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Re: undefined

#201

Post by joonix » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:35 PM UTC

marvin wrote: post #176

cpursley wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. You need to leave. Now. Sell your stuff, get currency, use your international connections. It's going to be the hardest thing you've ever done, but liberty is the most important. Who knows what will happen in prison and for how long they will detain you. Also, depending on how technically competent your government is, you need to get all your services offshore now: Wuala for storage (like dropbox - based in S…

This advice doesn't consider OP's situation at all. It isn't the right solution for everyone to drop all friends, family, connections and familiar culture at the drop of a hat. This is the kind of advice that's really easy to give if you happen to be a perpertual traveler yourself, or if you're sitting comfortably in a democratic country with a stable job. Hopefully OP will have enough information himself to make an…

I have plenty of family who did this to escape an Islamic regime.

You need to cross the border into a friendlier country and claim asylum. Pay a smuggler, go by horse (seriously), do what you need to do to get across (bribes). Go and start a better life for yourself, I know so many who did and never looked back. You can visit your family in a 3rd country.

Re: undefined

#202

Post by tluyben2 » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:38 PM UTC

moubarak wrote: post #184

tluyben2 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You insulted me as well; I actually got slightly annoyed reading your outcasting post. Something which rarely happens to me on HN. You should respect each other's religion as long as this religion doesn't interfere with the basic structure and functioning of society. Now you were talking generally, not Malaysian only, which means that your 'rules' interfere with my freedom of speech (which is normal in my society) an…

you know nothing about those religions, because non of them promote jail. they all outcast the criminals. please dont have strong opinions about something you know nothing about.

Don't put words in my mouth please; I can't seem to find where I mentioned 'jail'? I am saying that none of the religious people I know would call this person 'criminal', would ask for him to be 'outcast' or any other 'punishment' for this freedom of speech 'incident'.

Re: undefined

#203

Post by shubb » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:38 PM UTC

300bps wrote: post #182

shubb wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of countries have dogmatic laws many people in them disagree with. For instance, in the US, you can go to jail for selling cannabis, and a lot of people disagree with that. If an American friend told you he was about to go to jail for a year for selling drugs, and you felt it was unfair, would you tell him to flee? As such, you can comply with unfair laws, or not and take the consequences, or go somewhere with…

If an American friend told you he was about to go to jail for a year for selling drugs OP and his girlfriend face 8 years in jail for posting a picture of themselves eating pork on Facebook. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/18/sex-bloggers-coul...

8 years is a long time - a lot more than ~2 which is what I'd assumed. Given the circumstances Op may find running away the best option.

Re: undefined

#204

Post by tehwalrus » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:41 PM UTC

moubarak wrote: post #181

tehwalrus wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I appreciate plenty of cultures, indeed I've tried to learn languages to better understand them, but I'm sure that doesn't mean I have to agree with them. Assuming I have some criticisms of the application of Islamic laws, why must I ask your permission to express them, and to hold political opinions in general? I'm sure that some of my opinions would be held offensive by someone, does that mean I have "offended a re…

if you merely criticized religious laws, then i apologize and take back all what i said and believe the you have been not rightly convicted. if you have been convicted however because you insulted that religion (insensitive photograph, your words nit mine) then you should be outcast like a drunk bee.

> your words nit[sic] mine

This was my first comment on this thread, and I'm not the one who submitted it. Read the usernames attached to the posts.

> if...you insulted that religion

As I said, it depends on my opinions and the definition of insulting - people might be insulted by what I say, I don't know until I've said it, do I.

In Liberal Theory (On Liberty, JS Mill) it is said that freedom of thought (believing something) and freedom of expression (expressing that belief, whether in a wordy article on political theory or a catchy, easy to understand cartoon) are so close as to be indistinguishable; since one cannot really claim to believe something if one cannot express it. You are trying to distinguish between the two; I don't think that's philosophically valid.

Additionally, you seem to be saying that you think it should be against the law to be rude. I will no doubt offend you if I say "how very English that sounds".

