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Arslan Jumaniyazov
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Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 1, 2006 - 02:19 AM
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Khaleej Times
Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
(AFP)
30 January 2006
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2006/January/middleeast_January856.xml§ion=middleeast&col=
DOHA - Former US president Bill Clinton warned Monday of rising anti-Islamic prejudice, comparing it to historic anti-Semitism as he condemned the publishing of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed in a Danish newspaper.
“So now what are we going to do? ... Replace the anti-Semitic prejudice with anti-Islamic prejudice?” he said at an economic conference in the Qatari capital of Doha.
“In Europe, most of the struggles we’ve had in the past 50 years have been to fight prejudices against Jews, to fight against anti-Semitism,” he said.
Clinton described as “appalling” the 12 cartoons published in a Danish newspaper in September depicting Prophet Mohammed and causing uproar in the Muslim world.
“None of us are totally free of stereotypes about people of different races, different ethnic groups, and different religions ... there was this appalling example in northern Europe, in Denmark ... these totally outrageous cartoons against Islam,” he said.
The cartoons, including a portrayal of the prophet wearing a time-bomb-shaped turban, were reprinted in a Norwegian magazine in January, sparking uproar in the Muslim world where images of the prophet are considered blasphemous.
Clinton criticised the tendency to generalise negative news of Islamic militancy.
“Because people see headlines that they don’t like (they will) apply that to a whole religion, a whole faith, a whole region and a whole people?” he asked.
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I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS.
ARSLAN
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Hayk
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 2, 2006 - 03:09 AM
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Hello Arslan!
Well I guess you know what I am going to say here 
But I will say it anyway!
I never expected Scandinavians to be so narrow-minded, at least the Danish newspaper tht published this cartoon, and not even talking the Norwegian newspaper that reprinted it..
Di you know that in Jordan these cartoons got reprinted shortly after and Jordanian newspaper(s) called Muslism "to be reasonable" ?...
Things such as stereotyping, attributing theory, self-fullfilement prophecy, etc can be talked about for long hours...
The most unsettling for me is the way these cartoons are depicted.. I am not a Msulim and knowing a bit of history I can say these cartoons are not only insulting but also completely absurdic in their nature..
Lets hope Danemark will act wise and apologize at least.
Cheers,
H.
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Arslan Jumaniyazov
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 3, 2006 - 10:15 AM
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Hi Hayk,
Good hearings from you.
Yes, I could guess what your response would be
Well, what the Danish paper did was one of the series of recent anti-Islamic campaigns in that country, which made it especially disturbing. Read here: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=PET20060202&articleId=1870
I know that Jourdanian papers reprinted the cartoons. However, I don't know what purpose they were seeking. If by telling Muslims "to be reasonable," they meant not to get violent (and thus play into the hands of anti-Islamists), it's ok. However, if they meant that it's ok to publish those kinds of cartoons, shame on them.
I guess you know that one of the cartoons depicted the Prophet, Peace and Blessings be Upon Him, depicted as a terrorist (it put a bomb on his head), which means that over a billion of Muslims are all terrorists since all Muslims follow him.
Actually, the editor of the Danish newspaper apologized while emphasizing their "free speech" policies, but French and German papers added more fuel to it by reprinting those ugly, despicable pictures.
Arslan
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Lucia
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 5, 2006 - 01:51 AM
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I agree with Bill Clinton. They say these cartoons were published as a test of freedom of expression, but that is not true, as freedom of expression does not need to be tested in a country where freedom of expression exists. No one was arrested as a result of the publishing of the cartoons and it was known that no one would be arrested. It is also known that if you express your opinion, there will be repercussions if you offend or hurt others, so that aspect of expression was not in need of testing either.
Freedom of expression is not an ambiguous issue, it is black and white - if there are things you are not allowed to express, it is in the law and it is known and you will be put in jail when you break the law, such as happened to the editor in Jordan who published the cartoons.
The cartoons were published out of hostility to provoke Muslims, and this publication in a country with a government which was already hostile towards foreigners and immigrants. Moreover, in my opinion, in doing this, Denmark has tarnished the hitherto essentially neutral and peaceful reputation of Scandinavia as a region and will be solely responsible for having invoked the wrath of Islamic terrorists against this region and the arrival of terrorist attacks on Scandinavian soil or at least against Scandinavian citizens.
