From a Muslim Blog: "Stupid Cartoons, Even Stupider Reactions"

[liberalpragmatist]

This is a great post that I think people ought to read. The blogger describes herself as "a young Muslim woman seeking soulful enlightenment in cyberspace."

http://www.safiyyah.ca/wordpress/?p=228

January 31, 2006
Stupid Cartoons, Even Stupider Reaction

I’m quite troubled over the cartoon controversy in Denmark, not because of the cartoons themselves, which I agree are offensive, but rather, because of the absurd overreaction of Muslims worldwide. We haven’t learned from the Rushdie affair — this is yet another instance where we’ve gone out of our way to make ourselves look stupid.

For anyone living under a rock, here’s what happened. Four months ago, on September 30th, 2005, a Danish newspaper called Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in ways that many Muslims deemed sacrilegious. The newspaper claimed — quite foolishly, I think — that the cartoons were “part of an ongoing public debate on freedom of expression” in Denmark. There were a few protests by Muslims and meetings with the Prime Minister of Denmark, but things came to a head on January 10th, 2006, when two Norwegian papers published similar cartoons that were then circulated in the Middle East. Since then, the response has been stupendous:

<snip>

Why are we so exciteable anyway? Why even care what a newspaper thinks? The cartoons, horrendous though they may be, need not affect a Muslim’s impression of the Prophet, for our tradition clearly shows him to be a man imbued with dignity, morality and goodness. The Prophet was ridiculed from the moment he started receiving revelation in Mecca more than 1400 years ago. The mockery — even the threats on his life — are well documented in the Quran and hadith literature. A few cartoons will do little to harm him — or us.

Some might argue that Islam bars any depiction of the Prophet. Even so, we Muslims cannot force other people to appreciate the Prophet the way we do. We live, for the most part, in free societies, and there are countless opportunities to share with others our own vision of the Prophet and to convince others that he is a man to be honoured and dignified. We can do so by living like the Prophet did, by behaving and speaking in the noble manner of the Prophet himself, and by showing ourselves to be the rightful followers of this blessed man.

[joeybee12]

1. Good for her! n/t

[Ksec]

2. I Totally agree

I dont know which is more stupid.

[Hatalles]

3. It's not just her. This is the position of most Muslims...

... it was basically the sermon I heard at the mosque I went to this past Friday.

[Pacifist Patriot]

21. I agree. Any Muslim of my acquaintance could have written the same.

[Catrina]

4. She sounds like the Muslim women I know ~

Two of them live in the ME and are educated and thoughtful, intelligent, working mothers who deplore violence as a method of settling disputes. One lives in the UAE the other in Egypt ~ they both have children and both are religious but deplore the extremism of some Muslims just as many moderate Christians deplore the extremism of the fundamentalists here.

Someone said today that OUR Christian fundies don't go around setting embassies on fire because of cartoons. That's true, they go and bomb whole countries in the ME for no reason at all other than greed and a lust for power ~

George Bush said this week that he 'believes in the Almighty' and the 'Almighty wants all people on the face of the earth to be free'. So we have a leader who thinks it is his Christian duty to 'free' everyone on the face of the earth (especially if they have oil) because his god wants that. And we are shocked at the burning of embassies by THEIR fundies??

I don't know why the criminals, especially those in the pictures from Britain, were not arrested as soon as this all began ~

[Hatalles]

5. kick

[IndyOp]

6. Yes/No...

I think she is very level-headed and wise. The tone of the outcry might be less 'hysterical' - but the outcry itself, IMHO, is reasonable.

This is, to me, the same as the cartoons of the Jews drawn by Nazis to denigrate them -- the cartoons set a tone that allow for more horrendous instances of hate speech and behavior.

[Harper_is_Bush]

7. That entire blog looks like CIA psyops. Talk about bizarre. n/t

[Hatalles]

9. Huh?

[Hoping4Change]

12. Are you serious. She is a Canadian blogger who sounds like

she's cut from the same cloth as Irshad Manji.

