Cartoon on Islam was deeply offensive (You be the judge...)

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | December 4, 2002 | Letters to the Editor

[Fintan]

Below is a sampling of local response to Tony Auth's Nov. 28 cartoon. The Inquirer has received more than 300 letters from around the country and abroad criticizing it.

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Tony Auth's Nov. 28 cartoon depicting Islam as an intolerant religion is deeply offensive and contributes to the climate of hostility against innocent American Muslims.

I highly doubt that the Inquirer would publish Mr. Auth's cartoon if he had drawn a picture of a priest saying "Catholicism is tolerant - tolerant of priests who rape and molest children," or a rabbi saying "Judaism is tolerant - tolerant of soldiers attacking teenage boys armed only with rocks, tolerant of settlements dispossessing Palestinian land, tolerant of assassination of political leaders...."

The Inquirer has a responsibility to behave in a manner that supports interfaith respect so as to promote peace among Muslims, Christians and Jews, regardless of the shameful behaviors perpetrated by a minority in each religion. In printing Mr. Auth's cartoon, the newspaper fell woefully short of that obligation.

Zafar Hasan
Philadelphia

Self-reflection needed

There are hardly words to convey how appalled I was by Tony Auth's virulently anti-Islamic cartoon published on Nov. 28. I cannot imagine that the editors of your paper would ever consider printing a cartoon that condemned the entirety of Christianity or Judaism in a similar manner.

Perhaps before preaching tolerance to others, Auth and the editorial staff should engage in serious self-reflection.

Thea Abu El-Haj
Philadelphia

Islam is not evil

I am highly disappointed and angered to see the cartoon published on Nov. 28 that reads as follows: "Islam is a tolerant religion... We tolerate fanatics, suicide bombers, terrorist charities... and women... barely."

This is a blatant attack on a religion. It has been pointed out time again that groups of people who are evildoers do not make the religion to which they belong evil. As a Muslim, I feel humiliated and disgusted.

Syed Shahabuddin
Newtown

Historical amnesia

Tony Auth's cartoon on Nov. 28 espouses the resolutely racist ideation of Islam pervasive in the popular imagination of U.S. society. The mediocre, reductive, and chauvinistic association of Islam with terrorism and sexist oppression commits a deliberate and narcissistic error so common among imperialists - that of historical and cultural amnesia.

Christianity has been awfully "tolerant" too, engaging in inquisitions, holocausts, African slavery, genocide of nearly the entire indigenous population of the Western hemisphere - all within the last five centuries.

Christians have developed (and used) weapons capable of destroying entire cities at once while declaring themselves the only people responsible enough to possess them.

Those who terrorize Palestinians in their own land enjoy a legitimacy given to their actions by the same element that celebrates the above-mentioned "accomplishments" of Euro-Christianity.

Ari David Perlstein
Philadelphia

Stop hate, don't inspire it

I totally agree with Steven Rosenzweig's letter "Cartoon unfair to Muslims" (Dec. 3).

In Hitler's Germany, anti-Semitism was part and parcel of the times, and the media there and in many other places were filling people's minds with horrible racist stuff. Bad went to worse as people too easily accepted the unacceptable and did not understand the ugly ramifications of racism.

We should know better now.

Thank you for at least printing Mr. Rosenzweig's letter, but I can't help but think the type of people most swayed by cartoons need to be reached in the same medium. Auth should work on stopping racist hate, not inspiring it.

Anne Selden Annab
Mechanicsburg

Just a pretense

Congratulations! Tony Auth's cartoon about Islam was right on the ball. I think it is about time that the world recognizes the evil taught through the pretense that Islam is a loving religion.

Joseph P. Wade
Coatesville

[Illbay]

In this case, though, they aren't saying that all Islam is "terroristic," a notion that I also dismiss.

They are saying that Islam TOLERATES the radicals in its midst, and I think you have to say there's something to that.

Not all Muslims are radical Islamists. And there are Muslim countries that aren't dismissive of women's rights.

But countries such as Saudi Arabia--the seat of Wahhabism--DO coddle terrorists and DO make life difficult for women.

I think it interesting whenever charges such as these are leveled that the Muslims here in the states, instead of admitting there's some justification, immediately begin to cry about "anti-Muslim activity" encouraged and fomented by this sort of rhetoric, when the facts don't support the contention that this is happening.

