Cat Stevens still barred from U.S.

[quaoar]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/apmusic_story.asp?category=1403&slug=Cat%20Stevens

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON -- The singer formerly known as Cat Stevens is still barred from entering the United States because of terror intelligence that identifies him as a security threat.

"The intelligence is the same. The reasons we rejected him several months ago still exist in my mind," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday of Yusuf Islam, the "Peace Train" singer who largely gave up music after converting to Islam in the late 1970s.

Yusuf Islam was removed from a London-to-Washington flight in September because of suspected links to terrorists - a claim he has strongly denied.

In November, he was awarded the "Man for Peace" prize in Rome by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who praised him for charity work and standing by his convictions despite personal hardships.

[NVMojo]

1. this is pitiful, shame on the USA.

I need to find out what his last albums were ...so I can support him by buying them.

http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/

his official website

[Bono71]

3. I don't know, have you listened to his music? n/t

[yinkaafrica]

6. Peace Train is pretty damn groovy

[Bono71]

14. Well, that's true. Ok, let him in. n/t

[The Magistrate]

38. 'Peace Train', Sir

Ought to have been sufficient to keep him out for years, with "Moonshadow" as a severely aggrevating factor in the ban....

[Bouncy Ball]

26. I have. WHY?

[YolandaMartinez]

35. His Latest Albums Stink

They are Muslim chants. With ouds and stuff like that. They are no where near as catchy as the stuff from Harold and Maude. I like the First Cut is the Deepest. And then that girl, I don't know who, wrecked it. Turned it into a dirge.

[FredScuttle]

2. "The reasons we rejected him several months ago still exist in my mind"

Yes they do, Tommy Boy...that's the only place they exist

LET HIM IN!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. he's a danger to the US

because he is a proponant of peace.</sarcasm>

[yinkaafrica]

7. I believe he is involved in some pretty awesome charities

Working with the Palestinians in particular.
Bush hates real men of peace.

[Journeyman]

5. Poor Cat. Still being followed by that Goon squad. . .

n/t

[Enraged_Ape]

43. I'm being followed by a Goon shadow

Goon shadow, goon shadow...

[Benhurst]

8. He's lucky to be out. Why in God's name would he want back in?

[KingChicken]

9. Nothing wrong with Cat Stevens, something wrong with America. n/t

[deminks]

10. "The reasons... still exist in my mind."

In your mind?? :wtf: Ridge, time to go. Buh By, now. :hippie:

[ally_sc]

11. that is rediculous...probably some made up news

i want to leave the usa...help

[saltpoint]

12. He's welcome at my house --

-- especially if he sings "How Can I Tell You."

[damntexdem]

13. Peace, charity, standing up for his convictions:

yeah, it's easy to see why he's a threat to the Bushistas.

[DemoTex]

15. One of Cat's hits is in the Presbyterian (PCUSA) hymnal.

"Morning Has Broken." I always loved singing it at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, Virginia. To this old VVAWer it was just another great peace song.

[Minstrel Boy]

17. "Morning Has Broken"

is one of those songs that usually alters my state, always for the better.

Even just thinking about it.

[DemoTex]

19. I am with you MB ...

It is just one of "those" songs. Kind of like Bach's "Actus Tragicus" or the Beatles' "Yesterday."

[maddezmom]

21. I'm a fan, too

Lyrics
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

http://catstevens.com/discography/songs/00108.html

[quaoar]

27. Morning Has Broken

Was written by Eleanor Farjeon in 1930. It was inspired by Psalms 118/24: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad."

[DemoTex]

28. Thanks, Quaoar!

I was wondering about the authorship. Glad to get the scriptural basis too!

