Hypocrisy in the guise of freedom of expression
Submitted by admin on 28 May 2010 - 1:07am
By M. Zajam, TwoCircles.net
There are uproars against social networking site Facebook for carrying the caricatures of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). The creators of the “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” page, invited users to send in caricatures following an American cartoonist Molly Norris’s satirical suggestion that people draw images of the Prophet to promote free speech. Earlier Norris had drawn picture of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as a show of support for the creators of Comedy Central's "South Park," which had featured an episode depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit. “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” page had upward of 109,000 supporters and more than 12,000 photos within 3 days of launching.
The Western society has always claimed to be protector of Freedom of Speech. But is it Islam bashing in the garb of Freedom of Speech? Does the West really practice what it preaches? Before Freedom of Speech, the West used to lecture all Asian/ African countries about human rights. But when its own hypocrisy about human rights was exposed in Iraq and Guantanamo and in cases of illegal detentions, West’s human rights chants have reduced drastically.
Likes of Norris are nowhere to be seen or heard when Holocaust denier is jailed. Each European country has law against denying Holocaust. Did we have a page on Holocaust cartoons on Facebook, the ultimate place of liberty? Bishop Richard Williamson was last person to be fined 12,000 Euro on 27th Oct 2009 in Germany. On 14th Jan 2008, Wolfagang Frohlich was imprisoned for 6.5 years in Austria for voicing his opinion about Holocaust.
An Iranian paper, in 2006, hosted an International Holocaust Cartoon competition and suggested Western newspapers to publish few of those. Jyllands-Posten Cultural Editor had initially agreed to publish few selected cartoons but later the paper backed out. The Cultural Editor was sent on indefinite leave. The website of Hamshahri newspaper which had organized this competition was hacked and suffered a denial-of-service attack. Jews all over world protested against the competition. Rabbi Marvin Hier termed it as classic formula of Adolf Hitler, which says if there's a problem, it's the fault of the Jews.
Muslims in Mumbai protesting against Facebook on May 21, 2010
In April 2003, a Danish cartoonist Christoffer Zieler offered some cartoons of Jesus Christ to Jyllands-Posten, Denmark's largest daily paper and generally seen as right-wing. Zieler received an email back from the paper's Sunday editor, Jens Kaiser, which said: "I don't think Jyllands-Posten's readers will enjoy the drawings. As a matter of fact, I think that they will provoke an outcry. Therefore, I will not use them." But the same paper in 2005, showing blatant double standard published Prophet Mohammed cartoons.
All the countries have fair share of curtailing Freedom of Speech. There are many movies banned by various ‘Freedom of Speech’ flag--bearing countries. Australia has banned Susan and God and UK banned ‘Visions of Ecstasy’ under blasphemy laws. All western countries including USA banned Monty Python's Life of Brian for showing controversial themes about Christianity. Deepa Mehta’s Fire was released amid protest from right wing Hindu protestors in India. Another film by the same director, Water, caused controversy by showing aspects of Hinduism in a negative light. This film was shot in Sri Lanka instead of India which was earlier planned, due to protest and attack on film sets. In Israel, Hitler: The Last Ten Days was banned in a unanimous decision by the censorship board because Hitler was shown in too humane character.
Lately The Da Vinci Code and The Last Temptation of Christ bore the brunt of protesters. Vatican Archbishop Angelo Amato, specifically called for a boycott of the film version of The Da Vinci Code. The Last Temptation of Christ was under attack from religious communities much before the film had even finished production. This movie was banned in Savannah, Georgia in the United States, due to which its release was delayed for 6 weeks. On October 22, 1988, a French Christian fundamentalist group launched molotov cocktails inside the Parisian Saint Michel movie theater to protest against the film. This attack injured thirteen people, four of whom were severely burned. Director of movie Dogma, Kevin Smith received over 30,000 pieces of protest/hate mail and several death threats. Catholic groups around the world staged protests against Dogma.
Few recent acts of Western society, which is known for openness and liberty, have shown hollowness of their claim. By banning Burqa and minaret of mosques, the West is turning out to be an intolerant society which is not ready to accept what it does not practice.
Enforcing Burqa in any country is as bad as enforcing not to wear it. It violates women’s rights to be independent in making her choices and to freedom of religion, thought and expression.
France’s claim of keeping state out of religion was exposed when President Sarkozy visited Vatican to meet Pope Benedict in 2007. He happily described the late John Paul II as his “role model” in front of Pope Benedict. Mr. Sarkozy also gave the Pope a copy of his book, The Republic, Religion and Hope, which he co-wrote in 2004 with Father Philippe Verdin and Colin Thibaud, a philosopher. His book also advocates reducing the separation between church and state.
