Rusted Sky

I suppose it could be considered more merciful that they didn't cut his hand off, as they used to, and that they broke his left arm, rather than his right, but I have a hard time appreciating the situation at all.

Oh, that just means you aren't looking at it from the proper cultural perspectives. As a white male, you're thinking that this is a bad thing, because that's what you've grown up with - you don't roll cars over kids' arms. But this is obviously a cultural practice condoned and accepted within the community, and as such should be judged within those cultural practices.

Just like FGM. Who are we to dare to impose our cultural predjudices and standards on anyone else?

First we outlaw torture (and that's what this is - torture of a child) and then FGM, then what? Take away their right to commit high-explosive seppuku? Such cultural imperialism must be nipped in the bud now!!!!1

/sarcasm

J.

Jerry:

some of the posters at BareKnucklesPolitics have said they think it's not a public punishment of a young thief but photographs of a street magic performance. One poster commented on the microphone in the man's hand as he addresses the crowd in the first photograph and the thick padding under the boy's arm which wouldn't be there if the child was being punished under Shari'a law for stealing.

One commenter pointed out the boy's hand which is visible in all the photo graphs, he said that if the full weight of the car was placed on the boy's arm as supposedly shown in the photos then the bones and tendons in the boy's arm would be crushed and his hand would have spasmed and opened. Instead the boy kept his hand in a loose fist throughtout the event. I have to agree, holding a loose fist would be impossible if this were the improptu coporal punishment of a child it appears to be.

I believe they are right, this is street magic along the lines of sword swallowers and fire breathers. My guess is the thick padding under the boy's arm conceals a strong frame to support the car's weight with a channel in it for the boys arm to disappear into as the car passes over it. If we could see the full series of photos we probably would see the boy hopping up after his ordeal with a big smile and holding two healthy arms in the air. And of course his father passing the hat in front of the amazed crowd.

American street magicians know that even prentending to harm a child like this would not garner them donations and would more likely get them beaten up by a angry crown. Evidently the rules are different in Iran.

John B.

Well, I hope you're correct on that.

Still - damn.

J.

it's fake *sighs*
It's not even Iran IMO.

read this
http://www.snopes.com/photos/gruesome/crushboy.asp

I just hate it how false info stirs up idiots brains.

Thanks for your comments, Kei - but that 'idiots' crap isn't appreciated. I see a picture that I don't have context for, that involves a boy about my son's age, and I'm supposed to go "Oh, well it's all good."? I posted my gut reaction to it - and if you don't like it I suggest you find some other blog to demonstrate your intellectual and moral superiority on.