Re: undefined

#205

Post by jdaley » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:41 PM UTC

rdouble wrote: post #141

cpursley wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. You need to leave. Now. Sell your stuff, get currency, use your international connections. It's going to be the hardest thing you've ever done, but liberty is the most important. Who knows what will happen in prison and for how long they will detain you. Also, depending on how technically competent your government is, you need to get all your services offshore now: Wuala for storage (like dropbox - based in S…

Are you in Singapore? This doesn't make sense - you say you live in a Muslim country? I know Singapore is socially strict, but I thought it was secular. Singapore is big on social harmony. There are laws against offending other cultures and anything considered pornography is illegal. But I think he's in trouble in Malaysia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has weighed in: "The insolent and impudent act by the young couple who insulted Islam showed that freedom of expression and irresponsible opinion can jeopardise the community"

Yet the Malaysian constitution includes "every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression".

Re: undefined

#206

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:41 PM UTC

moubarak wrote: post #178

jacquesm wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recognize the fact that there are countries with quite a few frustrated people that would like nothing better than to be able to control the rest of their fellow human beings and to tell them how to live and that in such countries one could easily get in trouble with the law for behavior that is perfectly ordinary elsewhere. My way of dealing with that is to refuse to do business with places that are set up like th…

someone who has just been convicted for offending another religion inside their own country is talking about enlightenment. im loving this.

You suffer from serious reading comprehension failure.

Re: undefined

#207

Post by srid68 » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:42 PM UTC

mnazim wrote: post #167

jeswin wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might be this one: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1251401/thumbs/o-ALVIN-AND-VIVIAN-...

Hmm. If he is being prosecuted for teasing fasting Muslims with food, it is just idiotic and with absolutely no legal precedence from authentic Islamic history. (Yes, I am a fasting Muslim too) Problem with "hurting the sentiments" style cases everywhere is that usually there is absolutely no guidelines or legal framework on what constitutes "hurting the sentiments" and it boils down to the men/women judging the case…

I am a Hindu Indian Singaporean, and i believe he is being made a scapegoat not for his actual prank, but as a deterrent to others to not do these type of things.

Re: undefined

#208

Post by mahmud » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:42 PM UTC

alinajaf wrote: post #88

As a former Muslim atheist, Jesus Christ! Assuming there's nothing you can do to escape your pending jail term, I would suggest getting your legal person to draw up some sort of agreement where someone can run the business and keep the profits in your stead. This will have to be someone you trust as no matter how good the contract, the potential downside for you is huge . You could structure it as selling the company…

Another ex-Muslim here. Not all of Indonesia is off limits. I just came back from Bali and it's awesome.

Muslims as a minority are tolerable. But no way will I trust them as a majority, much less a ruling population. Creepy, overreaching and domineering people with no respect for individual rights.

Re: undefined

#209

Post by fnordfnordfnord » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:45 PM UTC

mahmud wrote: post #169

3a0e8ff4e557 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And then?

Now that it came to light that you are in Malaysia, I would modify my initial suggestion. 1) I don't recommend escape as before. I was fearing you might be in an Arab country. Malaysia has what vaguely resembles a law, at least. 2) On the other hand, you are ethnic Chinese. I'd tell the lawyer to bring up the issue of your safety in prison. Man, my heart is seriously aching for you, specially after reading your story…

Out of curiosity, why specifically did you change your advice of escaping Malaysia?

Re: undefined

#210

Post by rdl » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:47 PM UTC

It really depends on how long you might be away. My goal if I were you would be to resolve this ASAP to focus on my court case and enjoying freedom for the next months.

What I'd probably do is find someone I trust to have power of attorney to manage the site at a high level for my benefit; give him a percentage of profit, or someone who owes you a favor. Then that person will handle finding someone to operate the site -- that way the first person can continue to provide oversight and replace the second if needed. If it is for a short time, you might be able to get away with just one person, but two is much more durable.

I'd plan on giving up a fair bit of the revenue while away -- up to you if you want the operators to try for growth or just maintenance. Someone just passively maintaining it will cost less but the site might eventually die.