The French show some mettle
There's no doubt about it. The French are showing more backbone lately than they have since a gang of them stormed the Bastille. First, Jacques Chirac announced recently that France reserved the right to respond to a terrorist attack with nuclear weapons, no less. And now a French newspaper, France Soir, has reproduced a set of Danish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, knowing full well what a holy ruckus it recently stirred up in the Muslim world. Not that it takes very much to do that, but how often do you hear frenzied mobs chanting "Death to Denmark!"?
France Soir said it ran the cartoons to show that religious dogma had no place in a secular society and declared it had "the right to caricature God." That's pretty gutsy (or maybe dumb?) considering the intifada-like disturbance it had on its hands just a few months ago when it seemed there might not be an untorched automobile left standing in all of la Republique Francaise.
Responding to the embarrassing turmoil throughout the Islamic world, one Jordanian newspaper reprinted the cartoons with an editorial urging Muslims worldwide to "be reasonable. What brings more prejudice against Islam, these caricatures . . . of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim . . . or a suicide bomber who blows himself up during a wedding ceremony in Amman?" It's a great point and an admirable stand the paper is taking, but it better have good fire insurance. Muslims don't generally take kindly to insults against Muhammad and they've been known to burn down newspaper offices before.
The president of the National Federation of the Muslims of France said his group would begin legal proceedings against France Soir because of "these pictures that have... and are still hurting the feelings of 1.2 billion Muslims." Say what you will about the French and their checkered history of surrender and retreat, but at least they don't get their feelings hurt as easily as that 1.2 billion.
Greg Strange provides conservative commentary with plenty of acerbic wit on the people, politics, events and absurdities of our time. See more at his website: http://www.greg-strange.com/
France Soir said it ran the cartoons to show that religious dogma had no place in a secular society and declared it had "the right to caricature God." That's pretty gutsy (or maybe dumb?) considering the intifada-like disturbance it had on its hands just a few months ago when it seemed there might not be an untorched automobile left standing in all of la Republique Francaise.
Responding to the embarrassing turmoil throughout the Islamic world, one Jordanian newspaper reprinted the cartoons with an editorial urging Muslims worldwide to "be reasonable. What brings more prejudice against Islam, these caricatures . . . of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim . . . or a suicide bomber who blows himself up during a wedding ceremony in Amman?" It's a great point and an admirable stand the paper is taking, but it better have good fire insurance. Muslims don't generally take kindly to insults against Muhammad and they've been known to burn down newspaper offices before.
The president of the National Federation of the Muslims of France said his group would begin legal proceedings against France Soir because of "these pictures that have... and are still hurting the feelings of 1.2 billion Muslims." Say what you will about the French and their checkered history of surrender and retreat, but at least they don't get their feelings hurt as easily as that 1.2 billion.
Greg Strange provides conservative commentary with plenty of acerbic wit on the people, politics, events and absurdities of our time. See more at his website: http://www.greg-strange.com/
4 Comments:
About as tasteful as making fun of the Holocaust or images of a popular Catholic symbol of Jesus taking it in the rear. An image of Mohammad is sacrilege, I'm adult enough to respect that. An unexpected and public chastising from a person or group who shares similar tastes could stifle some of the criticisms instead of provocation and resentment.
Ought to keep in mind that there are more Muslims fighting with and dying beside American and British troops then Muslims who are fighting against them. For a change, many of these men and women are doing this because they want this, mostly not being forced into a conflict is new.
I understand a bit of the harsh attitudes and some of it can be attributed to exploitation in order rally a population. For now, there's no other place but here. Careful consideration ought to be given to tolerances and how much of a buffer is required in order to stem unnecessary loss.
The funny thing is, western media has forever been a space where "sacrilege" and cartooning of the Christian God and Son has been acceptible.
Mark Twain comes to mind immediately.
More contemporary and radically replusive examples of blasphemy that were tolerated without declaring a Fatwah might be the movies "The Gospel According to St. Mark" by Italian director Pasolini, or Scorsese's vile "The Temptation of the Christ."
Even Mel Gibson's "The Passion" was like gore porn for the true believers.
Mostly I am confused and perplexed by a faith that forbids any visual representation of their Prophet.
How can Islam seek to prevail against the infidel's world culture if they reject visual symbolism?
No wonder Muslims are feeling overwhelmed by Western imperial culture.
They just haven't graduated a sufficient number of semioticians, video editors, or cultural critics yet.
Just wait .... another 500 years.
Maybe the same fetish they have for dressing women head-to-toe in veils and awnings is a sign that they are uncomfortable when faced with eros?
You'd have to read Freud for a year to understand Muslim phobias.
It's all about the evil of the BODY.
Unless, of course, it's a body blowing itself up and murdering innocents.
That's called "martyrdom!"
Ought to keep in mind that there are more Muslims fighting with and dying beside American and British troops then Muslims who are fighting against them.
I suppose, if it were us doing these cartoons. It's not, it's the French, and they don't have anyone fighting alongside them.
Greg's post was very amusing, and quite right on concerning the French. Another poster, autobleach, was correct in pointing out how in the Western world, God and Jesus Christ have been portrayed in many sacriligious ways, yet you don't see Christians using that as a reason to go around pillaging and attacking people. Clearly, something's a tad wrong with a bunch of people in several different countries going around committing violent acts in the name of their faith. Just a thought.
~ Kat from WA state
-icemaidn68@netscape.net-
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