Comments on: European-Islamic Dialogue in Post Cartoon Fisaco http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/ A Jordanian Blog Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:00:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: toot: The Arab blog network » Blog Archive » The Arab Blogosphere Reacts to the Danish Cartoons http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-2033 toot: The Arab blog network » Blog Archive » The Arab Blogosphere Reacts to the Danish Cartoons Sun, 12 Feb 2006 10:59:39 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-2033 [...] One of the most amusing things about the blogosphere is instantaneous and unfiltered reaction to events that are currently affecting the world, such as the Palestinian elections last month, the London Bombings last year, or the Live8 concert over the summer. Over the past two weeks, one topic has been dominating aggregators, top searches, and blogs- the now infamous Danish cartoons, and the reaction of Muslim world to this fiasco.   The bloggers on toot, being Arab and/or Muslim, have done their fair share of opinion giving on this matter, enough to represent several sides of the argument. Here’s a little round up of the thoughts of some of the best bloggers in the Middle East on the Danish cartoons: Farah’s Sowaleef from Saudi Arabia: “I don’t believe it is my right to bully a whole nation, and its government and its people, and them good old cows because of what one sleazy individual drew. Furthermore, the newspaper apologized and the Danish envoy in Riyadh made a statement and the apology was addressed to the citizens of Saudi Arabia. There. People who are absolutely unrelated to the sleazy cartoonist jumped in to apologize in a country where individualism is treasured. Now, enough. Why, oh why, must the drama always outlast every event?” Moorish Girl from Morocco: “I say, ‘Leave the cartoonist alone! He has a right to his stupidity!’ And also, for the love of all that is holy, don’t we have better things to do than to worry about a cartoon?” Desert Pundit from Palestine/ Dubai: “I was disgusted by the Arab reaction, not because it rejected the cartoons, which is a right, but how it was non-discriminating, and ignorant in the way it expected the state (Denmark) to control it media the way they do in the Arab World.” Tololy’s Box from Jordan: “One is bound to get a decent amount of reactions, some wise, and most unwise, if one limits people’s freedom or if one lets it off the leash. I find it most amusing how most current trends, and so-dubbed-liberals-in-their-own-words, and kindly do not mistake this for an attack targeting a certain group of individuals (for any such a notion is a false claim), think it appropriate to mock the outrage that is taking the Muslim awareness by storm, and yet to overlook the simplicity of the situation that the caricatures did, in actual fact, insult someone respected by “some” people who happen to have a lot of family.” Rantings of a Sandmonkey from Egypt: “They were actually printed in the Egyptian Newspaper Al Fagr back in October 2005. I repeat, October 2005, during Ramadan, for all the egyptian muslim population to see, and not a single squeak of outrage was present. Guess we will have to Boycott Egypt now as well, huh? Now while the arab islamic population was going crazy over the outrage created by their government’s media over these cartoons, their governments was benifitting from its people’s distraction. The Saudi royal Family used it to distract its people from the outrage over the Hajj stampede. The Jordanian government used it to distract its people from their new minimum wage law demanded by their labor unions. The Syrian Government used it to create secterian division in Lebanon and change the focus on the Harriri murder.” Abu Aardvark, American Middle East Specialist: “So far this controversy is running according to script: strengthening extremists on both sides and silencing the middle, creating a clash of civilizations that shouldn’t exist and making a mockery of reasonable public discourse. And that, my friends, is a StupidStorm. Can voices of reason break through?” Beirut Spring from Lebanon: “Westerners will sooner or later accept the notion that many Muslims have a weird sense of prioritization. If they starve because of bad government policy or corruption, they attribute it to ‘Godâ??s will’. But if some ‘heathen’ westerner insults their beliefs, they will be seriously offended.” The Black Iris from Jordan: “Islamic governments failed to distinguish between a newspaper in Denmark and the whole of Denmark. Instead of focusing on the newspaper they went after its government which had nothing to do with it. Instead of focusing on the newspaper they went after companies that had nothing to do with it. Did they not think that there are Muslims who live in Denmark that could be affected by it?” عÙ?