Cartoon Battle: Islamic Unrest Continues Over Muhammed Cartoon
Jim Kouri, CPP
February 04, 2006
As I read newspaper accounts and watch news footage on the tube of unrest and protesting by Muslims in Europe and the Middle East, I'm reminded of two things: First, I'm reminded why the First Amendment of the US Constitution is so precious and necessary for our liberty; and second, in spite of President Bush's dream of bringing democracy to the Islamic world, it ain't going to happen, folks. They live in the 12th Century. And if someone came to England in the 12th Century talking about democratic elections, his life expectancy from that moment on would be about 15 seconds.
Just look at the recent Palestinian elections. The people elected terrorists to serve in their parliament. And they didn't just vote for a few killers; they gave them the majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament. That is far from being a democracy. Anyone who believes that people who strap bombs onto themselves and blow themselves to smithereens along with a bunch of innocent, hapless victims will build a democracy probably believes Jimmy Carter was the best president in the 20th Century.
This evening I watched news video of Muslims in different parts of the globe reacting to the Muhammed cartoon published in a newspaper I never even heard of before this past week. In Britain, protesters called for death and destruction such as the July 7 bombings in London. Hundreds of Muslims gathered to protest against the recent republication of cartoons satirizing the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
According to media accounts coming out of Britain, they shouted "7/7 is on its way" as the demonstrators waved placards and burnt flags in a march through the capital to the Danish, French and German embassies.
The British press described it thus:
"Anger has been sparked worldwide by the images, which first appeared in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September but have since been republished and broadcast across the Continent. (They failed to mention it was Muslims who kept republishing the offensive cartoon.)
"The drawings include one depicting Muhammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb. Another shows him saying that paradise was running out of virgins."
Political correctness aside, I think the cartoons are funny. Others may feel it's in bad taste. But that's how it is: one man's comedy may be another man's blasphemy. Did anyone see American Christians rise up and threaten death and destruction as they surrounded museums displaying the critically acclaimed art titled, "Piss Christ," which was an upside-down Crucifix in a jar of the artist's urine? Did anyone see Catholics storming the museums that displayed the Blessed Virgin covered in elephant dung? And exhibits such as these were funded by the Clinton Administration. Yet, there was no violence. There anger, hurt and sadness maybe, but no violence.
Unlike now when he can't keep his mouth shut and actually throws gasoline on the fire by likening a silly cartoon to the Holocaust, Clinton showed no outrage that art exhibits viciously intended to offend the faith of millions of Americans were funded by money the IRS confiscated from those very Christians and Catholics.
And speaking of of the Great Windbag himself, he's shooting off his mouth about not discontinuing financial aid to the Palestinians even if they are ruled by terrorists. With statements like that I'm shocked we weren't hit by terrorists more frequently during his eight years in the White House. But he's not the only appeaser. (Remember that US liberals are really Europeans at heart.)
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw launched a fierce attack, not on the protesters and their threats of violence, but on the decision by some media outlets to republish the cartoons. Media organizations -- including the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV -- as well as several European newspapers showed the controversial drawings, some with defiant headlines.
The British broadcast companies defended their use of the images, saying that they had been used to provide context and explanation in news reports.
Straw relied, "There is freedom of speech, we all respect that, but there is not any obligation to insult or to be gratuitously inflammatory. I believe that the republication of these cartoons has been unnecessary, it has been insensitive, it has been disrespectful and it has been wrong."
Earth to Straw! Earth to Straw! Come in, Straw! What is unnecessary, insensitive and disrespectful are Muslims wearing explosives and detonating themselves while taking out innocent men, women and children who aren't the least bit interested in 72 virgins. Or Muslims commandeering planes and flying them into office buildings. Now that's insensitive, Secretary Straw. How about those statements about "we will kill you" or "we will annihilate you? Pretty insensitive and disrespectful, what?
But Mr. Straw praised the British media for showing "considerable responsibility and sensitivity" in its approach to the issue. In other words, they "punked out." Take it from me -- an Arab-American on my father's side: say what you will about Muslims, but they recognize a spineless punk when they see one.
Does anyone think these Islamofascists worry about the Europeans taking action against them? We may have forgotten the almost three weeks of rioting in France when the French looked like the keystone cops and the President of France hid in his office. Did we forget? Well, The Islamofascists didn't. Again, say what you will about Muslims, but they know a paper tiger when they see one.
