If it’s Friday in the Muslim world…
…it’s “Death to Infidels” day. March madness over the Mo cartoons and the upcoming release of “Fitna” continued today after the mosques stirred up the Religion of Perpetual Outrage.
Peace be with you:
Some 5,000 Afghans chanted “death to Denmark” and “death to the Netherlands” in Kabul on Friday, protesting against the reprinting of a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad in Danish newspapers and a Dutch film on the Koran.
Sporadic demonstrations have sprung up across the deeply conservative country in recent weeks against the cartoons and the film with protesters demanding Danish and Dutch troops be withdrawn from Afghanistan and their embassies shut down.
Protesters gathered around a mosque in the west of the Afghan capital after Friday prayers chanting “death to Denmark,” “death to the Netherlands, “death to America” and “death to Jews.”
Demonstrators burned Danish and Dutch flags and also an effigy of Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders, who is due to release a film thought to be critical of the Koran later this month. Wilders has given few details of the film, but in the past he has called Islam’s holy text a “fascist” book that “incites violence.”
One unidentified speaker addressing the angry crowd through a megaphone from the back of a truck said the Afghan government should expel Danish and Dutch troops and close their embassies within two days or “we will take action.”
The Netherlands has some 1,650 troops, mainly in southern Afghanistan and 14 Dutch soldiers have been killed fighting Taliban militants. Denmark, meanwhile, has 550 troops in northern and southern Afghanistan and 11 of its soldiers have been killed.
Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden this week warned that Europe would be punished for the cartoons, first published by a Danish paper in September 2005. The images ignited violent protests across the world, including in Afghanistan, when newspapers around the world reprinted them the following year.
A UPI writer whines that it’s all the Jylland-Posten’s fault:
In Pakistan’s largest riot, 70,000 people gathered in the northwestern city of Peshawar, where I traveled last week, burning cars and cinemas. In Lahore, my birth city, at least two protestors were killed when a mob burnt Western fast-food chains, while in Islamabad students launched petrol bombs at various embassies.
They were protesting “Fitna” — “Ordeal” in Arabic — a forthcoming short film by controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Wilders, who has called the Koran a “fascist” book, has promised to release his film this month. They were also protesting the decision of several Danish newspapers to republish the cartoons of the prophet Mohammed that provoked deadly riots after their first airing in 2006.
In a post-Sept.11 environment, where relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in the West are at best precarious, at worst distrustful, and above all central to everyone’s security, the Danish editors might have known that reprinting the cartoons would provoke destructive behavior rather than encourage peaceful dialogue.
The editors might have considered that respect for democratic traditions and values does not necessarily trump the need to tolerate religious communities that are particularly sensitive to safeguarding their Prophets, icons and scriptures.
The editors might have shown restraint, knowing that any supercilious remark or one-time ribaldry against the Prophet and the traditions of Islam could unsettle Muslims worldwide.
But the editors did not. And now we have seemingly taken another backward step in trans-religious relations. The best would have been for the editors to think twice and refrain from fanning fires. The least they could do now is offer an apology.
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Categories: Danish Cartoons, Jyllands-Posten
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I don’t think too many people really care anymore. It’s an expected reaction from everything non-Muslim. My only post on this message.
Really, is this meant to be a productive or provocative post?
How about “merely informative”?
Is it provocative to report that some bunch of lunatics are raging *again* against Freedom of Speech (as practiced by Europeans)? Or is productive to remind us all that our beliefs are under constant threat - yet we dare not criticize their (Muslim’s) demands that we practice self-censorship in order to not disturb their delicate feelings, notwithstanding their continual displays of activities (murders, beheadings, rocket attacks, etc.) that disturb our delicate feelings. Respect is a two-way street.
So, I view this post as being merely informative.
As a Christian, I am highly offended that they would insult my religion by doing this on the Holiest time of the year.
Riot, kill, and burn. What a heck of a religion. You know, those 5 “students” of Baltimore, Animal Lib Front, and Sara Olson would feel right at home in the Middle East. She could be a suicide bomber and blow up other moslems. Should we give them tickets? Better there, than here.
It would be nice if the editors would do their job and ensure that the op-eds aren’t being done by the reporters in their pieces.
Basic philisophical difference… YES, it does…
Freedom of Speech, and Religion, give people the RIGHT to disagree, and say what they disagree with…
What we do in our OWN countrys is OUR business, not theirs.
The Religion of Peace.
How anyone can refer to that cult as peaceable is a mind-boggling. Unless, of course, you have an agenda, then it all makes sense.
From the UPI, ahem!, journalist, who says he was born in Lahore (no conflict of interest here, ehh?):
“The editors might have shown restraint, knowing that any supercilious remark or one-time ribaldry against the Prophet and the traditions of Islam could unsettle Muslims worldwide.”
Ya, Teddy Bears really unsettle muslims and don’t you dare say/write/photo/name anything else after the cult icon mulehammad. Keep reminding the world of this terrible blight on humanity Michelle as people tend to be far too dangerously stuck on short-term memory these days.
Umm, because? Oh yeah, one side insists on killing innocent people because they are peeved over something or other…
It would be nice. It’s never going to happen.
Conservatives are under represented in the press, liberals over represented, and this is standard practice.