دÙ?ا “تÙ?بÙ?Ù?” اÙ?ف Ù?Ù? Ù?بÙ?اÙ?: “اÙ?خبرØ? Ù?بدأ اÙ?بعض Ù?ستغÙ?Ù?Ù? Ù?Ù?تÙ?اعب بÙ?صÙ?ر بÙ?دٍ بأÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ø? Ù?Ù?شط اÙ?تÙ?Ù?سÙ?ر Ù?اÙ?تÙ?دÙ?Ù?ر Ù?اÙ?إحراÙ? فÙ? Ù?Ù?تÙ?Ù?اتٍ تخصÙ?Ù?Ù? بÙ?در Ù?ا تخصÙ? أفراداÙ? Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ø? Ù?بدأت اÙ?Ø£Ù?سÙ?Ø© تحÙ?Ù? Ø£Ù?فاظاÙ? Ù?دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ø«Ù? “فتÙ?Ø©Ø? Ù?طائفÙ?Ù?Ø©Ø? Ù?1975…”Ø? ظÙ?ر Ø£Ù?Ù? اÙ?جÙ?Ù? Ù?ستطÙ?ب اÙ?رÙ?Ù?ص فÙ? اÙ?Ù?Ù?عب اÙ?Ù?Ù?بÙ?اÙ?Ù?Ù? Ù?Ø°Ù? اÙ?Ø£Ù?Ù?اÙ?” Haitham Sabbah from Palestine/ Bahrain: “My answer is from within the same concept. Why do you think that ALL Muslims condemn ALL of Denmark? You see my point? ALL? You think ALL in Denmark think we ALL condemn Denmark! This is not true. This is not the case, and was not the case. What you see on TV, read in newspapers, etcâ?¦ is part of the truth. Muslims and Islam donâ??t call for hate and violence. And those you see and hear are only part of the Muslim world.” Big Pharaoh from Egypt: “I can’t end the post without saying: when will we grow up?? The Da Vinci Code did not harm Christianity, 12 cartoons won’t harm Islam either!!” Wael Attili from Jordan: “I know some people are calling for freedom of speech, but those people should know that the rage is not about freedom of speech, it’s about intention… And the Danish people should not defend freedom of speech. Because we know what is freedom of speech more than they do.” Mahmood’s Den from Bahrain: “All for what? A bunch of cartoons that cannot - under ANY circumstance - denigrate the great Prophet, peace be upon him. He is MUCH bigger than those cartoons and depictions and WE, Muslims, know that and nothing will change our image of the great man.” And Far Awayâ?¦ from Jordan: “First there was the boycott, which I was strongly against because I couldn’t understand why we should punish a whole country as well as freedom of speech for some irresponsible and naive cartoons drawn by people who are obviously so ignorant about Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. I also found it unneeded for governments to help ignite the anger in the citizens who didn’t see the cartoons anyway.” Earth to Omar from Syria: “The other thing about free speech is that it shouldnâ??t be offensive to any culture, religion, or peoples. Call it political correctness, call it respect, call it whatever you want. We all hold our tongues at points, and we do it out of respect. Itâ??s a quality that humans have, we call it thoughtfulness. Here I again I ask for consistency. “ Subzero Blue from Tunisia: “We’ve let go of a lot of things, we’ve tolerated a lot of disrespect and racism over the years, but when it gets to our Prophet and touches our religion, there is no way we can just let go! It is totally unacceptable!!I’m against any violent reactions or death threats, but I’m totally for peaceful protest and political or economic boycott if necessary. If the same paper published some caricatures that touched a Jewish figure, the whole world would have stood against it and pointed the anti-semitic finger at them, and ripped them apart.” Bloboz from the UAE: - Ù?Ù?Ù? دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ù?اÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?ا اÙ?تÙ? تضبطÙ?اØ? Ù? اÙ?Ù?اÙ?Ù?Ù? فÙ? اÙ?دÙ?Ù?Ù?ارÙ? Ù? غÙ?رÙ?ا Ù?Ù? اÙ?دÙ?Ù? اÙ?Ù?تحضرة Ù?سÙ?Ø­ بحرÙ?Ø© اÙ?تعبÙ?ر اÙ?Ù?Ø·Ù?Ù?Ø© Ù? بدÙ?Ù? Ø£Ù? Ù?Ù?Ù?د Ù?فرضÙ? Ù?Ù? اÙ?دÙ?Ù?Ø©Ø? Ù? Ù?Ù?Ù? شخص Ø£Ù? Ù?ضع Ù?Ù?Ù?دÙ? بÙ?ا ترضÙ?Ù? Ù?Ù? Ù?فسÙ?Ø? Ù? Ù?طاÙ?بة دÙ?Ù?Ø© آخرÙ? بفرص Ù?Ù?Ù?د Ù? Ù?Ù?ع اÙ?تطرÙ? Ù?Ù?Ù?اضÙ?ع Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?عتبر Ù?Ù?ع Ù?Ù? Ø£Ù?Ù?اع اÙ?تدخÙ? فÙ? اÙ?شؤÙ? اÙ?داخÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ù?ا.- بأÙ? Ø­Ù? تÙ?Ù?ع دÙ?Ù?Ø© شعبÙ?ا Ù?Ù? Ù?Ù?تج Ù?Ù? دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ø© Ø? Ù? Ù?Ù? آعطاÙ?ا اÙ?Ø­Ù? فÙ? فرض Ù?Ù?Ù?د عÙ?Ù? اÙ?شعبØ? â??بفعÙ?Ù?ا Ù?ذا Ù? Ù?Ø£Ù?Ù?ا تÙ?Ù?Ù? بآÙ? اÙ?Ù?Ù?اطÙ? سفÙ?Ù?â? Ø?! I will end this post with the most enlightening thing I have read about the Danish cartoon fiasco, courtesy of Ahmad Humeid from Jordan: “In the spirit of the life of the Prophet, here are 5 ways how the Muslim world could have responded the Danish cartoons: 1. Apply to the Ministry of Culture in Denmark to organize a big exhibition about the Life of Prophet Mohammad and Islamic History. The Saudi and other Arab governments would finance this event and promote it in a big way in the Danish media.2. Invite 100 Danish children to come and live with Arab and Muslim families to learn about life in todayâ??s Arab and Muslim world.3. Invite the editors of the Danish newspaper to a well publicized cultural debate in Doha, Qatar or Copenhagen.4. The embassies of Arab and