the hatred and bigotry towards non-Muslims, that is so common among Muslims. It is pants-on-head-retarded to continue trying to pretend that the ongoing epidemic of violence and sexual assault by Muslims, directed at non-Muslims, is not driven by Islamic dogma that portrays Muslim women as property, liberal Western women as whores who are asking for it, and non-Muslims as lesser beings. If your first instinct upon learning of another one of the regular occurrences of mass sexual assault or mass murder of kufar by Muslims is to worry about the _image of Islam_, then you have a problem. And your problem is contributing to a huge ongoing societal issue. But go ahead, keep spitting out your accusations of bigotry and racism towards those who you know nothing about, other than that we are critics of dogma emanating from a religion that you claim you don’t even follow closely. Every false accusation you make reduces the potency of the labels. So go ahead, bring it on yet again. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/319 "2016-01-11T21:25:51Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > No it is not, but I do not expect rationality or clarity or even relevance. J’ai beaucoup de difficulté à comprendre ce que vous voulez dire! **WHAT** is not? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538/320 "2016-01-11T21:27:19Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > I didn’t say that, unless we use the definition supplied by the immortal Ambrose Bierce: > > \*\*BIGOT, n. One who is obstinately and zealously attached to an opinion that you do not entertain. \*\* That definition needs to be damn sticky around here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-so-what-the-hell-happened-in-germany-in-nye/742538.md?page=17)