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Another Afghan School Poisoned — 160 Girls Hospitalized

An anonymous reader writes "Back in April, we discussed news of an anti-education attack on an Afghani school, which poisoned 150 Afghan schoolgirls. Now, a hospital in the same province has admitted 160 more girls who seem to have suffered a similar attack. 'Their classrooms might have been sprayed with a toxic material before the girls entered, police spokesman Khalilullah Aseer said. He blamed the Taliban. The incident, the second in a week's time, was reported at the Aahan Dara Girls School in Taluqan, the provincial capital. The girls, ages 10 to 20, complained of headaches, dizziness and vomiting before being taken to the hospital, said Hafizullah Safi, director of the provincial health department. More than half of them were discharged within a few hours of receiving treatment, Safi said. The health department collected blood samples and sent them to Kabul for testing.'"

25 of 474 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by jdgeorge · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Perhaps you've forgotten the old Slashdot slogan: "News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters". This kind of stuff was on Slashdot since before I had a Slashdot user ID.

    The thing that's changed on Slashdot is that there are now professional Slashdot astroturfers working for big tech companies.

  2. Solution by Hentes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Make the schools coeducated. The Taliban will be pissed but hopefully they wouldn't attack boys.

  3. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by Enderandrew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I assume the education slant would appeal to nerds. Nerds should be pro-education and should be concerned about literally violent anti-education movements.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
  4. Re:Hopefully they will soon make the realization t by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Uh I don't think you get the import. This wasn't an attack against random women, it was an attack against women seeking an education. They are aware that they need women. They would rather those women stay at home and spit out then take care of sons rather than seek to better themselves.

    The message is: Women who seek to become educated will be targeted with violence. Remain at home, weak, ignorant, and dependent. Then there will be slightly less^W^W no violence.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  5. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "... to draw in all the jackasses for a bit."

    I don't think the Taliban read Slashdot.

    --
    http://www.rootstrikers.org/
  6. Universal Human Rights Are Above Relativity by eldavojohn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How is one culture supposed to judge another culture? Everything is relative...

    Until you actually get told otherwise by your conscience.

    Well, from my philosophy courses in college (as financially useless as they may have been) there's actually been a lot of study and attempts to codify what should be regarded as Universal rights. There's no need for us to rely on our "conscious" or someone else's conscious nor should we sit back if we feel that human rights are being abused in another nation that is sovereign. I'm a very liberal open minded person. If you want to worship some stupid magic person in the sky, go to town. If they start to infringe upon others' life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, then we have issues that must be remedied.

    Your lax definition of a 'Conscious' be damned, begin the escalation of political pressure then economic pressure then physical pressure.

    Sort of on topic, from your signature:

    Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.

    The Nazis were stopped because they blatantly violated (nearly) everyone's rules of Universal Human Rights -- so much so that many of their own detested it. And we should not allow something like the Holocaust to happen again. Communism, on the other hand, is a counter case. We went into Vietnam under the laughable pretenses that a Universal Human Right is capitalism in place of communism (with obvious self interests). Believe it or not, communism does not blatantly violate everyone's rules of Universal Human Rights and so we were kind of lacking on the support and moral high ground for that war. If you think communism has been "ended" and that it has been "ended" by war and not inherent corruption that it can't seem to shake -- you and I must be reading different books by very different authors.

    To recap, Universal Human Rights transcend your suggestion of relativity. I'm not sure but if you're attempting to make fun of people who tolerate other cultures by saying it's relative, there's no place for that when you're dealing with a child's life and their attempt to be educated.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Universal Human Rights Are Above Relativity by Sparticus789 · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Nazis were stopped because they blatantly violated (nearly) everyone's rules of Universal Human Rights -- so much so that many of their own detested it.

      I would have to disagree. After Pearl Harbor, U.S. declared war on Japan, Japan declared war on the U.S., Germany declared war on the U.S. Then the war machine started cranking and the Allies took back Europe. Allies stumbled across concentration camps, and the world learned how evil the Nazis really were. We didn't enter WWII because they "violated human rights." We entered because the Axis attacked us.

      --
      sudo make me a sandwich
    2. Re:Universal Human Rights Are Above Relativity by Baloroth · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Believe it or not, communism does not blatantly violate everyone's rules of Universal Human Rights and so we were kind of lacking on the support and moral high ground for that war.