Oh, and by the way, “Fox News” is the only biased news organization in their minds. They don’t even see their own bias in what they produce.
There’s a legend that during the Holocaust the Danish people wore yellow stars … in solidarity with Jewish residents and to thwart the Nazis efforts to locate the Jews.
The answer to the Cartoon outrage is clear the Mohammed Cartoons must be shown widely and frequently. The Danes should not have to bear the brunt of Islamic wrath over the cartoons. By displaying the cartoons the entire civilized world can show Denmark that it is not alone … and the Islamic extremists that Islam will receive no sacrosanct status status … and that suppression of free speech, particularly criticism and mockery, will not be tolerated.
I was a teen when I read a wonderful book called “A Night Of Watching.” It was
about the Danes in one town and the Nazis. The Nazis moved in and announced
that by the next morning, all of the towns Jews were to be rounded up by the
local inhabitants into the town square where they were to be “dealt with” by the
Nazis. The next morning, there were no Jews in the town square. The Nazis were
furious and proceeded to announce they had just one more day (or something to
that effect) to comply and they were to do as ordered. What it came down to was
when the mayor of the town was asked why they didn’t round up the Jews, he
said, “There are no Jews in (town’s name) only Danes.” Are we surprised that it is
Denmark that seems to be the only European country to thumb it’s nose at Islam?
Dear God, let’s not unsettle the poor Muslims over a reprinting of a CARTOON. My, someone is putting Islam on a pedestal of untouchable goodness.
What is this preoccupation with “trans-religious relations?” How will understanding and respect ever be reached with murderous, intolerant, Muslim thugs terrorize innocent civilians? Yeah, they’re sure fanning fires alright… too bad third world thugs have nothing better to do than to protest Western “insults” instead of trying to better their own countries.
What do the editors have to apologize for? They made a stand and exercised their right to free speech. If Islamic bigots can’t understand that, then don’t bother emigrating to Europe and polluting any European country with their Islamic stink.
The only people who should apologize should be these Muslim thugs who highjacked Islam in the first place. Take your Wahabbism and stick it….
If Christians rioted and burned effigies everytime a newspaper printed something anti-Christian do you think that )_&*#$ for brains, dim-witted, (@#& of a $)@#^, “reporter” would tell the NYTimes it should be more sensitive?
By all means, let’s send them more money.
Actually I think we need to do more provoking. That way they can kill each other, and destroy their own cities.
But I at least agree with them on one point, the dutch and Danes should pull out and take their foreign aid with them.
Where the heck did they find 5000 muslims who knew that Denmark exists given the 7th century life they live.
This cult is like a cancer and needs to be dealt with accordingly.
That’s the only direction Islamo-thugs know. Instead of dismantling our ICBM’s we should replace the warheads with tons of reprints of these and other cartoons about Islam and fire them off to all the Islamo-thug countries on a regular basis just to watch them foam at the mouth.
The fires of Religious Freedom?
For practicing Freedom of Speech? NO.
When islam showes me some respect, it will be returned in kind.
One would think that since Muslims allegedly hold Jesus in high regard, that they would refrain on the annual observance of his crucification.
What do you expect when you deal with 3rd-world countries that refuse to respect anyone that isn’t Islamic? It’d be like dumbing-down modern society to be in (lock)step with cavemen. And I’m not talking about Geico!
Once again the Muslims have proven Islam is contrary to a free modern society. This cult has regressed into the cave and it’s deciples are barbarian at best. Sadly, Afghanistan is one of Bush’s crown jewels for which American and NATO warriors are being sacrificed for a imbecilic population in the name of war on terror.
Let’s give them a ‘Get Over It’ religious holiday.
I’m learning the language of my grandparents via Rosetta Stone.
DANISH has such a smooth sound and it’s interesting to me how many English words have the same spelling and similar sound to Danish.
Danish was not spoken in their home:
“VE ARE IN AMERICA-WE VIL SPEAK ENGLISH!” - the words of my grandfather.
He, also, would not have put up with the PC of today.
“death to Denmark,” “death to the Netherlands, “death to America” and “death to Jews.”…
or “we will take action.” … seems that there is no pleasing some people.
Cry havoc says I.
I keep saying it’s not a religion it’s death cult. Their proud to tell you, we are weak because we want to live, they are strong because they look forward to death.
Peaceful Religion my a$$.
How do you like Rosetta Stone? I’ve heard good things about it. I’m thinking about getting it for my kids an myself.
This brings to mind when stores & other businesses were being extorted all over the US and money was paid out. What ever became of that? Seemed to get hushed up.
Geert Wilders is a very brave man. I hope his government and country, and the rest of the West that still has gumballs, get behind him.
I dont know how many people watch South Park on this site, but it does occasionally make great comments on society and political correctness. After the first cartoon controversy the writers at South Park wanted to show a picture of Mohammad. Not in a derogatory way, just there in a doorway for like 2 seconds. Worried about backlash, Comedy Central said no. So what did South Park do?
They showed how much of a double standard there is, and how absurd it was by having Bush and several members of his cabinet defecating on each other and an American flag, followed by Jesus defecating on all of them. And I’m pretty sure you didnt hear about how many Christians killed other people because of that cartoon, which was vastly more offensive than any of the ones printed in Denmark of Mohammad.