Boycott!
There are some individual Muslims who think that this latest event of the Danish Cartoons is just something that is taking place in isolation. For these Muslims, this is just another opportunity to heap scorn on their fellow Muslims who are expressing their outrage (however terribly flawed their strategies of protest might be). In many ways, they mimick the anti-Muslim/Islam mainstream corporate press in the way they use images to belittle Muslims protesting. What these individuals do not understand is how these images are manufactured to send a specific message: Muslims are all crazed fanatics.
The anti-Islam/Muslim sentiments that Europe and the United States are perpetuating is nothing new. If anything, the latest episode should be looked upon as a final straw in a long string of horrible attacks against Muslims.
But also dangerous are some of the responses of those individual Muslims who are going about saying "do nothing" or belittling the boycott efforts. These Muslims lack a historic perspective, and have a shallow understanding of the trajectory of anti-Islam/Muslim rethoric that reaches ever new heights in Europe and the United States.
This rethoric is not something to be taken lightly - all one needs to do is pick up any German and other European newspapers leading up to the holocaust against Jews and many other communities, and we can begin to understand the seriousness of these so-called "private freedom of press" cartoons. The total demonization of Islam and Muslims is nothing less than a step towards characterization of these communities as an evil that needs to be dealt with - and a step away from Europe pondering on the Muslim question, same as they pondered over the Jewish question just a few decades ago. After all, it was only a bare few months back that the French Interior Minister who, in the heat of the Paris "riots," labled the French youth of North African background as "vermin" and "scum."
The do-nothin' crowd would have Muslims just lay down and smile - while Europe and US tighten their screws and continued their demonization of Muslims. Such an attitude can only lead to an ever worsening situation, one where it is accepted that Muslims have no right to protest, and no right of boycott - the only right that Muslims have is to be silent, and give Islam=Peace khutbas (no accents allowed) approved by imperial governments. These attitudes are infact nothing new, they are rooted in ultra-loyalist attitudes that existed amongst some Japanese Americans during WW II, and even amongst some Jews of Europe.
Muslims protest could certainly use substantial refinement, but, in this context, if there is a rotten state - it lies squarely in the European court. And to not engage in serious protest at this juncture is to invite even more horrible events a few months down the line.
Boycott!
posted by redwood at
2/05/2006 09:27:00 AM
2 comment(s):
It is one of the only world religions that has not been tamed by secularity, also, the q'ran is just as violent and horrible a book as the bible and Torah, and none of them should be believed without evidence. Not in the age of nuclear weapons. Our ability to kill each other has reached a degree that we can no longer have these irresponsible beliefs and expect to survive our religious differences. I ask you, are these the passages of a moderate "Religion of peace"?
4:56 Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise.
4:74 Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward.
4:76 Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil. Lo! the devil's strategy is ever weak
4:89 They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them,
Have a listen to this too.
http://longnow.chubbo.net/salt-0200512-harris/salt-0200512-harris.mp3
I'll be back in a bit to see if you've already deleted my post or not.
By
Anonymous, at
2/05/2006 07:25:00 PM
This whole event should be putting Europe and its fascist past on trial and not Muslims.No-one has commented on the fact that Danish Muslims and the ambassadors of Muslim countries in Denmark had asked in September 2005 for a simple apology and withdrawal of the cartoons in a diplomatic manner.Instead they were shown the door.
I am sorry to say but for those who are disempowered,as Muslims undoubtedly are in Europe,the only way their concerns are heard are by violent reaction.Peaceful protest and diplomacy are luxuries of the wealthy and powerful and the mantra of the "House" muslims who keep massa happy with Islam=peace.
By
Anonymous, at
2/05/2006 07:35:00 PM
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