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We might as well ban the internet
Everyone is agreed that the drawing of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is offensive and blasphemous and not...
Everyone is agreed that the drawing of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is offensive and blasphemous and not what any follower of Islam would ever tolerate. Plus the double standard was not easy to ignore. We advocated in this space yesterday that instead of banning the whole of Facebook, it would have been better if those pages of the website were blocked which were hosting these caricatures. However, what we saw on May 20 was something that is difficult to condone and can only be explained by overzealousness on the part of the PTA which said that it had banned around 450 websites in addition to Facebook. These included Wikipedia (which was accessible by late evening), YouTube and the picture-hosting site Flickr. A PTA spokesman has said that this has been done to prevent users in Pakistan from seeing blasphemous content which the government regulator says can be found on such sites. While one can understand the sentiment behind this, the point is that any number of websites can be perceived as offensive by any number of users. The issue is that where should the line be drawn. With Facebook, this could have been resolved — as we have reiterated before — by blocking the specific pages but it is difficult to justify the ban on the new websites added by the PTA to its blacklist on Thursday.
If the authority continues to block domains for content in this manner, it might as well ban the whole internet. Apart from the outrage that Thursday’s action of blocking 450 extra websites caused in Pakistan, it has made the country a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. Those behind such hate sites are seeking exactly the kind of response that they have received in Pakistan. The most effective response in such cases is to ignore it completely and it will disappear on its own.
Published in the Express Tribune, May 21st, 2010.
Reader Comments (11)
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” prevent users in Pakistan from seeing blasphemous content which the government regulator says can be found on such sites”. It not as if internet users are passive consumers. You will only come across something that you find insulting if you actually go and look for it.
Thanks to the hoopla created by the ban, the ban imposed by the government has created more publicity for the blasphemous material globally, than the group itself.
Whatever the motivations of the individuals who setup the page on Facebook, they know exactly what buttons to push. They must be smiling all the way to the bank!Recommend
It is a great editorial. Pakistan courts and Government have acted exactly as was expected by the people who created this site. Pakistan fell prey to it. It is a great shame. People in the western world cannot appreciate why muslim prophet or Allaha are so fragile that they cannot take any criticism or a joke. The day when
the muslim world will have to ban internet in their countries is not too far. What if some one posts some thing objectionable on the internet? Recommend
“The vitriol this ‘day’ has brought out, of people who only want to draw obscene images, is offensive to Muslims who did nothing to endanger our right to expression in the first place,” what cartoonist Molly Norris had to say. Now, what this editorial says, “What we saw on May 20 was something that is difficult to condone and can only be explained by overzealousness on the part of the PTA” — In my opinion, Molly Norris is still better as she apologizes over her wrongdoing; why the writer is going on defensive, considering the perpetrator herself is sorry.Recommend
As being from Europe I support the group containing the cartoons. Is this to be just offensive towards muslims? Yes.
Why? Because if muslims cross a line, we cross a line.
So where did muslims cross a line? A couple of years ago, a Dutch film maker, Theo Van Gogh, was shot dead by a muslim for making a movie about the position of women in Islam. Two cartoonists, Kurt Westergaard and Lars Vilk, were attacked. Many people in Europe need police protection, only because they questioned some points of Islam. Were they offensive, only to be offensive? No.
Well, it’s easy: here in the west we have made choices. As: law is above religion and religion should not interfere with law. This is our own choice, and under this choice we are free to insult whoever we want.
So, if you don’t like this: 1) don’t come and live here, and threaten people who do this (and this threatening IS against the law), 2) ignore us. Close down the internet if you want, we don’t care, but stop ATTACKING US! Stop threatening us and stop killing people in Europe for not following islamic rules, because we don’t want these rules. Recommend
“An iron curtain is descending on muslim thought”
The islamists are taking hold in pakistan and we can expect a complete ban on the entire internet very soon. I see muslims failing to respond to the challenges of modernity. Its a shame that the only solution which is presented is nothing short of going back to the stone ages. Why don’t we just tell the taliban to rule us. Welcome to the dark ages.
