a sad state of affairs

As I have said before, this site is not strictly for Del Castillo, but for my music interests in general. I have a statement to make that is possibly going to offend, but it must be said.

Cat Stevens, once well-known popstar and peace activist, was kicked out of this country the other day. He chose a path many years ago that including becoming Muslim, and for a long time, rejecting his past as a musician. He has been a devout man, and a proponant for peace worldwide. Apparently, the fact he has stood up and said things against the current US president's policy on Iraq and past ones on Iran has gotten Yusef Islam (his name now) put on a watch list. He had the nerve to have an opinion that went against the guy trying to stay in office, so an entire plane of people were deverted from their destination and he was "removed" before they could continue. A little pointless, don't you think, since he had been in the US not six months ago, at a rally for peace? What has changed so drastically that this man needed to be harrassed and publically shamed where he was once welcomed? And what has happened to the supposed policy of tolerance for Muslims of all nationalites (Yusef is still a British citizen)?

I am a pagan and receive enough prejudice for a dozen people, brought on by other peoples' insecurities about their own religious choices. I am disgusted at this lack of insight and use of blatant fear tactics by the people of this government. There is enough hatred among humans without this need to attack innocent nationals who come to this country in good faith. Does celebrity automatically make one a target for prejudice, while the unknown can WALK across the Canadian-American border?!
This needs to be rectified and one man in particular is owed an apology.


I truly believe the human species is damned to die by its own hand.