These are people who spew venom and bask in the glory of their notoriety. Their work has had its desired effect. The US consulate at Benghazi was attacked as violent protests erupted which left a few Americans, including the US ambassador to Libya, dead. Similarly in a mob action in Cairo, rioters attacked the US embassy and tore down the flag. This action has rightfully been condemned by the Egyptian president. But more needs to be done.
In the name of freedom of expression, time and again the West has allowed certain figures to ridicule Islam and play with the feeling of its followers. This only leads to more anger amongst Muslims. The US has not been able to address this problem despite the growing number of Muslims who live in that country.
Even as the State Department condemns the attack on its missions, an understanding needs to be built within the US that inept ‘hate’ videos such as this one can only add fuel to extremist fires. It is clear that hatred for the US still surges like a wave across the volatile Arab world. True peace can only be achieved by creating an environment within which tolerance can flourish. Films such as the latest one released from the US do nothing to create this stability and indeed only add to existing complications in a divided world.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (42)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714034954-0/WhatsApp-Image-2024-04-25-at-1-48-04-PM-(1)1714034954-0-270x192.webp)
@sabi: Denying the holocaust is not illegal in the U.S. It is in many European countries, but not the U.S. I am aware that Pakistan and the U.S. are very different. I personally think blasphemy laws are wrong, or at least very misused, but Americans aren't vandalizing and burning down embassies. I really don't think that's too much to ask Muslims to refrain from. The biggest problem between our countries is distrust and disrespect on both sides. I think the US government in this particular circumstance has expressed this video is disrespectful and not appropriate. I whole-heatedly agree, but there's not much else we can do. I wish more Muslims would respect or at least tolerate U.S. values on the issue of free speech and (peacefully) express their anger at the people actually responsible like the creator of the video and to Google who refuses to take down the video which is obviously lewd and offensive.
All citizens of Pakistan sign a declaration when they apply for a passport. This insults a certain sect and ridicules its founder. Insult is an insult regardless of the fact that it is heaped at a 'minority' sect and is condemnable if it is sponsored by the state. Let's respect others religion and sensitivities and the rest would respect ours.
Observer, "but why should I respect you as a a follower of the quran?" It's a very valid question and I give you full right for that question.Infact the above lines that you have refferd to, there are some words missing and it seems I'm demanding something very stupid from others.It should be read as My point is respect for the feelings of those who are following the teachings of Quran or atleast trying to follow it.Condemn those who have exploited religion and not religion itself. Difference of opinion and denial is a basic human right of every human being and I fully respect that.However one doesn't need insulting or use of derogatory words for others to show that differece of opinion.We may dissagree on certain issues but we should still be soft enough to sit over a cup of coffee.But I want to make it clear that insult of any kind doesn't justifies voilant protest.We should leave religious matters on God but, at the same time beaware of those who make their fortune by virtue of widespread ignorrance on religious matters Thanks and regards
No doubt it's published from Pakistan.
So called liberal news paper can't take offence on their religion.
What do you expect from ordinary zia, ghairat and jamaat brigade.
@sabi: Makers of the films and those who insult Islam will eventually feel God's wrath.... unfortunately these days it seems too many Muslims all over the world are feeling God's wrath. What does that say about us? I agree to some extent with what you had to say, but limiting personal freedom isn't something that sits well with western societies (at least not an OBVIOUS and evident restraint on freedom). However, it's the irresponsibility of the film makers who should have known what would follow. Unfortunate situation, being mishandled on many fronts. This vicious cycle of violence perpetuates itself and people are not doing much to extinguish it.
@sabi: Now walk the talk and take out a rally asking for removal of hate material taught in your schools. Or should the followers of these start burning Pakistan flag in front of Pakistan embassy?
@sabi:
"My point is respect those who are following the teachings of Quran or atleast trying to follow it.Condemn those who have exploited religion and not religion itself."
