Category: Let's talk
I am sure you have heard of the issue that has to do with cartoons published in some Danish newspapers that caused the Arab world to go bizerk and burn some embassies. It kind of reminds me of the issue we had here with the comic profile that blindguy placed that offended some people (including me). Do you feel that making fun of someone elses religion is OK if it's meant as a freedom of speech or do you feel religion should be respected no matter what? Finally, how would you feel if someone would portray Jesus as a child molester in a cartoon because of the actions of some priests? Star
I tend to think of it this way. I don't go burning down Asian embassies in London every time a British or American soldier gets blown up by a bomb in Iraq. I didn't feel the need to kill any Muslim's when terrorists placed bombs on London's underground train network. All in all a cartoon is a cartoon. Learn to deal with it. Your not going to like everything that you see or hear in this World that's a fact. Honestly, their really are far greater things to worry about.
I'm not for a second suggesting that racism, in any form, is okay or acceptable. What I am saying is that people need to pick what they have a problem with a bit more carefully. After all, cartoons aren't even things that are supposed to be taken seriously! Hardly something that should automatically invoke a potential killing spree I'd have thought!
I do understan your point but what if this incident with the cartoons leads to a world war? How will this incident be seen in another 10 years after east and west have destoyed each other? I mean at this point Iran is being suspected of building a nuclean bomb... I do agree that cartoons as such should not be taken seriously but this is a political/religious matter that will not just go away. It is also sad to notice that just one person had something to say on an issue that might just as well cause the death of millions... Star
Star, we are a bit on the over dramatizing sprea today aren't we. You suggesting this, in itself, might lead to a world war is absolutely absurd and comparing this to BlindGuy's profile is, to say the least, a bit of a stretch.
My only problem with the cartoon row is that David Ervine is being put on trial in Austria for openly denying the holocost. How can we expect any respect from the Muslim community when we apply such double standards, put a main in jail for not believing in the gassing of the Jews in world war II but supporting a newspaper printing making fun of the God of Islam, either freedom of speech or the sense of responsibility should prevail and all religions and historical issues should be treated in a consistent manner, whatever that manner will be. To me I think Ervine should not be tried, if what he says is utter foolishness than putting him on trial will do nothing but publicize his opinions and anger the muslim world further.
I think the Danish cartoons were way out of line personally, I think they could make fun of muslim leaders perhaps, such as Bin Laden or Hussein etc but not of the spiritual/religious foundation of the faith itself.
Cheers
-B
While I don't agree with attacking/abusing any law-abiding category of people, it should be understud by everyone that these cartoons poked fun at and insulted noone at all. They simply had ago at a person who died several centuries ago, and portrayed him in a different light to that which Muslims regard him in. I respect the Muslims right to portray Mohammed in a good light, so I expect them to respect my right to portray him in a bad light. Why should how I portray someone be determined by what others believe about that person? The same wouldn't apply if he wasn't a religious icon. This issue has prooved to me everything I already thought about Al-Qaeda, and people with similar extreme ideologies. This cartoon was published in Denmark. Most of the people in the Muslim world had probably never heard of Denmark before this incident, and they probably don't even know where it is. In fact, they wouldn't have known about it if extreme Muslims didn't make such a big deal of it. This issue has become very serious. Muslims who believe in a religion which has a title of peace, have killed fellow Muslims, all because of some cartoons? They're not protesting about the insurgents who blow up fellow Muslims everyday in Iraq, nor are they protesting about Islamic journalists in prison in Iran for defying the tyranical regime. In Kenya where there's very little food, they consider cartoons published in a country they can't even affford to visit more important than the survival of their own babies which may starve to death within days. Anyone realised how sick these evil twisted nutcases are yet? Oh and in response to post 3, you know what I'd do if this turned into a world war? Oh as a person who values his freedom and who isn't hypocritical with it, and therefore values the freedom more of those who don't have it, I'd fight for the side of freedom and kill as many extremists as I could revelling in the glory of my contribution to ridding of human weapons of massdistruction.
Thanks for your replies. Star
I think that the Moslems/Islamists need to calm down and just stop approaching everything in such a negative and destructive manor. I mean for fuck's sake. It's a cartoon in a newspaper. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Simple as that. I mean Aljazeera has done no favours for the west but that is another topic... It's like they're a bunch of stroppy kids that throw a tantrum when something comes up that they don't care for. Too bad it's a serious problem and they feel that for some reason, they have the god given right to destroy other's property and take innocent lives. it's sad and utterly ridiculous. I'm sure this will get the ball rolling on this board! But I am making no appoligies. Just as a side note, I am not a Bush supporter and this post is not about the Iraq war.