Almost every country places some restrictions on what may be published. Books are banned for a variety of reasons ranging from religious to obscenity. Governments have also sought to ban certain books they perceive contain material that could threaten, embarrass, or criticize them.
There are more than 100 writers banned by various countries for different reasons. I am sure apart from Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin, names of others in the list have not been heard by many. There are many books that have been challenged by a variety of groups and agencies to prevent a particular work from being read by the general public. In USA alone there are more than 100 books which fall under this category. In India, apart from Satanic Verses, a few books on Maratha warrior Shivaji like Shivaji by Queens University Prof Jayant Lele, Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India by American scholar James Laine and Laine's translation of the Sivabharata, entitled The Epic of Shivaji are banned. Hindu groups have attacked many artists and art galleries for hurting their sentiments.
Christianity, Judaism and Islam have recommended severe punishment for Blasphemy. But only Islamic connection makes it to headline. Even UN General Assembly has passed several resolutions which called upon the world to take action against the "defamation of religions”.
Every community reacts in same way when their religious feelings are hurt. It is rightly so. Artist should take care in not hurting religious sentiment of any one. These acts are regrettable. Artists are supposed to be broadminded, creative, caring and imaginative and should use their skills to create work of art. But of late few of them are disgracing artist community by playing with people’s religious sentiment. They have found short cut to fame. It is duty of artist community, media and people to isolate these elements who like to make mischief to create few fast bucks.
Artist with their creative mind should think of ways to reduce the suffering of people from current problems and crisis. It seems Artists are running out of ideas. Instead of leading the way, they are being led by the society. As per Wikipedia “Art serves as a tool of education, or indoctrination, or enculturation. Art makes us more moral. It uplifts us spiritually.” If we go by this definition, Art is failing us. Now it is up to artist to draw a line and concentrate on constructive work. If this does not happen quickly, only people with wrong intention will be left in this honorable profession. Future generation will only remember works marred by controversies and honest creative work will be forgotten for ever.
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I looked there are currently
I looked there are currently zero banned books in the United States although 100s have been banned int the past.
When the Holocaust denial
When the Holocaust denial laws are struck down in Europe, expect to see a new wave of hatred from those trying to protect their great lie. They conned the world and hid their crimes from the 20th-century with it, but they will not have the last laugh.
The rights guaranteed in Europe and the United States are not free speech, rather freedom of speech and expression. There is not a sanction on speech to be found anywhere in the right to freedom of speech and expression at the supreme level of the judiciary and their constitutional guidance, regardless as to what form it comes in. The rights do not say freedom of love speech, or freedom of non-religious speech, or freedom of non-racial speech. The notion that to protect the freedoms of all people freedom of expression must be limited is ridiculous as the freedom of all people becomes limited.
The whole episode of the last 100 years will serve to mark the modern evolution of mankind mentally and socially and will inoculate the world from such tyranny and deceit and it ever occurring again, while strengthening the truth they've tried to destroy and failed miserably. Mankind will look back and laugh at those who put people in prison for scientifically seeking truth to an alleged historic event, and the thought-haters' entire agenda will fall by the wayside as their tales come crashing down.
Today's younger generations will be stronger by their exposure to the full thrust of their agenda, and will be catalysts for the permanent change which will eventually occur. Their mid-life crises will occur sooner, and everything associated with the life they're throwing out will be the agenda of those who brought us Holocaust denial laws. Sadly, the older generations made their change toward the life the younger generations will throw out. There is no hope with them, but plenty of prisons. In science, there is always the human factor, a factor some didn't bring into the equation when calculating their manipulation, which is why they attempt to maintain the manipulation through such laws. Herman Rosenblat said he told his Holocaust lies to make the world a better place, and his lies will, despite the unpreferred outcome and textcards to prevent his type again.
The people they have defamed with their Holocaust accusations were pioneering biologists, scientists, and Nobel Prize winners who changed the world forever, and whose work and descendant technology we use everyday in our modern lives, continuing to serve as the basis for the future. The people of the Holocaust religion are those who brought the world 9/11 and WMDs. Eventually the people will have to be told the world is not flat.
As much as some have disdain, the cartoons will continue, but celebration will ultimately not be found for those living a compounded lie engaging in such behavior, rather for those invested in the last laugh and what institution will be toppled with that last laugh, and it is not the target of the cartoons. Muslims in Europe will just have to adapt to the culture they chose to place themselves in, and try laughing.
...
Ibn e Battuta wrote;
"If people like and believe in freedom of speech and expression so much that they are ready to go to any extent then they should draw their mothers like whores and their fathers like third rate pimps. But dare do they insult our beloved Prophet(saws)."