Several of the demonstrators chanted "Down, down UK" and "Down, down EU" as well as other anti-British slogans. A group of around 20 women, covered by the traditional Islamic burqa, yelled slogans and held large banners proclaiming: "Kill the one who insults the Prophet." Nice ladies, what? Hey, that would make a great cartoon. I understand that if women become suicide bombers they get to be one of the virgins in paradise. Of course, who the heck wants a virgin with a mustache? I know. That's insensitive. So shoot me.
Just look at the recent Palestinian elections. The people elected terrorists to serve in their parliament. And they didn't just vote for a few killers; they gave them the majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament. That is far from being a democracy. Anyone who believes that people who strap bombs onto themselves and blow themselves to smithereens along with a bunch of innocent, hapless victims will build a democracy probably believes Jimmy Carter was the best president in the 20th Century.
This evening I watched news video of Muslims in different parts of the globe reacting to the Muhammed cartoon published in a newspaper I never even heard of before this past week. In Britain, protesters called for death and destruction such as the July 7 bombings in London. Hundreds of Muslims gathered to protest against the recent republication of cartoons satirizing the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
According to media accounts coming out of Britain, they shouted "7/7 is on its way" as the demonstrators waved placards and burnt flags in a march through the capital to the Danish, French and German embassies.
The British press described it thus:
"Anger has been sparked worldwide by the images, which first appeared in Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September but have since been republished and broadcast across the Continent. (They failed to mention it was Muslims who kept republishing the offensive cartoon.)
"The drawings include one depicting Muhammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb. Another shows him saying that paradise was running out of virgins."
Political correctness aside, I think the cartoons are funny. Others may feel it's in bad taste. But that's how it is: one man's comedy may be another man's blasphemy. Did anyone see American Christians rise up and threaten death and destruction as they surrounded museums displaying the critically acclaimed art titled, "Piss Christ," which was an upside-down Crucifix in a jar of the artist's urine? Did anyone see Catholics storming the museums that displayed the Blessed Virgin covered in elephant dung? And exhibits such as these were funded by the Clinton Administration. Yet, there was no violence. There anger, hurt and sadness maybe, but no violence.
Unlike now when he can't keep his mouth shut and actually throws gasoline on the fire by likening a silly cartoon to the Holocaust, Clinton showed no outrage that art exhibits viciously intended to offend the faith of millions of Americans were funded by money the IRS confiscated from those very Christians and Catholics.
And speaking of of the Great Windbag himself, he's shooting off his mouth about not discontinuing financial aid to the Palestinians even if they are ruled by terrorists. With statements like that I'm shocked we weren't hit by terrorists more frequently during his eight years in the White House. But he's not the only appeaser. (Remember that US liberals are really Europeans at heart.)
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw launched a fierce attack, not on the protesters and their threats of violence, but on the decision by some media outlets to republish the cartoons. Media organizations -- including the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV -- as well as several European newspapers showed the controversial drawings, some with defiant headlines.
The British broadcast companies defended their use of the images, saying that they had been used to provide context and explanation in news reports.
Straw relied, "There is freedom of speech, we all respect that, but there is not any obligation to insult or to be gratuitously inflammatory. I believe that the republication of these cartoons has been unnecessary, it has been insensitive, it has been disrespectful and it has been wrong."
Earth to Straw! Earth to Straw! Come in, Straw! What is unnecessary, insensitive and disrespectful are Muslims wearing explosives and detonating themselves while taking out innocent men, women and children who aren't the least bit interested in 72 virgins. Or Muslims commandeering planes and flying them into office buildings. Now that's insensitive, Secretary Straw. How about those statements about "we will kill you" or "we will annihilate you? Pretty insensitive and disrespectful, what?
But Mr. Straw praised the British media for showing "considerable responsibility and sensitivity" in its approach to the issue. In other words, they "punked out." Take it from me -- an Arab-American on my father's side: say what you will about Muslims, but they recognize a spineless punk when they see one.
Does anyone think these Islamofascists worry about the Europeans taking action against them? We may have forgotten the almost three weeks of rioting in France when the French looked like the keystone cops and the President of France hid in his office. Did we forget? Well, The Islamofascists didn't. Again, say what you will about Muslims, but they know a paper tiger when they see one.
Several of the demonstrators chanted "Down, down UK" and "Down, down EU" as well as other anti-British slogans. A group of around 20 women, covered by the traditional Islamic burqa, yelled slogans and held large banners proclaiming: "Kill the one who insults the Prophet." Nice ladies, what? Hey, that would make a great cartoon. I understand that if women become suicide bombers they get to be one of the virgins in paradise. Of course, who the heck wants a virgin with a mustache? I know. That's insensitive. So shoot me.
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