At least the Finnish government is going out of its way to distance itself from what Denmark has done, as they also seem to be aware of the Scandinavian connection and the possibilty of confusing the countries, which are normally and logically lumped into one, due to a common history and cultural, political and linguistic similarities and proximity to one another.
I think, also, it is of utter importance to maintain a clear separation between the issue of the printing of the cartoons and the wild, violent and maniacal reactions of Muslims, which I hope to God will end soon...and which I hope to God will not yield retaliatory acts in/from Western countries...
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Max
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 5, 2006 - 08:43 AM
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Im sure that there is a rise of anti-islamic feeling at the moment because of the reaction European governments are getting for something that they cannot control. The last time west germany has had its media controled was under Hitler and the GDR. Then militants go and torch embassies endangering lives of diplomats. Is that the apropriate answer? The only thing that the torching of the embassies has done is fueled anger in europe. I thought it was wrong to print the cartoons but the reaction around the world is unacceptable.
There is excuse for torching foreign countries embassies and storming EU buildings. If anything the muslim world has not strengthened its image as a peacful relegion but brought new concerns and fears that it is an aggressive one. I hope that these conflicts end before the relations between the west and middle east are seriously damaged.
Cheers
Little edit:
The answer?
 
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Luke Lieberman
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 01:54 AM
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There is some bad blood brewing between Europe and the Middle-east.
I will start by saying the cartoons were innappropriate.
But I will continue by saying saying the response by the Muslim world has been totally innappropriate.
To have crowds in Ramallah chanting "Bin Laden our hero destroy Denmark" is just absurd.
It is as though they are saying "How dare you call us terrorists - we will bomb you for saying so!"
Here is where I differ from one of my favorite Presidents.
To begin - Anti-semetism in Europe was based purely on prejudice - the Jews were not so angry as the Muslims are now - there were not Jewish terrorist organization in Europe creating anti-semetic feeling.
The Muslims world has a real part to play in creating this conflict as Anti-European feeling in the Middle-east is obviously rising as well - and these expressions of anger simply frighten Europeans.
This was not the situation with the Jews.
The second is that somehow the West seems to be held to an entirely different standard than the Muslim world - which seems racist - why shouldn't Muslims be expected to be just as tolerant as Europeans?
Anti-semitism is unbeleivably high in the Middle-east - far surpassing anything in Europe right now.
Countries like Lybia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran have totally racist government policies and no one seems to even think its an issue.
So again I will ask - why is racism in Denmark so much more significant than racism in Iran?
Is it because there is an implication that Europeans are more advanced and so are held to a different standard?
Again I think that this is fundamentally racist - I think Muslim countries should be held to exactly the same standard as European countries - and by that standard there is far MORE racism in Muslim lands then in the West.
Frankly I resent how Muslims react With such anger to everything they feel is unjust that happens to them, and yet seem oblivious to their own actions and the injustice the perpetrate against others.
The president of Iran recently called the Hollocaust a myth - do you have any idea how offensive that is? Half the Jews in the world were slaughtered - I daresay it is more offensive than these cartoons - but the Jews in New York were not burning down the Iranian embassey.
Look at the difference between the Sudan and the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.
The conflict with Israel is the 'greatest injustice in the history of the world' and yet 50 Christians have died in the Sudan for every 1 Palestinian in the last 5 years. And yet there is no pang of conscious among the Muslim world on this issue - at least it is not evidenced by the Arab media or governments.
I just looked up Arab organizations working to end the genocide in Darfur - and there AREN'T ANY.
While I agree that there is some racism rearing its head against Muslims - I think that if they are going to ask for tolerance - they must at the same time work on EXHIBITING TOLERANCE toward other cultures.
Another aexample before I go - in Iran they just banned Western Music.
No one said Boo about it - could you imagine the reaction if a European country banned Islamic music???
I think we not to stop holding Western countries to different standards than Muslim countries.
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Saladin
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 02:24 AM
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Luke, Bitsy, and Maximiliancook,
Of course many wrong things exist in the Middle East, but these things do not reflect the way all people think here. Consider also that a lot of our Middle-Eastern dictatorships are empowered by the west.
You have to know that moderate Muslims deeply respect the right of freedom of expression in the west.
