Street Prophets

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  • my thoughts (0 / 0)

    I've posted on this at some length at my blog.

    First, I need to say that a lot of Muslims are overreacting in ways that make me want to bang my head against a wall, over and over and over again.

    But I do think that this is being used to express feelings about a lot of other things and that's why there's so much fury, not just over the cartoons themselves. It's about the social and economic conditions for many Muslims, in Europe and elsewhere. It's about the way that Muslims perceive Muslim countries such as Iraq and Iran being treated by the West, where there seem to be a lot of double standards. It's about Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib and CIA black sites in Europe and how Muslims have been treated in those places.

    Finally, I have to say that it's very painful for me as a Muslim to see so many liberals wanting to republish the cartoons when many of the cartoons contain such awful stereotypical images of Muslims. I really don't think that if the cartoons contained similar stereotypes of Jews or blacks or another minority, that all of these people would be so quick to want to republish the cartoons in the name of freedom of speech. Would people be as proud of that as they seem to be in some cases here?

    So basically, the behavior on all sides of this issue just hurts me.

    "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

    by lauramp on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 12:53:33 PM PDT

    • ditto (0 / 0)

      what she said!

      I find it equally irksome that many Muslims are eager to fulfill the stereotypes described in the cartoons, and that so much of the western media seems eager to point this out.

      I am publically opposed to the boycott of Danish products here, a position that puts me at odds with the majority of our community. Frankly I am tired of talking about it.

      To God belong the east and the west: Whereso ever you turn, there is the face of God. For God is all-Embracing, all-Knowing.

      by dervish on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 01:25:52 PM PDT

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      • boycotts (0 / 0)

        In general, I think that boycotts can be a useful, non-violent tool. People should be free to boycott groups or companies that they do not want to give business to, and this is a form of expression too and is not censorship.

        However, it doesn't sound like the boycotts in this case are being targeted correctly although they do seem to have been effective in drawing attention to the situation!

        "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

        by lauramp on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 02:02:44 PM PDT

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        • A friend in the Gulf (0 / 0)

          noted in his blog that the boycotts are hurting Danish farmers and merchants, not the people who created or published the cartoon. It seems misdirected to me, but apparently it's become quite the bandwagon.

          by Morgan on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 04:29:03 PM PDT

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          • In that sense, (0 / 0)

            while a boycott may be "non-violent" it certainly can cause great harm - and can be highly coercive.

            They should be applied well. The boycott of Iraq between 1992 and 2003 is a major case in point of a boycott that never applied pressure to the right parties - and caused even death. Perhaps it wasn't even non-violent.

            SP's Bible in a Year: http://www.streetprophets.com/story/2005/10/19/105536/72

            by JCHFleetguy on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 04:34:16 PM PDT

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            • In my view (0 / 0)

              the propsed boycott of Danish goods is a clear sin because we are punishing one party for the acts of another. I have found that this argument has reasonable traction here, provided that the listeners aren't too frothing angry to listen.

              To God belong the east and the west: Whereso ever you turn, there is the face of God. For God is all-Embracing, all-Knowing.

              by dervish on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 05:07:38 PM PDT

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              • responsibility (0 / 0)

                Yes, I agree with this. As I said, from what I've read, it sounds like this one is directed in the wrong place!

                As JCHFleetguy said, they should be done well. Like any other form of expression, we do best when we excercise our freedoms responsibly. In many cases this will mean that a boycott is not appropriate, such as this one.

                Occasionally it is.

                "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

                by lauramp on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 05:31:08 PM PDT

                [ Parent ]

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