"My point in the end is without showing respect to others religious sentiments at least for prophets of all religions we can never achieve real peace in the world"
Your posts show that you are a caring and very nice human being. However, you seem to be missing some very important points. I do respect you as a human being., but why should I respect you as a a follower of the quran? As for respect for religious sentiments and the prophets, I would restate that as "respect for your rights to have religious sentiments". For, if I am an atheist, why should I have respect for anyone's religious sentiments? What if I disagree with religious doctrines and dogma? Thus, one can have total respect for your rights to "religious sentiments", while at the same time not having any respect for the religious sentiments themselves.
I hope you see the fine difference I pointed out. The problem comes with your- and in general most Muslims'- expectation that others respect your religious teachings. This expectation is the reason for endless conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims.
@moatasim: If you react to name calling by resorting to assault (punching him in the face), then you will be charged with a serious crime (felony assault) and will end up in court! If "10 out of 10 people" react as you suggest, then watching any Pakistani TV discussion panel should reward you with endless bloodshed as the guests physically tear each other apart, which of course doesn't happen!
@sabi: ".Condemn those who have exploited religion and not religion itself"
Agree whole heartedly. But why restrict that only to religion, it should also apply to not generalizing acts of an individual to his/her entire faith/language/race. SO perhaps you should consider condemning the i specific person who madet thsis movie who was an American of Egyptian descent rather than blame the whole 'Western world' for this.
@moatasim: "If someone abuses your mother and says that freedom of speech grants him the right to do so, then would you applaud him or punch him in the face???10 out of 10 people will react aggressively in such a case"
You are making out as though you have to take one option or the other. And no 10 out of 10 people would not react in the way you think because there are other more mature conflict resolution methods besides getting violent with everyone you disagree with. Even within your own country , please turn to the Ahmadis, do they punch people who disrespect their belief systems? Have theHindus in Pakistan been rioting despite ongoing forced conversions?
@moatasim:
I tell u what, if somebody abuses my mother verbally, I am not going to kill him or her. I will either respond back or ignore and end any relation I have with that person whatsoever. So nice try, using mother to justify Islamofacism.
This movie cant be related to full western society , it is just view of a few persons those involved in the making of this movie .
I think violent protesters are equally wrong as makers of this movie You wouldn't take live of a person because of his/her nationality , i hope Muslim worlds understand this and take more civilized way of protesting or probably take a legal action against the movie makers
i feel bad for persons getting killed in response to this movie first then anything
gp65 First of all thanks for correcting me on holocaust law concerning America accept my failure. Everybody draws his/her own conclusions from history and it depends on envoirnment where one lives.Islamic history to a great extant has been exagerated by both western scholars and some low profile story writers in Pakistan which has influenced vast majority of Pakistani society.I don't know what exactly happened at the hands of Ghazanvi abdalis or Qasim.Whtaever might be the truth destroying tempels of others faith is extremly painfull and regrettable and can not be justified.This is not the teaching of Quran.Pakistani society including its rulers which has distanced itself from the teachings of Quran can not be a chriteria of judgement.But throughout the ages you will find millions who have followed the teachings of Quran and showed it to the world by their actions.My point is respect those who are following the teachings of Quran or atleast trying to follow it.Condemn those who have exploited religion and not religion itself. Have a good time and regards.
I don't think that Pakistanis can fully understand that there are countries where govt cannot do anything to stop the free speech no matter how ugly that may be. I am against hurting anybody let alone making these kinds of movies. It is the few people and not the govt who is responsible and not millions of peaceful citizens.
If people choose to react to it,by burning their flags, storming their embassies. Its freedom of action. Dont get me wrong I don't endorse this behavior, but unfortunately , if freedoms of any sort are not supposed to have acceptable boundaries in the realm of liberation, then so be it. Lets all go crazy.
If someone abuses your mother and says that freedom of speech grants him the right to do so, then would you applaud him or punch him in the face???10 out of 10 people will react aggressively in such a case...similar is the case with religion(whether it be Islam,Christianity etc)
@Toticalling: I have seen many films making fun and jokes about Jesus. You hardly hear an uproar. Because there people are sensible and not suffering from mob hysteria.