However, freedom of expression in the west does not tolerate anti-semitic or racist opinions.
If this freedom of expression does not respect the fact that 1,3 billion people on this planet love Muhammad more than themselves, their children, their properties, their money, and their countries, then serious changes have to come up sooner or later.
[Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or the dwellings in which ye delight - are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause;- then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.]
-Translations of the meanings of the Qur'an 9:24
This what Muhammad (pbuh) represents for us. That's what this rage is all about, although the way of expressing this anger was totally insane.
I think that Muslims should provide a better example in order for others to respect them,...and at the same time, the west should reconsider any existing form of freedom of harmful expression that does not respect the sanctities of 1,3 billion fellow human beings who share the same planet.
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Luke Lieberman
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 02:46 AM
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While we are on the subject.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FCE073DD-7F1B-4714-95F0-DD1F354F1D9A.htm
Iran's largest selling newspaper has announced it is holding a contest on cartoons of the Holocaust in response to the publishing in European papers of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
"It will be an international cartoon contest about the Holocaust," Farid Mortazavi, the graphics editor for Hamshahri newspaper, which is published by Tehran's conservative-run municipality, said on Monday.
He said the plan was to turn the tables on the assertion that newspapers can print offensive material in the name of freedom of expression.
"The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let's see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons," he asserted.
Very mature.
By the way - Ayman - I agree with you, and I totally respect your feelings toward your prophet.
Also - most Western countries have "Hate-speach" laws that allow them to prevent things in the press which "inspire hatred" - I do not know if Denmark has these laws but the US does.
So frankly this is not soley a "Freedom of Speech" issue as there are laws curbing certain kinds of speach.
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Saladin
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 02:51 AM
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Thank you for respecting my feelings towards Muhammad (pbuh) Luke,
and by the way, Iranians are becoming more and more "radicalized" by the escalation of the "cartoons' crisis".
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Arslan Jumaniyazov
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 03:27 AM
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I entirely agree with the last two posts. Getting wild and violent, burning down embassies, punishing European diplomats who have nothing to do with the cartoons is absolutely insane. That's not the way of protesting.
Arslan
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Nadia_S
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An answer to everyone!
February 6, 2006 - 04:20 AM
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Hello All,
While I think the printing of the cartoons was a nasty way of presenting freedom of speech, the response of burning flags is not called for.
If you will notice, there has not been ONE DEATH reported because of this... I assure you raiding the EU offices and burning buildings in the middle of the night obviously was not meant to hurt anyone.
It is sad in this day and age but people will only listen if you take drastic measures. We kept silent since September, when the cartoons were published! But they waiting for an apology, waited, waited and received a garbage response.
I think diplomats are in a nation as an envoy to represent the fine line of human dignity and respect the UN allows for them. But when you tread on waters that are far beyond anyone's capability of understanding- I want them to fear every doing it again.
The prophet LIVED and DIED for peace, justice and love. He preached about war as a last resort and was the only leader in that time to set guidelines on "rules of engagement" saying no death to women, children, elderly, roots of plants and animals. He said the gates of heaven are under your mother's feet and to live for goodness, kindness and for God.
To mock him, to characterize him as a terrorist, LET ALONE DRAW HIM which caused the anger in the first place- there are just too many components in this situation for some people to say the response from around the world is uncalled for.
It is easy for people who have no IDEA the culture and religious beliefs to shrug it off but for people that it BURNS to know their last Prophet was ridculed... I think more anger should have been displayed. No one should die in the situation, absolutely no one, just as the Prophet would want it to be.
Diplomatically, Western leaders say they will not apologize... I say to them, they deserve not their leadership position in promoting tolerance and understanding and RESPECT.
I call for a real democracy to stand up.
Thank You,
Nadia
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A. Kent Bridgewater II
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 04:44 AM
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Dear all,
Where to start.
here is a definition of what a cartoon is according to the oxford english dictionary: > refer to point 2
[a. F. carton or (its source) It. cartone, augm. of carta paper.]
1. A drawing on stout paper, made as a design for a painting of the same size to be executed in fresco or oil, or for a work in tapestry, mosaic, stained glass, or the like.
