Hatred in The Air
Ah, I didn’t know that we: “the officially backward intolerant airheadsâ€, would provoke so much hatred towards us, simply because we said: we don’t accept this!
I still see no problem in us expressing how we felt in a peaceful way, as MMM wrote: “We’ve let go of a lot of things, we’ve tolerated a lot of disrespect and racism over the yearsâ€â€¦ but no credit was given to us because we ARE SUPPOSED to shut the **** up no matter what! So now that we finally spoke, it’s awkward, and offensive!
You know, excellent posts were written about this topic, Omar wrote a fantastic one about the inconsistency in this issue and the double standards used when Arabs are involved.
I’ve also come across an : excellent post that suggests ways, the prophet (pbuh) himself would have reacted to the cartoons. The ways mentioned are great, and certainly a lot better than the boycott, but we’re not prophets, and boycott was the first peaceful way we thought of to express our feelings, is it such a crime!
I think the world should give us a break and let us express ourselves freely as long as it’s peaceful.
After the boycott, I got many comments and read many posts on the blogosphere saying that Muslims shouldn’t have done this and that, and should’ve dealt with the matter in a more civilised way! Then I heard the news of other European countries republishing those cartoons, I didn’t know how to react! I couldn’t just get it!
Why do they judge our reactions and forget all about theirs?
Why instead of reprinting these cartoons in the name of freedom of expression and “fighting religious intoleranceâ€, why didn’t they focus on better ways of dealing with the issue?
Reactions to the re-printing varied, I’d go for what MMM perfectly said: “In fact this French daily says it’s also doing it to fight religious intolerance. So, just to get this straight, they’re fighting religious intolerance by attacking another religion and its prophet! What kind of tolerance is that?! And do they think that publishing the caricatures with others of God and Christian and Jewish figures makes it better?
Of course it doesn’t. In Islam we believe in God and all his prophets, and we find it unacceptable to portray any of them in such tasteless manners.
And as for Buddha, it’s unacceptable too because we should respect our brother buddhist’s religion as well.†He continues: “aren’t we also entitled to this same freedom of expression?
Isn’t it normal for us too to express ourselves and say that we’re unhappy about these cartoons and act upon it in peaceful ways like demonstration or boycott?â€
Also Naseem said as a reaction to the reprinting: “To do this just out of spite, just out of thumbing your nose at the Muslim world, well that’s just hatefulâ€.
A while ago I got to watch the Danish prime minister speaking to a news agency and expressing his and his country’s understanding to the reaction of Muslims, saying that Muslims in Denmark have been positive members of society and that the cartoons do not represent the feelings of the Danish people towards Muslims… he also pointed out that the Danish police will punish anyone who burns the Quran, after they’ve discovered online and mobile invitations to a protest that will be held on Saturday in which the protesters will burn the Quran as a reply to the Muslim anger towards the cartoons.
I really hope such a thing wont take place, just like I truly wish that some of the Arab militants who are sending threats and showing tendency to use violence, I wish they’ll will cut it out and think in a responsible way. There are hundreds of peaceful ways, with witch we can express ourselves and gain respect, and if you use violence, it’s way worse than what you’re protesting: the cartoons! So let’s be reasonable.
Speaking of being reasonable, the editor-in-chief of the weekly independent Jordanian newspaper Shihan published few of the cartoons under the title “Muslims of the World, be reasonableâ€. He says: “What brings more prejudice against Islam, these caricatures or pictures of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim in front of the cameras or a suicide bomber who blows himself up during a wedding ceremony in Amman?”
Now although I understand that he published and said this in an attempt to cool things down, but it must be made clear that Muslims do protest and condemn terror, the one taking place in Iraq, or the one that took place in Amman, or any place in the world. Showing our dislike to the cartoons peacefully doesn’t mean we are neglecting bigger and more serious issues.
Anyway, I can’t but wish this issue will be always handled peacefully, and that other cultures will respect us and that we will respect them despite our difference, and never cross the red lines while dealing with each other.
Anyway, I can’t but wish this issue will be always handled peacefully, and that other cultures will respect us and that we will respect them despite our difference, and never cross the red lines while dealing with each other.
your words into the ears of god. yours and mine.
Hi Eman,
I share your desire to keep things peaceful. I also don’t disagree with the right of Muslims to engage in protesting the paper that published the cartoons.
