Asking about Danish newspaper cartoons of Mohammed

[I, Brian]

There's a discussion about the issue of the Danish newspaper cartoons of Mohammed in the politics board - but I'd like to ask for Muslim members here about the issue.

Namely, I'd like to ask:

1. How much about the story are you aware of?
2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?
3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?
4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Simply looking for some personal opinions on the issue.

[Yaqinud Din]

1. How much about the story are you aware of?

I'm aware of most of it.

2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?

I think a they are sick Racist.

3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?

No

4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Yes

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Yaqinud Din

1. How much about the story are you aware of?

I'm aware of most of it.

2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?

I think a they are sick Racist.

3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?

No

4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Yes

Do you personally think that Middle Eastern media makes biased decisions about what it considers free speech and what it considers offensive?

Just curious.

v/r

Q

[Friend]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

There's a discussion about the issue of the Danish newspaper cartoons of Mohammed in the politics board - but I'd like to ask for Muslim members here about the issue.

Namely, I'd like to ask:

1. How much about the story are you aware of?
2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?
3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?
4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Simply looking for some personal opinions on the issue.

Hi
I'm very interested to answer your questions here :

1. How much about the story are you aware of?
I aware of it in specific details as most of muslims people in the world,,

2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?
It is the most sad event ever happened in the world,,they represent our prophet Mohammad in bad jeerior caricateire ,,the man who taught us how to love people ,,how to feel with them ,, how to forgive them ,,he is the man who cried and prayed to our God Allah to help humanity to forgive all people in this world to guide them to the light way .

3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?

Maybe ,,But we should note that While those people do this bad thing ,,Muslims never do similar behaviour to our lover prophet Jesus peace upon him...because Islam exhorted us to believe and to love him.

4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Yes ,, also I want to clarify one point , They are always represent Muslems in bad picture and write aggressive assay also produce abusive films about their characters ,,Muslims don't like that but they never have this angry reaction ,,but now they encroaching of our prophet mohammad who we love more than ourselves .

peace

[Friend]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Do you personally think that Middle Eastern media makes biased decisions about what it considers free speech and what it considers offensive?

Just curious.

v/r

Q

Hi/Quahom1

Yes ,,but not as you think about,,Because our Religion must have a red line no one can pass it,,, we are religious societies,,our religion (Islam) represent our identity..it doesn't represent theoretical thoughts or ordinary actions ,,it is way of life .
as the same time we have political bias .

peace

[DJ1]

Hi All,

Do you think that the violent reactions which have resulted from this will impact how muslims are viewed?


Is this violence condoned by all muslims or only certain sections of the muslim community?


Will there be repercussions as a result of the violence?

[thipps]

I've put an article regarding this topic in another forum but i'll add something extra here after it. First the article:

The below article is relevant to the discussion and shows the double-standards of the danish newspaper in question.

Danish paper rejected Jesus cartoons

Gwladys Fouché
Monday February 6, 2006


Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper that first published the cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that have caused a storm of protest throughout the Islamic world, refused to run drawings lampooning Jesus Christ, it has emerged today.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/internatio...703501,00.html

=========
This robert Fisk article should put some things in perspective as well.
http://www.counterpunch.org/fisk02062006.html
=========
Someone i know sent this:
When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the Holocaust was a myth, we in the west didn’t call it free speech. It was very clear to us that such talk is hate and a form of inhumanity worthy of condemnation.

There was no confusion, no hesitation. We didn’t call it free speech when in Dec 2002 David Ahenakew (former aboriginal leader) made the statement that “Hilter was right to fry 6 million people”. He was condemned by the media, all sorts of public officials and a RCMP investigation followed. We called it by its real name ...... hate.

But, when a cartoonist from Denmark decides to draw a cartoon demeaning 1.5 billion people in the world we suddenly have confusion, discussion and a debate about the value of free speech versus being offensive.
===============

[Quahom1]

Do you think that the violent reactions which have resulted from this will impact how muslims are viewed?

Not Muslims, but certain nationalities will be viewed differently because of their actions.

Is this violence condoned by all muslims or only certain sections of the muslim community?

There is no rioting of the Muslims in the United States...

Will there be repercussions as a result of the violence?

What do you think? People are injured and/or dead, property is destroyed, death threats have been issued. The target of the angry people have been told that they will be destroyed by the angered ones.

This isn't good, and those instigating the violence don't seem to care...

v/r

Q

[I, Brian]

Many thanks for the replies - very much appreciated, especially as I appreciate that it's a subject easy to get heated up about.

Originally Posted by thipps

Iwe suddenly have confusion, discussion and a debate about the value of free speech versus being offensive.

Seculalism and Christianity have a long history together in the West, so the boundaries between what is and is not acceptable between them have been long tested and developed.

Because secularism hasn't really had an interested relationship with Islam until recently, those boundaries have been neither tested nor developed.

So in a way, Western society doesn't know how to deal with Islam as yet, especially with respect to issues such as Blasphemy versus Free Speech.

However, now the issue has been raised, I think it's fairly certain that we'll see some boundaries finally defined in the near future.

The UK has already been trying to push through laws to prevent religious hatred, which could well have covered this issue and helped define it in a legal sense for the UK at least.

[Ghaniel]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

1. How much about the story are you aware of?

All of it.

2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?

They are arrogant and proud because they don't want to humble themselves and apologise. And ignorant for publishing the caricature.

3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?

Yes.

4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Yes.

[ahmistry]

Freedom of insults v/s Freedom of Expression

In Article 20, the Human Bill of Rights calls for the:
prohibition by law of … any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence
(right after providing for freedom of opinion and expression in Article 19).

Thus any Nation failing to respect this provision
is indeed placing itself beyond the basic expectations required from civilized societies.

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by ahmistry

Freedom of insults v/s Freedom of Expression

In Article 20, the Human Bill of Rights calls for the:
prohibition by law of … any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence
(right after providing for freedom of opinion and expression in Article 19).

Thus any Nation failing to respect this provision
is indeed placing itself beyond the basic expectations required from civilized societies.

I guess that makes every nation on earth except for maybe the Vatican, guilty.

[brucegdc]

I wouldn't exclude the Vatican. Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition....

[mansio]

Must Westerners in Muslim countries respect Muslim ways of living and believing ?
Yes, of course.

Must Muslims in Western countries respect our traditions of free speech and free thinking ?
Yes, they must.

Muslims are offended by the Muhammad cartoons. Do they realise that Westerners are also offended by Muslim mores ?
I am not the only person permanently offended in my dignity as a human being by veiled Muslim women.

[m.HABIB]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

1. How much about the story are you aware of?

All of it.

Originally Posted by I, Brian

2. What are your personal feelings about the Danish newpapers for printing them?

for the newspaper... i feel how much they are mainly racist.. i don't beleive in the claim of "the freedom of expression for two reasons..

First :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1703501,00.html

Second:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/673B08C4-547A-467A-966F-F235268E2727.htm

3. Do you feel the protests that resulted in the burning of Danish embassies in Syria and Beirut went too far?

i don't support these burning.. it's just an expected result for the growing anger and for the refuse of apology.. if Muhammad pbuh was jew.. would these news paper still alive??

4. Do you personally think that Western media makes biased decisions about what it considers Free Speech, and what it considers offensive?

Actually, YES . Look at this again
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1703501,00.html