First, let’s read the news in the last few days again:
The drawings have touched a raw nerve in part because Islamic law is interpreted to forbid any depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Indonesian Muslims went on a rampage inside the lobby of a Jakarta building housing the Danish embassy on Friday in protest over cartoons that insult Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. They smashed lamps with bamboo sticks and threw chairs around. They also threw rotten eggs and tomatoes at the Danish embassy symbol inside the lobby. The protesters dispersed after an hour.
In Gaza, Palestinians marched through the streets, storming European buildings and burning German and Danish flags. Protesters smashed the windows of the German cultural center and threw stones at the European Commission building.
Iraqis rallying by the hundreds demanded an apology from the European Union, and the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas called the cartoons "an unforgivable insult" that merited punishment by death.
Pakistan summoned the envoys of nine Western countries in protest, and even Europeans took to the streets in Denmark and Britain to voice their anger.
The Vatican deplored the violence but said certain provocative forms of criticism were unacceptable.
But Denmark and Norway did not wait for more violence. With their Damascus embassies up in flames, the foreign ministries advised their citizens to leave Syria without delay.
The United States called the burnings "inexcusable" and blamed the Syrian government for security failures.
Mahmoud Zahar, leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas, told the Italian daily Il Giornale the cartoonists should be punished by death.
We should have killed all those who offend the Prophet and instead here we are, protesting peacefully." he said.What a start for Hamas!
Anger swelled in Europe, too. Young Muslims clashed briefly with police in Copenhagen, the Danish capital, and some 700 people rallied outside the Danish Embassy in London.
A South African court banned the country's Sunday newspapers from reprinting the cartoons.
Iran's president ordered his commerce minister to study canceling all trade contracts with European countries whose newspapers have published the caricatures, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
The Danish Foreign Ministry urged Danes to leave Lebanon as soon as possible, while Protesters Torch Danish Embassy in Beirut.
The trouble in Lebanon threatened to take a sectarian spin as protesters stoned the nearby St. Maroun Church, one of the city's main Maronite Catholic churches, and private property in Ashrafieh, a Christian area near Beirut's commercial district. Muslim clerics were seen trying to stop the protesters.
Okay. This is how the Arab/Muslim world looks like today. Hot-hearted!
Does it look good? I’m afraid not. The question is; where are we heading to? I just wish to hear one unified ‘list of demands’ so that one can follow up to see how this unrest will calm down.
Unfortunately, I can’t see any. Islamic leaders and clerics are just calling for protests and boycotting products of this country and that one. Some also say apology will be enough, other say no apology will be accepted. But, where does this end, how will this stop, and what is an acceptable solution? I’m afraid I don’t know.
If someone does know, please enlighten us; especially if you are one of the angry Arab/Muslims. This is a call for you to tell us what we/they should do to stop violence from reaching irreversible point.
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{ 19 comments }
You are a good man Sabbah. But this is a mad mad world and I am afraid anarchists don’t want to listen to the voice of reason.
The Arab governments are of course sitting back happy watching this mess unfold.. For, for the first time in many moons, their angry revoulting down-trodden masses are rebelling against someone else.. hehe .. not internal issues at home; not the Great Satan the US; not the Zionist expansionist monster at our borders.. but some real silly tasteless cartoons.
Sabbah.. we need a cause to unite. we need a cause to show our anger. we need a cause, a new cause that is because Palestine and Iraq are now too passe, to show that we can still cause a racket!
Sit back and enjoy the show… no point thinking about it in a logical way and trying to get a list of demands .. because we ARabs are an angry mob .. and we want solutions to our own problems first!
Today Danish Embassy in Lebanon was burned … yesterday it was Syria .
This is What the Cartoons designers wanted .
From Another point of view … Muslims in the World have enough of being attacked everywhere .
Palestine , Afghanistan , Iraq , soon (Syria & Iran) , Racism in Europe and North America to Muslims ! and finally when the bomb exploded “Prophet Mouhammad Cartoons” this is where they wont shut up to any act of racism anymore .
but they didn’t do it in the right way … but even if they did (like just a normal protest without damages) do you think the world would give importance to it ?