[liberalpragmatist]

14. Actually, she seems to have more credibility on this than Irshad Manji

Nothing against Irshad Manji, here. I'm just pointing out that Irshad Manji has largely left the Islamic fold. She still considers herself a Muslim, but isn't particularly devout and openly hostile to much of the religion. It would be same as getting a perspective on the Catholic Church from someone who left the Church - certainly a valid viewpoint, but not someone one would necessarily rely on if we're curious about someone who is both a religious Muslim and a political liberal.

This blogger, on the other hand, is pretty devout if you read the rest of the blog and check the "about her" section, as she even keeps the hijab.

[Hatalles]

16. Yes.

I was going to make a similar point about Manji. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Hoping4Change]

18. Why buy into the notion that liberal anything isnt the real thing.

Why are people who are conservative in their viewspoints considered the real deal? I can't believe that on a liberal board you're playing into the notion that people adhering to a consevative outlook are more authorative, that they are more religious. I'm really shocked.

[liberalpragmatist]

19. That's not what I'm saying

I'm not discounting the opinion of someone like Irshad Manji. I'm just saying that if you want to prove that religious Muslims are not all terrorists or supporters of embassy-burning, etc., a more conservative and devout Muslim is a more relevant example.

It's not even the fact that this blogger is more traditional, what with taking the hijab. It has to do with the fact that Irshad Manji has explicitly stated that she considers herself estranged from Islam. She still identifies as a Muslim in terms of culture, but she has largely left the religion. If you were seeking a Catholic opinion on something, you probably would seek it from someone who's actually a practicing Catholic as opposed to someone who is a lapsed Catholic or an atheist.

A person who practiced more liberally and didn't wear hijab but considered herself a devout Muslim, for instance, would have the same credibility on this issue as this blogger. The reason I pointed out that this blogger wears the hijab is due to the stereotype. It wouldn't surprise anybody to read an opinion like this from a liberal Muslim who didn't wear the hijab. But the perception - wrong as it is - is that a woman with a hijab is conservative, easily-offended, etc.

[Hoping4Change]

20. Point taken however it is my understanding that she still attends

Mosque. Her stated goal has been to reform Islam not renounce it.

As for needing proof that not all religious Muslims are terrorists. I don't need proof cuz I'm a liberal and liberals know better than to entertain such a dumb idea.:hippie:

[Harper_is_Bush]

25. Yes, I am. I spent some time reading through it, and it seems

quite contrived in places.

[Hoping4Change]

15. Gee aren't CIA psyops agents shadowing figures.Go figure picture & bio.

My name is Safiyyah Ally. I was born and raised in Toronto, and I am a proud Canadian.

In November 2005, I will receive my Honours BA in Political Science at the University of Toronto. I am currently a first-year Ph.D student in Political Science at UofT. Those of you who live in Canada might recognize me as the host of “Let the Quran Speak”, a television show that airs on CTS at 9:30 pm on Saturdays.

This website will showcase some of the projects I’m working on. It will also feature articles I’ve written that have found their way into magazines, newspapers and journals. Feel free to click on the contents of my sidebar. If you want to find out what I’m thinking about right now, visit my blog. It houses my most recent reflections.

I hope you enjoy your visit. Email me at [e-mail] if you’d like to know more.




http://www.safiyyah.ca/ (Link to her picture and bio) <edited to explain link>

[Harper_is_Bush]

26. Check her story out and let us know then!

I have to agree and thanks for the point. If she refers to a TV show then she's what she is, no doubt.

[file83]

22. "CIA psyops" - LOL. That would mean that you think the CIA's job is to

bring peace and understanding amongst the masses? LOL - that's a good one.

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. I can think of something else that seems more bizarre.

[SmokingJacket]

36. The CIA's agenda is to make ALL Muslims look like crazy

terrorists. This woman actually sounds reasonable.

[opusprime]

8. Watching this story I couldnt help but think...

about the whole "Merry Christmas" idiocy that we had to deal with for the last 2 months.

Why is it that fundimentalists are so easily "offended" by the opinions of others?

And how is this whole democracy, freedom of the press thing supposed to work in the Middle East? I'm getting the feeling these guys arent going to be too happy with a free press.