Muslim nations could commission a website in Danish about Islam, contemporary muslim thinkers and life in todayâ??s Islamic world. A dedicated staff would respond to incoming questions and request for information.5. Subtitle the movie â??The Messageâ?? in Danish and try to get many movie theaters and cultural centers in Denmark to show it. “ [...] […] One of the most amusing things about the blogosphere is instantaneous and unfiltered reaction to events that are currently affecting the world, such as the Palestinian elections last month, the London Bombings last year, or the Live8 concert over the summer. Over the past two weeks, one topic has been dominating aggregators, top searches, and blogs- the now infamous Danish cartoons, and the reaction of Muslim world to this fiasco.   The bloggers on toot, being Arab and/or Muslim, have done their fair share of opinion giving on this matter, enough to represent several sides of the argument. Here’s a little round up of the thoughts of some of the best bloggers in the Middle East on the Danish cartoons: Farah’s Sowaleef from Saudi Arabia: “I don’t believe it is my right to bully a whole nation, and its government and its people, and them good old cows because of what one sleazy individual drew. Furthermore, the newspaper apologized and the Danish envoy in Riyadh made a statement and the apology was addressed to the citizens of Saudi Arabia. There. People who are absolutely unrelated to the sleazy cartoonist jumped in to apologize in a country where individualism is treasured. Now, enough. Why, oh why, must the drama always outlast every event?” Moorish Girl from Morocco: “I say, ‘Leave the cartoonist alone! He has a right to his stupidity!’ And also, for the love of all that is holy, don’t we have better things to do than to worry about a cartoon?” Desert Pundit from Palestine/ Dubai: “I was disgusted by the Arab reaction, not because it rejected the cartoons, which is a right, but how it was non-discriminating, and ignorant in the way it expected the state (Denmark) to control it media the way they do in the Arab World.” Tololy’s Box from Jordan: “One is bound to get a decent amount of reactions, some wise, and most unwise, if one limits people’s freedom or if one lets it off the leash. I find it most amusing how most current trends, and so-dubbed-liberals-in-their-own-words, and kindly do not mistake this for an attack targeting a certain group of individuals (for any such a notion is a false claim), think it appropriate to mock the outrage that is taking the Muslim awareness by storm, and yet to overlook the simplicity of the situation that the caricatures did, in actual fact, insult someone respected by “some” people who happen to have a lot of family.” Rantings of a Sandmonkey from Egypt: “They were actually printed in the Egyptian Newspaper Al Fagr back in October 2005. I repeat, October 2005, during Ramadan, for all the egyptian muslim population to see, and not a single squeak of outrage was present. Guess we will have to Boycott Egypt now as well, huh? Now while the arab islamic population was going crazy over the outrage created by their government’s media over these cartoons, their governments was benifitting from its people’s distraction. The Saudi royal Family used it to distract its people from the outrage over the Hajj stampede. The Jordanian government used it to distract its people from their new minimum wage law demanded by their labor unions. The Syrian Government used it to create secterian division in Lebanon and change the focus on the Harriri murder.” Abu Aardvark, American Middle East Specialist: “So far this controversy is running according to script: strengthening extremists on both sides and silencing the middle, creating a clash of civilizations that shouldn’t exist and making a mockery of reasonable public discourse. And that, my friends, is a StupidStorm. Can voices of reason break through?” Beirut Spring from Lebanon: “Westerners will sooner or later accept the notion that many Muslims have a weird sense of prioritization. If they starve because of bad government policy or corruption, they attribute it to ‘Godâ??s will’. But if some ‘heathen’ westerner insults their beliefs, they will be seriously offended.” The Black Iris from Jordan: “Islamic governments failed to distinguish between a newspaper in Denmark and the whole of Denmark. Instead of focusing on the newspaper they went after its government which had nothing to do with it. Instead of focusing on the newspaper they went after companies that had nothing to do with it. Did they not think that there are Muslims who live in Denmark that could be affected by it?” عÙ?دÙ?ا “تÙ?بÙ?Ù?” اÙ?ف Ù?Ù? Ù?بÙ?اÙ?: “اÙ?خبرØ? Ù?بدأ اÙ?بعض Ù?ستغÙ?Ù?Ù? Ù?Ù?تÙ?اعب بÙ?صÙ?ر بÙ?دٍ بأÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ø? Ù?Ù?شط اÙ?تÙ?