The BBC is reporting that a Danish firm has taken out advertisements in various Middle Eastern newspapers to disassociate itself from the cartoons of the Prophet (sall' Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam), fearing that the bottom would drop out of its Arab markets:
BBC News: Danish firm seeks Muslim row end
Which goes to show that using the proper channels sometimes really does work. (A brother once told me that in this country, a company marketed trainers which had some sort of logo which bore resemblance to the name of Allah ta'ala, and a Muslim organisation bought out the entire supply on the condition that the company refrained from selling any more of them. Some idiot then tried to burn down the factory, and the company then flooded the market with them!)
Stories like this make me want to become a cartoonist.
Money is a better weapon than violence. Better still would be accepting that there is such a thing as free speech.
Muslims in the West have benefited from the free speech and tolerance of the West that allows them to promulgate a religion that is, in many ways, at odds with Western values. So Muslims really ought to be sticking up for free speech rather than condoning boycotts. Or is tolerance just a one way street?
Too little, too late. I think we can all get by without Danish dairy products. How sad that European has-beens and socialist hell holes have degraded themselves so. pRickler, since when did a racist twit like you discover free speech?
Even tho in this culture, there is nothing above trivialisation and ridicule, other peoples have some sacred dimension to their lives, and this ought to be respected. This goes for muslims too who go around burning flags, etc.
Not everything can be ridiculed under guise of freedoom/freespeech. That is barbarism.
If I had the strings, I would shut down that newspaper for a fews year so that they learn some lesson (especially given that they are still in defiant: how horrible!).
I heard one of their idiot cultural editors on Radio 4 today bragging that there are similar materials ridiculing Jesus (peace be upon him) and the christians were matured enough to see it in the right context. What right context?
Ridiculing of Jesus (peace be upon him) is equalling disgusting and muslims are just as opposed to it.
I've always believed in free speech, which includes freedom to criticise all religions including Islam. Islam is not a race, so calling me a racist doesn't make sense.
"Islam is not a race, so calling me a racist doesn't make sense."
Well jews and sikhs aren't a race either but attacking them is still considered racist.
Assalaamu alaikum,
I understand the "free speech" issue, but for the people who use that argument, what about the laws against Nazi propaganda and against "inciting hatred" (laws which are aimed at Muslims, not at people who incite hatred against Muslims)? And what would be the reaction of the international community if the newspaper had purposely set out to insult all Jews and then refused to apologize?
In any case, money talks, and this is the way to make them notice. In Kuwait and much of the Gulf, the supermarkets have actually removed Danish products from the shelves. Their sales, which were significant, are pretty much nonexistent now.
So if they have the right to print what they want, we have the right to buy what we want, and to choose not to reward their companies with our money.
So if they have the right to print what they want, we have the right to buy what we want, and to choose not to reward their companies with our money.
Indeed. But until Islam reforms and gets more tolerant, free, and consequently inventive and productive, the Muslim world is always going to need products from the West more than the West needs what little the Muslim world produces.
Took the words right out of my mouth Shamil. The "Muslims arent a race" line is lame.
OP wrote: "But until Islam reforms and gets more tolerant..."
Muslims need to become more tolerant while the West demonstrates its intolerance toward Muslims.
Gotta love that hypocrisy.
Pickler,
What are you talking about ...islam should get more tolerant. Is tolerance allowing every forms of sacredness to be ridiculed. If you are despiritualised that is not our problem, but you shouldn't treat other people as if they are just as despiritualised as you. There are sacred things in our lives that are not to be ridiculed. Sorry you don't have the same, but please try to respect those of us that have a sense of sacredness particularly with regards to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). You will not find a muslim ridiculing the Prophets of other religions. This type of behaviour only comes from western quarters where everything is mudane and earthly.
These are just basic universal manners, it is unbelievable that a leader of a country even has to be taught these things. Don't you remember as a kid your mama telling you not to make fun of other kids, what are your brains O people?
Actually, Old Pickler, I think the West needs our oil more than we need Danish butter.
There are probably some things we need from the West, but most consumer products are widely available from the Middle East or Asia. I'm looking around my apartment and trying to think of things that I need that I can only get from the West, and I can't really think of anything important. Electronic goods and cars and appliances are made in Asian countries... In fact, just about everything sold by American companies is made in China anyway.
I think the West needs our oil more than we need Danish butter.
Oil which, without Western know how, would be useless to it. Since the Muslim world has invented nothing for the last 1000 years, to say it needs the West more is something of an understatement.
Going off on the ol' stupid invention rant eh pRickler? Since you're so advanced maybe you can come up with your energy supply, who knows maybe you'll find the cure of racism. Muslims dont need the west or its useless "inventions," or stale dairy products.
What have you personally invented besides have posterior glued to mouth online? Idiot.
"Since the Muslim world has invented nothing for the last 1000 years"
Maybe you could get one of those creative Westerners to invent you a new line - because you must have used that one a hundred times by now.
You will not find a muslim ridiculing the Prophets of other religions.
Even Bahá'u'lláh?