As I was reading these few arguments in favor of the Shriner's use of the fez some of the author's arguments seemed weak to me.
For instance, this one.
The city of Fez was founded by an invader, Sultan Idris I. Idris, who won a war against resident pagans at the very end of the eighth century. All of the conquered were converted to Islam and if there were any Christians, history does not record this.
In those comical little cars -- different in every city, it seems -- it's easy to poke fun at them. But Shriners do good work for children around the nation, if not the world.
My husband's sister-in-law had a niece who was severely burned in a house fire. The family couldn't afford the extreme costs for her care, so the Shriners came through and covered everything. Sadly, the niece died. The tremendous and admirable efforts of the physicians -- and the Shriners -- will always be appreciated.
If not for the shriners I wouldn't have received medical care as a child in the fifties. I owe them for the life I've had. And I don't care what they do with their book keeping, as long as they keep taking care of children.
I am not surprised by this charitable act on behalf of the Shriners. After all, people would start to ask questions if there were no good deeds to come from such an organization as the Shriners. The devil puts up a front, et.al.
Apparentely Dr. Zinc thinks that bow ties are cool. However, Dr. Zinc does no longer deem it cool to take inappropriate photos of the young male teens who visit his office. Unless of course a witness is present and he can prove that it's a medical necessity to take the photos in the first place.