      Not true. To quote from Marx's Communist Manifesto:

      [The Communists] openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions.

      In other words, the only way to establish a Communist society is through violent revolution, which inherently infringes on others rights to life and/or freedom. The entire Manifesto is riddled with calls to violent revolution against the existing social order, and every communist society since (that I know of) has begun that way: through violence and bloodshed.

      And I'm not even going into the question of whether property is a Universal right (which I believe it is, or at the very least a necessary prerequisite to freedom), which Communism absolutely inherently opposes by its very definition.

      --
      "None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
    3. Re:Universal Human Rights Are Above Relativity by DarkOx · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Even though Rand herself does not think so; the most salient arguments against it I have ever read are in "We the Living", it was her first, about something she actually knew and is nothing like her other books. I highly recommend everyone read it, especially if they vehemently dislike her other works such as "Atlas Shrugged." You will probably enjoy it and learn something about the nature of men under communism.

      The problem is not communism, its probably a fine political and social system for some space aliens some place else in the universe. It does not work well humans though. It simply exchanges one system of class and privilege based on monetary wealth, birth, or both for different one. Society must be run by people therefore there are politics. Under communism where and whenever its tried men turn political clout and favor into first a new form of currency which they then use to get more of the old form of currency. Within half a generation you move for the prospect of a future "workers paradise" like Marx describe to an authoritarian regime. Some people are lucky enough to be born (back to by birth) into good communist families and groomed to be future leadership everyone else becomes members of an under class.

      With the added tragedy that production and resources (human and natural) are almost always badly allocated; corruption assures this even if don't believe the invisible hand is the most efficient system of allocation. At least with capitalism society is crudely steered in the vague direction of meritocracy.

      Communism is evil and it should be opposed whenever it is proffered as a solution. We must not be naive though. We have gotten along okay for about 2 1/4 centuries but there are problems with our system. Our freedoms and equality really are being eroded by corruption as well.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  7. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by virgnarus · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know what, I wholeheartedly concur. But before I extrapolate on your wisdom, let me first turn your attention to how I managed to successfully evade a viral attack with the help of an incredible product, MyCleanPC...

  8. Re:Another peaceful message by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because of course a small number of evil bastards act with the full support of all of the billions of Muslims in the world. By your logic, guys like Anders Breivik and Scott Roeder act with the full support of all Christians.

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  9. Re:Another peaceful message by dskoll · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, you have your head in the sand. Read the Qu'ran sometime and some of the other Islamic writings. They demand that Muslims emulate Mohammed, and they go into great excited detail about how Mohammed massacred people who mocked him. See for example Sahi Bukhari :Volume 5, Book 59, Number 443 which describes a massacre in great and gory detail.

  10. A note for naysayers by Quila · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sahih Bukhari 3:48:826

    The "Sahih" in this means that the source and the chain of narration of the Hadith is considered to be trustworthy. Of all Sahih Hadith, al-Bukhari is considered the most trustworthy. This means that to the average Muslim, there can be no doubt that Mohammed said this, and therefore that it must be true.

    There is a very small minority of Muslims who reject all Hadith, believing only the Quran is authoritative and that it actually bans following texts such as Hadith. Mainstream Islam considers them to be apostates. Too bad, you remove Hadith, you remove much of the backwards, nasty stuff about the religion.

  11. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by Sarten-X · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Exactly. I read Slashdot not because I don't care about the non-tech world, but because I don't care about the pointless drivel that fills most "news" sources. I don't care about the some bimbo's annulled wedding, or the color of a pop star's shoes, or the 12 most adorable breeds of puppies. I want to know news about my interests, and things that will have a lasting effect on the world I live in. I want news for nerds and stuff that matters. I read Slashdot.

    --
    You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
  12. Re:Islam strikes again! by dkleinsc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as menservants do.

    Exodus 21:7

    And this is hardly the only instance of this sort of sexism in Judaism and Christianity. What's your point?

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  13. Re:Another peaceful message by saveferrousoxide · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Typically, i wouldn't bother responding to this, but i'm tired of hearing it.
    YOU should actually study the Quran, because it actually says exactly the opposite. It demands that you educate yourself (male and female) and demands that no one be forced to convert because that is not a true conversion. There is no more colonialism in Islam than in Christianity, so just stop. You're not helping educate anyone, you're just spreading more misinformation that furthers the divide of understanding between 3 billion people. Stop it.

