Okay, something serious now
I've been following this discussion regarding the caricatures that a Danish newspaper print about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). (Please, do not open this if you're easily insulted)
I finally seen the problematic caricatures this afternoon. And I must say it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Yes it's ignorant and stupid, it's definitely wasn't wise, but I really, should I care when some newspaper I haven't even heard before mocking my religion?. It's like being insulted by some random person on the street. I probably just laugh at his face, and said : "who the fuck are you?".
One point is, it's caricatures, they are not meant to take seriously. It won't make anyone with a right mind to actually believe that muslims equals terrorists or other things that they put in there. It's not actually harming me in any way. It won't make me got beat up in the street, or lose any money because of it. So why bother?.
Another point is, since we muslims are actually prohibited to draw prophet Muhammad (pbuh) face, we never really know what he looks like, so I really can't seriously relate to those caricatures intention to depict him.
I also think that the Danish muslim community leaders have been acting unwise by asking support from other muslim countries, knowing full well that the muslims in those part of the world would take this unrationally. It's like those fights in the playground. When you can't handle your own, you called the big brother to help you out.
There's a good parallel about this matter when church goers in England protest about the broadcast of The Jerry Springer Opera (which feature Jesus and Satan arguing in a talkshow). They bombard BBC with tousands protest calls. They send protests to media. And they got result. The plan to show the play in Britain theatres was scraped because the organization who fund the play pull the plug due to the bad publicity. Several major stores refused to sell the DVD records of the play.
See what they did here? They focused the protest to the responsible party. Not to the British govenment, but to BBC. That's what the danish muslims supposed to be doing. Now by bringing unrelated parties to this issue, but by focusing their effort to the guilty party. But what we got was, trashing out embassies, threatening danish citizens who lived in other countries. What the fuck do they think they will gain by doing that?
Also, for muslims in other country, by giving these caricatures much attention, it will just invite more reaction from others who are first know nothing about it. These caricatures have spread all over other Europe newspaper, and showing support for the danish paper. If we just let danish muslims conduct a peace protest, these other newspaper probably wouldn't give a fuck about it. Something will only be important only if we make it important.
I think the danish newspaper is looking for cheap publicity. Print something controversial, they'll got to known all over the world. I find it hard to believe that the editor wouldn't know the effect of the caricature, especially when muslim and west world relationship has been strained in the last few years. And sadly we're giving them what they want.
7 Comments:
There's also another perspective on seeing this issue, a bigger picture of Islamophobia.
I myself agree that we should act smartly and not easily being provoked -but perhaps these harsh demos and boycott are the only way to make them understand that what they did is terribly bad? That what they did (publishing and defending in the name of free speech) is more of a bully to other culture?
Quote from Wimar Witoelar:
"...it's not about free speech, it is about boorish behavior and stereotyping. most people have no desire to kill Danish cartoonists. We just wish they would keep their racist attitudes inside their enclaves, and keep the bigots with them.
Civilized people do not flare up sensitivities just to make a point. Take a tour around the world, and learn about real civilization."
http://www.perspektif.net/english/article.php?article_id=273
But seeing the example that I give, there are OTHER ways to make them realise that what they did is not on. The thing is, I rarely see a more rational approach are being use by muslims in cases like this. Seeing it from the Western perspective, isn't what the prostesters did isn't just justifying what their phobia?
We got racist and stupid bigots anywhere in the world. If we want to react like that to everyone of them, we wouldn't have time for anything else.
OK, let’s see rational approaches in the past.
In 2002, Washington accused Iraq has mass weapon destruction (MWD). Baghdad denied. To investigate the allegation, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent inspectors to Iraq. But before IAEA report finalized, US and its allies attacked Baghdad on March 2003 without UN approval. One of the most historic places in the world was destroyed in the name of MWD. Funny thing, after three years have passed, no MWD found in Iraq. What the US and its allies found is only ruins and proof of their paranoia.
Although Saddam governance may have violated human rights and democracy principles, they did use rational approach in responding the US allegation: following proper procedure by letting the IAEA inspectors searched MWD in their country. And what did they get? A destruction of one country.
Now we see the same thing repeated to Iran.
