Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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**An Arab organisation is to be put on trial in the Netherlands over its publication of a cartoon deemed offensive to Jews, prosecutors say.**The cartoon, published by the Arab European League (AEL) on its website, questions the Holocaust.

It said the decision to prosecute illustrated bias against Muslims.

It said the same standards were not applied to the Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who made a film including cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Last month prosecutors said they would not put the far-right MP on trial for distributing the controversial Danish cartoons, which caused a storm of protest after their publication in 2005.

“Freedom of expression is only a pretext to make life bitter for Muslims”

Abdoulmouthalib Bouzerda
AEL chairman

However, he is still being investigated separately for inciting hatred against Muslims by making statements comparing Islam to Nazism.

But Dutch prosecutors said the AEL cartoon was “discriminatory” and “offensive to Jews as a group… because it offends Jews on the basis of their race and/or religion”.

The cartoon shows two men standing near a pile of bones at “Auswitch” (sic). One says “I don’t think they’re Jews”.

The other replies: “We have to get to the six million somehow.”

A spokeswoman for the prosecuting authority said the group could be fined up to 4,700 euros (£4,100), though in theory a prison sentence was also possible.

‘Perverse’

AEL chairman Abdoulmouthalib Bouzerda said the charges proved “what Muslims have been saying for decades”.

“Freedom of expression is only a pretext to make life bitter for Muslims… and if [they] try to bring this hypocrisy to light, that right is denied them.”

The AEL says it does not deny the facts of the Holocaust but posted the cartoon as an “act of civil disobedience”.

It said it had agreed to remove it from its site, but reversed that decision to protest over the failure to prosecute Geert Wilders.

“Double standards are being applied,” it said in a statement.

But Jewish groups said it was not reasonable for the group to express its opposition to alleged bias against Muslims, by attacking Jews.

Ronny Naftaniel of the Center for Documentation on Israel, said: “Imagine if Dutch Jews insulted Muslims every time they heard an anti-Semitic remark. What kind of perverse world would we be living in”

Tensions over the Netherlands’ Muslim population have increased in recent years, notably since the killing of a controversial film-maker by a Muslim extremist in 2004.

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Re: Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

Hypocrisy at its best...

Where did freedom of expression go when they made life hell for Salman Rushdie, Tasleema Nasreen & the Danish cartoonist ??

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Re: Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

Time changes.......

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Very true, when they published cartoons of Prophet Mohammed PBUH it was 'freedom of speech', but if someone publishes cartoon against their views it becomes 'hate against group', hypocrisy at its best.

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Muslims protested first against the Danish cartoons despite counter claims that it was freedom of expression. After that, to publish a cartoon against another religious groups is just hypocrisy. Why do something that you would not like done against yourself/your religion ?

Classic victim mindset at work here....

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**
Kosher cartoons** --- israelis abusing innocent kids, organ stealing etc. That's freedom of expression in all the Western countries (perhaps not in Israel).
**
NOT-kosher cartoons** --- making fun of or denying holocaust. That's the violation of law in almost all the Western countries.

Hope that clarifies the "fine line" between enjoying freedom of expression vs. breaking the law.

Time Pass ... Jan 2@14
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So you are saying some Dutch guy makes offensive movie, or prints offensive cartoon towards Muslims, it is justifiable because everyone has the right to express their views.

Ahmadinajad says something offensive, or some one prints something offensive towards Jews but they don't have right to express their views.

That is also hypocracy...

Time Pass ... Jan 2@14
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No, I am saying that freedom of speech either applies to everyone/every time or does not apply at all. You cannot hide behind the freedom of speech arguement whenever its convenient and protest/issue fatwas when its not.

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Re: Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

LMAO!! Ironic Matsui. So Ironic. You of all people should not be speaking of Hypocracy.

mAtlOObA sAArIf
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Not sure why some of these Arab-origin organizations in EU and US are so anti-semite. Because most of the Jews in US/EU are not hostile to their Arab neighbors, and in many cases the local Jewish leaders go out of their way to help the Muslims and other minorities. Because they know living like a minority is tough. Just read up on recent chain mail talking about some Rabbi in America opening the doors for local Muslims' Friday prayers.

Instead of respecting the minority jewish population, some of these Arab organizations really do dumb things.

These poor thangs leave a tent village in Middle East and show up in a Western city, with so much ignorance and hostility towards another minority (jews) while they themselves are minority too.

It was a poor poor decision to put "holocaust-denier" cartoon on an Arab organization. Muslims settled in the West must realize that "holocaust denying" actions put them in league with extremists groups like Neo-Nazis.

Dunno what were this Arab website owners, thinking or if they even have localized legal council. Which by the way they should.

Actions by Christian right were despicable, but actions by these Arabs are much worse. Because there are laws in place to NOT DENY HOLOCAUST. This is "ignorance" at its peak.

It is not a matter of hypos' hypocrisy, horses' $hite, or camels' dung, it is simply a matter of respecting the "laws of your adopted country".

So let's leave alone this argument based on "hypocrisy". It doesn't belong in this discussion, unless we intentionally want to deny the obvious.

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:rotfl: Pot meet kettle ?

Btw, its spelt HYPOCRISY

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Although I don't condone the act, Muslims are not a monolith. There may well have been a few who said "meh, we can do the same...". And here we are.

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Read the article, the cartoon was made to expose the double standard, let me know if you have reading comprehension problem.

Classic display of hypocricy here.

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Re: Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

^ Yes, I read that but looks like you did not read my first post.

I repeat - classic victim mentality at work here.

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Re: Arabs charged over Dutch cartoon

LMAO! You went for the spelling mistake troll. Wow. Talk about a weak ass come back. I will give you another chance to do better.

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I did read the first post, you should read your own post again. When life of Salman Rushdie, Tasleema was made difficult it was not because "Muslims" were pro-freedom-of-speech. Danish cartoonist again used the same "freedom of speech" and insulted religion, no action against them was taken.... but as soon as some Muslims used the same "freedom of speech" to do the same to some other religion followers they are prosecuted.... now tell me who is the hypocrite?

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Expect an idiotic reply from him now.

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Muslims do not have the moral right to use "freedom of speech" as an excuse if they cannot accept "freedom of speech" when it is against their religion/faith. Muslims using that excuse is where the hypocrisy comes in.

Whats so difficult to comprehend ?

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I guess they are afraid the Jews will rise up in revolt, like the Gujus of Gujrat if Jaswants Sighs book is released!

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So what I conclude is that every one has the right to insult everyone else