Apologies, political rant.
Okay, (deep breath) here we go: I have no idea what is to be done with this situation. As a preface to this statement, I must say that having spent some time in the "deep" middle east, in some of the countries in question, I cannot deny that there are two sides to every story. I respect their side.
Islamic culture has developed quite independently from Judeo-Christian western culture. Their religion is much more ingrained into their daily life that Christianity or Judaism is today. (When I say 'they', I do not mean to draw a line in the sand, i cannot include myself as a muslim, so i simply say 'they' in reference to a faith that I feel actually quite warmly disposed to in terms of classical religious teaching, and art, but that I cannot count myself one among). There is a difference in values, and this I believe is what constitutes the core of the conflict.
Preface concluded
now I've lost all my steam....
My first reaction to this is anger. Anger because someone was exersizing their right to free speech and a whole section of the world rebeled. Anger because iran childishly said that all diplomatic and economic ties with Denmark are severed. Anger that extremists are taking these cartoons to be declarations of war, and jumping to unfounded conclusions that Europeans are intolerant and closed minded. When all a political cartoon is, is someone venting a little bit of their frustration with the world's situation.
Then I have to think to myself, if I was looking at this from the perspective of a devout muslim who's priorities are not free speech and right to a life of his chosing, but a desire to maintain the sanctity of the religion which governs law, tradition, culture, everything that his life is based on, I would be pissed off too. I wouldn't want to buy their products or engage in good diplomatic relations if a country, knowing how sacred the image of mohammad is (in that there isn't one it's so holy), knowingly published material poking fun at him.
I don't know what's right, there's a different right depending on which corner of the world you hail from.
I'm still angry, because being from the west I think that having the right to say and do as you feel is about as necessary as air, I think that people then need to understand, that there is responsibility that goes along with this freedom and if you go around making fun of others you have to be prepared for the fact that someone is going to get angry, and shoulder that.
But to have the flag of one of the more peaceful and reasonable nations in Europe burned as anathema, and doing harm to citizens of that country because of one person's opinion is too much, I cannot reason with that. If extremist muslims are unwilling to accept that there are countries who do not share their beliefs, hold different values higher, and practice different customs, then I weep for the world because it will surely die. How many times has an American flag been showed burning surrounded by thousands of people screaming for vengance on TV, and all American's do is watch (and send more damn troops over to the gulf). But we allow it to happen without severing diplomatic ties...
Sigh, Im sure someone will post a scathing reply, and that's fine. I just want the world to live.
Islamic culture has developed quite independently from Judeo-Christian western culture. Their religion is much more ingrained into their daily life that Christianity or Judaism is today. (When I say 'they', I do not mean to draw a line in the sand, i cannot include myself as a muslim, so i simply say 'they' in reference to a faith that I feel actually quite warmly disposed to in terms of classical religious teaching, and art, but that I cannot count myself one among). There is a difference in values, and this I believe is what constitutes the core of the conflict.
Preface concluded
now I've lost all my steam....
My first reaction to this is anger. Anger because someone was exersizing their right to free speech and a whole section of the world rebeled. Anger because iran childishly said that all diplomatic and economic ties with Denmark are severed. Anger that extremists are taking these cartoons to be declarations of war, and jumping to unfounded conclusions that Europeans are intolerant and closed minded. When all a political cartoon is, is someone venting a little bit of their frustration with the world's situation.
Then I have to think to myself, if I was looking at this from the perspective of a devout muslim who's priorities are not free speech and right to a life of his chosing, but a desire to maintain the sanctity of the religion which governs law, tradition, culture, everything that his life is based on, I would be pissed off too. I wouldn't want to buy their products or engage in good diplomatic relations if a country, knowing how sacred the image of mohammad is (in that there isn't one it's so holy), knowingly published material poking fun at him.
I don't know what's right, there's a different right depending on which corner of the world you hail from.
I'm still angry, because being from the west I think that having the right to say and do as you feel is about as necessary as air, I think that people then need to understand, that there is responsibility that goes along with this freedom and if you go around making fun of others you have to be prepared for the fact that someone is going to get angry, and shoulder that.
But to have the flag of one of the more peaceful and reasonable nations in Europe burned as anathema, and doing harm to citizens of that country because of one person's opinion is too much, I cannot reason with that. If extremist muslims are unwilling to accept that there are countries who do not share their beliefs, hold different values higher, and practice different customs, then I weep for the world because it will surely die. How many times has an American flag been showed burning surrounded by thousands of people screaming for vengance on TV, and all American's do is watch (and send more damn troops over to the gulf). But we allow it to happen without severing diplomatic ties...
Sigh, Im sure someone will post a scathing reply, and that's fine. I just want the world to live.