Nothing surprises me anymore, especially in regard to ability of people to be easily offended by the most trivial and unintentional of actions or words and their response to the supposed affront being taken to ludicrous ends, especially when they believe they have the right not to be offended.

And especially when the state also believes they have ( Read more... )

This coming Sunday's edition of the comic strip Non Sequitur is apparently too controversial for upwards of twenty newspapers that are now asking for a replacement. The reason for the controversy in this particular upcoming cartoon by Wiley Miller is because it features the word "Muhammad". The strip in question shows a typical sunny park scene ( Read more... )

Molly No More

Remember "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day"? Remember Molly Norris, the cartoonist first came up with and then disavowed the protest plan of drawing Mohammed when it went viral on the Web? Well unfortunately, disassociating herself from the idea didn't save her from the inventible death threats.

Because of the fatwa against her life, Molly ( Read more... )

That whole Qu'ran burning pastor story is becoming weirder by the moment. Now I suspect that perhaps pastor Jones may have never intended to do through with the planned 9-11 bonfire a la Qu'ran but wanted to orchestrate a publicity stunt for his 15 minutes of fame ( Read more... )

Update: Apparently pastor Jones has canceled the Qu'ran burning after striking a deal to have Islamic cultural center close to Ground Zero in New York relocated. Update again: now it appears that deal for moving the Islamic Center near Ground Zero never happenedOriginal post ( Read more... )

It boils down to this ( Read more... )

I never heard about this until now, but just in time for this year's Ramadan, a gargantuan new clock in Mecca that is an attempted supersize me replica of Big Ben will begin ticking. Known as the Royal Mecca Clock Tower, the near copy of the St. Stephens tower in London that holds Big Ben (which is the name of the bell, not the tower) is six times ( Read more... )

Remember Draw Mohammad Day? An event started by Seattle cartoonist, Molly Norris in response to Comedy Central censoring a South Park episode mentioning Mohammad? Well, in brief, the day went forward and there was much sacrilegious Mohammad art, but Norris herself withdrew from the event beforehand feeling it brought her unwanted attention. ( Read more... )

That is why we need to be vigilante everyday and fight for that freedom, otherwise you get places like the Maldives. See in this island nation, the constitution itself requires that all citizens of the Maldives must be Muslim, and non-Muslim houses of worship are banned. The practical result of forcing everyone to adhere to one religion are ( Read more... )

This video mirrors my feeling rather well. When it came to "Everyone Draw Mohammad Day", it was about free speech, a cherished institution and essential cornerstone of human freedom and modern society. Without it, you cannot have either. That is why I participated, not because of some hatred for Islam, but out of hatred for those who attempt to ( Read more... )