I am not angry arab muslim,i think an apology will do,if not i think more shit will hit the fan.
Find your own words, own definitions.
Don’t let other have monopoly of words.
Redefine “freedom”, “equality”, “respect” ect.
They are always debating in order to give us just 2 issues :
Humiliation or violence.
Most of the time we chose violence.
Let’s be honnest we’re in a logic where we can only talk about islam negatively.
Like the picture “freedom go to hell”.
So this guy is saying they are right about their definition about the word freedom.
So he’s admitting he’s mean. That’s stupid.
What they call freedom is not freedom. Whether they like it or not.
Again toying with words is easy.
Don’t participate to debate with other’s definitions.
Reframe problematic in function of your own definitions.
Either it’s impossible because you’ll only face 2 choices : humiliation or violence.
We oblige ourselves not eating and drinking for a month to remember during the year the poors.
We have to give poors money and take care of them.
Islam freed women, before they were sold on souks like products.
The message of the prophet and Islam inspired Europe.
While north european invasion were violent.
Islam brought technical progress to Europe.
Islam brought a positive progress to the whole world.
(today it would be free education and medicare and others stuff like that).
And this guy sketch a bomb on the prophet head ?
What can we call this ? hate or extremism.
It’s not a debate freedom versus beliefs.
It’s a debate hate versus respect.
This has nothing to do with freedom.
Many muslims forgot to behave like the prophet.
If I’m remembering well hadiths.
When you are acting with violence you’re breaking away from islam.
You’re duty is words in first place.
What is the first thing the angel told the prophet ?
You think that this is your religio because you are using their words and their terminologies.
write “Hate go to hell” because these cartoons are hate and not freedom.
You love Islam and yet you can’t talk and defend it with positive words ?
Another thing.
The terrorism is the result of the capitalism and communism confrontation.
It used an ideology labelling it Islam.
But terrorists do not define what is Islam.
And the best way of destroying a religion is commiting horrible crimes in its name.
The terrorism is a war against Islam.
And they found the cleverest way to do it.
I remember a sentence saying that our people would never get agree about a misunderstanding.
Maybe that the use of others words made you lost the very essence of the religion.
We can talk about Islam with positive words.
We can analyse problems with our own defintions.
And not accept others terminologies and wrong debates.
Some people mistake freedom with hate because no one insisted on the positive action of Islam.
They are wrong. They are human, forgive them and invite them to participate to a fair debate with fair definitions.
Don’t buy what you don’t want to buy. If they think it’s bad they are wrong. You got enough intelligence to do a good and fair philosophy to justify it positively.
Don’t accept to participate to debates where the only choices you have is Humiliation or Violence.
Where are we heading?
It’s clear WORLD WAR 3
The World vs. Islamic World, which is basically World vs. World!
Hard days are upon us!
I think….education and improved standard of living will somehow aids to change the mindset..to fight your predator(s)…not with fists but with your wisdom…what’s the point if u win the battle and lose the war?.. on the other hand…those who like to play with fire in the first instance..the moral of the story..check with your fire dept or buy a heavy insurance..
I think non-Muslims of whatever ethnicity, creed, sex, nationality, or whatever, are sick and tired of Islam. These cartoons are very mild demonstration of that fact. The reaction by Muslims? Rather typical. Remember, it cannot be a stereotype if it is true.
We must understand that there are cultural differences, Europeans are very open-mided and they have freedom of speech, two qualities which we, to a relative point, lack. What they did was morally wrong and racist, I agree, but they too don’t understand our culture. Having been apologized to, the circus must have stopped. Instead, many people around the Islamic and Arab world have rejected that, and are only proving this cartoons right: WE ARE VIOLENT AND INTOLERNT.
Europe was on our side, they are one of the biggest supporters and funders to Palestine, and most of huminitarian aid is from Europe, now however, count on this no more, because we are on our own!
Everone wants a piece of us, and we’re heading towards a World War III.
