The reaction is grossly disproportionate to the action, and wholey unreasonable.
These cartoons were published by a small third tier newspaper in a tiny country. The fact that a mob mentality has taken over even reasonable Muslims is deplorable. What you may not realize is that you may be encouraging MORE insults by those that simply want to see your forehead veins explode.
Will the grown up Muslims please stand up? We have seen enough of the testosterone ladden teenage boys....
Ohioguy, can you finally make your personal position clear on the cartoons, itself?
Forget the reaction by muslims for now. Western media has put enough dust in the air to hide the main issue. Lets see where you stand on the cartoons, themselves.
Nothing could have proved the cartoon more accurate. The response to the cartoon is what will be remembered, not the cartoon.
While you guys are defending some obscure point, millions of images are flooding the globe showing a gross violent over-reaction. These images are far more powerful than you think, portraying Muslims as violent adolescents prone to fits of anger rather than relying on intelligent dialog. I can see Netayahu in his next meeting saying, "Do you see what we have to put up with?"
Are you people completely oblivious to the damage that is being done here? This is a public relations nightmare for Muslims. And most of you are either too stupid or too stubborn to realize it... Sheesh.
The same Muslim followers who are rallying against western standards have yet to challenge Saudi Govt for desecrating or destroying holy relics. There it becomes shirk practices which need to be eradicated, no matter if it was the house where Prophet resided, tree under which he took Bayth of his followers, houses of his immediate family members. All of this can be destoyed and replaced with parking lots, hotels etc etc, yet no Muslim Govt or entity has the courage to protest and burn Saudi embassies. Reason: Petro Dollars.
haha…here we go again…oh bhai,i have said tht many times tht all the muslims leaders from musharaf to mubarak r pentagon certified losers…saudi leaders r no exception and i m one big time anti saudi government beac i think they dont play the role tht they r supposed to play…dont assume things ur self meri jaan..
americans have bought our NGo,s,government,our westernizie part of society and also those so called “ulemas” as they can spread their fire in muslims according to their needs…
its time to realise the tactics of CIA..otherwise…
americans have bought our NGo,s,government,our westernizie part of society and also those so called "ulemas" as they can spread their fire in muslims according to their needs........
its time to realise the tactics of CIA..otherwise...........
Challo, aapki baath manlaithay hein, for a moment we assume what u say is correct, phir buchtha kon hai? who is left out there for Muslim masses to believe or follow?
Another way of expressing this conundrum could be that Muslim leadeship may it be political or religious have sold themselves to tthe highest bidder. Why always blame Cia or westerners for our problems, maybe its self inflicted?
my dear…dont assume wht i said…it was hell right…so there is no need to say “We assume”…
how much influence americans have on pakistan is evident …tht is the well known thing tht even our army generals r selected with the approval of pentagon…
muslims cannot believe on any1 now…and beac of their leaders,they r in such bad condition…i dont know how muslims will get rid of their american approved leaders…from mubarak to musharaf to indonesian president,all of them r dam supporter of americans and westernization…and they have been receiving funds…
even these americans have bought our scholars to throw muslims in the situation where they r bound to accept american supremacy…
well i dont only blame CIA..i blame all those ngo,s ,leaders etc…and i have no hesitation in saying tht the day muslims get their approved government,the day american will lose their supremacy…but they will not happen…
people like me and u always criticize madrassahs but u know wht, these madrassahs r our last hope..these religious organisations like tableeghi jamaat or tanzeem islami can only do something better for muslims…otherwise,we muslims will become an obedient slave for western powers…i know u will disagree but u know wht,it will need time for people to understand y americans r so much fear of madrassahs…
muslims cannot believe on any1 now...and beac of their leaders,they r in such bad condition....i dont know how muslims will get rid of their american approved leaders....from mubarak to musharaf to indonesian president,all of them r dam supporter of americans and westernization...and they have been receiving funds...
even these americans have bought our scholars to throw muslims in the situation where they r bound to accept american supremacy.......
well i dont only blame CIA..i blame all those ngo,s ,leaders etc....and i have no hesitation in saying tht the day muslims get their approved government,the day american will lose their supremacy...but they will not happen...
people like me and u always criticize madrassahs but u know wht, these madrassahs r our last hope..these religious organisations like tableeghi jamaat or tanzeem islami can only do something better for muslims....otherwise,we muslims will become an obedient slave for western powers....i know u will disagree but u know wht,it will need time for people to understand y americans r so much fear of madrassahs......