[roguevalley]

10. I agree with her too. I also listened to an Islam expert say that there

is so much poverty and despair in the rank and file that this is their only beautiful thing, their religion is their jewel. That is why they defend it so roundly.

[Pacifist Patriot]

23. And that is why the prosperous West will never understand.

[genie_weenie]

34. "the west will never understand"

Come on! The West, whomever that is, has been dealing with Islam and Muslims for 1400 years.

The truth of the matter is, we are currently living in a time when rigid orthodoxy, is demanded by fundamentalists of some religions, and also a time when, it seems, everyone *WANTS* to bring about the "Clash of Civilizations".

[Pacifist Patriot]

37. Not Islam, poverty.

You removed a key word when you quoted me.

The prosperous "west" doesn't understand poverty. I would hazard a guess that a higher percentage of the world Muslim population is poor by contrast with the other two monotheistic faiths. Fundamentalism combined with poverty fuels violence. Christian fundamentalists in America may talk a good game but they aren't going to take to the streets over a cartoon depicting Jesus sacriligiously. It isn't the fundamentalist religion that is the ultimate motivator, it's the poverty.

ETA:

The West, whomever that is, has been dealing with Islam and Muslims for 1400 years.

Whomever that is: The other two monotheistic world faiths and the nation states in which they are a majority. (Granted, primarily Christianity)

Yes, and they've been doing such a tremendously successful job dealing with Islam and Muslims for 1400 years, haven't they? I mean we have such a wealth of understanding and knowledge about the religion in our society. :sarcasm:

[Raine]

11. GREAT insight

thanks for posting this. :thumbsup:

[Hoping4Change]

13. Nominated. And woohoo whadaknow she's Canadian.

:applause: :kick:

[Idioteque]

17. But...but...Islam isn't a religion of peace...it's a religion of EVIL!!

That's what the folks at FreeRepublic, RedState, and Little Green Fascists say. And they wonder why many in the Islamic community hate us.

[kisstheman]

27. Most muslims are not that stupid.

At least not the ones I met at college.

[kisstheman]

28. Good for the poster. This is not a discussion on religon

This is a discussion on freedom of speech.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hatalles]

31. You only "see" one type of reaction...

... because it is the only response you are shown on television. Your everyday joe-blo peaceful Muslims aren't as photogenic as a throng of violent fundies.

[liberalpragmatist]

32. As another Muslim blog I read said...

... headlines that screamed "Tens of Millions of Middle Eastern Muslims Go About Their Daily Lives" wouldn't exactly sell too much copy.

This post I made in another thread has links to several other Muslim blogs and a nice piece on the unfortunately forgotten "Muslim Gandhi": http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=333124&mesg_id=339889

[kisstheman]

33. Exactly, only those who own the headlines make the news ...

America thrives on that. The only thing is that we do not hear the moderates on this issue. This is very important in the west because the west sees what has happened to the Danish and other Embassies as an attack on us more so then the cartoons can ever be percieved in islam. I don't think this is getting through to those who should understand this.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

35. I'm getting increasingly angry

that the nutters are the ones getting the airtime.

Thanks for the link.

[KittyWampus]

38. Except this was INTENTIONAL provocation by the Media.

Note- the cartoons first appeared in one country with some, but not much, condemnation and NO VIOLENCE.

They were then published more widely, as if to ensure there'd be a violent outlash.

Also note- the publishers supposedly did this to explore religious attitudes but DECLINED to post cartoons attacking Christianity.

So saying this is a discussion about Freedom of Speech totally ignores the use of the Press and Mass Media to manipulate groups of people and to further the cause of Fascism.

[ronnie624]

39. I agree.

This whole incident is more about propaganda and the ability to provoke reactions in large numbers of people on a global scale. Not only by inciting violence by a relatively small number of muslims, but then using the subsequent images of the violence to provoke fear and loathing in westerners. It reeks of the manufacturing of consent for war.

[Karenina]

40. And it's working according to plan...

[deadparrot]

30. Well put. nt