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The Valentine Detector Van? The

The Valentine Detector Van? The Loony Detector Van, You Mean...

Happy Valentine's Day.

Unless you live in Saudi Arabia. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Evil has banned Valentine's Day in the Saudi Kingdom. (NB: This commission is not to be confused with The Higher Committee for Scientific Research and the Issuing of Fatwas.)

A joint committee has been formed by the Riyadh governorate, the commission, police and the public prosecutor to conduct round-the-clock patrols to impose the ban, Othman said.

Othman also warned drivers against decorating their cars with any red or other Valentine-associated items.

In schools, teachers have been warning students during the past two weeks against wearing red clothes or displaying any item related to the occasion.

Red roses are banned as well, though a Saudi official "clarified" that "the ban will not be applicable to all imported red roses, but only to the flowers to be used on the Valentine’s Day."

That might sound like a bit of a loophole, but I'd stay away from roses for awhile nonetheless. The government remains ominously silent about what the punishment for celebrating the evil holiday might be.

(via LGF)

Posted by Dr. Frank at February 14, 2002 04:17 PM | TrackBack