Saudi Morality Police See Red Over Valentine Roses

[True_Blue]

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's morality police are on the scent of illicit red roses as part of a clampdown on would-be St Valentine's lovers in the strict Muslim kingdom.

The Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Saudi Arabia's powerful religious vigilantes, have banned shops from selling any red flowers in the run-up to February 14.

Florists say the move is part of an annual campaign by the committee -- whose members are known as "mutawwaeen" or volunteers -- to prevent Saudis marking a festival they believe flouts their austere doctrine of "Wahhabi" Islam.

"They pass by two or three times a day to check we don't have any red flowers," said a Pakistani florist in Riyadh's smart Sulaimaniya district. "Look, no red. I've taken them all out," he said pointing to a dazzling floral collection covering every color of the rainbow except one.

more....
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2005-02-13T112233Z_01_N13594927_RTRIDST_0_ODD-SAUDI-VALENTINES-DC.XML

[LinuxInsurgent]

1. that's it...

NO LOVE FOR YOU!

Courtesy of the Saudi Police--Love Nazi Unit

[okoboji]

2. hmmm

Morality Police?

could happen here one day - probably sooner than we realize

[alvis]

3. Ashcroft not enough for you?

Just a matter of intensity.


Oh yeah, brothels in New Orleans were a priority for him in 2001.

[The Stranger]

4. Media: "Must . . . hate . . . brown people . . . "

Interesting piece from reuters.

[livinginphotographs]

5. That's reprehensible!

Let's bomb <insert random country other than Saudia Arabia here>!!!!

[VegasWolf]

6. Ahh, the sweet smell of religion in the morning! n/t

[imenja]

7. also can be seen as a reaction to American cultural imperialism

[Rose Siding]

8. "The government-funded mutawwaeen"

Govt funded VOLUNTEERS?

[FlyByNight]

9. "Morality police?"

You can bet Falwell, Dobson, Robertson, etc., just get plain giddy when they hear those two words. Ah, to have allies such as Saudi Arabia.

Repulsive.

:puke:

[jdj]

10. this is what happens without separation of church and state.

I wish more people would pay attention to this stuff.