ET is very touchy about Arabs it seems. Why censor my innocuous comment about religious intolerance amongst Arabs ?
@sabi: "My point in the end is without showing respect to others religious sentiments at least for prophets of all religions we can never achieve real peace in the world.Freedom of right is a basic right of every human but how to use it needs some civility"
Why does Pakistan honour Bin Qasim and Ghaznavi who destroyed our temples? Was that an act of honoring other religions?
@sabi: "Marie dear, Please let me know what prompted western law makers to promulgate law of holocaust? Isn’t it against the personel freedom of speech of an individual.(I personely don’t object this law) " Sabi ji, I usually agree with your viewpoint but am unable to do so at this time. You are comparing appleas to oranges. USA does not have such a law. USA has first amendment rights for all residents includingthe ARabic Egyptian COpt who produced this movie. Also as has been said by many other people, holocaust denial law in Germany applies to when you are in Germany. If you deny holocaust sitting n Pakistan, Germans will not kill the Pakistani ambassador in Germany. See the difference?Also the holocaust laws are not promulgated by Israel. Germany i sthe country that was responsible for holocaust and takes ownership for that. Jews are not a majority there. It would certainly be nice if Pakistan had laws preventing what happened in 1971.
In the US their flag is the symbol of freedom and is as valuable to them asthe Quran is to Muslims. Yet burning a US flag in US is also permitted under freedom of speech.
And by the way is the person that started Ahmadi sect not insulted in Pakistan daily by law? So it is okay to dish it out but not take it?
Marie dear, Please let me know what prompted western law makers to promulgate law of holocaust? Isn't it against the personel freedom of speech of an individual.(I personely don't object this law) Comparing Pakistan with Ameica is like comparing apple with orange. I used the words wrath of God and not wrath of people because Quran doesn't allow it's followers to do any harm to other neither verbaly nor physicaly.I have like many other sane Pakistanis strongly critcised religious extremism in Pakistan.On the other hands there are so many good values in western societies which I do acknowldge and appriciate. My point in the end is without showing respect to others religious sentiments at least for prophets of all religions we can never achieve real peace in the world.Freedom of right is a basic right of every human but how to use it needs some civility.The current freedom of speech is a shift from one extreme (Church hold on society) to other extreme.This is what we call polarisation.Which can never be an ideal situation.There is still lot to do in west to come to a middle point. Regards.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/no-one-murdered-because-of-this-image,29553/
This link comes from a satire website, The Onion. Ostensibly, the image is insulting to my religion - as it is to Christianity, Buddhism and Judaism. I don't really care. I don't think anyone can insult my beliefs without my cooperation.
I don't want to kill the guy who drew the caricature, or bomb the publication. I don't know what the dead US ambassador had to do with the movie you chaps are up in arms about - I haven't seen it and have no real desire to. Somewhere I think the Islamic world needs to introspect - why does it get excited into a murderous frenzy over every big and small thing?
If a Muslim get heart by these kind of deeds ...........
then why a true Muslim shy away for doing blasphemy for other religion .............
*BELIEVE IN YOUR RELIGION BUT RESPECT ALL RELIGIONS *
This attempt to silence artists (or those who think they are artists) is impossible to do in a democracy.
Personally, I didn't like Sam Bacile's movie and I really think that this man has psychological problems along with will of reckoning things with the Islamic world. That actually doesn't interest me and is his problem alone.
I used to be very open with the Islamic worlds and always thought that a democratic Islam was possible.
But that new event is intolerable. Nobody and nowhere should be silenced for his own expressive work, how stupid and how ugly his work might be. Who are we to judge? In Middle-Age Europe, artists were silenced by the clergy and the Christian Church tried to confine writers and painters in a mute state. That is not possible and will never be possible again.
French philosophers like Voltaire and Diderot used to spend their whole life mocking the Church and even Christianity as a whole religion. This is how Europe got back to democracy. It is right and democratic to mock religion, no matters hideous or stupid are the means of expression.