As a member of Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Islamic Republic of Iran has the right to use nuclear energy for civilian purposes such as generating electricity. Iran explicitly said that it doesn’t have intention to use their capability to make nuclear weapon. When European Union and USA opposed Teheran plan, last month the theocratic state compromised to proliferate nuclear in another country, which is Rusia. But still, permanent members of UN Security Council + German agreed to refer Iran to UN this month, with repercussion that the Persian country could get sanctions.
We could compare this with North Korea nuclear issue.
North Korea (NK) withdrawn from NPT on 2003 and expelled IAEA inspectors. Then, the issue was negotiated through multilateral talks. After two years of deadlock, last year Pyongyang snobbishly stated that they were producing nuclear weapon on Yongbyon nuclear reactor. Still, USA and the other members of the talk don’t eagerly refer NK to UN Sec Council.
Could it be because Iran is Islamic country and NK is not?
These double standards are pointed to particular groups on international communities, which are Islamic countries/cultures (or as Edward Said defined, 'The Other').
The resentment expressed by Islamic people simply because they didn’t see any benefit of doing things *rationally*. It’s only the peak of huge Ice Mountain.
Demonstration is the only thing they can do to show their protest against injustice and bigotry. If guns and canons were pointed towards them, they couldn’t do anything again.
International politics is no difference than jungle law: the strongest rules.
And unfortunately, most of Islamic countries are on the weaker part.
Okay, first thing first. We're getting way off topic here.
First, about the caricatures. Let me say that it did insult me.
Second, you definitely knows about international matters more than me, but regarding Iraq, I think no matter what, it would happen anyway because of the oil. I can't comment about other incidents though. I can only said that I think Western's prejudice played a huge part there.
Third, the caricature should NOT be an international matter. The paper was published only in Denmark. The paper only published in Danish. So isn't it just logical to let Danish muslims deal with it? Other muslims, can give moral support. But boycott? Trashing out embassies? Threatening danish in muslims countries? That's over the top, even bordering to criminal. Btw, isn't it possible that some of the boycott products was actually comes from companies which owned by muslims?
and you said:
"The resentment expressed by Islamic people simply because they didn’t see any benefit of doing things *rationally*. It’s only the peak of huge Ice Mountain."
That's exactly what we have to change. If we're not start acting *rationally* we're gonna hurt ourselves too. I've read that there are actually a law in Denmark that govern insults for religious icons. If that's the case, suing the newspaper would be a better option. Please note that the above suggestion was only aimed at the caricatures issue, not the 'bigger picture', as you put it. But IF we can accomplished something by doing it the 'rational' way, don't you think it would be such a great step forward to diminished the Islamophobia? Since the phobia was stemmed from violence acts that carries Islam name.
Ya, I agree with you that we shouldn't act violence like that. I
myself didn't join any street demos or such things.
I'm just trying to explain why it has become an international issue
rather than a local one.
In Pakistan today, two people were shot dead over cartoons row. And
the protesters condemned not only Danes, but also Americans. They held their demos not in Danish Embassy alone, but also in British one. Similar condemnations and acts also happened here.
But perhaps Goenawan Mohammad can explain it in other perspective:
Globalisation. Information technology. Connecting world.
A writer who wrote for a local issue has to face unknown mass in a larger scale.
A cleric in Java denounces something in other part of the world where he might not hear before.
I got it, and I wouldn't argue with that.
Thanks for the discussion stan! :)
Oi pid, lucunya temen gue yang jew, waktu kita ngunjungin NY Museum of Art dan liat liat piramid mesir, gue mention bahwa Allah bilang di Qur'an dia akan keep piramid intact karena itu proofnya dia dan nabinya. Trus temen gue yang jew bilang, Muhammad kagak ada deh jamannya piramid. Gue ampe bebuih ngejelasin sama dia bahwa nabi kita tuh banyak, start dari Nabi Adam, Sulaeman dll dan yang terakhir Nabi Muhammad. Elo tau dong latest version is the most advance one *LOL* Dia protes, katanya Nabi Muhammad doang nabi nya Islam karena dia di grant Qur'an.
Gue tetep ngotot ngga bisa... Well, he paid for dinner to shut me off :D
Post a Comment
<< Home