Battling the forces of stupid

I saw this snippet on the popular Pharyngula website, a great site and one that I was turned on to by blast reader WildBill.  If you don't think that the forces of reason are involved in a titanic struggle against the forces of superstition and religious fanaticism, well, you just aren't paying attention.

Pakistani authorities have arrested a doctor for the blasphemous crime of throwing away a business card of an individual who had the same name as the beloved prophet.

(12-12) 07:03 PST KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) --

Pakistani authorities have arrested a doctor on suspicion of violating the country's contentious blasphemy law by throwing away a business card of a man who shared the name of Islam's prophet, Muhammed, police said Sunday. The blasphemy law has been widely criticized by human rights groups following the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death last month for insulting Islam. Critics say the law should be amended or repealed because it is often used to settle grudges, persecute minorities and fan religious extremism.

Naushad Valiyani, a Muslim doctor in the southern city of Hyderabad, was arrested Friday after a complaint was lodged with police alleging his actions had insulted the Prophet Muhammad, said regional police chief Mushtaq Shah.

The case began Friday when Muhammad Faizan, a pharmaceutical company representative, visited Valiyani's clinic and handed out his business card. He said when the doctor threw the card away, Faizan went to police and filed a complaint that noted his name was the same as the prophet's.

Shah said police were investigating whether Valiyani should be charged with blasphemy.

Dozens of Pakistanis are sentenced to death each year under the blasphemy law, though most cases are thrown out by higher courts and no executions have been carried out. The law, however, is unlikely to be repealed because the government's ruling party — largely secular — relies on the support of Islamist groups.

Islamist political parties have recently demonstrated in support of the law and the sentence against Bibi. One hard-line cleric said if the government did not execute Bibi, his mosque would pay anyone who killed her $5,800. The family of Bibi — a mother of five — insists she was falsely accused over a personal dispute. There have been appeals from around the globe — including one from Pope Benedict — to pardon her. But the government has said it is first waiting for a court ruling on her appeal.

Pakistan's minister for minority affairs has said the law is being examined to prevent widespread abuse.

             Associated Press writer Hussain Afzal in Parachinar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

Better not think it can't happen here. If you have a mexican gardener named Haysoos, I would treat him extra nice.

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In another case of felony stupid, with more than a little evil mixed in, consider the case of one Justine Winter. Winter, 17, from Flathead County, Montana was badly injured in a car accident, which she caused when she hit and killed a pregnant woman and her 13 year old son. Prior to the accident, she had texted her estranged boyfriend - "If I had won you I would have you and I wouldn't crash my car. Because all I can do is fuck up. I am a terrible person. I know it. Good bye. My last words."

Now she is suing the deceased victim's estate for driving negligently and claiming that the road was not maintained properly. A linguist for the defense says that her texts were not really suicidal.  Oh, really. She got it right the first time. She is a terrible person.