Muslim Day Parade 2010
Foot baths on Madison Avenue.
I went to the Muslim Day Parade today.
Full PHOTO slide show and gallery links below.
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Looks like the annual Muslim Day Parade in New York City got a make over.
Full PHOTO slide show and gallery links below.
* * *
Looks like the annual Muslim Day Parade in New York City got a make over.
There were, of course, the usual features. The prayer on Madison Avenue. Though much smaller, shorter and less ceremonial than in previous parades.
The women were pretty decked out.
And some looked quite beautiful.
Well, maybe not all quite so decked out.
Britney Spears meets Mecca?
One cool cop.
Prayer on Madison Avenue
In this video the marchers are shouting, "We are the Muslims! The mighty, mighty Muslims!" Hardly a humble or inclusive attitude.
In this video they insist, "From East to West, Islam is the best!"
VIDEO: More boastful chanting. "Everywhere we go, people want to know WHO WE ARE!
It was a strange mishmash of American patriotism on the surface with undertones of youthful militancy.
Allah's determined young soldiers.
"MUJAHIDEEN" kid's sweatshirt.
At first glance, it looked like his t-shirt said 'I Love NY'. Guess not.
What was most notable about this parade was the somewhat toned down quality and the sudden presence of American flags.
The parades are getting smaller and as usual there were only a tiny handful of spectators, mostly bewildered tourists wandering through the midtown streets probably wondering where they landed.
Gone were the black flags of jihads waving as in previous parades replaced by pre-printed signs and the veneer of toting American flags.
Also conspicuously absent where the elected NYC officials who have marched before like Anthony Weiner [D] and Robert Jackson [D].
A kinder, gentler and perhaps even warmer, fuzzier Muslim Day Parade?
In these two short videos the march makes its approach to the end.
A sudden debut of a huge American flag placed on the stage at the the post parade fair at the park on 23rd Street was quite a surprise indeed.
The sound isn't the greatest, but listen closely if you can to this creepy song sung by little girls. "What is Al-lah? What is Is-lam? What is I-mam?"
Full photo gallery here.
Slide show can be viewed here.