And we seriously need to reinterpret what is meant by blasphemy in the first place and how to respond to it.Recommend
Democracy and free judiciary we all cried for 3 years back! now sit back and enjoy!
Editor be careful, they may ban you tomorrow!Recommend
Wikipedia is again blocked. I don’t know what is going on. Also website of Molly Norris is also blocked maybe the PTA or should I say illiterate jamaati mullahs (who have not even use internet all their life) doesnt want us to see her apologise letterRecommend
Dirk, get over yourself, we’re not debating here whether people who follow your rules should be allowed in Europe or not. I agree with you, but this isn’t about you. We could argue about how devoid of intelligence you are and how to apply the term ‘hypocrisy’ to your society, but this is more related to our country and society right now.
Nadir is right about people now knowing what buttons to push – cripple your own economy, burn your own property, bring your own access to information to a halt. Yes, indeed, that is the way to stop them. Recommend
Dear Dirk you wrote:
As being from Europe I support the group containing the cartoons. Is this to be just offensive towards muslims? Yes.
Why? Because if muslims cross a line, we cross a line.
So where did muslims cross a line? A couple of years ago, a Dutch film maker, Theo Van Gogh, was shot dead by a muslim for making a movie about the position of women in Islam. Two cartoonists, Kurt Westergaard and Lars Vilk, were attacked. Many people in Europe need police protection, only because they questioned some points of Islam. Were they offensive, only to be offensive? No.
Well, it’s easy: here in the west we have made choices. As: law is above religion and religion should not interfere with law. This is our own choice, and under this choice we are free to insult whoever we want.
So, if you don’t like this: 1) don’t come and live here, and threaten people who do this (and this threatening IS against the law), 2) ignore us. Close down the internet if you want, we don’t care, but stop ATTACKING US! Stop threatening us and stop killing people in Europe for not following islamic rules, because we don’t want these rules.
my reply:
“Were they offensive, only to be offensive?” ummm are you crazy? Ofcourse they meant to offend. Dude if i draw perverted pictures of your wife and daughter then i hope you dont mind becuase i dont mean to be offensive. In the west law is above religon and i agree that we must follow your rules since its your country BUT when have Muslims ever offended you people? You started it by insulting the One man we hold dear above everything and everyone else(except God)and you did not expect the Muslims to react? I ask again. ARE YOU CRAZY?!
If you want us to stop attacking you then stop insulting our Prophet. You might not care when your Prophet is drawn in lewd and offensive ways but we hate it. We even hate it when Jesus and Moses peace be upon them are drawn that way but we know you wont listen.
Dont follow Islamic rules but know this that as long as you continue to do this then there will be consequences. Because my friend it was you people who crossed line first and you are the sole reason for this.Recommend
Reply to Dirk:
In civilized cultures if someone asks you politely to not insult them, civilized people don’t. Unfortunately Europe has a history of ill treatment of minorities , Holocaust being one example. The current spew of hatred in the name of free speech is imagery similar to what Hitler used as his propaganda tool. You can view a few here http://www.bytwerk.com/gpa/lustige.htm
What you need to do is lighten up and realize that Muslims are part of your countries now , instead of telling them off you better learn and find solutions. Recommend
Banning should be illigal it is 100% contrary to “freedom of speech.”
Being recently “Banned” for no reasonable reason I am at the mercy & discretion of the “banners.” Perhaps we should all be mute, for fear of misunderstandings & hurt feelings certainly no room for sarcasm any more. Honesty won’t work either, it is true “You/they can’t handle the truth!” So lets all fake it and lie so we are all politically correct & hide our true feelings. “But then I won’t have anything to say?” We all live in our own little world’s, our own reality’s if I’m wrong say’s who?
Luv, Serendipity
PS: I MAY HAVE MISSED THE LARGE POINT BUT IT STILL STANDS TRUE FOR ALL!Recommend