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Europe's Uncivilized Act [Arab press, author a professor in America, as always]
Arab News ^ | 2-6-06 | Nasim Zehra

Posted on 02/06/2006 6:20:59 PM PST by SJackson

There is no battle to be fought with those who indulged in the ugly act of deliberately insulting my Prophet (peace be upon him). I am numbed with outrage over this uncivilized act they have committed. I would simply say to them yours are no civilized ways. Whatever your claims to the contrary, they actually betray a people with a reactionary mindset.

Those who become possessed by anger when confronted with difficult and challenging situations. Anger halts our ability to probe and to reflect. Instead, depending on our location in life, if we are advantageously placed, we self-righteously give ourselves the license to pronounce verdict and take action to right a wrong. As many European publications have done. This is their crass response to the growing post-9/11 anti-Islamic sentiment. And for people in the business of opinion making to indulge in such reactive acts is extremely dangerous. It is highly irresponsible. These are people who must play the role of promoting greater understanding - pulling people away from extremist thought and action. Not join the vanguard of anger-prompted extremism.

Policy-makers and opinion-making community in the West have opted to conduct the discourse on terrorism using a terminology that has unwittingly but dangerously indicted the 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Terms like Muslim terrorists, Islamic terrorists and Islamic terrorism have led to the demonization of the Muslims and of Islam. Whatever the European papers may claim they are upholding by ridiculing the Holy Prophet, they would have not contemplated doing so in a pre-9/11 environment.

Social tensions may have existed in pre-9/11 Europe but in post-9/11 the tensions have vastly augmented. Muslims make for easy targets. So does their faith. This is how a section of the Europeans have opted to express their resentment against the terrorist attacks, as is evident from the contents of the cartoons.

This is a season of acute polarization. For example if the on-line responses of the public are any guide, this act of insulting the Prophet has unfortunately received widespread public support in many European countries. The thrust mostly is that there is no reason to compromise on our value of freedom of expression, that if Muslims can't deal with this they must leave, that Muslims are hypocrites because they show no tolerance toward minorities but expect to be shown tolerance.

In some cases individuals have argued that such cartoons should often be printed to get the Muslims to ultimately be more accepting of freedom of expression! They say this is what we do to our own. Sadly so, we would say. But please do not drag our revered ones in your messy notion of the freedom of speech. You have evolved into a culture which licenses unlimited permissiveness. In spite of our own mistakes, our many shortcomings, our morally and intellectually anemic leadership, there are some touchstones of our civilization. It includes the respect of religion and our faith in God Almighty.

Deliberately defiling the Prophet is a highly irresponsible act. It is bound to have negative social and political fall-out. It exacerbates the existing social tensions among the locals and the Muslim population. Within the Muslims it is bound to create more alienation and resentment toward the Westerners who, have chosen to be completely indifferent toward the faith and feelings of the Muslims across the world. It is the arrogance of these Westerners they will resent. Like millions of Westerners who have opted to not view terrorists as a fringe phenomenon within the Muslims and instead referred to terrorism as Islamic terrorism, many Muslims too will wrongly implicate the Westerners across the board for this blasphemous act against the Prophet.

At the popular level we require a rollback of the school that promotes the dangerous talk of clash of civilizations. For now the cartoon incident will merely serve to reinforce the worst of what many Muslims may believe of a growing intolerant Europe.

The framing and the discussion of the issue of terrorism has created a permissive environment which is responsible for this caricaturing of the Prophet; of hurting the feelings and ridiculing the faith of a huge section of the entire human race. They paid no heed to the protests. Instead they resented and condemned the nature of the protests. True the protests should have been calmer. Frenzied outrage was unnecessary and as were threats to kill. But nothing justified the reprinting of those insulting cartoons across many European countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland.

The leadership in most of these countries has not been willing to contest the wisdom of publishing cartoons that are highly disrespectful to another people's faith. In fact the degree if insensitivity of the Danish prime minister can be gauged from the fact that when after the September publication the Muslims in Denmark sent repeated requests to meet with the prime minister, he repeatedly ignored their request. Essentially conveying "I really don't give a damn". Subsequently the Muslim leaders repeatedly went to the Middle East and other Muslim countries and showed them what the Danish papers had done. Subsequently the reaction acquired these proportions.