Ù?سÙ?ر Ù?اÙ?تÙ?دÙ?Ù?ر Ù?اÙ?إحراÙ? فÙ? Ù?Ù?تÙ?Ù?اتٍ تخصÙ?Ù?Ù? بÙ?در Ù?ا تخصÙ? أفراداÙ? Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ù?Ø? Ù?بدأت اÙ?Ø£Ù?سÙ?Ø© تحÙ?Ù? Ø£Ù?فاظاÙ? Ù?دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ø«Ù? “فتÙ?Ø©Ø? Ù?طائفÙ?Ù?Ø©Ø? Ù?1975…”Ø? ظÙ?ر Ø£Ù?Ù? اÙ?جÙ?Ù? Ù?ستطÙ?ب اÙ?رÙ?Ù?ص فÙ? اÙ?Ù?Ù?عب اÙ?Ù?Ù?بÙ?اÙ?Ù?Ù? Ù?Ø°Ù? اÙ?Ø£Ù?Ù?اÙ?” Haitham Sabbah from Palestine/ Bahrain: “My answer is from within the same concept. Why do you think that ALL Muslims condemn ALL of Denmark? You see my point? ALL? You think ALL in Denmark think we ALL condemn Denmark! This is not true. This is not the case, and was not the case. What you see on TV, read in newspapers, etcâ?¦ is part of the truth. Muslims and Islam donâ??t call for hate and violence. And those you see and hear are only part of the Muslim world.” Big Pharaoh from Egypt: “I can’t end the post without saying: when will we grow up?? The Da Vinci Code did not harm Christianity, 12 cartoons won’t harm Islam either!!” Wael Attili from Jordan: “I know some people are calling for freedom of speech, but those people should know that the rage is not about freedom of speech, it’s about intention… And the Danish people should not defend freedom of speech. Because we know what is freedom of speech more than they do.” Mahmood’s Den from Bahrain: “All for what? A bunch of cartoons that cannot - under ANY circumstance - denigrate the great Prophet, peace be upon him. He is MUCH bigger than those cartoons and depictions and WE, Muslims, know that and nothing will change our image of the great man.” And Far Awayâ?¦ from Jordan: “First there was the boycott, which I was strongly against because I couldn’t understand why we should punish a whole country as well as freedom of speech for some irresponsible and naive cartoons drawn by people who are obviously so ignorant about Islam and the Prophet Mohammad. I also found it unneeded for governments to help ignite the anger in the citizens who didn’t see the cartoons anyway.” Earth to Omar from Syria: “The other thing about free speech is that it shouldnâ??t be offensive to any culture, religion, or peoples. Call it political correctness, call it respect, call it whatever you want. We all hold our tongues at points, and we do it out of respect. Itâ??s a quality that humans have, we call it thoughtfulness. Here I again I ask for consistency. “ Subzero Blue from Tunisia: “We’ve let go of a lot of things, we’ve tolerated a lot of disrespect and racism over the years, but when it gets to our Prophet and touches our religion, there is no way we can just let go! It is totally unacceptable!!I’m against any violent reactions or death threats, but I’m totally for peaceful protest and political or economic boycott if necessary. If the same paper published some caricatures that touched a Jewish figure, the whole world would have stood against it and pointed the anti-semitic finger at them, and ripped them apart.” Bloboz from the UAE: - Ù?Ù?Ù? دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ù?اÙ?Ù?Ù?Ù?ا اÙ?تÙ? تضبطÙ?اØ? Ù? اÙ?Ù?اÙ?Ù?Ù? فÙ? اÙ?دÙ?Ù?Ù?ارÙ? Ù? غÙ?رÙ?ا Ù?Ù? اÙ?دÙ?Ù? اÙ?Ù?تحضرة Ù?سÙ?Ø­ بحرÙ?Ø© اÙ?تعبÙ?ر اÙ?Ù?Ø·Ù?Ù?Ø© Ù? بدÙ?Ù? Ø£Ù? Ù?Ù?Ù?د Ù?فرضÙ? Ù?Ù? اÙ?دÙ?Ù?Ø©Ø? Ù? Ù?Ù?Ù? شخص Ø£Ù? Ù?ضع Ù?Ù?Ù?دÙ? بÙ?ا ترضÙ?Ù? Ù?Ù? Ù?فسÙ?Ø? Ù? Ù?طاÙ?بة دÙ?Ù?Ø© آخرÙ? بفرص Ù?Ù?Ù?د Ù? Ù?Ù?ع اÙ?تطرÙ? Ù?Ù?Ù?اضÙ?ع Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?عتبر Ù?Ù?ع Ù?Ù? Ø£Ù?Ù?اع اÙ?تدخÙ? فÙ? اÙ?شؤÙ? اÙ?داخÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?Ù?ا.- بأÙ? Ø­Ù? تÙ?Ù?ع دÙ?Ù?Ø© شعبÙ?ا Ù?Ù? Ù?Ù?تج Ù?Ù? دÙ?Ù?Ø© Ù?عÙ?Ù?Ø© Ø? Ù? Ù?Ù? آعطاÙ?ا اÙ?Ø­Ù? فÙ? فرض Ù?Ù?Ù?د عÙ?Ù? اÙ?شعبØ? â??بفعÙ?Ù?ا Ù?ذا Ù? Ù?Ø£Ù?Ù?ا تÙ?Ù?Ù? بآÙ? اÙ?Ù?Ù?اطÙ? سفÙ?Ù?â? Ø?! I will end this post with the most enlightening thing I have read about the Danish cartoon fiasco, courtesy of Ahmad Humeid from Jordan: “In the spirit of the life of the Prophet, here are 5 ways how the Muslim world could have responded the Danish cartoons: 1. Apply to the Ministry of Culture in Denmark to organize a big exhibition about the Life of Prophet Mohammad and Islamic History. The Saudi and other Arab governments would finance this event and promote it in a big way in the Danish media.2. Invite 100 Danish children to come and live with Arab and Muslim families to learn about life in todayâ??s Arab and Muslim world.3. Invite the editors of the Danish newspaper to a well publicized cultural debate in Doha, Qatar or Copenhagen.4. The embassies of Arab and Muslim nations could commission a website in Danish about Islam, contemporary muslim thinkers and life in todayâ??s Islamic world. A dedicated staff would respond to incoming questions and request for information.5. Subtitle the movie â??The Messageâ?? in Danish and try to get many movie theaters and cultural centers in Denmark to show it. “ […]