There are many things that one can do to protest the offending papers if they feel they must, however, Muslims must understand in countries like Denmark, the government has no control over what these papers choose to publish. They are as powerless to modify the content of that publication as I am to tell you what you should write on your blog. That is how free societies operate, for better or worse. Muslims should protest the paper directly by making their displeasure known to the general public, by writing letters to the paper, etc. It doesn’t make sense to punish the Danish people or the Danish government for what a non-government publication does. Taking diplomatic action against the Danish government accomplishes nothing.
Most Danish people probably don’t feel any real hostility to Muslims, but by making them the enemy rather than a potential ally in this situation, Muslims are hurting their image. Muslims would do better to try and win the support of Europeans against things they consider intolerant rather than attacking your average European citizen, nation or government. Also, the more extreme measures such as bomb threats, death threats, demands for apologies at gunpoint (like in Gaza), fatwas calling for murder, offers of money for the murder of the cartoonists, etc. will only make Europeans more fearful of Islam.
I can’t speak about Buddhist caricatures, but Jesus and the Judeo-Christian god are routinely mocked here in America by people contemptuous of organized religion. The republication of these cartoons in a French daily does not surprise me. The French have a long history of anti-clerical sentiment in their country. I’m sure making fun of Christianity is nothing new for this paper.
BTW, I love your blog even if I disagree with you sometimes. Have a nice day, Eman!
dear eman,
“Anyway, I can’t but wish this issue will be always handled peacefully, and that other cultures will respect us and that we will respect them despite our difference, and never cross the red lines while dealing with each other.”
i got nothing to add after you summed everything up so delightfully..
excellent post and lovely blogger 🙂
My, this has grown very ugly, hasn’t it? And how many to die before it ends?
Those cartoons, whatever their initial intrinsic artistic merit and satirical value, have become a venue for bigotry and hatred. And some of those European newspapers…it’s morally despicable for a journalist to cry “Fire!!†in a crowded theatre to create chaos about to which to write more stories– and utterly sanctimonious when, accused of doing so, for him to cry that by doing so he’s courageously upholding democratic values. (In a certain large country in North American, many of us now call such sanctimony Republicanism—never to be confused with being a republican with a small “r.†🙂 )
Well, they might as well keep printing those cartoon panels–this has gone well beyond the point where any sense of journalistic responsibility—not there’s been much evidence of it—could restore peace. (I see some Danes are threatening to burn the Quran—must’ve gotten that idea from our lads at Abu Gharib. I believe there are plans to throw the morons in jail if they strike a match.)
And to lend a bit of perspective–well, mine anyway–let’s not forget that this spiral into hell began when the U.S. knocked over a certain Arab country for its oil. (Didn’t quite work out the way it was planned, did it?) The stunning irrationality, the awesome cultural ignorance and swirl of passions is very reminiscent of 11th century Europe and the run-up to the First Crusade. And, it may be argued, all precipitated by a failing world ecology and increasingly desperate competition for fast-disappearing natural resources—resources which are horribly squandered. http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/
Speaking of cultural ignorance, Eman, I apologize for the condescending tone of several posts that have popped in here from this side of the Atlantic—really, we’re not all self-righteous twits. (Though many of us are very strident in denouncing bigotry and racism except when confronted by it.)
A belated footnote to your debate with the Client: a quote which, of course, only occurred to me later:
..the safest course is to do nothing against one’s conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.
Voltaire (1694 – 1778)
(I’d have copied the original French, but suspect you don’t care for people who pretend to speak another language. 🙂 )
Voltaire also rather famously said “I cultivate my own garden now.†(Might you know how to get rid of bamboo mites? Never mind. 🙂 )
Best wishes from Florida.
Cheers.
Hey sis,
I’m using my Previous comment here as well
As a Muslim, in my “humble†opinion:
1- Cartons/Caricatures are a great way to express a “FACT†in a sarcastic manner. The reason for the outrage for those Cartons/Caricatures is that they are NOT expressing a “FACT†at all. Our great prophet “Mohammad P.B.U.H.†left this world 1400 years ago; if anyone wants to show him as someone other than what he really is; we as Muslims demand a solid proof – not from government controlled media or URLs created by god know who – of that.
2- Double standard: If you make fun of anything to do with Muslims you are expressing your “Freedom of speechâ€, HOWEVER, if you make fun of Jews – the holocaust for example – then you are “ANTI SEMETICâ€. Dare anyone in the western world cross this red line? They’ll be screwed so fast “by their own governments†that they won’t even know what hit them. Looks to me that “Freedom of speech†does have its limits after all!!!!