In Denmark the anti-Muslim sentiment has been growing at a rapid pace for the past ten years. The Fogh Rasmussen government has actively sought to dispel and block Muslim residents from Denmark. The cartoon is just the tip of the iceberg.

However that the notion of freedom of expression cannot be translated into unlimited freedom to abuse another's faith is basic common sense. But also the way many Europeans have selectively applied the principle of freedom of expression is intriguing. When the ancient Buddhas in Afghanistan were criminally destroyed by the Taleban, the Europeans screamed murder the loudest. We all did too in the Muslim world.

What was that protest for? So destruction of history is blasphemous but the attempted destruction of a people's faith and deeply treasured symbols is not? This is the perversity of post-modernism which seeks the right to destroy and deconstruct selectively and give that right a sacred status. Also if the freedom of expression is so sacred how many European papers have dared to support what the Iranian president said about questioning the reality of the Holocaust?

Clearly the principle of freedom has to be practiced within some rationale and egalitarian framework. It cannot be an elitist concept that a special color or creed will have more right to exercise. Why does this right not respect another's right to choose what is sacred to them, since that what is sacred is not at the cost of undermining another's interests. Islam abhors suicide bombings and terrorism. Increasingly Muslim leaders are condemning this openly.

Are the Europeans so generous in applying their concept of freedom of expression at the cost of causing great pain and injury to Muslim world? Is it because their bohemianism has a method to it? The method is to attack and disrespect those who are generally viewed as the politically, scientifically and economically the downtrodden of the human race - the weak and the lambasted, the violated and the angry, the reactive and seething?

These are not the ways of a civilized people. These are ways toward pushing for a grand and mad conflict of civilizations. Will the European media see wisdom is stepping back and reviewing their dangerous notion of freedom of expression?

For now the limited apologies that have come were perhaps prompted by the widespread anger and protests emanating from the Muslim world. But wisdom and true civilized behavior demands that we internalize the limits of our own freedoms where it begins to undermine the freedom of another.

- Nasim Zehra is adjunct professor at School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC.


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: cartoons; denmark
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1 posted on 02/06/2006 6:21:00 PM PST by SJackson
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking the keyword Israel.

---------------------------

Adjunct professor Johns Hopkins, just doing a job American's won't do.

2 posted on 02/06/2006 6:22:12 PM PST by SJackson (elected members of Hamas: businesspeople, professionals, not terrorists. Scott McClellan)
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To: SJackson

3 posted on 02/06/2006 6:23:11 PM PST by soccer_maniac (Do some good while browsing FR --> Join our Folding@Home Team# 36120: keyword: folding@home)
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To: SJackson

Gee, this is another one of those folks who would be much happier back in some nice Muslim country where he doesn't have to worry about nasty permissiveness. So why is he hanging around here?


4 posted on 02/06/2006 6:26:13 PM PST by Ronin (When the fox gnaws.... SMILE!!!)
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To: SJackson

I'd like to know if there's a legal angle to deporting this guy who thinks sharia law extends into foreign governments.


5 posted on 02/06/2006 6:27:40 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: SJackson
I am numbed with outrage over this uncivilized act they have committed.

Go flagellate yourself.


6 posted on 02/06/2006 6:29:26 PM PST by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Ronin

Why are these jihadists allowed in our country, and worse, in our Schools!!!!!

This idiot should be MARCHED, high step, to the airport, tossed on a plane, his passport taken, and never allowed back.



7 posted on 02/06/2006 6:30:37 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: SJackson

> "Will the European media see wisdom is stepping back and reviewing their dangerous notion of freedom of expression?"

That pretty much sums up this article. In answer, "I hope not".


8 posted on 02/06/2006 6:33:16 PM PST by jim_trent
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To: SJackson


So...after 9-11 we're not supposed to judge Muslims on the basis of "a few extremists".

But after these cartoons we ARE supposed to judge all Westerners based on them?

Typical leftist attitude.


9 posted on 02/06/2006 6:34:10 PM PST by Tzimisce (How Would Mohammed Vote? Hillary for President!)
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To: SJackson

"Why does this right not respect another's right to choose what is sacred to them, since that what is sacred is not at the cost of undermining another's interests."


Hahaha.

Would this apply in a conservative Arab country such as Saudi Arabia?


