Danish newspaper making fun of Prophet Muhammad

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:53 pm

On behalf of all the Muslims around the world I resent the act of making funny caricature contest using Prophet Muhammad as a subject for this contest.

Few weeks ago a Danish newspaper announced that it is going to make a contest for the funniest caricature on Prophet Muhammad and later on loads of people participated and figured Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist and womanizer and such unacceptable figures.

When the drawings roamed the globe through the internet and eventually reached Muslims? hands we asked the said newspaper to issue a formal apology for such act but they replied that ?it is an act of free speech? and refused to apologize.

Since when was making fun of God?s messengers an act of free speech? Since when was making fun of the prophet of more than 1,000,000,000 Muslims all around the world an act of free speech? This is way out of line.

If they think that that is ?free of speech? then we got our own ?freedom? as well but we are not going to make fun of Denmark ?cause we are mature and civilized people, we are not going to make fun of the prophet of the Danish people - who ever he was - ?cause our religion prohibits us from harassing people that are non Muslims just because they are not Muslims, we are not going to bomb Denmark nor kill Danish people ?cause we are not terrorists or animals.

We are simply going to boycott each and every Danish product on our markets, I am not talking Egyptian markets here, I am talking Markets in all Muslim countries and since that incident I got loads of e mails from each and every Muslim country encouraging the boycott and it includes a list of all the Danish products that are on our markets to build up enough awareness to make this boycott works.

In the end I?d like to say I am really pissed of that act ? so as all Muslims around the world - and I am surprised that after all those years of civilization, mankind still can?t differentiate between freedom and ill manners.

MMamdouh

JohnnyC · Post by **JohnnyC** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:03 pm

I read about them doing that as well. Although I agree with you that what they did was completely without tact, manners, or good character, I can not agree that it is not free speech. Free speech allows for literally anything to be said. It includes everything. It is, in fact, the freedom to say whatever you choose. The day you say that there is something that is simply not allowed to be spoken of, free speech has died, and that would truly be a sad day.

As I said, what they did is offensive to some people, but I don't believe that the position or status of the Prophet Muhammad is so weak that it can't withstand ridicule from people who obviously are lacking in character. I applaud you for not resorting to the same kind of behavior. The boycott? Well... I'm not one for punishing the many for the acts of the few. Perhaps a boycott of those who advertise in that particular newspaper would be something I could stand behind, but not of all Danish people and their products.

I am not fond of people who maliciously attempt to deface others or their beliefs, but I will defend their right to do just that. Freedom is a responsibility, but not something I would ever be willing to give up because some other people can't seem to handle their responsibility. Without free speech, you may not be allowed to speak out against people like this who fail to respect other people's beliefs. I would not want that either.

If I were you, I wouldn't even be pissed... I would smile to myself knowing that I am above such petty disrespect from the weak of character. I, however, am not you, nor am I trying to tell you what to do. I am expressing my freedom of speech, as you have, and I wouldn't trade my freedom for anything.

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:49 pm

I agree, as a Muslim from Bosnia, that is truly offensive. It isn't freedom of speech, it is an outright insult. The fact that they had a contest to find the "funniest" one simply proves the fact that they are merely trying to incite problems. The purpose of newspapers isn't to ridicule one's faith, but to bring news.

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:20 pm

exactly my point... freedom of speech doesn't mean i got the right to insult others let alone a messenger from God.

@ Johnny C: the boycott is amed towards the Danish government... when it was addressed regarding the incedent they said it is "freedom" of speech and they won't issue an apology, we are simply giving them a taste of our "freedom" of choice, we choose not to buy Danish products.

i am pissed for sure... making fun of the Phrophit makes me furious indeed but i still remeber his words when he said that "a strong man is not the one with the bigger muscles... it the one that can control his fury" and i am just doing that.

MMamdouh

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:23 pm

i do agree with you all, even if i do not follow the same teachings. the oppression of a group through propaganda, even if it's just trying to be funny, is wrong... though it is expected. i'm not supporting the danish stance on this at all and would be very mad if my religion was being poked fun at as well.

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:11 am

I do not follow any religious teachings, but it is TERRIBLE for people to do such things in reguards to others' beliefs.
That is just wrong and in NO way acceptable!

Everyone is entitled to believe as they want.
No one has the right to say weather someone else is right or wrong, make fun of someone for their beliefs or make fun of what they believe.

Everyone, no matter what religion they may (or may not) follow should be upset for that cartoon, however, as said above, do not show anger by force, that too is wrong.

Aneab · Post by **Aneab** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:26 am

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz wrote:I do not follow any religious teachings, but it is TERRIBLE for people to do such things in reguards to others' beliefs.
That is just wrong and in NO way acceptable!

Everyone is entitled to believe as they want.
No one has the right to say weather someone else is right or wrong, make fun of someone for their beliefs or make fun of what they believe.

Everyone, no matter what religion they may (or may not) follow should be upset for that cartoon, however, as said above, do not show anger by force, that too is wrong.

+1

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:27 pm

thank you very much guys for the support, i really appreciate it.

MMamdouh

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:57 pm

i agree with OZ too. now i got a question. there are danish products????

i guess i'll be checkin some tags to try and not buy their stuff either.

nick

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:40 pm

here is the list we are circulating:

MMamdouh

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:44 pm

the only thing i recognize is legos and i don't think i even played with them when i was a kid.

nick

MMamdouh · Post by **MMamdouh** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:03 pm

well... when i was young that was my very favorit toy, i got shit load of LEGO kits and i used to do all sort of stuff with it... i was really happy back then because of it but now i have to forget all about it.

the rest of the stuff are mostly dairy stuff and some beauty products... a statistical study says if we continued on the boycott till August the losses for Danimark will be some 39 billion Euros.

MMamdouh

JohnnyC · Post by **JohnnyC** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:47 pm

Yeah... I gave away my lego's ages ago. I don't use any of those products anyway myself.

I have to say though, I still believe that it falls under free speech. It doesn't make what they've done right at all, because it most certainly is not right or good.

That's the double edged sword that is free speech. At times, people will use it for ill purposes, or to express beliefs that most sane people would find offensive, vulgar, and deplorable... but without it, you could not speak out against things that are wrong.

as an example... The President of my country has made so many horrible choices both at home and abroad. If I did not have free speech, I could not speak out against his choices. In fact, without free speech, I might be put in prison or perhaps killed for speaking ill of him and his choices. Luckily for me, I still have free speech and can voice those concerns.

Unfortunately, retaining that right to free speech means that I also must accept that others may voice their opinions, despite how bad they may be.

As much as I might hate some of the things people use free speech for, I would happily die to protect my children's rights to free speech, as it is one of the most important freedoms one can possess.

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:52 pm

Whenever i go to my nephews house i play with his legos. Man i loved those things when i was akid... hey actually i still love em.

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:56 pm

Most car/engine guys were into LEGO as kids. I was an addict. I still have a huge tub of the stuff in my closet that I will keep until the day I die.

As far as the other stuff, all I use is the Jarlsberg cheese, but will gladly go without it for a while.