3- Finally Islam as a religion demands that “ALL†Muslims “MUST†respect all people from all races, ethnic backgrounds and yes “ALL†religions. If someone broke this Rule point the finger at “THEM†NOT at the religion itself. After all followers are humans not gods or prophets. Mass global western media is a tool – guess who is controlling it? – that is deliberately hiding this point and is spreading mass hatred towards Muslims. So far they have succeeded in using this tool to manipulate public opinion like chess pieces to fuel their war machine. This Crap has to stop, and if we don’t stop it now all of us, we’ll be practically giving full control of our planet to the few who are controlling it.
Excellent post, I agree with you on everything.
For me, the issue is very simple:
– They have the right to say/write whatever they wish (even if it offends me)
– I also have the right to feel offended and stop buying their stuff.
– It is absurd for them to offend me and then tell me how I should react.
Christian, I appreciate your words so much, and thank you for your support.
John Teller,
“Taking diplomatic action against the Danish government accomplishes nothing.â€
“Muslims would do better to try and win the support of Europeans against things they consider intolerant rather than attacking your average European citizen, nation or government.â€
I agree with you John on the fact that the Danish government has no control on what’s being published in the press, and that the boycott wasn’t the best way to deal with the issue, but I believe that if the Danish government has immediately stated its disapproval of the caricature, or even if they see no problem in it, if they at least made it clear, published a statement of something to show that the cartoons do not represent their idea of Islam, then I’m sure things would’ve been somehow better, not entirely, but it would’ve opened the way for Arabs to think of ways better than the boycott.
“BTW, I love your blog even if I disagree with you sometimes. Have a nice day, Eman!â€
Thanks, I want you and all my readers to know that we don’t need to agree to enjoy a fruitful discussion, blogging is about sharing opinions openly with the presence of respect and self-control.
Lastro-adri, I appreciate your comment so much, I love your blog too 🙂
Jimbo, as usual your comment was a rich informative one.
“I apologize for the condescending tone of several posts that have popped in here from this side of the Atlantic—really, we’re not all self-righteous twits.†I’m sure of that, like I always say, every race, religion and country has its good and bad members, it’s so unfair to generalize. You don’t need to apologize on behalf of anyone Jimbo, but still, I truly appreciate the gesture.
I adore the quote you provided, it certainly is a great one!
LOL! I didn’t mean I didn’t like people who speak different languages, I adore languages myself, but it gets on my nerves when let’s say an Arab speaks English among his friends, who are all Arabs just to show off!
But I’m not against using other languages at all!
Regards to all in Florida 🙂
Brother, thank you for using it again, I enjoyed reading it over and over again, it’s wonderfully created and delivers the message we’re trying to convey. And I do agree with everything you said. Again, many thanks for taking the time to write the comment and share your opinion 🙂
Jameel, I loved the simple way you beautifully expressed your thoughts, and I totally agree with every word you said!
You don’t need to apologize on behalf of anyone Jimbo, but still, I truly appreciate the gesture.
==========================================
Yeah, you’re quite right, Eman, one can’t apologize with any authenticity for anyone else. (Compliments on being such an unfailingly gracious hostess. Me, I’d just get into fights.)
==============================
LOL! I didn’t mean I didn’t like people who speak different languages… I adore languages myself, but it gets on my nerves when let’s say an Arab speaks English among his friends, who are all Arabs just to show off!
But I’m not against using other languages at all!
=================================================
Actually, my remark was intended in the context of your noting you can’t stand fakes–and fakes love to affect affectations–pardon the alliteration–such as pretending to linguistic skills they don’t have. (My French doesn’t exist, so Voltaire came to you in English translation. My wife, though, speaks “bad French fleuntly.” 🙂 ) It’s obvious you’ve mastered what? three? four? languages and delight in them. (No, I’m not at all envious. 🙂 )
On the ecology front, it’s unseasaonably warm here, we’re getting what feels like a lengthy tropical rain and the mako sharks–big primtive eating machines that officially shouldn’t be here–are arriving in droves, possibly to eat the tourists. (Apparently no one told the mako sharks they’re not supposed to be here. 🙂 ) Promising to be yet another interesting year for the weather.
http://www.surfersvillage.com/gal/pictures/oceanshoresGW_Gal.jpg
Cheers.
Muslims are free people with independent minds and are within their legal and democratic rights not to purchase goods from those countries, should they choose, on their own free will, not to do so.
The Danish, Norwegians and French should grow up and accept the consequences of Jyllands-Posten’s, Magazinet’s and France Soir’s publication of the blasphemous caricatures.
