Humans and animals (III)
ISLAMABAD:
The terrible attacks on the Ahmadi community have left peaceful citizens numbed and ashamed. The community has long been a target of venomous hate speech. The condemnations by the bigoted religious extremists were so muted that the community would be better off if they were not given at all.
Television anchors shied away from calling any of the dead martyrs. Some even had the nerve to suggest that the community was responsible for this tragedy. This is similar to suggesting that a rape victim provoked the rapist and is hence guilty of the crime. If we can have blasphemy laws then we must also at the time second have laws which take task to anyone who belittles the beliefs of others.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 1st, 2010.
The terrible attacks on the Ahmadi community have left peaceful citizens numbed and ashamed. The community has long been a target of venomous hate speech. The condemnations by the bigoted religious extremists were so muted that the community would be better off if they were not given at all.
Television anchors shied away from calling any of the dead martyrs. Some even had the nerve to suggest that the community was responsible for this tragedy. This is similar to suggesting that a rape victim provoked the rapist and is hence guilty of the crime. If we can have blasphemy laws then we must also at the time second have laws which take task to anyone who belittles the beliefs of others.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 1st, 2010.