After GIs Leave, Democracy Takes Hold in Iraq..............by Dan Friedman

‘Emo’ killings in Iraq create different reactions among religious clerics

Al Arabiya, 3/10/12

Iraqi religious clerics have reacted differently over reports of the killing of dozens of “Emo” teenagers in the country.

Recently, activists rang the alarm over the killing of dozens of teenagers by religious police for donning “Emo” hair styles. “Emo” is a popular culture by some teenagers in many parts of the world and comes from the English word “emotional.” “Emos” use their appearances and type of accessories as a way to express their emotions and to embody their will and their view of life in their behavior. Their way of dressing and use of certain accessories such as piercings is not acceptable by some conservative sections of the Iraqi society, some even brand them as a cult of “devil worshipers.”

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[I would love to pin this on Obama, but the truth is we’re talking about a bipartisan fantasy shared by neocons and many others on both sides of the aisle. df]