Kuwaiti cleric Sheik Abd Al-Muhsin Al-Mutairi, on the World Cup as Jewish conspiracy:
Oh servants of Allah, how saddening and very painful it is to see many Muslim youths glued to TV screens at cafes or at home, passionately watching entertainment shows, like the Football World Cup, in despicable subjugation to the abominations of the other nations – as if we were not a nation with a brilliant history and a lofty civilization. [...]
The Jews were successful in preoccupying the Muslim youth – except those protected by Allah – with the most inane matters, distracting them from important things, in keeping with what is written in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: "In order to keep the masses in the dark, oblivious to what is being planned for them, we will exert efforts to distract their attention, by creating means of entertainment and diversion, amusing games, and all kinds of sports, as well as things that feed one's desires. Then, we will make the newspapers promote artistic and sports competitions."
The Jews, the Christians, and their hypocritical, mercenary lackeys have invested great efforts in cutting the nation off from its glorious history. They want Muslim youths to fumble about in the darkness of Western culture, which is promoted by the sinful media.
The "despicable subjugation" of the Islamists is basically the "false consciousness" of the hard left. Either way such bread and circuses entertainments for the masses are simply distractions to lull the gullible away from their true destiny - to wage jihad, or to wage revolution spend fruitless evenings trying to flog Socialist Worker round some bleak housing estate to an ungrateful proletariat. The connection? A shared preference for joyless ideology over life.
Anyway, it's all looking good for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Chomsky has similar problem with sport:
http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2007/05/sport_that_sort.html
But I don't think he blames 'the Jews'.
Posted by: Bob-B | November 19, 2013 at 10:52 AM
Hahaha
Posted by: Argie | November 19, 2013 at 07:40 PM
"spend fruitless evenings trying to flog Socialist Worker round some bleak housing estate"
As someone who long ago repented let me correct you: we never tried to flog Socialist worker round some bleak housing estate.
1. Colleges were far and away the best place to sell.
2. Selling at a strike or demo was second best
3. In a shopping centre was the routine method.
4. Outside a workplace was a sign of dedication - I never sold a copy to a worker ever, which was particularly dispiriting after getting up early to get the day shift. Contrariwise I note that I often see sellers outside government offices these days. (I presume they work inside?)
5. Selling on the council estate would have been laughed out of court, in my day.
Incidentally the point was not just to sell, it was the exposure. The whole of the SWP newspaper was summed up by the headline on page one. The analysis inside was turgid, even members had limited appetites. Thus to stand in the town centre and not sell was tolerable because the headline was seen, and sympathisers and potential recruits identified.
Having said all that I suppose that times change and that in some areas they might try to go door to door. Is that what they do where you live?
Posted by: TDK | November 26, 2013 at 03:48 PM
No, to be honest we never get SWP types selling round here, but I do recall a friend talking of his bleak experiences trying to sell on housing estates. This was back in the Seventies, mind.
Posted by: Mick H | November 26, 2013 at 04:07 PM
Late 70s, early 80s here.
Fireman's strike was the only time I saw a "worker" buy a copy. Not that I know what buyer's in the precinct did for a living.
You were expected to sell a certain number of copies but no one ever made quota. We weren't a particularly strict branch though. Perhaps that made a difference.
Posted by: TDK | November 26, 2013 at 04:14 PM