Discussion Divas

Back to the basics

Sunnis, Shiites – they’re household terms after 3+ years in Iraq. But do you know what they mean?

As October wraps up the deadliest month so far this year in Iraq for U.S. soldiers and a particularly brutal month for Iraqis, you’ll likely see more references in the media to the “sectarian split” between these two groups.

Instead of focusing on what is causing the violence, let’s simply review the groups and terms we’re likely familiar with but may not understand.

Sunnis, Shiites
There are estimated to be about one billion Muslims worldwide. The Sunnis and Shiites (also known as Shias) are simply two different Muslim denominations, each with various beliefs.

The primary split between the two groups came in 632 when the Prophet Muhammad died and groups differed over who should become the leader of Islam. The Shiites supported a direct descendant of Muhammad as the righteous leader; the Sunnis supported an agreed upon leader.
> The BBC does a nice job of summarizing the split.

Sectarian violence
Sectarian simply means “adherent of a sect (denomination).” So when you see references to “sectarian split” or “sectarian violence” in the media, it’s referring to groups with opposing religious view points. In Iraq, it’s referring specifically to Sunnis and Shiites attacking each other.

The big picture
Globally, there are more Muslim Sunnis than Shiites, but in Iraq the Shiites dominate the population (making up about 60%). Sunnis, however, controlled Iraq for hundreds of years and remained powerful under Saddam Hussein.

Now, Shiites have the upper hand in the new Iraqi government, to include a Shiite Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. While this flip-flop in power is cause for tension, religious differences are not the only cause for violence, with tribes and groups fighting for status and power. Others simply want the U.S. out of Iraq. Splinter Shiite groups add yet another layer of complexity to the violence and unrest in Iraq, which in itself is cause for a future WeeklyDIVA.

Get your game on

What began with a single opening pitch in April, six months and 2,430 games ago, comes down to just seven remaining games, or maybe even less: The 2006 World Series Championship. And this year the St. Louis Cardinals will battle the Detroit Tigers.

It’s the first World Series for the Tigers since 1984 and the Cardinals second in two years. In 2004 the Cards were shut out by the Boston Red Sox, who swept the World Series 4-0.

Some baseball stats
History: America’s “national past-time” dates back to the late 1800s. The first professional team, called the Cincinnati Red Stockings (love it!), organized in 1869 and gained notoriety for winning all 57 games in its first season. The sport racially integrated in 1947 when Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Structure: Teams fall into two divisions in Major League Baseball: The National League and the American League, with 16 and 14 teams respectively. American League pitchers have designated hitters, in the National League they hit for themselves. The Detroit Tigers are part of the American League; the St. Louis Cardinals are in the National League.

Player salaries: In 2006, the average popped nine percent to just under $3 million. The highest paid player in the league – Yankee’s third-baseman Alex Rodriguez – is 31 years old and pockets over $20 million a year.

The big picture
The Tigers were a stronger team than the Cardinals during the regular season, winning 95 games versus the Cards’ 83. Online betting shows a Tigers win, but don’t count the Cardinals out yet – they overpowered the very strong New York Mets to win a spot in the series.

Even after all the blood, sweat and tears from the couple thousand games played this summer, it’s likely the only thing most people will remember from the season is who wins the World Series. (Last year it was the Chicago White Sox.) And it all starts again in April.

GO CARDS!

Want to watch?
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 21 Cards @ Tigers 7:30 p.m. ET

Check the schedule here.
Or, check the scores online!

Showdown in South Dakota

Come November, a major election-issue showdown in South Dakota will beg front-row seating: The first ever state-wide vote on abortion.

What’s happening?
On November 7, South Dakotans will vote on Referred Law 6, or a ban on abortion in all cases, including rape and incest, except when the mother’s life is at risk. A recent poll shows those for and against almost tied.

So how did it end up on the ballot?
Back in February the South Dakota legislature passed a bill (70 for -34 against) making it illegal for doctors to perform abortions in the state, except if the mother’s life is in jeopardy, punishable by five years in prison. In response, opponents gathered 16,728 signatures, enough to require a state-wide vote, or referendum (a chance to approve or repeal), on the issue. If the vote fails the original legislation dies.

If it passes, we’ll see another showdown—at the Supreme Court, where supporters feel the environment is right for overturning Roe. The initial South Dakota legislation was designed as a challenge to the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which recognizes abortion as a fundamental right. But by putting the issue to a vote first, opponents were able to delay taking the issue to the Supreme Court.

Why South Dakota?
South Dakota’s restrictions on abortion are already considered among the strictest in the country. In 2005 the legislature passed five new abortion restrictions.

The big picture
The South Dakota legislation came swiftly after two new, conservative Supreme Court justices were installed, leading abortion foes to feel that perhaps the legal scales had tipped in their favor. However just this week the Supreme Court refused to re-hear “Mary Doe,” a challenge to one of the original abortion rights cases of 1973, perhaps indicating that the high court is not ready for change.