Other Global Responses to the Conflict about Jyllands-Posten’s Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed
With violence increasing and the polarization about the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy becoming greater, it’s easy to agree with Neville Hobson’s statement that this conflict "illustrates a massive cultural and religious divide that is getting wider… with no meeting of minds looking likely at all. If anything, this will probably get worse."
Fortunately there are dissenting voices, as these excerpts from around the world show.
From MSNBC:
Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Kabbani denounced the violence and appealed for calm, accusing infiltrators of sowing the dissent to “harm the stability of Lebanon.” Prime Minister Fuad Saniora also urged peaceful protests. “Those who are committing these acts have nothing to do with Islam or with Lebanon,” he said. “This is absolutely not the way we express our opinions.”
From Rantings of a Sandmonkey:
Fully knowing that it is retarded to punish a whole country and its products for what a Newspaper in that country did, I expected someone to start a movement to restore common sense our muslim brothers and demand a stop to the boycott, especially since the Danes have apologized over and over again. Then I figured, shit, why don’t I be that someone?…
So I guess I will start the official local campaign to boycott the boycott, and thanks to the efforts of Roba and Jameed, the campaign now has banners that you can get here, put on your website and show solidarity with Danish people…
From Sorry Norway Denmark (via History News Network’s Deja vu — Judith Apter Klinghoffer):
In the middle of all the mayhem surrounding the Danish cartoons controversy, a group of Arab and Muslim youth have set up this website to express their honest opinion, as a small attempt to show the world that the images shown of Arab and Muslim anger around the world are not representative of the opinions of all Arabs. We whole-heartedly apologize to the people of Denmark, Norway and all the European Union over the actions of a few, and we completely condemn all forms of vandalism and incitement to violence that the Arab and Muslim world have witnessed. We hope that this sad episode will not tarnish the great friendship that our peoples have fostered over decades.
The problem with media representation of such issues tends to be that the media only picks up the loudest voices, ignoring the rational ones that do not generate as much noise. Voices that seek tolerance, dialogue and understanding are always drowned out by the more sensationalist loud calls, giving viewers the impression that these views are representative of all the Arab public’s view. This website is a modest attempt at redressing this wrong. We would appreciate it if you could forward the word to as many of your friends as possible.
What long-term effects on free speech will this conflict have? We probably won’t know for quite some time. There is possibly a new Europen Union media code of conduct in the works (via EU Rota). And Lee Hopkins points out that, on a lower level, "the whole issue does… introduce fear and loathing in the workplace."
In the meantime, although there is already some "fight cartoon with cartoon" behavior, as evidenced by the Arab European League’s two cartoons, I’d speculate that for most media, Serge Cornelus’s prediction is right on.
It is odd that the burning of embassies happened in Syria and Lebanon… a country in which Sria has both interests and has recently been implicated in state sponsored terror…. i.e. the killing of the Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri.
And it is rumoured that they are linked with nuclear escapades of AQ Khan, who gave Pakistan the nuclear bomb, was known to have traded nuclear technology with North Korea in exchange for missiles, to have offered the bomb to Sadam prior to the first Gulf war, as well as Libya who recently confessed to their illegal program and are in the process of dismantling it.
And guess what, he is implicated in the nuclear program in Iran, though Iran denies this…. or they kind of dis until it was discovered that they had high explosives that could be used as nuclear triggers that came from the Pakistan program.
I guess it’s all a question of whether you call it a conspiracy theory, or politics.
Eeore is probably right where he puts recent events into a wider, political perspective. Also: religion is still the opium of the masses. And it is a drug which is willingly dealt by certain people who have very good reasons to do so. I find it hard to believe this is a spontaneous action. There are ‘powers’ who have every interest in keeping the gap between east and west, muslim and christian, or muslim and secular, … as wide as possible (on ‘both sides’). It is a pity that ratio and enlightenment have not yet reached the entire globe AND that in some parts of the world where it has, they are losing ground again to the benefit of religious bigotry. I respect everybody’s belief, and I can understand people have a need for spirituality. But religion cannot be a basis for organising a society. The strict separation of church and state is one of the pillars, next to the respect for universal rights, of any healthy society in which each and every member can live his life to the fullest. There is work to be done for everybody: ‘we’ should learn to deal with the specific situation in the muslim world and take it into account. And engaging in wars under the flag of ‘bringing freedom, democracy and western values’ is not the way either. It will take decades of evolution, just like it did in ‘our’ part the world. Revolution only causes counter-revolution. But can we not expect some respect, moderation and rational thinking either?
Like Nev said in his post: there are no easy answers. We should not give up the freedom of speech nor the freedom of the press because there is a hypersensitivity to any kind of criticism in some parts of and among certain people in the (muslim, but not only there!)world. On the other hand: I’ve heard the expression ‘freedom of speech’ abused so many times… Like I read somewhere: it is not because we could publish these cartoons, we also should. Yes, these are difficult times and difficult discussions. And unfortunately, the ‘parties involved’ speak a different language and look at the same situation with totally different sets of values. Reconciling those will not be an easy process. But it is the only way forward. Let’s all just hope that the lies, cover-ups and hidden agendas among the powers that be (and which are far more numerous that ever before in history, according to Robert Fisk – and I tend to believe the man) make room for transparant and open action. Looking at our world leaders, I doubt, however, that this will happen any time soon…
I really was upset about the cartoons. Why make such cartoons when they are infactual and false?
If people really read about the prophet peace be upon him they would realise he was a mercy to mankind.
Moreover, as Muslims we aren’t allowed to draw pictures of Prophets, furthermore, we aren’t meant to disrespect someone elses religion. We respect all prophets, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, so why not respect our dear Prophet?
Thank you, Andrea, for the link and the compliment. Never thought I would be considered having uhm… profetic powers. Oops, probably should be careful about what I say here…
Thanks everyone for commenting. I am deeply disturbed about this ongoing conflict, and know that violence and threats of violence are not the answer and will only further entrench positions.