Religiously offensive cartoons must be outlawed...

Let me be perfectly clear: I am a Muslim, and I am offended by the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed. I also am offended and deeply disturbed by the reaction these cartoons have evoked. Being offended by cartoons should never give rise to the destruction of property and the taking of another's life. There is enough violence and killing in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Congo, Sudan and in hundreds of American and European cities where crimes occur every day. I have had enough of violence and hate.

Jean Sadat is a senior fellow with the Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, College Park.

www.nydailynews.com...

This is an opinon piece from todays NYdaily news and I was wondering what my fellow ATSer's opinion is on his commentary.

[edit on 15-2-2006 by ferretman2]

Mod Edit: To insert the external source tags.

[edit on 2-15-2006 by Djarums]

Freedom of speech is far more important than upsetting the believers of fairy stories.

Without satire our society and beliefs will never develop.

This is dangerous thinking

Sadat has a problem..He's in the wrong country.



There should also be a law that children around the world should have
a highly nurtured "sense of humor". Those who beat down that ability to laugh should be punished.

Originally posted by ferretman2
I was wondering what my fellow ATSer's opinion is on his commentary.

I totally disagree with the author of the article.

From your link:

There should be a law that requires us to appreciate the cultures and beliefs of our fellow human beings.

Requiring my appreciation (respect, honor, whatever) is telling me how to think, how to feel. Legislating feelings and thoughts is so far away from what this country is about.

There are some cultural beliefs and practices that I will never respect. Honor killings comes to mind. Poligamy, religion in government, arranged marriage, there are many cultural practices and beliefs that I will never appreciate regardless of what the law says.

From your link:

There should be a law that says reasonable, responsible people of any faith, or no faith for that matter, cannot attack others simply because of their beliefs.

A drawing is not an 'attack', unless it's used to give someone a paper cut. An attack might incorporate fists, knives, guns, a bat, fire. If someone cannot handle seeing a certain drawing, then they need to turn away or close their eyes.

Why is he going on about faith? Why is faith so special? Can you 'attack' my mother but not my faith?

Yeah, sounds like this guy thinks he has a right not to be offended. No such right exists. Get over it.

[edit on 15-2-2006 by Benevolent Heretic]

I agree with you Strangerous. In a 'free' press once one item is banned, other will follow.

I think it is obsene that they think we should change our entire way of life because they can't understand satire.

And to all those who wish to say "it's against their religion', bullpoo, not only can you purchase items with Mohammad on them in the streets of Iran (openly), look at middle-eastern history books and you will find many pictures.

This Iranian site contains a photograph of a mural which appears to depict Mohammed (sixth picture down) on a contemporary building in Iran. The mural shows Buraq (the animal that carried Mohammed on his Night Voyage, described as being white and having the face of a woman and the tail of a peacock, which this creature does) carrying a figure who could therefore only be Mohammed.

www.zombietime.com...

I guess these should never have been made.

[edit on 15-2-2006 by ferretman2]

[edit on 15-2-2006 by ferretman2]

Mod Edit: Insert external source tags. When quoting from offsite please use [ ex] instead of [ quote]

[edit on 2-15-2006 by Djarums]

I will protect my first ammendment rights with my 2nd ammendment rights.

I am so sick of Muslims thinking that they are in some way so special that no one can criticize them.

Originally posted by American Mad Man
I am so sick of Muslims thinking that they are in some way so special that no one can criticize them.

Now there's some irony for you.

Originally posted by Strangerous
Freedom of speech is far more important than upsetting the believers of fairy stories.

Without satire our society and beliefs will never develop.

This is dangerous thinking

Agreed 100%.

Starting down the path of restricting freedom of speech is quite the slippery slope.

- Attero

Originally posted by Attero Auctorita

Originally posted by Strangerous
Freedom of speech is far more important than upsetting the believers of fairy stories.

Without satire our society and beliefs will never develop.

This is dangerous thinking

Agreed 100%.

Starting down the path of restricting freedom of speech is quite the slippery slope.

- Attero

Sorry academia fell down that slope when it started the entire PC movement.

...and who draws a line what is meant to be "religious offensive"?

This is one of The 12 cartoons published in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten



Is it religious offensive - so offensive that one should get death threats for drawing or printing it...or so offensive that printing such cartoons should be forbidden?

Originally posted by American Mad Man
I will protect my first ammendment rights with my 2nd ammendment rights.

I am so sick of Muslims thinking that they are in some way so special that no one can criticize them.