Over.
Author: "In the name of freedom of expression, time and again the West has allowed certain figures to ridicule Islam and play with the feeling of its followers."
And that is a perfect reason to kill humans? You must be joking. You have no clue how far you are off track and how much as an apologist you are condoning this nonsense. If everything in the written or published media or on the internet is removed or forbidden because some one's feelings are hurt, close shop and retreat to FATA without schools, electricity, cars, guns, iphones etc.
Why generalizing about the West. First of all the guy is an Egyptian. Even if a Westerner had made this horrific movie/clip or whatever, why condemn the whole Western society. You risk that some idiots in the West are going to do the same to you, using senseless murders (about 40,000 in 10 years), blasphemy laws, no separation of state and religion, no working justice system, bonded labor, etc. etc. to condemn this Pakistani society? You are putting oil on a fire that should not be there in the first place. For non-believers your superstition is utterly dark age nonsense, but it does not give me the right to kill people, does it? Freedom is a great good, we have to accept that our feelings might be hurt. In any case I will burn for eternity (law of conservation of energy?) according to your sensitive opinion.
If religions & religious beliefs are so weak that they can be easily insulted, it is best to discard them.
@Marie: "The First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and the press, has been around for well over 200 years. This isn’t some new lawmade for ...."
Would like to point out, the first amendment to the constitution is "Not A Law" . It is an inalienable right of all who are in the US ( citizen or otherwise) and that is why it became the very first amendment to the constitution. First amendment is the life of the US constitution and the amendments on emancipation of slavery and laws against dicrimination, civil rights, gay rights, women's rights and so on are all based on this life giving amendment.
I will defend the rights of Muslims to build the mosque near ground zero location and at the same breath I will also defend the stupid film maker's rights to make the film.
Freedom of expression is not some enumerated bill of rights as in most other constitutions of the world, given by the govt as benevolent gesture to the people. It is an inalienable right of this land and its people and we fought hard for it despite several set backs.
Writing articles, making hate speeches, serials and movies ridiculing any faith must be condemned strongly and unequivocally without ifs and buts. Taking law into ones hands and destroying property and killing people on whatever grounds/ provocation must be condemned even more strongly.
Freedom of expression also includes the freedom to hurt other beliefs. I do not approve of the film about prophet Muhammad, a it mixed facts with fiction an presented them with satire, but it does not justify killing innocent people who had nothing to do with making the film and destroy property. What if Muslims are targeted in west where there are millions of Muslims living peacefully and without fear and angst, were targeted just to avenge killings in middle east? We must stand up and say: "There is no if s and buts about this affair but utter shame and disgust in our minds".
The Roman Tutor Seneca wrote this about 2,000 years ago: To the common man, religion is true. To the philosopher, religion is false. To the government, religion is useful. Karl Marx said religion is opium. I say we must learn to live with freedom to disagree. I have seen many films making fun and jokes about Jesus. You hardly hear an uproar.
Nobody in the world would like to see their God and Religion being attacked, but that won’t justify the violence being carried out and killing innocent Americans for somebody else’s deeds. Kindly watch this video below and please let me know how many Christians went on rampage attacking the LIbyan Embassy when group of Libyan people desecrated the Christian Cross recently some months back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE3u6SGfkj8
The hypocrisy of the editorial is nauseating. The editorial defended the rights of the cartoonist in India a few days ago in the name of freedom of expression and now there is a 180 degree in opinion when it comes to their own religion.
Freedom of expression is freedom of religion, and without freedom of expression their is no freedom of religious expression. That is why all who were persecuted in the world are in the US, and are continuing to come and we would like to keep it that way.
If the freedom of expression is fully understood and experienced in PAK, no minorities will be migrating out.
Normally no sane person likes to hurt the feelings of others , be it religious or other factors. Any such action will naturally. cause anger among the followers. I condemn this film though I have not seen it.