This clearly shows a lack of understanding. You should draw our prophet like a pig (or whatever you think is insulting to us). Problem is that none of us will be insulted because if you insult a dead person that is not an insult to us. (Many of us have developed beyond religion and tribal/honor based cultures anyway.) You take insult for a dead pedophile, we do not take insult for other (dead) people.
You also clearly do not understand that your freedom to practice your religion depends on the freedom of expression. Without it, you are only free to express the religion that your country (or culture) allows you to express.
Further more, your god must be very weak if he needs people to defend the honor of it's long dead prophet.
Finishing with the requested drawings;
My mother as a whore;
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My father as a third rate pimp;
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Anything else you want me to draw using my freedom of expression?
Muslims Vs Tech
In india every now and then someone caught for circulating fake currency notes or found them in possession they obvious be muzzies...!!!
Look at the photo of those three guys do they look like computer or internet savvy people...they look scrap business doing people...
For Muzzies entertainment in any form is Haraam and internet is also a form of Entertainment so they have to shun the internet and stop shouting...
India and Indians gave the world computers remember number system(ie 0 and 1) was invented in india thousands of years back without this no computer would have been made and it is acknowleged by the great Albert Einstein as well...!!!
Mulims reap what you sow
Most westerners first exposure to islam was the Iran revolution. What was it, a government taking of hostages for over a year. Ayatollah Komanie( however you spell it) was the first impression of islam...wow, he looked, acted, and spoke like some evil demented devil. His call for Rushdie's death was looked at by the west as totally insane, that you would kill a person over words in a book. Yes all religions have some bad history of persecution in their past, but they leave it in the past and are ashamed of it's history. But muslims want to revert back to mid evil and barbaric ways of 1000 years ago. When the whole country of Iran followed and fanatically supported this idiot ayatollah, it sent a strong message to the west. Not governments, but everyday people who watched and became very suspicious of this religion of PEACE. Since then, mulims have continued to follow and blindly support radical like OBL, Arafat, hamas and Iran's current president just to name a few. How can you expect the non muslims to respect and co exist with islim when you choose to follow idiot leaders like this?
READ and UNDERSTAND what PLAYCARDS show !!!
"Anonymous" Baabu @ 30 May 2010 - 6:01 pm and his comment below.
Try to READ and UNDERSTAND what the protester's PLAY-CARD show - removing your SAFFRON-COLOURED lens, without SUCKING your HAND or FOOT-THUMB. Also STOP scratching YOUR HEAD (or FIDDLING).
For your comment below - it is RAW agents who are creating HAVOC from Assam on eastern tip of India to Pakistan and Afghanistan - which has 18 (eighteen) Indian High Commission (Diplomatic) Missions in a rugged country, which has less than 10,000 Indian citizens.
We know RAW agents OR their contracted-locals, are riding MOTOR-CYCLES donning (wearing) local clothes, wearing mask, imposting as Pakistanis to blame Muslims / Pakis. If you want to know about Indian Army's ACHIEVEMENTS, read this:
http://www.fractalenlightenment.com/2009/01/ugly-side-of-indian-army.html
Wake up "Kumbakaran" - open your eyes. I wrote a FITTING RESPONSE to your FAMOUS / IGNORANT 100 Million figure. Here is the article-link and my response, if you, OR respected readers missed to READ:
http://www.twocircles.net/2010may15/tcn_cartoon_honourable_kasabs.html
An Indian
P.S.:
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Click on "Cartoons by Yusuf" on TCN, and jog the CARICATURE (picture) in your memory - by removing your SAFFRON COLOURED Lens.
I'm sure more EYE-CATCHING cartoons are in pipeline - to clear "dust" / "myth(s)". Thank you.
Why don't u guys protest
Why don't u guys protest against the killing of innocent 100 Ahhemediyas in Pakistan? Is human lives more cheap than some stupid cartoons? Is a book written some 100 years back more important than human blood?
Attacks on Prophet(saws) intolerable
If people like and believe in freedom of speech and expression so much that they are ready to go to any extent then they should draw their mothers like whores and their fathers like third rate pimps. But dare do they insult our beloved Prophet(saws).
The point is these artists and so called torch bearers of democracy and their likes are a non-military front who, in collaboration with their military fronts are attacking Islam and its followers.
http://vanguardofislam.wordpress.com/category/defense-of-the-prophet-cam...
Islam Recognises All Religions
It is senseless to treat the history of Christendom as a unit : the History of Christians, Jews and Muslims can only be dealt with as a whole. All these three religions are religions of Abraham.
The greatest tragedies and atrocities have occurred when the Jewish tradition considers itself pre-eminent and it seeks to eliminate Islam, the same thing applies to Christianity since the days of the crusade.
At present the Jews and Christians have joined together and have completely ignored Islam.