Muslims cannot be held responsible for the financial losses these publications have brought upon their fellow countrymen.
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Muslim leader condemns violent protesters
Muslims protested at London’s Danish embassy on Saturday, as the row over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad continues.
A leading UK Muslim has criticised Muslims who advocated violence in earlier protests. He said those who advocated violence over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad should be prosecuted.
Muslim Public Affairs Committee chairman Asghar Bukhari said he was outraged by the behaviour of some protesters whom he described as “thugs” in London.
See the video of the protest.
An interview with leading UK Muslim Asghar Bukhari.
From:
http://azlanadnan.blogspot.com/2006/02/muslim-leader-comdemns-violent.html
Copyright 2003-2006 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice
Ya Eman ,our Islam is not only a divine religion as well it is a civilization of centuries ,you and I are proud to be part and we are part of a mass that represent fifth of the world ,such a mass did not congregate hubhuserdly. this mass was attracted by the beautiful merits of our Islam ,i dont know the percentage of the non speaking Arabic of our Muslim brothers but maybe same as the Arab speaking ,just to show the world how Islam spread and routed the Islamic message and for what ? for the Islamic attractive merritts .
I would only be annoyed to see others take advantages ,to poke and aggravate us Muslims in an unwelcome attuied trying to ridicule our belives to an extent they did suceed ,but mine is much to strong ,and too tolerant and much to deep routed in me and within my self to give me strength of warm feelings ,my belief is way and way and above an EVENT ,irrespective what this event, my believe will never change or react .If needs to react it will react by the gifts given to me by Alaah ,he gave me a mind and Alaah gave me ability to subject and use other tools such as LOGIC the language of Tolerance and understanding .How predictable we are to respond to such an a event ,and how much did we achieve ,we are still a nation of consumers ,only when we start to produce our needs we then can boycott effectively .Why not use Alaahs given gifts to us , that is our wealth of Oil and stop the export of oil to the west for exsamble .
At the end Eman ,how much we Muslims ,the same Muslims who demonstrated and boycotted same Muslims the very same Muslims how much of them they have done for Jerusalem .
All the comments here are correct, in their way, I suppose, and I agree with most of them. Of course anyone who is offended by something a newspaper publishes has the right to complain, to the paper and to the government if the publication is inflammatory or dangerous (as the cartoons arguably were). Of course they have the right to boycott the paper, or its advertisers, or related products (though I think the latter a bit silly). And, most important, (to me) they have the right to respond in writing, to criticize the publication, etc. That’s the great thing about having (mostly) free speech.
But that isn’t what happened is it?
When westerners are saying “grow up,” and “shut up,” they’re not talking about peaceful protests, or requests for apologies. They’re talking about death threats, and people in the street with signs saying kill all the danes, and burning embassies.
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I just found out that you moved here. Mabrouk. Wish you all the best.
So tell me, are you waiting for more apologies? Or has Denmark simply been put on an eternal black list?
I am Danish and I would really like to know how this could be put to an end. Not because I am worried about our economy but because I don’t like seeing our flag burn on a daily basis.
Chiming in a little late on this, but what irritates me, and what tends to get lost in all this discussion of ‘right to freedom of expression’ is that with rights come responsibilities. Yes, you have the right to express yourself freely, but with that right comes the responsibility to do so in a responsible and decent manner. That means not publishing things that serve no other purpose but to offend people and inflame public sentiment.
And I totally agree with your assessment about this double standard, that it’s OK and even noble for the Danish and French to exercise their right of free speech, no matter how irresponsibly they do this, but when Muslims protest peacefully, by a boycott or by demonstrations, suddenly they are intolerant, extreme, and uncivilized. Ridiculous!
funny quiz. found it on naseem’s blog posted by an edward. it has eman’s name in the quiz on question 10!
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CARTOON BATTLE?
Test your knowledge with this exciting quiz.
Question 1. According to what protestors are demanding, how long is the boycott expected to
last?
a) Until the Danish government makes a really,
really convincing apology.
b) Until the European Union makes a really, really
convincing apology.
c) Until Denmark surrenders free speech and declares
saying anything negative about Islam is a criminal
offense.
d) Until Europe implements Sharia law.
e) Until the cartoonists are beheaded.
f) Forever, apparently.
g) Answers (e) and (f)
h) One or more of the above.