Guy1
Aap ney khaidia aur hum ney maanlia, we do not assume, we believe....
Yaar u give too much credit to those poor rednecks from Hicksville, Louisianna. They r as stupid, inefficient, greedy and shortsighted as anyone else. Screwup in Vietnam was not enough, they go into Iraq and are now facing the prospects of spending in excess of $1Trillion to finance their war which will only lead to further economic problems back home in Nevada and Indiana.
Muslims of today fantasize of their lost glory years, looking for enemies, conspiracy theories, villians and external reasons for their failure and abject conditions. Yet, the problem lies within, as we wud say 'Baghal mein baccha aur shaher mein dhundora'. Iam not trying to find excuses for western imperial hegemony which also is a nasty reality, but wish to look within for clarity, honesty, strength and real solutions. Madrassas as they exist today, are part of the problem far from being the solution. There curriculum is based on ossified traditions, devoid of reality and injecting its students with nothing but a sanctimoniousely inspired self-righteous attitude which looks down upon other ideas or cultures. Gone are the great days of Andulisia, Baghdad where scholars would listen, read, question, debate and travel miles to acquire new knowledge. Contemporary Talibs are disciplined to follow (Taqleed), they have a set course (Barelvi, deobandi, shia, wahabi, salafi) which is considered to be the ultimate truth, all other ideas are considered to be heretic and deviations from the religiousely sanctified path. When people assume this self-righteous belief, then they have a totalitarian view of life. Such people are a threat to prosperity, religious, political or economic.
The only way Muslim world can expect to achieve freedom is through its people for which civil societies must allowed to thrive. Such civil socieities are composed of religious scholars, politicians, teachers, intellectuals, philosophers, artist, poets, writers, social workers, lawyers, bankers etc etc tec meaning, we as a people must take responsibility for our actions and prepare a better future for the next generation. Once we start behaving like responsible citizens with objectives beyond our life, then change will happen maybe not for us, surely for our children.
Forget the reaction by muslims for now. Western media has put enough dust in the air to hide the main issue. Lets see where you stand on the cartoons, themselves.
The cartoons were appalling. They were however far less appalling than beheadings, kidnappings, Abu Graib, daily suicide bombings etc. My personal view is that Islam (and all major religions) is strong, powerful, and proud, and it cannot be tarnished by some small percieved insult.
Screaming "Death to the Cartoonists" however is far more damaging to the religion, because it exposes cheap hate in the heart of those who follow the religion. To the degree that raw cheap hate is exposed, it exposes flaws in the religion that encourages or teaches this raw hate. Religion can be one of the great civilizing powers in Society. To the extent it promotes rage, religion is not contribuing to society, but tearing at the fabric of society.
The riots (and the hate and rage within those riots) are a collossal embarrassment to Islam.
Writing to the newspaper is a start. But understand that in Denmark 90% of the population is Christian, and they have the distinct right to behave as they wish. It is their country, their society, and despite your objections you cannot impose your will upon their society, anymore than the US can insist that Muslims eat pork and drink alcohol.
Economic boycotts, political protest through embassies, phone calls from world leaders, the number of choices for diplomatic and social pressure are endless.
But watching the "Arab Street" explode in violence is simply validation that the worst of those cartoons is correct at it's core.
typical white koora logic..cuz then taliban were justified in bringing down the buddhist figure since it is their country, their society, and noone can insist them on doing anything they don't agree to..jeez..amazing how blind hate for islam & muslims can cloud judgements of relatively smart ppl..
Right you are. So little (actually noneÙ) reaction last week when jinjawad arabs again slaughtered fellow black muslims. Not defending the cartoon, but if you were to ask the Prophet (SAW) himslef, he would said the hell with the cartoon. First stop muslims killing muslims in Sudan. When you don't hear even a peep out of Guppies on Darfur killing but who go ballistic over the cartoon I wonder what they are are going to find out on the day of Kayaamat.
Democratic arguments on Danish cartoons
Feb. 9, 2006. 01:00 AM HAROON SIDDIQUI
The controversy surrounding the cartoons featuring the Prophet Muhammad has given rise to several propositions that deserve to be debated. It is said that Muslims are trying to force non-Muslims to live by Islamic taboos. Not so.