10 posted on 02/06/2006 6:35:37 PM PST by wingman1 (University of Vietnam 1970. Forget? Hell.)
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To: Dog Gone


Sounds like this guy needs to file a complaint in the Muslim Man Complaint Box: (This is hilarious)

http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=3565


11 posted on 02/06/2006 6:36:38 PM PST by dropzone
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To: Nathan Zachary

because liberals have been put in charge of the majority of america's higher learning centers.


12 posted on 02/06/2006 6:36:59 PM PST by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: dead
LMAO! Excellent! Send it to this so called "professor, along with some questions "How can a man who claims to be educated think the crimes Muhammad committed make this murdering epileptic pedophile a prophet? How can a rock be a god? How can a rock have a prophet?"
13 posted on 02/06/2006 6:37:06 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: SJackson; Dog Gone
Nasim Zehra is a she.

Europe’s uncivilised ways

Nasim Zehra

The writer is an Islamabad-based security analyst and adjunct professor at SAIS Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC

14 posted on 02/06/2006 6:37:43 PM PST by milestogo
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To: milestogo
Nasim Zehra is a she.

Can't tell without the burkha. Another benefit of living in America.

15 posted on 02/06/2006 6:40:21 PM PST by SJackson (elected members of Hamas: businesspeople, professionals, not terrorists. Scott McClellan)
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To: SJackson
Mohammad also told these guys that if a nation is uncivilized, it is forbidden for them to live there, or to even visit the place.

Guess it's time for the Moslems to pull out of Denmark and go back home.

I suspect that in not noting that rule, this writer is a hypocrit. That means, of course, that any other Moslem is authorized to kill him.

16 posted on 02/06/2006 6:42:32 PM PST by muawiyah (-)
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To: SJackson
You so called prophet was a murdering brigand and a deluded liar, and your religion is lies and bullshit from start to finish. And everyone on earth is free to tell you so to your face. Also, it is the simple undiluted truth. You can believe whatever fairy tale nonsense you like, but none of us have to, and none of us need to show the slightest respect for your childish delusions. And we don't. And if you want to fight over it, we will kill every one of you who tries, and you can find out for yourself. Deal.
17 posted on 02/06/2006 6:43:45 PM PST by JasonC
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To: dropzone

LMAO! It is indeed. I bet there isn't a single muslim who will see the humor of it.


18 posted on 02/06/2006 6:45:16 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: milestogo

I stand corrected. And what a she she is!


19 posted on 02/06/2006 6:51:20 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: SJackson
There is no battle to be fought with those who indulged in the ugly act of deliberately insulting my Prophet (peace be upon him). I am numbed with outrage over this uncivilized act they have committed.

Muslims fly commercial airliners into buildings in New York City. No Muslim outrage.

Muslim officials block the exit where school girls are trying to escape a burning building because their faces were exposed. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims cut off the heads of three teenaged girls on their way to school in Indonesia. A Christian school. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims murder teachers trying to teach Muslim children in Iraq. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims murder over 80 tourists with car bombs outside cafes and hotels in Egypt. No Muslim outrage.

A Muslim attacks a missionary children's school in India. Kills six. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims slaughter hundreds of children and teachers in Beslan, Russia. Muslims shoot children in the back. No Muslim outrage.

Let's go way back. Muslims kidnap and kill athletes at the Munich Summer Olympics. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims fire rocket-propelled grenades into schools full of children in Israel. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims murder more than 50 commuters in attacks on London subways and busses. Over 700 are injured. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims massacre dozens of innocents at a Passover Seder. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims murder innocent vacationers in Bali. No Muslim outrage.

Muslim newspapers publish anti-Semitic cartoons. No Muslim outrage

Muslims are involved, on one side or the other, in almost every one of the 125+ shooting wars around the world. No Muslim outrage.

Muslims beat the charred bodies of Western civilians with their shoes, then hang them from a bridge. No Muslim outrage.

Newspapers in Denmark and Norway publish cartoons depicting Mohammed. Muslims are outraged.


Credit for the list goes to Neal Boortz in his Feb. 3rd Nealz Nuze.

20 posted on 02/06/2006 6:51:50 PM PST by Phantom Lord (Fall on to your knees for the Phantom Lord)
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