The Radicals and the Pacifists…

There has been many comments in the news of late about the cartoonist depictions of Mohammed with a bomb under his turban. Like most everyone I thought it was pretty stupid to publish something like this. But the irony of the whole thing is that the Muslims were upset that their religious symbol had been depicted as a violent terrorist that they decided the only way to react to it was with violence.

Hhhmmm… let me get this straight. You, as a people, are upset that a stereotype was placed upon you as being violent terrorists. So to prove to everyone that this couldn’t be farther from the truth, you decide to riot and ransack buildings of a foreign nation. Because we all know, the Danish government had everything to do with what their press decided to publish.
That was my first impression of the situation.

I then heard Steve Inskeep interview Ahmed Aub Laban a Muslim activist in Denmark.

Muslim Society Official Explains Mission Against Cartoon
AUDIO

Morning Edition, February 8, 2006 · Protests against cartoons depicting the prophet
Muhammad have led to a number of deaths and damage to Danish missions in several countries. The Danish cartoons came to worldwide attention in part because of Ahmed Abu Laban, the religious director of the Muslim Society in Copenhagen.
Steve Inskeep talks to Laban.

I highly recommend checking out the audio. What caught my ear in this interview is that he sent the cartoons to multiple locations around the world trying to get support. However, a number of the cartoons were images that had never been published. What's that about?

Ahmed: We do not put them up here. We don’t like to put oil on fire...
Steve then asks him specifically about these cartoons were “…offensive in part because they depicted the Prophet Muhammed as violent. Do you think it is appropriate that people have protested those cartoons by burning embassies and killing people?”
To summarize he denounces all attacks and violence and says it is not what should have been done. It is counterproductive to their cause.
Steve: Do you regret that this has gone so far.
The answer surprised me.
Ahmed: The same way the Mr. Ford would regret that he produced a nice car and it has been used in the wrong way to kill himself or to kill someone else.
Steve: So you are not to blame?
Ahmed: No, no no.

So I wouldn't be to blame for yelling fire in a crowded movie theater if I saw fire in the film? Am I far off on this?

The only place I had heard it mentioned, in all of the broadcasts about this issue, about there being cartoons that were distributed that had not been published, was from on this broadcast. Why is that?

And why would you send something out like that which would put people into a frenzy of rioting and not feel badly about the outcome? Then compare it to an inventor of the automobile. I can barely see the correlation. It’s a stretch at best.

Anyway, I don’t understand the issues dealing with the Muslim/Islamic people. I have nothing against anyone based on their religious beliefs. They could believe the moon is made of cheese and worship the giant rats that live there, I don't care. If they don’t bother anyone with your beliefs and respect that others may have different beliefs. To each his or her own. Why is this so hard to live with?

On my way in to work the other day I heard a news story about an explosion over-night at a Shiite Mosque in Iraq. This was a very holy special place for the Shiites and it was bombed…

This made me start to think. (something has to, might as well be this...)

A long time ago, people used to be persecuted in the Christian faith as well. The Coliseum had the mazes where Lions would hunt the Christians, many wars were fought about Christianity as well. Where have those days gone? Why doesn’t this happen anymore?

Aside from the brainless hick that decides to burn down Baptist churches in the south, you don’t get to hear about many problems between the different religions in the United States. Maybe I’m wrong. I could be living in my own little world. I like it here.

At some point they have to realize that there’s more to life than fighting about who’s God is better. It reminds me of the kids in school saying “My Mom can beat up your Mom!” It’s the same mentality. It’s a little more entrenched in the psyche than that, but still the same.

Feel free to comment on any of my rants. I’d like to hear other’s opinions as well.

I thought this would lighten the mood of this post a bit... Hope you enjoy it.