Muslims in the West are only asking that democracies live up to their rules — exercise freedom of speech with the concomitant responsibility of self-restraint, and also respect people of all faiths or no faith at all.
This is not a new proposition. It has always been a balancing act between competing rights.
That’s why Jyllands-Posten’s publication of the offensive drawings was “juvenile,” in the apt phrase of a New York Times editorial. That’s why most dailies in Canada and the U.S. have refused to reprint the cartoons (not because they are “afraid,” as some polemicists say).
It is said that only the fundamentalists and conservatives are offended. Not so.
The offence is broadly felt. Some take to the streets, millions don’t. Critics include such “moderates” as Hosni Mubarak and Hamid Karzai.
Many non-Muslims are upset as well, including the Vatican (“an unacceptable provocation”) and Grand Rabbi Joseph Sitruk of France.** It is said that the controversy raises doubts about whether Muslim immigrants can be integrated in Europe. From a Canadian perspective, I find this particularly specious.
We have in the past spouted similar nonsense about Catholics and Jews, and also against the Chinese, Japanese, Italians and other “unassimilable” groups.
In hurling this charge at Muslims, the Europeans are exposing their own bigotry. It is said that Arabs/Muslims are being hypocritical in criticizing the cartoons since they routinely demonize Israel, even Jews. I said so myself in the Sunday column. But later I thought it to be an argument of limited value. It says, in effect: “Since they do it, we can do it, too.”
No, we ought to conduct ourselves by our own democratic standards (see above). It is said that the Muslim reaction to the depiction of the Prophet constitutes selective outrage because Muslim artists have drawn the likeness of him.
Some have through the ages, mostly in miniatures. These are stored in the famous Topkapi Palace Library in Istanbul or other collections. Most, however, do not show his face. The few that do are relics of history. The ban is now widely accepted and observed.
That should suffice as a guide to our democratic conduct. Otherwise, it will be open season on the belief systems of others. Today it is Islam, tomorrow it may be some other faith. It is said that there would have been no uproar had some Danish Muslim leaders not gone to the Middle East to drum up support.
They had every right to seek allies, anywhere. They were not out stoking violence and are not responsible for it. The real culprits are those who created the controversy.
Moreover, the small Muslim delegation went abroad only after both the newspaper and the government had refused to listen to their concerns.
(Memo to media everywhere: When the people you have offended come calling, see them. It’s just courtesy and does not amount to bowing to pressure. In fact, in this business we routinely listen to the rich and the powerful, whereas it is the marginalized that need more of our attention.)
(Memo to the editors of Jyllands-Posten: If you were striking a blow for freedom of speech, why did you grovel once the economic boycott started to bite and you felt the domestic heat? And if you are indeed sorry, how come the cartoons keep cropping up in other publications, presumably with your permission?) It is said that the consumer boycott of Danish products is misplaced, in that it hurts innocent Danish businesses and workers. It does. That’s always so with boycotts. And economic sanctions.
The 1991-2003 sanctions on Iraq killed nearly 1 million innocent Iraqis, half of them children.
One does not justify the other but the context is not irrelevant.
It is said that no grievance justifies violence. Absolutely.
But the biggest victims have been Muslims — 11 dead so far, killed by their own anti-riot police in Afghanistan, Somalia and elsewhere. That speaks to the pathology of Muslims.
But that’s not what’s driving the narrative here. Rather, it is the damage caused to Danish embassies and the fear of terrorism that conflates all Muslims with terrorists.
This, too, is selective outrage.
There is a simple formula for finding out what is freedom of expression and what is infringement...
Walking nude in the streets may be a freedom of expression then why are many arrested for doing so?
Going inside a Hindu temple and drawing a moustache on the Devi Maa may be a freedom of expression, but is it correct?
Urinating inside a church in front of the whole assembly on a sunday may be considered a freedom of expression, but why?
Political correctness of the west dictates that Muslims should accept gays into their society, make reforms about gender segregation and temper their views on people who have been killing them for years...
Yet, they can't properly define where freedom of expression ends and infringement begins...
And these confused and befuddled idiots, wish to rule the world and make it run according to their dazed and jaded state of mind...
With this confused and bewildered frame of mind, is it any wonder that morons still consider bombing, killing and ravaging an entire nation as bringing it peace, liberty and freedom?
These idiots can't tell right from wrong...And they expect Muslims to accept their way of life...
