Reuters.com: Pakistani Islamists from Jamiat Ulma-e-Pakistan group burn Danish, Norwegian and French flags during a rally in Lahore February 3, 2006.
We’re not being blamed for something, for a change… how refreshing. The fact that this is all over a cartoon is rather strange and scary – I mean WWI was started by an assassination of an obscure Royal figure… could one drawing spark another multi-nation war?
Could be.
So far, the U.S.’s response has been “that’s bad” and we’ve condemned the publishing of the cartoon… Ordinarily I’d say that some nations should have a better sense of humor or tolerance, but that’s an American ideal, not theirs, and frankly? I think it better we not get involved this time – I think we should just keep quiet.
One thing that did make me snort in disgust was this comment: “We … respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable,” said State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper. Since when? When was the last time you saw a media group in the U.S. take responsibility for their actions? 1950? The press in the U.S. blows apart whatever it wants to, without apologizing for it, and they hide behind the Bill of Rights. No responsibility. Certainly no respect of religion!
At least that’s how it goes here in the states – why would you expect the rest of the world to behave differently?
Hide my Sharpie so I don’t start drawing…
the cartoons
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/004413.htm
ok this isn’t about those cartoons. in france they band muslim girls from wearing had scarfs in school last year.
in london Tony blair shut down two mosques after the london bus bombings for inspiring hatred
there is tremendos prejidous against muslims in europe and this is about the attitued and not the peice of paper.
That’s well and good, but they’re attacking the nations’ governments… the newspapers are NOT run by the governments in the countries in question.
And I don’t know if it’s about more than the cartoons. Any drawing of the Prophet Mohammad is considered a capital sin in the Muslim world. The same way Jews never say YHWH (God, with the vowels removed) because it’s a sacrilege. It could be as simple as that… which is scary in today’s day and age. I mean given the satire cartoons of our leaders and comments on religion… jeesh. touchy subject!
I don’t mean to play the devil’s advocate, but what does the world expect the media to do? We’ve all been well aware of where the media takes things these days (ie, flushing of the koran), so it shouldn’t really outrage or suprise anyone that these cartoons came about. What does the muslim world expect?? After Al Queida, suicide bombers, psycho leaders in Iran, a trial that cannot continue safely and normally for Suddam Huissien, Saudi Arabia harboring information and not cooperating with world wide efforts to erase the terrorist threats and to stomp out accuasations made that they are supporting them (insert rolley eye icon here)..etc etc etc. It makes me sick that anyone can have sympathy for the situation, and pretend that the rules of etiquitte still apply for this mess. Blame the media. You can blame whoever you want. They are still going to hate you becuase you have premarital sex, spend too much money, own too many things, show off your women, and eat forbidden food..and thats how they view the world. It’s a freaking cartoon, not a bomb strapped to a little girl.
No because there have been sacrilegious flash videos online of Muhammad (another note, no one is attacking me for not writing out Muhammad messenger to our lord, peace be upon him are they?) Since the invention of flash. No big deal there. What if some guy in Egypt put a smiley faced stick figure on a cross in the opinion page. Big deal? I don’t know I’m not Christian. Now lets assume that a wide majority of children in Egypt believed that all Americans were drug taking motorcycle riding violent gang members (who dink too much beer) (ok kids in Egypt probably believe this). Let’s say that it appeared to us that Egypt was always making fun of us and had no respect for our culture. If we had no way to just turn up our noses at them (ie if they were way richer than us) we would freak to. What the Muslims see is that the worlds powers are turning to devilism (and they are scared. Scared people are not rational.)
You see it’s not the cartoons it is a fear of having the world dominated by devils.
The forest service (instead of raking up all the dry leaves in the summer) bans smoking.
This is far worse than that and it’s got little to do with religion.
The problem I have with it all isn’t that they’re offended and pissed off about it… it’s the civil unrest and flag burning and interfering with government embassies. Christians have been torn to pieces by newspapers over the years – all religions have – yet how many protest by attacking foreign consolates on our own soil? Muslims are carrying on with governments over the actions of non-government agencies. That’s a dangerous thing. A VERY dangerous thing.
That’s the big problem here.
Take for example Arab TV. They broadcast political agenda from religious groups that promote attacking America. I’d call that offensive. However, we understand that it’s the right of the Arab TV network, right? If the shoe was on the other foot, we should be outraged. Yet, we aren’t protesting their broadcasts. We aren’t shutting down their embassies because of it. They would be pissed off at us if we did. The Muslim world is way overreacting to this and I believe it to be for non-religious reasons.
While I agree that it is a question of free speech, I think that with free speech comes responsibility. What did the Europeans think, with their large muslim populations, when they were publishing these cartoons? It’s against Muslim faith to depict Mohammed, and depicting him with a time bomb turbin wasn’t wise either. The Middle East is a really volatile region and anything can set these people off…just remember Sharon setting off the second intifada in 2000.
One side note, do these people have jobs? Who can go and protest and torch embassies for days on end and still pay the bills?
most of the guys are starving to death anyway.
no bills palistne is a crime state(ie no debt)
mostly young men without famillys. can get by on soup kichens and part time jobs.
Euopeans were nopt think9ing anything about the cartoons when the cartoons were published. it was the editor and artist of one news paper that was doing all the thinking.
Umuezechi Community,
in Odina Local Government Area of Nigeria.
Phone. [CENSORED]
Dear Sir,
The umuejechi community in Odina Local Government Area of Nigeria,
OUR OPPINION OF WRITING, TO BE INFORM YOU, The umuejechi community has a 40 plots of land that is blessed with crude oil, OUR popurse of selling, this land to foreigners is to help us to indicate poverty and to alleviate the poor ones in our community.
We also looking way to bringing foreigners in our community, which will help us to develop and give us the opportunity to be employed. as we are writing to you, we have sold the 20 plots octet of that of 40 plots of blessed land to Dr Joseph Morgan from Texas in U.S.A (you can contact him if necessary with ([CENSORED]) so if you are interested in buying the remaining 20 plots, do not hesitate to write to us, so that we can discus more about the blessed oil land.
Looking forward to hear form you.
Contact us [CENSORED]
Thinks
Sng.
Dr Kevin
(Sec to umuejechi Community)
What the FUCK is this?