US takes advantage of cartoon fiasco

Or maybe Muslims in the US were calling to complain to their Government Representatives to speak up about it.

But your right, lets assume the worse because all Americans are dirty Yankees right? pitiful...

Edited by SearchAndDestroy

America is more religious than Europe, especially it's leadership.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they actually do understand the offense.

Clever move, regardless of motives.

Who do you think that has fed Fundamentalism in the Middle East? The USA and its Saudi puppy. Why? Now we can see it: both the USA and Israel are much more fundamentalist/religious than almost anything Europe and also more than anywhere in East Asia, so they can exploit the irrational processes of fanaticism better than we do.

This explains well why the USA has favored Saudi Arabia and it's puppies while destroying laicist alternatives such as Baathist Iraq but also pro-Soviet Afgahanistan.

Watch out Turkey! You may be next.

But Italians and Poles are the more fundis in Europe. Not long ago an Italian candidate for the Eurocomission was vetoed beause of homophobia and speaking against lone mothers... Simultaneously other tories from diferent nations passed the test without problems. Italia e pazza.

Let's see: Greece is also rather intolerant, and Ireland too. Spain protects Catholicism with money and privilieges but blasphemy is no crime here. If it was, jails would be filled with people, as near everybody blasphemes in common language a lot. Also there are many anti-clericals and few active Christians left.

Anyhow, I think it's important that religioun has no protection:after all it's just an irrational superstion without any reason to exist other than ignorance and traditions. We need to finance public education systems everyhwhere: educated people don't have those problems for the most part. Also religions are fed through bad public educational systems.

I think it's very clever (as i would do the same in their position). They're finally doing what i've been thinking they should do since 2001, win back the hearts of muslims.

Hounestly though, im starting to get a bit scared, there's demonstations in almost every islamic capital and last night there was a sky news poll (ok ok not exactly reliable) saying that 75% feel that the cartoons should be published in England. Jihadi's are going to take advantage if an apology isn't given (and by all means i feel it should be given).

That with Chirac stating he will retailate attacks with nukes, which of course probably won't happen, but the very thought of it is making me scared

The British government lined up with the US, which irritated me since Parliament only a few days ago, in a revolt against the government, decided that publishing such material would be legal, no matter how offensive,

Originally posted by Mila I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they actually do understand the offense.

People adopting my position fully understand the offence. The point is that one should be free to offend. Giving offence should not be illegal, any more than burning flags and boycotting stuff should be illegal.

What is wrong is killing and mutilating people, or threatening to do so (as has happened to the Danish cartoonists), or inciting other people to kill and mutilate.

The way to answer a cartoon is with another cartoon. Or as that brave Jordanian journalist put it, to ignore the trivial and concentrate on the important, like photographs of Muslims beheading hostages.

Giles Coren had a superb piece on the situation in The Times today

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2023883,00.html

as did Matthew Paris

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2023870,00.html

 

 

Freedom of expression has, as any other freedom, the limit of the respect to the life, the properties and the honor of the others. In almost all the countries there exist legislations that establish these limits, including the right of the persons, communities and state institutions to raising bills of complaint when they suffer a calumny or damage or see stained their beliefs.

But of course, you can't blame an entire country for this or an entire culture. Islamic countries are accustomed to the community whereas in the western world predominates the individualism. And the governments cannot decide on the matter, only a judge can decide if this cartoonist is guilty or not.

 So, I can't believe that this has converted to a clash of civilizations without any reason.

come on Maju,  how can any muslim organisation control what fringe groups or individuals do? do you have any say in ETA's operations?  do any of your community leaders that you know of?  Should the Spanish military lace Bayonne with C-4 so that next time there is an ETA transgression the whole city be detonated?

Can ETA survive without Bayonne?

Edited by Zagros

Originally posted by Zagros come on Maju,  how can any muslim organisation control what fringe groups or individuals do?

Intolerance is being cheered by all Muslim and quasi-Muslim entities (except curiously the Muslims of Europe).

The question is why have we to bear the babbling of a bunch of superstitious fanatics. It seems that we have comitted a crime and that we should be punished for that.

I say no: we have not comitted any crime and we should let very clear that any agression will be retaliated and that Saudis (the main financers of fundamentalism and intolerance) won't be able to escape this time.

Maybe it would be enough to freeze Saudi acounts in Europe... maybe not. I think that would be weak if something like that of van Gogh happens again. I think that we must be merciless... our tolerance is being pushed to the limit, our benevolence and hospitality is being abused.