My thoughts on…the "Mohammed cartoon" controversy
February 8th 2006 -
This has been going on for a good while now. I thought it would just blow over, because the Muslims are reasonable people right? Wrong! Instead of settling, it got worse. I couldn’t avoid it any longer. I just had to post about it! It all started when the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons lampooning Islam (contrary to popular belief that the infamous “bomb” cartoon was the only one).
Muslims in Denmark were outraged, and as the news spread, so were Muslims all over the world. They reacted swiftly and violently, burning Danish flags and portraits of the Danish prime minister, destroying Danish embassies, and boycotting Danish products. At first the Danish newspaper was reluctant to apologize, citing “free speech” as their defence. But as the boycott began to burn holes in the Danes’ pockets, the newspaper published a half-hearted apology, basically saying “we’re sorry for offending you but we’re not sorry for publishing them.” Other European newspapers are taking a neutral stance, defending free speech yet still recognizing Muslims’ beliefs. The French newspaper France Soir made its postion clear when it said “We have a right to caricature God.” But what more can you expect from post-religious Europe?
I can see why the Muslims are upset. An offensive illustration such as that of their most sacred figure is bound to be considered blasphemy. But the destruction of life and property will not solve anything, and will worsen the already bad impression of them. I applaud the Muslims in the U.S who demonstrated peacefully. The Europeans are hiding behind the veil of free speech, and seem more concerned with angering Muslims than with offending them. To them I pose this question, what if the shoe were on the other foot? What if an Arab newspaper published a cartoon bashing homosexuals? Outrage and the other homosexual groups would be out in full force, and all the Arab newspaper would need to defend itself is to simply say “Free speech.” Yes, free speech is a fundamental right, but it should be used responsibly. All beliefs must be respected, regardless of whether they are yours or not.
Anonymous Says:
February 8th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
The shoe has been on the other foot for a while now. There have been hundreds of cartoons over the past decades mocking Judaisim, the Holocaust, American presidents (especially the current one), and many other people, symbols or ideas that are important to others.
These cartoons are just another distraction for the Arab nations to use on their people to hide the fact that their countries are in poverty. Whether it be Israel, the US, Danish cartoons, or the next thing to “insult” (so they claim) Islam, there always is a scapegoat as to why the government leaders are living in palaces while the economy is in the toilet.
Anonymous Says:
February 8th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Just another reason we should not be in the middle east. They are looking for any reason to hate us. This situation stinks of Viet Nam. All of the American lives lost for nothing. As soon as we leave, they will be back under a dictatorship.
Mad Bull Says:
February 9th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Actually, I think that Al Jazeera is setting up a competition… they want muslims to draw cartoons lampooning the holocaust and they plan to run the best ones… They say what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I can see where they are coming from, I mean, the Jews and the Germans will probably be up in arms over that… but still, I think that they are ALL a bunch of fassyholes for being so concerned with issues like that.
Mad Bull Says:
February 9th, 2006 at 10:20 am
When I say they are all a bunch of fasseyholes, I mean the Jews, the Germans, the Muslims, anyone ewho would get so uptight because someone drew a cartoon mocking them. Take a chill pill, ppl! You are imagining yourselves to be more important than you are… ask yourselves the question: in a hundred years, who will care about this?
The answer is: Not too many people, I assure you.
J Anderson Says:
February 9th, 2006 at 10:46 am
This whole controversy is causing too much…. controversy.
Anthony Says:
February 10th, 2006 at 2:55 am
Respect is earned, not given. When have Extremist Muslims given any?
Null Infinity Says:
February 10th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
http://null8.blogspot.com/2006/02/cartoon-war.html
“The Propaganda section is a must see, though. It shows the jingoistic attitude of Americans during WWII. We knew who are enemies were, and we held no punches back.
The Mohammed cartoons are nothing compared to WWII propaganda cartoons.”
Krishna109 Says:
February 12th, 2006 at 2:20 am
Moslems complain about these cartoons– yet throught the Islamic world they constantly publish really nasty anti-Semitic cartoons. for example:
http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/ArabCartoons.htm