Penguins edition of the book “Massacre” was published in 1967. Many book sellers found the book deeply offensive . Allen Lane got filled a trailer with all the remaining copies of the book and burnt them.
Powerful individuals frequently intervene in the publishing process in order to moderate, edit indeed suppress works. When this was suggested about Satanic Verses,or the cartoons on the Prophet, the same liberal forces in the UK, blocked the move simply because it was about an alien culture which can be insulted.
Many European thinkers ( and quite many among others) feel that they have the new form of fundamentalism. They have absolute fundamental right to write, express, draw, paint what they want without restrictions. This sort of non-faith based new form of fundamentalism is MORE DANGEROUS than any form of religious fundamentalism ( Islam as well as other religions).
If this sort of unrestricted freedom of expression is maintained consistently as in Europe, it will lead to an immoral universe.
By absolute freedom of expression, a novelist may exert his fundamental right to advocate torture, rape, child sex, orgy, murder, genocide and he will defend his rights as resolutely as he advocates liberty, affection and sexual love.
No one objects intellectual criticism of religions, but we have to put a stop to deliberate mockery, vilification, insult, hurting the feelings of non-Christians in the west.
There is no freedom without restrictions and there is no independence without discipline
Islam recognises all religions, in fact the source of all true religions is the same, and there is not a single community, linguistic group, nation to which a prophet was not sent by God Almighty according to Islam.
In fact Islam recognises that the entire humanity one and the same community of equals. I quote the Quran " God has created you into nations, clans and tribes so that you recognise each other, and in the sight of God the one closest to God is one who is righteous"
This means that a righteous Hindu, Christian, Jew, is closer to God than an unrighteous Muslim. That much is the tolerance of Islamic teachings.
There is no such thing as absolute freedom of expression
Will anybody write a flowing, beautiful poem about the private part of his own mother and bring the poem to the bazaar and read it loud and clear to the audience. If someone does it he should be a lunatic.
This is the sort of freedom of expression that some mad people are talking about. There is no such thing as absolute freedom of expression.
Deliberate insult, mockery, ridicule of others culture is not part of freedom of expression. Guys in the West are advanced in many respects but some guys are unbearably uncivilized when they deal on the sensitive cultures of others.
Assalamualykum
Assalamu Alykum,
I think we should not create any voilent protests regarding the Face book Issue.
Facebook's Caricatures of the Prophet
Are our demonstrations and protest marches against the Danish cartoons and against the Facebook caricatures having any effects? On the contrary it seems that the more sensitive we are, the more they want to provoke us.
Another reason why such provocations have become more frequent recently is that we are being perceived in more and more negative light. We are being seen as terrorists, suicide bombers, killers of Shias, killers of Sunnis, killers of Ahmadis, subjugators of women, "honor-killers" of our own daughters and as being too dense to appreciate the virtues of democracy and secularism. On top of that we are seen as being intolerant and overly critical of the cultures of others, especially cultures of the West.
Their insulting our Prophet is an ignoble activity and they are lowering themselves by indulging in it. But the cartoons and the caricatures are just a symptom of a much larger underlying problem which too needs to be addressed.
A well informed article
Thank you Mr Nazm Sahib.You have written very good article showing the duality in the policy of European countries.We have to see that who are these people who by using western liberty trying to bring world of Islam and world of christianity into clash? Cannot the leaders of both these world put ban their destructive power of expression for better world?
FACEBOOK or DEFAMED BOOK ?
Thank you TCN, for producing an INTERESTING ARTICLE about the latest WESTERN MEDIA controversy TRYING to DEFAME Islam and Muslims.
Those interested in reading, or knowing more about this controversy, may click and read this interesting blog:
http://www.darulihsan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3...
The author of above blog, wrote some INTERESTING ARGUMENTS, which could be some FOOD FOR THOUGHT for INTERESTED READERS.
Readers may also know that FACEBOOK and TWITTER manipulated and created thousands of FICTITIOUS new accounts, AS IF they were created from inside Iran. It was during and following last Iranian Elecions to MALIGN Iran. Ultimately they FAILED UTTERLY in their EFFORTS, when FACEBOOK became a DEFAMED BOOK - and democratically elected Iranian regime DENIED to BUDGE from WESTERN PRESSURE. Ultimately, even U.S. gave up AND ran-away, "hiding" it's tail.
Thank you.
An Indian
You forgot to mention...
The reason they started the page was in response to death threats and acts of violence that have been occuring from islamic extremist everytime mohammed is drawn/criticized/ridiculed. Also, I own monty python life of brian on dvd, so its not banned in the us. And I'm against every form of censorship that any country has partaken in. How about you write about the problems with the death threats rather than what 100,000 infidels are doing on their face book page.
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