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Arab Bloggers Take on Danish Cartoons http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1876 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Arab Bloggers Take on Danish Cartoons Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:55:27 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1876 [...] Ahmad Humeid wonderâ??s how the Prophet Mohammad would have responded to these cartoons; recalling stories from his religious classes as a child he offers 5 ways the Muslim world can respond. In the same spirit Naseem Tarawnah sees this as an opportunity for engaging in dialogue between the eastern and western worlds. While Haitham Sabbah is hoping that the sanity of the bloggers can help and is soliciting suggestions on what would bring this situation to a peaceful conclusion from his readers. [...] […] Ahmad Humeid wonderâ??s how the Prophet Mohammad would have responded to these cartoons; recalling stories from his religious classes as a child he offers 5 ways the Muslim world can respond. In the same spirit Naseem Tarawnah sees this as an opportunity for engaging in dialogue between the eastern and western worlds. While Haitham Sabbah is hoping that the sanity of the bloggers can help and is soliciting suggestions on what would bring this situation to a peaceful conclusion from his readers. […]

]]> By: Omar http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1690 Omar Wed, 01 Feb 2006 18:26:47 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1690 you raise some interesting point that totally slipped my mind. Remember when the US was preparing to attack Iraq, and Saddam was the only one to stop oil production. The other Arab countries were secretly preparing with the Americans, while publicly opposing the war... What appaled me most was beating up Christian students, in protest!! Such ignorance.... you raise some interesting point that totally slipped my mind. Remember when the US was preparing to attack Iraq, and Saddam was the only one to stop oil production. The other Arab countries were secretly preparing with the Americans, while publicly opposing the war…

