Teenaged gays in Iraq are being beaten to death with cement blocks in an effort to eradicate a new undercurrent in Iraqi culture. 
The “emo,” or “emotional,” movement in Iraq is being blamed, at least in part, on the influence of the West, including America, since the ill-fated pre-emptive strikes on Iraq and Baghdad that began in 2003. The battering with weighty blocks is being advanced by religiously conservative Iraqis, who oppose any homosexual culture in much the same way they oppose women who have sex outside of marriage.
Shiite clerics and leaders term the bludgeoning “honor killing;” the Shiites believe a family should be led by a husband and his wife. In the Muslim world, the gay male is a fair target; only one murder by cement blocks of a female has been reported. The murderers of the emos in most cases go unpunished. In some areas students are forbidden to leave their schools; forbidden outside presence. Clerics fear they may practice “dirty" activities. The emos are considered worshippers of the devil.
The teenaged under-culture calls itself emo. in Europe, America, and the West, homosexuality is an important emo option. In Iraq, emo always means gay. Emo music derived from punk rock, and is often characterized by confession-pop lyrics. Examples of emo lyrics include: “I didn’t want to admit it; it was easier to lie, and hide the hurt and emptiness, to smile instead of cry.” And, “I lock away the pain put away the fears; show you only smiles, not the hidden tears.” Or, “The only reason I won’t let go of what is making me sad is because it was the only thing that made me happy.”
The young, fast-paced emo crowd meets in cafés and coffee houses, wears radical hairstyles, and in many instances prefers black clothing. Religious police are killing these Iraqi teenagers for their long hairstyles, piercings, and for their lifestyle. The emo young tell us their appearance expresses their developing emotions, and their view of life.
Article comments
1 - Dr Dreadful
What a charming country we liberated.
2 - Ric
Saddam is gone! So now they find another way to Fuck stuff up!
One day soon, their Oil Production will commence, and with it, tons of money and influence!
The Ford Fusion gets 105 MPG. SUPPORT ENERGY INDEPENDENCE.
Strip these Maniacs of their power!
3 - peter petterson
Easy targets for the rightwing religious nuts. Those rightwing so-called Christians in the American bible-belt would kill gays too, if they could get away with it. And we are expected to bend over backwards in NZ to tolerate Muslims, knowing that the so-called peaceful religion refuses to condemn actions by radicals within the religion.
4 - Jet Gardner
It's better than central Africa where they're pushing through the death penalty for just being gay.
Good solid writing John
5 - Jet Gardner
Salem Mass. comes to mind. You don't like someone you call them a witch, they're tortured and killed.
Same with the Spanish Inquisition and being branded a heathen.
Those poor kids live like jews in germany
6 - Jet Gardner
May I recommend my Africa and Middle east sections of my Jet’s Global
Gay Headlines for the latest developments?
7 - Glenn Contrarian
The tragic thing is that the mainstream 'Christians' in America don't see (or won't acknowledge) the parallels between what they've done in the past and what the far-right conservative Muslims are doing in Iraq.
8 - Jet Gardner
In the name of god Glenn... damage in the name of god. The powerless need to feed superior to aomeone-anyone in order to not acknowledge their own ignorance.
9 - Igor
Persecution of an identifiable minority gives the small ruling clique a means to recruit support from the most ignorant and backward in the masses.
It's even done in America where people harbor the conceit that they are above such manipulations.
10 - peter petterson
Remember they are the modern day Persians - the murderous bunch from history.