  14. Re:I think the Taliban are anti-girl. by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 4, Informative

    They're not anti-girl, they're anti-empowered girls.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  15. Re:Another peaceful message by Dishevel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And when the priests were finally caught and sent to prison?
    Was the reaction the same as when we killed Osama?
    Did the Catholics decapitate anyone for saying bad things about the priests?
    Did the Christians kill people because they caught the people murdering doctors who perform abortions?
    No?
    Then there is a fucking difference.
    People get murdered for daring to draw a picture of Mohammad.
    No one got killed for "Art" that was a crucifix in urine.

    --
    Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  16. Maybe you should READ more by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 4, Insightful

    MAYBE if you actually read a book you might learn WHY Muslims have such high need of FEMALE doctors. That is because female patients have to be seen by a female doctor or not at all. The statistic sounds so nice but underneath it is a regime of segregated care where QUALITY of care was of no importance whatsoever.

    And 60% of doctors also tells you nothing of the total number of doctors available OR that women (childbirth) need doctors a LOT more then men.

    Careful with your statistics young one, they can be tricky things and easily be used to fool you.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  17. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by niftymitch · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If I had mod points today, I would have modded you up. How does this relate to tech or IT?

    Well I have moderator points..
    What this has to do with /. is in a word "education".

    The foundations of tech is education and open knowledge.
    Those that wage war on education wage war on us all.

    In this micro slice of the world that is /. we tolerate a lot. We enjoy rants and debate.
    This article shies a light on a part of the world where intolerance is the norm and expected.

    Pay attention.... This is important.

    --
    Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't. Mark Twain.
  18. Re:Religious extreme by ppanon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Germany had its economy crushed by the massive reparation payments imposed on it after WWI, primarily at the instigation of the French, as a part of the treaty of Versailles. Inflation and poverty in 20s/30s Germany was horrendous (people wore suits made from re-purposed paper because cloth was too expensive) and the resulting national depression predisposed the German people to radical alternatives. It didn't help that Hitler was a masterful orator with a Reality Distortion Field that would have made Steve Jobs look like Gerald Ford.

    Understanding that part of history is why some people worry about increasing wealth separation/concentration within the US and other Western democracies. Some of the 1% appear to think that controlling information media allows them to control the message and direct the building resentment. Others see an increasingly dry plain and fear the spark and the lightning strike will eventually bypass the media firebreak.

    --
    Laissez lire, et laissez danser; ces deux amusements ne feront jamais de mal au monde. - Voltaire
  19. Re:Religious extreme by Spiked_Three · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No you break it down according to the way you want it to read.

    So let me try your way;

    Religious extremist poison woman, because their religion says women should not be educated.

    Christianity, while not as strongly, also says a women's place is behind the men.

    Rick Santorum was a viable candidate for president, supported by many.

    In general, the population of the US that supports 'returning to more bible like laws' is near 50%.

    Strong extreme christians, of which rick santorum was one, believe in returning to strong biblical laws. Death for homosexuals. death to adulterers. death to those that eat shellfish. death to all who wear polyester pants with a cotton shirt. death to those that might build a muslim mosk in tennessee. death to those that believe climate change could be caused by pollution. death to those that believe in evolution.

    I believe it should be death to those who believe in make believe.

    Am I clearer now?

    --
    slashdot troll = you make a compelling argument I do not like the implications of.
  20. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Education->Science->Technology

    I think it's safe to assume that nerds would support efforts to educate people, and attempts to stop that education.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  21. Re:Another peaceful message by Theaetetus · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, you have your head in the sand. Read the Qu'ran sometime and some of the other Islamic writings. They demand that Muslims emulate Mohammed, and they go into great excited detail about how Mohammed massacred people who mocked him.

    Mind you, the same is true of the Old Testament and Yahweh.

  22. Re:Clearly a very serious issue, but by Tynin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think I'm quite comfortable in saying that any cultural viewpoint that includes mental & physical abuse / poisoning / torture / death on those that seek knowledge, should be criticized at any and every opportunity. They can keep whatever culture they want, but the moment you start denying basic human dignities to any group of humans, is the moment you label yourself as having lost your humanity. A targeted group of people being poisoned is not in any way about acceptance of diversity and multiculturalism.

    I think I just responded to a troll...