What appaled me most was beating up Christian students, in protest!! Such ignorance….

]]> By: Nas http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1661 Nas Wed, 01 Feb 2006 01:30:28 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1661 <strong>Chris,</strong> I appreciate your comment, and respect your point of view. You made some valid points. I guess it boils down to the differences in religion and culture, although Islam itself does not support such violent reactions. thanks Chris, I appreciate your comment, and respect your point of view. You made some valid points. I guess it boils down to the differences in religion and culture, although Islam itself does not support such violent reactions.

thanks

]]> By: Chris http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1660 Chris Wed, 01 Feb 2006 01:03:44 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1660 I agree on many things you posted here, but your are totally wrong with the following: " I highly doubt they would have done the same thing with any other religion". You can find far worse caricatures or even "art" work of Jesus, compared to those caricatures in the danish newspaper. I can post you some links if you don't believe me. But the difference is the reaction of the people. I have never heard of christians boycotting products from the UK because of the popular movie "The life of Brian" by Monty Python, for example. There are law suits if the church thought a caricature does go too far, but no one threatens to kill other people. I don't know if you have actually seen the caricatures, they are drawing a connection from your prophet to the terrorists. And what is the reaction to it? Terrorism. From my western point of view, I have to say that the muslim world is going to lose the respect it always demands through those reactions. However, it is good to see that you and some other bloggers I have read don't support the boycott or violent reactions. I can understand if you feel offended by the caricatures, but like you, I cannot understand the reactions by part of the muslim world. I hope you don't mind my open words here. Best regards from Germany, Chris I agree on many things you posted here, but your are totally wrong with the following: ” I highly doubt they would have done the same thing with any other religion”. You can find far worse caricatures or even “art” work of Jesus, compared to those caricatures in the danish newspaper. I can post you some links if you don’t believe me.
But the difference is the reaction of the people. I have never heard of christians boycotting products from the UK because of the popular movie “The life of Brian” by Monty Python, for example. There are law suits if the church thought a caricature does go too far, but no one threatens to kill other people.

I don’t know if you have actually seen the caricatures, they are drawing a connection from your prophet to the terrorists. And what is the reaction to it? Terrorism. From my western point of view, I have to say that the muslim world is going to lose the respect it always demands through those reactions.

However, it is good to see that you and some other bloggers I have read don’t support the boycott or violent reactions. I can understand if you feel offended by the caricatures, but like you, I cannot understand the reactions by part of the muslim world.

I hope you don’t mind my open words here. Best regards from Germany,
Chris

]]> By: Nas http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1659 Nas Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:06:37 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1659 <strong>Oleander,</strong> thank you for your opinion on the matter. as for "Muslims will now be celebrated in our countries as victory and the reason for the apology", oh God, I did not see that one coming. Hopefully it wont. I'm imagining people talking about how God made them do it. sigh, stupidity has no limitations :-D <strong> Roba, </strong>ah well, opinions are a dime a dozen. it's actions that i'm more interested in. thanks ;-) Oleander, thank you for your opinion on the matter. as for “Muslims will now be celebrated in our countries as victory and the reason for the apology”, oh God, I did not see that one coming. Hopefully it wont. I’m imagining people talking about how God made them do it. sigh, stupidity has no limitations :-D

Roba, ah well, opinions are a dime a dozen. it’s actions that i’m more interested in. thanks ;-)

]]> By: Roba http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1657 Roba Tue, 31 Jan 2006 22:50:25 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1657 Woohoo, Nas! It's great to see such opinions. Woohoo, Nas! It’s great to see such opinions.