1671 EVELYN Diary 18 Jan., I perceived him [Gibbon], carving that large cartoon, or crucifix, of Tintoretto. 1683 Ibid. 9 May,To ask whether he [the Duke of Norfolk] would part with any of his cartoons and other drawings of Raphael. 1697 C. HATTON Corr. (1878) II. 229 But ye sight best pleased me was ye cartoons by Raphael, wch are far beyond all ye paintings I ever saw. 1711 STEELE Spect. No. 226 {page}1 The Cartons in Her Majesty's Gallery at Hampton-Court. a1721 PRIOR Alma III. 440 When Rarus
He always tells you, with a groan, etc. 1762-71 H. WALPOLE Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 240. 1852 A. JAMESON Leg. Madonna (1857) 24 The set of cartoons for the tapestries of the Sistine Chapel. 1867 Even. Standard 14 Feb., Coloured cartoons for church windows in stained glass.
2. a. A full-page illustration in a paper or periodical; esp. applied to those in the comic papers relating to current events. Now, a humorous or topical drawing (of any size) in a newspaper, etc. Cf. strip-cartoon.
I know this is a sensitive issue...
However, it drives me nuts to see heaps of people tumbling overthemselves in order to stage mass riots. about a drawing?
what are we seeing? foremost, a drawing, a cartoon, text, it really doesn't matter, is a collection of ink dots on paper or pixels on a screen... No matter how we interpret such items, this will always be true...
Now, whatever the current haste, I am saddened to see that expressing one's view is no longer welcome or appreciated. Media, are important in life. Media, inform us of danger and delight all the like. without media we would not have a chance to communicate in the way we do today or have done so in the past.
It is therefore imperative that media has the sole right to write or draw and depict any sort of issue. it might be important to someone.
so, without going into a religious debate now or later, i call for a great amount of restraint in acting out violence against others. i call for greater understanding and more freedom of the media and human expression on the whole.
Or do you want to be told you can no longer express yourself freely?
Think. Listen. Speak.
Sincerely,
Kent
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Saladin
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 05:29 AM
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Sure AKBII,
we are all here looking for mutual understanding and respect, and in order for us to achieve this utopia, we should cease getting over each others sensitive nerves.
Just scroll up the page and find out yourself what our prophet means to us.
Why are anti-Semitic propaganda banned, and why is it OK and legal to display anti-Islamic material in the west ?
Have you got any idea about Taysir 'Alloney and Sami Al-Hajj, the Al-Jazeerah TV reporter and cameraman who are detained in Spain and who are suffering from malnutrition and inhumane conditions?
Are you still convinced with the myth of "freedom of expression" ?
Both of us should blame violent reaction, but I personally blame first those people who abused "freedom of expression" rights...they still hold the honor of initiating the whole dilemma....and frankly, I would not blame the Muslim world if at some day, MAERSK navigation company or LURPAK dairy products got bankrupt, or even if Denmark would suffer from an Arab oil embargo....if these latter actions are not physically "violent"....
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Sarah
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 06:28 AM
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Both the drawings and the riots are idiotic. I DID like the fact how the Muslim world WAS coming together for a good cause but things have gotten way out of hand. I already did a blog entry on some of how i feel about the situation http://sarah-nasser.tigblog.org/post/34993
A lot of Muslims were offended by the image and many of us weren't (including me). I am laughing at the stupidity. I don't like when i see ppl posting on how MUSLIMS did this and Muslims did that. 'Some' proclaimed Muslims did such and such. And many of us do oppose the burnings and the killings mainly because its a sin. And what ever a group of proclaimed Muslims do in some parts of the world is not a representative of ALL Muslims and especially if it's a wrong, it can not be a representative of Islam either.
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Sarah
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Re: Clinton warns of rising anti-Islamic feeling
February 6, 2006 - 06:48 AM
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Originally posted by aymanelhakea
Are you still convinced with the myth of "freedom of expression" ?
Both of us should blame violent reaction, but I personally blame first those people who abused "freedom of expression" rights...
My views are 50/50 with freedom of speech. I hope that everyone should be able to express themselves and never be held back from that (to a certain extent). But many ppl use that freedom to hide behind when doing wrong things and that where a lot of problems arise from. I don't know a way on how to choose what can be said and not be said. One thing might be offensive to me and wrong but to others it's the truth and vise versa.
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