We need peace, we need to react in a more civil way, we need to deal with our issues in an acceptable way, we need to find solutions instead of causing more problems. It’s our children who are going to live in the future and look what we’re giving them, a world full of hatred. We need to respect others the same way we damand their respect for us. We need to reject violence in any kind, either towards us OR coming from us.
Why am I a “nitwit” or a “redneck?” I think if you knew me that you would find that I am very reasonable and educated.
Although Islam “is” the problem, there are many in the rest of the world who accept islamic misbehavior under the guise of “tolerance.” This “all ideas are equally valuable” mantra is wrong.
I am sure there are “nice” and personable Muslims in the world, as there were and are personable Nazis, Klansmen, Communists etc. No one tries to differentiate some Nazis from others. It would be foolish to do so. It is the same with Islam.
Blackfeline, I agree with you when you say:
“the belief system of muslims must be blocked at all costs..it only points to the very fact that u have a weak system in place. Otherwise, why would u fear the former being ingrained intp our world?”
We DO have a weak system. While it is all fine and good to want peace, love, and fairness in the world, you only have to look at the newspaper to see that Islam is against these very things. Until the world scrutinizes Islam and ultimately rejects it as a bonafide belief system, the rest of the world will be perpetuating terrorism by doing nothing about its cause.
BTW — I recognize that most of the victims of Islam are Muslims themselves. This is a good reason for those in predominantly muslim countries to take action against the imams and their cronies.
Democracy is a weak system, with a concentrated group it can be gamed and substantial power given to those who seek to destroy it. Nazi germany is one example. Hopefully Hamas will not be another.
With the Muslims having a high birth rate, constant influx of immigrants and low birth rate of europeans, Europe will become muslim at one point or another. Muslims will not even need full 50% to take over, in most democracies getting 30% of the peoples is sufficient to get control.
And to those who say someone is trying to make muslims look bad, no-one needs to try very hard. You seem to do a good job already by yourself.
wiseone,
Zealot like u..treading on the bigotry line is nothing new. Suggest u see a shrink. Your argument is, to say the least, preposterous!
I have read both the Bible and the Koran and I have found the Koran a more understanding and forgiving book.
But I find the people following the Koran less forgiving than the followers of the Bible. I don’t understand?
There are many interpertations of both books and many extreem views accepted by both books. But who is right? I don’t know!
Is there no room for discussion?
Is the radically right in both religions going to conflict?
I G.W. Bush was gone will it help?
The depiction of Mohammed has been around for years, even in the Muslim world. Why now are they upset?
Obviousley they are upset with GW Bush. And so they should be!
But why blame the rest of the world?
Are the muslims afraid that their religion is threatened?
The Christians should feel that their religion is in jeopardy.
Discussion is the only way to settle this. And it should be used!
The world seems to be heading down a path that few talk about and less dare to accept. The Islamic nations of the world, sitting on a great supply of the world oils, and the Western nations of the world, US, EU, Iarael, Japan, South Korea, Australia(and to a lesser extent Brazil, India, and other developing countries),are heading towards war. Be it a hot or cold war, doesn’t matter. These countries can not co-exsist. How can secular governments and dictatorships that abuse religion get along? We have had three major wars of the last century (WWI, WWII, and the Cold War). We all know who won those… USA and her allies! In this next war Islamo-fascism will be destroyed and in this corrupt region new democracies will be created. The war has begun, sometimes the tree of fredom must be watered with the blood of patriots and the wicked alike.
irishbuddy you sound like Bush. Let the people decide not the West.
I don’t agree with the Muslim countries but let them decide.
That is one of the problems. Bush wants democracy in the Muslim worlds. They want their own governments.
Wheather they are right or wrong, let them decide.
I have read the Bible and the Qa’ran and they are similar.
If there is a problem with that. Let them decide what to do.
Don’t create a problem that might not be there.
Bush is creating the gap and the Muslims are just reacting.
Can’t say as I blame them.