]]> By: Oleander http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1656 Oleander Tue, 31 Jan 2006 22:45:54 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1656 Well said Nas and Moi, I too wonder about the timing of apology that was really quite meaningless at this point, I would've even had more respect for the newspaper if that have stuck to their guns and preached free speech, I mean what has changed? Which is truly sad because the outlandish response by Arabs and Muslims will now be celebrated in our countries as victory and the reason for the apology. We chose to write very similar pieces Naseem, of course yours is much more articulate :) Well said Nas and Moi, I too wonder about the timing of apology that was really quite meaningless at this point, I would’ve even had more respect for the newspaper if that have stuck to their guns and preached free speech, I mean what has changed? Which is truly sad because the outlandish response by Arabs and Muslims will now be celebrated in our countries as victory and the reason for the apology.
We chose to write very similar pieces Naseem, of course yours is much more articulate :)

]]> By: Nas http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1653 Nas Tue, 31 Jan 2006 22:35:50 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1653 <strong>Moi,</strong> yes i too despise this double standard. It's hypocricy at its best. As for an apology, I'm not sure if they would have. At this point their apology may not look as sincere as it should since it's a result of boycott pressures. Nevertheless a dialogue should have been established and all other means exhausted first. This kind of action only reinforces the stereotypes, makes more people hate Muslims, all for a forced apology. People will probably be more inclined now to aggrevate the Muslim world in retaliation. thanks for the comment Moi, yes i too despise this double standard. It’s hypocricy at its best. As for an apology, I’m not sure if they would have. At this point their apology may not look as sincere as it should since it’s a result of boycott pressures. Nevertheless a dialogue should have been established and all other means exhausted first. This kind of action only reinforces the stereotypes, makes more people hate Muslims, all for a forced apology. People will probably be more inclined now to aggrevate the Muslim world in retaliation.

thanks for the comment

]]> By: moi http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1651 moi Tue, 31 Jan 2006 22:24:37 +0000 http://www.black-iris.com/2006/01/31/european-islamic-dialogue-in-post-cartoon-fisaco/#comment-1651 I agree that an out right boycott of Danish goods is not the most effective way to deal with this situation. However, I wonder if the newspaper would have issued the apology (which I think is enough) if there had not been such a huge outcry against the cartoons? What bothers me more about this boycott is who it comes from. I know that ordinary Saudis, Qataris, etc, are really doing this because they believe it will show how offended they are. But the fact that the governments got involved is ludicrous. Hello? Are we talking about the same Qatar and Saudi Arabia who have the largest American military bases in the Middle East from which the Iraq War was planned and executed? I hate these double standards. They're rightly offended by dispicable cartoons, but they're not offended that they are directly responsible for the success of American invasion of Iraq and subsequently the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis? They're willing to take a strong stance on something that won't cost them that much, but when it hits their oil resources, they shut up. Give me a break. I hate when they use religion when they want to, and forget about it when they want to (Arab governments that is). It's so convenient. Thanks for your post. I agree that an out right boycott of Danish goods is not the most effective way to deal with this situation. However, I wonder if the newspaper would have issued the apology (which I think is enough) if there had not been such a huge outcry against the cartoons?
What bothers me more about this boycott is who it comes from. I know that ordinary Saudis, Qataris, etc, are really doing this because they believe it will show how offended they are. But the fact that the governments got involved is ludicrous. Hello? Are we talking about the same Qatar and Saudi Arabia who have the largest American military bases in the Middle East from which the Iraq War was planned and executed? I hate these double standards. They’re rightly offended by dispicable cartoons, but they’re not offended that they are directly responsible for the success of American invasion of Iraq and subsequently the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis? They’re willing to take a strong stance on something that won’t cost them that much, but when it hits their oil resources, they shut up. Give me a break. I hate when they use religion when they want to, and forget about it when they want to (Arab governments that is). It’s so convenient.
Thanks for your post.

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