[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 30 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THOU SHALT NOT FLIRT

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the Saudi Arabian religious police will arrest 
its citizens for a multitude of ``sins.'' Last week, the religious 
police arrested 57 Arabian men in front of a mall in Mecca for, get 
this, the crime of flirting. The 57 men were dancing to pop music and 
not wearing traditional clothing. The religious police arrested them 
and refused to release the men unless they can prove they did not flirt 
with women. So much for innocent till proven guilty.
  This is yet another example of when civil governments use their state 
religion of Islam to put their own citizens in jail for religious 
activity.
  The powerful religious police make sure that women are covered up, 
that they don't wear makeup, that the sexes don't mingle, and that the 
stores close five times a day for Muslim prayers, and that men worship 
at the mosque.
  Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia banned the sale of red roses and 
other symbols that marked Valentine's Day because they are connected 
with a Christian holiday. Saudi Arabia certainly cannot allow any 
religious dissension in their country. Saudi Arabia expects other 
countries to be tolerant of Islam but is intolerant of all religions 
except its own. I wonder if hypocrisy is a violation of the Islam 
religion?
  And that's just the way it is.




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