This is so hypocritial if you are such advocates of freedom of speech" even know its offending people in this case. No one will have a proplem with Holocaust cartoons ?




freedom of speech is just that unequivical freedom of speech !




[edit on 15-2-2006 by helium3]

Today it's cartoons.......tomorrow? Christmas or perhaps Hannukah?
Or worse St. Patty's day? Oh god no, every Irishman in the house just fainted! Now before I get flamed to making an Irish joke, let me say that I am part Irish and it is "Me god givin right!" The ability to find humor in everyday life IS A GIFT FROM GOD! It allows we humans to look at what makes us different as well as what makes us the same with a light hearted
approach. Medical Experiments have proven that a good laugh once a day is good for your heart. Of course they said the same thing about apples, red wine, beer and sex! The beer and sex part got my attention the most, well........... the beer anyway but getting back to my point, oh well too late, one mention of beer and I lost my train of thought. Norma and all the gang at the Rusty Pelican say, "May ye be in heaven a half hour before the Devil knows your dead!"

hmmm.....ya know, we could pass a law that says that we all should respect and appreciating each others religions and beliefs.....

but wouldn't it kind of be unenforcable anyways....unless of course they've come with a way to read minds and we are all required to submit to a daily mind scan.

there are laws that prohibit someone from attacking you because of your religious beleif......matter of fact, I believe there is laws that prohibit someone from attacking you..irregardless of the reason why. of course, an attack would mean there is a threat to bodily harm....

I can't help it, I wonder if these people would respect and appreciate my beliefs if I decided that God wanted me to sing at the top of my lungs in their favorite resturant, or go to work tomorrow in a bathing suit, or heck, even sit down in a busy section of Saudi Arabia reading my Bible out loud??


hey, smoking tobacco is a sacred right for some groups in america.....umm.....you all better start respecting us smokers!!

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"freedom of speech is just that unequivical freedom of speech ! "

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that's right........and protection from speech is unequivical protection from speech!!! no more telling people they are sinners, or that they are going to hell....that their way isn't God's way.....
no more calling those who have abortions murderers, or even telling them God doesn't approve. no more calling for the murder of the infidels. no more a lot of things.......

[edit on 15-2-2006 by dawnstar]

Its so FAKE how people like Riwka only started to support Denmark when there started to offend Muslims.
This is only reinforced by the fact Riwka has a Israeli flag in there too.

How would people feel if palestinian members had Nazi flags in there sig's, saying support the nazi party ?
Because of there hate for Jewish people ? This type of bevahiour perpetuates hate.



[edit on 15-2-2006 by helium3]

Nothing is better than a healthy sense of humor and freedom of speech.

I dont agree how Islam reacted but I dont agree how the Danish reacted as well... an apology would be great... freedom of speech is not a sheild to insult a religion.

If he hes had enough violence and hate, maybe he should forget harmless cartoons and do something about his fellow muslims killing each other and providing false information trying to spur hate onto European countries.

Instead of outlawing anything offensive to religions, Id outlaw the religions itself because they promote far more hate than any newspaper could.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
There are some cultural beliefs and practices that I will never respect. Honor killings comes to mind. Poligamy, religion in government, arranged marriage, there are many cultural practices and beliefs that I will never appreciate regardless of what the law says.

Why is he going on about faith? Why is faith so special? Can you 'attack' my mother but not my faith?

Yeah, sounds like this guy thinks he has a right not to be offended. No such right exists. Get over it.

[edit on 15-2-2006 by Benevolent Heretic]

Thats why it's called a cultural divide. The current state of Islam cannot allow such freedoms. Tolerance, as taught in the Western world, is a void concept in the Arabic world when it comes to discussing Islam or portraying Islam. I have yet to sit down with an elder Muslim and discuss Islam as opposed to Christianity, and Judaism, without the talk degrading. Islam in most parts of the world is not ready to accept tolerance although Islam preaches tolerance to their religion. The cartoon is a prime example of this fact, where instead of blowing off the insult, violence erupts due to freedom of speech. If this were the case in the Western world there would be no Muslims working in car factories, engineering, airports, but in meager low wage jobs. Discrimination generally agrees when you have a lack of freedom of speech.





[edit on 15-2-2006 by vincere7]

It seriously stopped bothering me and I went with the "What a bunch of nuts" crowd. After this.



When you start using the freedom.... to protest the freedom your using to protest...

Your a nut.

No, I don't think all of islam is nuts nor any arabs or anyone.

The people rioting.... nuts.

-DT

effum if they can't take a joke!