Question 2. How many Danish flags have been burned in the Muslim world since protests began?
a) Zero. Muslims are far too civilized to engage in
such uncouth behavior.
b) Between 1-5. There is always a few wackos out
there.
c) Between 6-11. And sometimes there are a few more
wackos out there.
d) 12. An appropriate number. The same as the number
of offensive cartoons.
e) 60. A more appropriate number. Five times as many
as the number of cartoons.
f) Too many to count.
Question 3. How many Swedish flags have been burned in the Muslim world since the protests began?
a) Zero, what does Sweden have to do with all this?
b) At least one.
Question 4. How many Swiss flags have been burned in the Muslim world since the protests began?
a) Zero, what does Switzerland have to do with all
this?
b) At least one.
Question 5. How many Jordanian flags have been burned in the Muslim world since the republication of the cartoons in Jordanian papers?
a) Zero.
b) Zero. I think.
c) Approximately 250-300 flags.
Question 6. How many American and Israeli flags have been burned in the Muslim world since protests began?
a) 1 American flag, 3 Israeli flag
b) 2 American flags, 1 Israeli flag
c) 18 American flags, 7 Israeli flags
d) Who cares? They burn the American and Israeli
flags all the time in the part of the world.
(note by Tomb. think he meant to say – part of this world)
Question 7. What stance did the Vatican take on the issue of the cartoons?
a) Basically, that they were reprehensible and that
freedom of speech isn’t an excuse to vilify
somebody’s religion.
b) That this served those damn Muslims right for what
happened during the Crusades!
c) That they were really funny.
d) That they were great works of art and should be in
a museum.
Question 8. In what country did dozens of MPs gather to celebrate the torching of the Danish and
Norwegian flags?
a) Saudi Arabia
b) Pakistan
c) Nigeria
d) Mauritania
e) Indonesia
Question 9. Which of the following events sparked the most outrage the Islamic world?
a) The 9/11 attacks in New York in the name of Allah.
b) The Bali bombings in the name of Allah.
c) The 7/11 attacks in Madrid in the name of Allah.
d) The 7/7 attacks in London in the name of Allah.
e) The Jordanian wedding bombing in the name of
Allah.
f) The constant terrorist attacks on Muslims by other
Muslims in Iraq too often in the name of Allah.
g) The Holocaust denial statements of Ahmadinejad.
h) The planned display of Holocaust cartoons by a
leading Iranian newspaper.
i) The murder of Christians by Muslim extremists on
the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in the name of
Allah.
j) Numerous disrespectul jokes told throughout the
Arab world about Allah and the Prophets (as cited
by “Iraq the Model†blogger Omar).
k) The Darfur conflict in the Sudan.
l) Saddam Hussein’s years of tyranny (including
murdering Shi’ite clerics and their families) in
the name of Satan.
m) The Taliban’s destruction of ancient Buddhist
statues in the name of Allah.
n) The murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands in
the name of Allah.
o) The synagogue bombing in Tunisia in the name of
Allah.
p) The synagogue bombing in Turkey in the name of
Allah.
q) The murder of Hariri in the name of Syrian
hegemony.
r) The murder of contractor Paul Johnson in Saudi
Arabia in the name of Allah.
s) The murder of Margarat Hassan in the name of
Allah, greed, nationalism, who knows?
t) “Honor killings†in the name of family pride.
u) All events, a-t combined.
v) Some stupid cartoons published in a newspaper no
one ever heard of in a country most people in the
Muslim world couldn’t find on a map and nobody
anywhere cares too much about. [Sorry Danish
people!]
Question 10. Who is Nas’s favorite blogger (besides himself)?
a) Khalidah
b) Eman (of Aqua Cool)
c) Nobody but himself.
d) Michelle Malkin.
Answers:
1. (h) is the correct answer. At least I think it
is . . .
2. (f) is the correct answer.
3. (b) is the correct answer. What’s the difference
between a Swede and a Dane?
They’re both Scandinavian anyway.
4. (b) is the correct answer. What’s the difference
between a Swiss and a Dane?
They’re both European anyway.
5. (a) or (b) will suffice.
6. (d) is the correct answer.
7. (a) is the correct answer.
8. (c) is the correct answer. See here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4689314.stm
9. (v) of course, is the correct answer. After all,
what could be more offensive than that?
10.(d) Malkin, who else? You know! The one Nas calls
“the voice of reason in an unreasonable world.â€
sorry for some of the editing. naseem’s blog uses a different format so its kinda sloppy.
Eman, we’re having a respectful (but frustrating at times) discussion at Pourquois Pas – I hope you’ll chime in if time allows you to – some issues re: Islam are brought up, and you’re the best one to address them.
Hope to see you 🙂