Fresh Protests as Prophet Cartoons Fuel Muslim Fury
Fresh protests as prophet cartoons fuel Muslim fury (via AFP)
Fresh protests erupted in the Muslim world Wednesday over an anti-Islam film as a French magazine poured fuel on the fire with the publication of obscene cartoons showing the Prophet Mohammed. France braced for a backlash from the cartoons, stepping up security at its embassies and banning demonstrations…
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Lets hear it for freedom of the press! And Obama has already denounced the film for being garbage. Do they really think that the US approves or disapproves of every piece of cinema that goes out, or that we can simply ban movies we don’t like? Why are they burning Obama in effigy? It makes no sense. As I said before, I think they don’t really understand how the media works in this country, and might be conflating it with state/religious run media in their home nations. Either that or they just wanna burn stuff.
Slamfu, most of these countries lived in tyrrany for so long, where oligarch, patriarchs, or outright dictators controlled all media, assembly, and thought, that it’s only natural for them to believe our government does so here as well.
Interestingly enough, a New book by Salman Rushdie has come out describing the years after his Satanic Verses written when he was living in Great Britain. I don’t recall if there were riots and killings at GB embassies at the time.
Barky is correct, most of the people in these countries have little accurate knowledge of our culture and government. While we in turn don’t understand them at all and accept that they are not our equals (being brown or different, doesn’t help the situation and may be a subliminal factor) and have no right to be pissed at us over blasphemy, Palestine and perceived Israeli injustice.
I mostly agree with the other commenters. Part of the problem is superstition and intolerance, but the larger problem has to do with “leaders” who exploit, manipulate and whip up the emotions of people in Muslim countries. Ignorance ain’t bliss by a long shot (a lesson we are still discovering right here at home btw) and control over the free flow of information makes it worse. Respect for cultural and religious differences is fine and dandy, but it absolutely should not be trumped by freedom and reason. Caving to intimidation will only make matters worse.
Z, “Caving to intimidation will only make matters worse.” Funny, that’s is the way “those” people feel about us and our “values” and our support of leaders like Mubarak and others in the Arab world and our support of Israel.
“but the larger problem has to do with “leaders” who exploit, manipulate and whip up the emotions of people in Muslim countries.” Substitute AQ and extremist groups for leaders and you got it right.
at least one of rushdie’s translators was murdered at the time ddduck. The ayatollah called for death for publishers, author, translators etc. Rushdie grabbed center with public interviews, public announcement of being in ‘hiding’ although he came to big US book expo that year (i was there) under ‘heavily armed guards’ which impressed many of us as selfish to put thousands of people at credible risk so he could be onstage. The new book is not getting rave reviews; some think he doth self-fawn too much. Book comes at a time when it only adds fuel to dischord of the moment. Some say Salman appears bent on being poster boy of his own predicament, which is fine. But most people appear not to know what ‘satanic verses’ is about or why the ayatollah of that moment decided it was the end of the end as insult. Most are far more concerned about daily life and staying above water. Just my .02
Point is “they” did not attack GB embassies.
Well…according to Rushde, they did not attack embassies because that had already sent hit squads to find him. The British secret service had already found that out.
Slamfu: according to my daughter, who has online friends in many Arab and/or Muslim countries, the people do, in fact, believe that EVERYTHING that comes out of the media in the US has been sanctioned by the government. Since, in their own countries, that is the case; they simply can not believe that it is different here. Given the vitriol aimed at our politicians, one has to wonder just how incompetent they must think our president and congressional leaders are–I mean, talk about grotesque incompetence!
At any rate, what we take for granted in this country is not even reasonable fare in that of our closest ally. Great Britain has banned the use of the Royal Family as material for ridicule. When this idiot came out with his film, we did not immediately go arrest him and torture him. As far as the (relatively small, to be honest) protesters are concerned, that means that the US has sanctioned the trailer (we are yet to actually see any film).
Boo, censorship, no freedom of speech, poor GB. Surely they will fall soon with no freedom of speech.
And the following countries will soon also fall, shame on them:
“Presently, the following European countries have some legislation criminalizing the Nazi message, including denial of the Holocaust: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland. Holocaust denial is also illegal in Israel.”
Switzerland, the home of money, for shame.
Interesting that the French are the ones stirring the flames given their reputation in the US.
I’ve heard (on NPR to be exact) the idea thrown out there that speech that is specifically intended to incite a violent reaction, even if it doesn’t explicitly call for violence, should be censored. It amazes me how fast supposedly reasonable people will resort to appeasement despite its miserable track record.
I believe there is a second fundamental culture difference at work here beyond totalitarian regimes. In the United States we toss at others and brush off insults with little regard. US culture has established the norm that if you are offended by someone eles’s free speech, oh well, you have no recourse other than your own speech. So long as they aren’t specifically slandering you they can say anything and use any medium to mock your ideas in any fashion they wish.
This idea is not accepted across much of the world and not just the muslim world. Insults, honor and tradition hold deep, cultures evolve slowly.
RFA
The SCOTUS admonition was “You can’t shout fire in a crowded theatre – unless there is a fire”. Everyone will have an opinion about whether the perpetrators thought there was a fire.
But you are correct in that different cultures have different ideas about what constitutes an insult. In some you can’t stand too close, in others you must stand close, in some, when seated your toes must not point toward another. Some comic situations occur when a close person interacts with a not-too-close person. Usually one will keep moving forward while the other keeps moving backward.
None of these, of course, are a killing matter. I’ve heard a couple of experts say the reason for all this anger is the result of years of humiliation of a culture that feels it is looked down upon by another culture. That seems to be still going on, so how to change that is a problem.
hi there r from ann: can you give us a link to NPR or name the show or person speaking?
Ohio, And the beat goes on.
They also didn’t have rapid transmission of information/misinformation i.e. the internet, cell phones.
Many areas didn’t (and still don’t) have electricity, telephone service or TV reception in most places. The internet and cell phones have changed the world that we (and they) live in, for the better… And for the worst.