Violence against Muslims is about the same now as it was before 9/11. We are a religiously tolerant people who typically don't go in for this sort of thing. Methinks they doth protest too much.

[Publius6961]

More than 300 letters criticizing?
He he he he.

Anyone have an address for the P.E.?

[Movemout]

I have seen your ensemble before. It is heartening that not all Mericans think we should appease these SOBs.

[Publius6961]

Deeply offensice?

He hon?
How deep a crater does a 2000 pound bomb make?

These guys don't yet know deep anything.
Try anger.
And a long memory.

Perhaps 900 years long, even.

[Illbay]

Ah, yes. The CHRISTIAN line, eh?

Do me a favor: Don't include me in with your vile rhetoric. When you speak thusly you aren't speaking as a Christian.

[Publius6961]

I'm no fan of Islam but we shouldn't condemn an entire religion for the faults of the fanatics.

I do hope that when finally the lights come on, somebody's home.
In the meantime, just put some ice on it.

[Publius6961]

Hey!
You owe me for a keyboard cleaning...

And the bill for falling off my chair laughing and bruising my ummmm...

[TSgt]

My thoughts exactly.

“Oh forgive me, you bleeding piece of earth, for cooperating with these butchers. You are the noblest man who ever lived in all of history. Over your wounds now I predict the future… And (Bush’s) ghost, roaming about in search of revenge, with hate at his side still hot from hell, will in these boundaries with a ruler’s voice cry ‘HAVOC’ and let slip the dogs of war, so that this terrible action will smell above the earth, with rotting corpses, begging to be buried.”

[Movemout]

I am a Christian in the mold of a Templar. I would be glad not to include you. I have been a warrior for most of my life and I have little use for mewling pacifists who would stand by and watch the slaughter of innocents and believe those who want vengeance are not righteous. So, Illbay, cower and cringe in the face of those who desire your destruction and do not raise a sword, or a word, in your defense. Others will defend you as you stay warm and cozy in your nest, sitting on your eggs.

[hellinahandcart]

You need to also substitute "decades" for "centuries" if you want an accurate rebuttal. The Islamists are doing these things NOW.

I don't care if they're offended. What they should be is ashamed.

And yes, that is a blanket statement.

[Publius6961]

" As a Muslim, I feel humiliated and disgusted.

Can't say that I blame you!
I would too.

Even atheism would be better!

[Movemout]

mold=mould

[Savage Beast]

I don't know, Tony... Look how they responded to Isioma Daniel's column about the Miss World contest.

[Publius6961]

The cartoon is right. Some people just can't handle the truth.

The cartoon is almost right.

The list left out megalomaniacal, insane, foul-mouth immams...

[Publius6961]

Thank you for a reprise...

I saved the original post somewhere, but the volume of "Muslim" related keepers has become overwhelming by now.

"Xactly the way I feel.
And the only appropriate end to this little muslim "entretemps".

[Bogey78O]

Yea, Christianity, if anything, was part of the impetus to wipe out such cultural practices. Whereas in Islam such practices thrive.

[nicmarlo]

Of course, it was just fine to dance in the streets on 9/11...

Must you remind them all of their own behavior? It takes away from the "bad fanatic terrorists." /sarcasm

[fporretto]

The only commandment Muslims everywhere appear to observe is "Thou shalt not speak nor raise thy hand against a fellow Muslim, regardless of circumstances." Even after Black Tuesday, after the scores of homicide bombings in Israel (and now in Kenya and Bali), after the kidnap-slaying of Daniel Pearl and a host of comparable acts against Christian missionaries and charity workers, there is no admission from Muslims generally that their "religion" -- I still can't think of a war ideology that preaches theocracy and conversion by the sword as a religion, but maybe someday -- is being used as the rationale by the worst men in the world, for the worst deeds ever committed.

Until the day they renounce these things and condemn those who perpetrate them, do not trust Muslims. But on that day... will they still be Muslims?

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[Lion's Cub]

Dumb move. Bad taste.
I'm no fan of Islam but we shouldn't condemn an entire religion for the faults of the fanatics.

Actually, the cartoon in right on. There is no moral or spiritual eqivalency between the god of Islam and the God of Christians and Jews.

[chiller]

Ditto to the anger and a long memory