“people here in the US don’t understand these things about constitutional rights”

Posted on 23rd August, 2006 by

Raed in the Middle: back from the mideast

Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi-American blogger, on his trip to Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and what happened when he tried getting on a plane from New York to California wearing a T-shirt with “We are not silent” in Arabic printed on it. (Hat tip: Danya.)

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  • aicha

    It’s madness, isn’t it? I was pleased to read that the man at least made the airport employees aware of their injustice. On another note, did anyone see the artist’s impression of the young mother charged over the the recent terror plot? Talk about painting people in a bad light, she’s been painted to look as those she has several inches of hair on her face. I guess they’re under orders to make people look as sinister as possible so as to exonerate the Met and Reid if they walk away not guilty. As though to say,”Well you couldn’t blame us for lifting such suspicious looking characters off our streets, now, could you?”

  • Old Pickler

    I agree that this is an absurd overreaction. However, if passengers are a little jumpy around Arabic, there could be a reason for it. In the current climate, it is a litte foolish of him to wear such a t-shirt.

    His invocation of the constitutional rights to free speech is also a little ironic, given that Muslims are not keen on free speech when it comes to criticising Islam. Cartoons, anybody?

    The guy wants to have his cake and eat it. To live in America, enjoy free speech when it suits him, but feel solidarity with “his people” in Jordan and Lebanon.

    Sorry - an overreaction on both sides here.

  • bikhair aka taqiyyah

    OldPimple,

    It seems as if you want to have your cake and eat it to. On the one hand you parrot the freedom of speech line but only for those who have proper affiliations. It shouldnt matter who this guy hangs up on his wall either he is entitled to his speech or not. No conditions.

    “His invocation of the constitutional rights to free speech is also a little ironic, given that Muslims are not keen on free speech when it comes to criticising Islam. Cartoons, anybody?”

    I dont see the irony but I do see lots of assumtions about the boy. How did we go from wearing a t-shirt on a plane and whether he has that right or not, to Muslims, Islam, and cartoons?

  • Old Pickler

    It is in the name of free speech that Muslims posting here will defend this man. Will the same Muslims, in the name of free speech, defend Salman Rushdie or the Danish cartoonists?

    Bear in mind too, that all he was asked to do was change his t-shirt. No death threats.

  • bikhair aka taqiyyah

    Old Pimple,

    “It is in the name of free speech that Muslims posting here will defend this man.”

    Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe some people think this isnt an issue of free speech at all but of a persons right to wear what they want and not have to change thier clothes. I dont want to go down that slippery slope but if a Muslim womans veil is considered offensive will she have to undress? What will they give her to wear in its place? Jeans, a t-shirt?

    “Will the same Muslims, in the name of free speech, defend Salman Rushdie or the Danish cartoonists?”

    When being critical of Rushdie or Danish Cartoonist amounts to threatening Rushdie or Danish Cartoonist I cant see how you believe Muslims are the only ones with the problem .

    “Bear in mind too, that all he was asked to do was change his t-shirt. No death threats.”

    Bear in mind that he has the right to wear what he likes so long as it isnt off the wall. I think you know what I mean by off the way. Now if you want to go down that path of saying, oh its ok to infringe on peoples rights so long as you arent doing anything to bad like death threats, than its tolerable, when will it end?

  • Old Pickler

    Actually, I think he should be able to wear what he likes. And people should be allowed, in Musim countries to wear what they want, too.

    Do you think a woman should be able to wear what she likes in a Muslim country? I’ve visited many Muslim countries and always dressed modestly but normally. Perhaps Muslim women coming here should reciprocate by dressing in modest but normal clothes, not ninja outfits.

  • http://salika.wordpress.com Danya

    “modestly but normally”… what’s normal? Interesting view…

    Anyways, saying “well, if they infringe on our rights, we can infringe on their rights” is not a logical argument. What other Muslims do in other countries is frankly, irrelevent, and another issue altogether.

  • DrM

    Since when did pRickler become a fan of free speech? Always trying to twist situations around. Please tell me you’ve had your tubes tied.

  • Neurocentric