[maddezmom]

29. Yikes

my dad says that all the time. :) Thanks for the reference...my dad reads here...but I'm going to send him the link. He'll enjoy. :)

[yinkaafrica]

30. OK that is a cool song

[maddezmom]

18. was my pastor's fav in the United Methodist when I was a child

during the early service. I still sing it to my kids in the am. :)

[DemoTex]

20. Good for you.

I grew up Methodist, and was always active in the youth choir, but I don't remember "Morning Has Broken" in the Methodist hymnal. But that was a long time ago. I married a Presbyterian 30 years ago, so I say "debts" now. It is still hard. I have to think ahead. "Trespasses" is always on the tip of my tongue.

We have been lucky in joining a couple of liberal Presbyterian churches (the Old Pres Meeting House in Alexandria and the Forth Pres in Greenville, SC). We were members of the 1st Pres in Dallas, but the senior pastor was a brother-in-law of Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn). Bill Carl loved the repukes. The only thing that kept us there were the associate pastors (one the wife of a fellow airline pilot and the other, Bruce Buchannan, the inspiration behind the Stew Pot ... mentioned earlier this week on the Al Franken Show!).

Mac

[ashling]

34. Morning has Broken is a Methodist hymn

:)
It has been transposed into Presbyterian as well as Baptist.

[MisterP]

16. breaking: Ronettes arrested; Bush: "'Baby' means 'bomb'"

[progressoid]

22. Just when I thought I couldn't be more ashamed to be an American

It just gets worse and worse

[havocmom]

23. But most cargo containers can get into US ports without inspection

Feel safer?

[demgurl]

24. I love Cat Stevens

His music is so wonderful and peaceful. I went to his site and I noticed this link:

http://www.vh1.com/thewire/content/news/1449391.jhtml

Some of his proceeds of a box set went to a September 11th fund!

"I feel this is my duty," Islam said in a statement from his label. "I hope that this donation will bring some comfort." The four-disc box, to be released October 30, will include material spanning the artist's career, from demos recorded in 1965 through his '70s hits and work he recorded in the '90s under his Muslim name. The title of the set and track list have not been finalized.

Yeah, some terrorist! Get a grip, *.

[yinkaafrica]

31. now that is cool

He knows Cheney was behind 911 and still gave money to the cause.
Pretty humbling. He is a better man than I.

[Bouncy Ball]

25. WHAT THE FUCK?

OMG. Ridge has completely gone off his gourd.

Does he realize or care that this makes us look like totally retarded fucks?

I'd like to know what in the hell Cat Stevens is gonna do? Sing to us? OH NO!

[OneBlueSky]

32. and, like all Homeland Security actions, there is no appeal . . .

of this decision . . . just as there is no appeal for the individuals snapped up off the street and imprisoned with no public record of who they are, where they are, or what they're charged with . . . shades of Nazi Germany right here in River City . . .

[ashling]

33. I may be wrong, but

I think I remember that he declared his support for the Ayatolah Khomeni's call to kill Salmon Rushdie some years ago.

Does anybody else remember this?

on edit:

Now don't get me wrong, I love his music - and I was very surprised to hear that, but that is my recollection.

However, I admit that I am somewhat absent minded. Additionally, I am somewhat absent minded. :)

[quaoar]

36. Here is Stevens' explanation of that

http://catstevens.com/articles/00236/index.html

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hatalles]

41. "shit Quraan chants?" -- Have some more respect, bro. n/t

[Fiona]

39. kick

[SodoffBush]

40. I'll bet Cat is doing well in the CD dept.

I've bought three since all this fell out.

[paulie5]

42. Watch out !

Cat Stevens is a very dangerous man. NOT !!!

What a complete pile of total shit. Oh well, at least they could not kick out Tommy Chong. Sure he got imprisoned on trumped up charges. Gee wizz wasn't Tommy Chong a danger to society. Selling those terrible glass pipes that did no harm to anyone.

This country has been taking giant leaps back-wards for 4 long years now. Guess were not done yet.

We're toast(at least I hope not)

P5

[proudbluestater]

44. He apparently has the same rights as those at Gitmo.

No right to a fair hearing, no rights to even be told of what he is accused of.

Shame on this country, again and again.