Many people in both the west and the east refuse to see whats right in front of them-culture war–just like in the 12th century this is a war to determine who will control what you do and how you think. I am not claiming that the west is superior or the east is better but-i would suggest that most people are more comfortable with “the devil they know”. I personally advise a philosiphy of tolerance and respect for other cultures, however I won’t be told how to think by others either. I know who my God is and what his name is and if others want to choose other gods that is not my concern-i will conclude by saying that at the end God will have the final say about who is right and who is wrong.
Personally I believe that we should abolish all organized religion from our world….but since this will not happen any time soon, I think we have to stop trying to impose our views on every one else…whether it is the western values or the Muslim views…
In addition I think the problems are not caused by the religion itself but by the misinterpretation of it…for instance in Christianity killing is a sin with no exceptions not even in self defense…but yet Bush and others have started many wars and while holding a bible in one hand…in Islam women are supposed to be equals, suicide is a sin, killing innocent unarmed people is against the teaching of the prophet, yet these acts are committed mostly by the people who claim to be dedicated believers…quite an irony isn’t it.
The Taliban was one of the most twisted forms of Islam, but yet some Muslims today believe that they are better than the so called infidels. we’ve heard many times that during the height of the Islamic empire education, culture, the arts were all encourages and even flourished but yet the Taliban punished anyone who listened to music they destroyed ancient artifacts and oppressed women beyond comprehension… and after all this some Muslims today still think they are righteous.
Unfortunately the extremist elements are gaining strength and I fear that sooner or later some disturbed individual will gain unlimited power and move us beyond the point of no return… I believe that the only way to stop this is by having more debate, and we must always question the so called spiritual leaders and their interpretations instead of just following blindly…..
Kimmy, get off of your anti Bush dogma. Bush didn’t create this conflict between the muslim world and the western world. It’s only grown more noticable since 9/11 and now the printing of these cartoons. It is you who creating a problem by putting it all on Bush and that’s totally unfair.
You said you’ve read both the bible and the koran, don’t both of these teach peace and fairness. You seem hell bent on achieving peace through unfair measures by putting all of this mess on Bush. Alot of people are to blame and I tend to think the blame lies more with the Muslims now than it does with the West.
You can’t expect a free nation that practices freedom of speech, that has offended everyone to curb their freedom of speech so Muslims don’t get upset. Let me guess…you’re also going to blame the cartoon mess on Bush now right?
I’m simply amazed at how many people are hell bent on putting the entire blame on Bush. You forget that we were attacked on 9/11. You forget that Saddam has broken every UN promimse he has made and you forget that the UN turned its head because Saddam was able to pay them to turn their heads. Now all of this is on Bush. I’ve had it! Take a good look around people….the UN is still untrustworthy, Saddam is out of power and no longer killing his people, protests have broken out and people are being killed and yet noone has offered up anything other than to blame Bush. Enough of the nonsense already!
Michelle,
Wake up and realize that nobody is blaming everything on your beloved President Bush.
The Muslim world is not as evil and you would like to think. Yes, certain powerful and wealthy individuals (Bin Laden) who claim to be muslim have committed serious crimes, but they in no way were doing it to please God.
They did what they did because they have always had a vendetta against the American governments past and present.
They have become rich and wealthy thanks to your government and its insatiable appetite for oil.
Your government is the one who supplied the evil Saddam with its weapons of mass destruction knowing fully well he intended to use them on the Kurdish people.
Your government is the one who has continued in the killing of innocent Iraqis. In the constant humiliation and abuse of Iraqis in Abu Ghraib. The same Abu Ghraib that was the most feared prison in Iraq when Saddam was in power.
As for your statement, “the UN turned its head because Saddam was able to pay them to turn their heads.” That one is your weakest statement yet considering the fact that your government completely ignored the UN in the first place when they didn’t authorize the invasion of Iraq.
Basically, considering the fact that your government is chalk full of “Hawks” who are hell-bent on conquering the world, you will never be on solid ground when it comes to defending them. They endorse inhumane brutality among their soldiers. They believe in spying on their own citizens. Yet they preach that they are so civilized and heavenly.
Again, you need to make an honest attempt in fully trying to understanding what others are talking about before you throw your two cents in. Otherwise, you risk looking like an idiot.