But production of such films or similar action like pastor Terry Jones announcement to burn the Holy Book needs to ponder over the matter seriously. Doesn't it signals a reactionary move. the film is produced by a person from the Coptic . community (believing in Christianity.) originally from Egypt now non resident. there have been many incidents and news of abuses of this community and the action is the product of anger, helplessness , frustration for not being able to save their community from abuses( by Muslims, you may call them misguided).
there is reasons for introspection or such incidents will recur in future also.. Muslims too in Pakistan and all over the globe that hurting the feelings of non Muslims using bigotry equally arouses anger . It is only the difference of gravity .
@sabi: The First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and the press, has been around for well over 200 years. This isn't some new law made for the sole purpose of having something to hide behind when people say insulting things about Islam. From everything I've heard, this video does sound really offensive, but something being offensive is not a crime in the U.S. and it doesn't matter who or what is being offended. The government of the U.S. has NOTHING to do with this video, nor can it simply ignore a 200 year-old law and stop this man from releasing the video. Also, don't pretend like this is a "western" problem. For heaven's sake, a 14 year-old girl with special needs has to go into hiding for a crime she was framed for in your country. She was released, but apparently, that won't stop people in your country from threatening her and her Christian community with death. What about the siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem by the Palestinians? Let me tell you something, it really hurts my feelings that Palestinians would use such a sacred place to hide in and place bombs all over it. I'm sure it really hurt Buddhist's feelings when the Taliban destroyed their priceless statues. Guess what? Americans and Buddhists didn't start destroying the PLO's delegation office in Washington D.C. God will judge people for what they've done. Freedom of speech sometimes has it's drawbacks, but I'd rather live in a country where I don't have to fear that I may get put to death because my neighbor decided to say I said something offensive. Is anti-Muslim sentiment a problem in the U.S.? Yes, it is, but, first of all, Muslims do themselves no favor when they react in a violent way because it just feeds the stereotype this film advocates in the first place and secondly, it's nowhere near the problem it is for Christians in your country. Christians are fleeing their neighborhoods and their countries, while Muslims continue to move to the U.S. and Europe. Stop this "holier-than-thou" attitude when problems are so much worse in your country.
Sad day when an Editor of a newspaper promotes censorship. No one forces you to go on the internet - no one forces you to watch a TV program, read a newspaper, or watch a movie. Your suggestion that the USA censor anything that might offend Muslims is offensive and impractical - do you seriously believe that the most successful Democracy in the World is going to modify it's Constitution to provide an exception that no one can say or do anything that might offend Muslims - if so you have no clue about the concept of "freedom of speech".
The late Christopher Hitchens wrote a great book titled "God is not Great", which explored all the death, destruction and misery inflicted upon the world in the name of religion! He spares no religion in his examination of beliefs, and supports his thesis with extensive examples of misery and ignorance!
They can say and what they want. But our imaan is on our heart. No film or book can take that away. Let them make the films, we follow the prophets example and ignore them...
@sabi write " freedom at the cost of hurting other’s feeling can not be justified under any circumstances."
Freedom of speech is no excuse for bigotry and bigotry is no excuse for violence. Religion supports neither.
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." -Matthew 7:12, Holy Bible
"Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." -Mohammad, 4th Hadith of an-Nawawi 13
"...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." -Leviticus 19:18
While I understand the gravity of the issue, I wonder what could have U.S. govt done to stop it, the abominable video under consideration has been put on YouTube and unless we are talking about regulating YouTube content, this will continue to happen. Furthermore, the problem is that by paying so much attention to these shenanigans, we make the very undesirable things more popular and therefore more significant. If we let it go, these things will die their own death of anonymity.
Western democracies are making great mistake in the name of individual freedom.They must know that freedom at the cost of hurting other's feeling can not be justified under any circumstances.It looks many think tanks in west, who are influential in making lagislations,are highly prejudice against islam and its followers.If they continue this practise of insulting the founder of Islam i'm sure they will not escape the wrath of God.