Danish cartoons and freedom

Quick question -

There was a peaceful protest in London over the weekend, and all the placards had a '(S)' after 'Mohammed'. Anybody know why?

I know that Muslims typically say 'peace be upon him' after naming the Prophet, is it similar?

 

question all authority...

Politicians are all small minded petty egoists..

Islam is a political/economic system as well as a religion and a philosophy..

 

As in mohammedS?
A lot of kids are named mohammed, but wether that has anything to do with it?

 

Ok these are some quick points

1) has any one seen the crap they have about JESUS

2) thank God for these protest's all these Musloms are doing is drawing europe close to AMERICA!!!!

3) FREEDOM OF SPEECH some musloms don't know what this means do they?

4) the west should not be govonered by some crazy fundimentals

5) Europe shouldnt take this LOOK at yourselves you used to wage wars over anything and now America is here and some of you (Germans,French, and Spanish FREACKIN stand uup for you're self)

GOD BLESS GREAT BRITAIN FOR ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING!!!!!!!

 

That's freedom of speach. I don't see a problem with it.

Not necessarily (sic?). I would not thank any god for that however, but I do agree that these protests might have the same unifying effect in the western world that they had in the middle east.

Obviously. A lot of westerners don't, either.

Indeed.

What is your point?

What has Great Britain done in the regard to the comic book riots that deserves godly praise?

 

TD, the world is not the same all over, and it does not stay the same all the time, either. Different cultures have different values; since freedom of speech is an invention of the Western Enlightenment, it's perfectly obvious that the Muslim world does not know or value it as much as we do. It is not something they are used to having, and it is not something they would necessarily demand to have, either, because it's a strange thing to them altogether. They should respect other countries' laws and they should never wield the power to change other countries' laws or value systems; but that does not mean it should be taken for granted that every Muslim knows and accepts the concept of freedom of speech.

Europe is no longer as rich and powerful as it once was, and therefore it can no longer decide about what happens to the rest of the world like it once could. It's not really reasonable to ask of countries like France or Spain to act as if they were still operating at a power level they posessed hundreds of years ago.

 

Peaceful protest, perhaps. Peaceful message, not really.



But the again, they're just exercising their freedom of expression.

 

This is not about the rest of the world. The Islamic world can keep their way of life as far as I'm concerned. I know they don't want freedom of expression, fair enough. This is about the Islamic world trying to impose their values on us. And they're doing that, not by democratic means, but by threaths and violence.

 

I was in fact condemning that in the very same post. I completely agree with what you say.

 

No - as in Mohammed (S)

No - it was a 'peaceful message' protest in Trafalgar Square - Placards saying 'respect Mohammed (S)' etc. It was a deliberately 'peaceful message' protest to make the point that not all Muslims are extremist 'behead the west' types.

 

What has Great Britain done in the regard to the comic book riots that deserves godly praise?

They didnt back down like the spanish and are working on ways of making it happen again.

 

I quite agree that in our world (the west) they have the right to express those opinions unlike in their world (as they want the whole world to be) where the religious mullahs determine what can be expressed and who shall die for violating their rules.
By the same token we have the right, in our world, to condemn them (verbally) for expressing those threats and intimidating opinions.

What bothers me is those in our world who would allow their protests but attempt to squelch our rightful outrage out of some PC idea of tolerance..such as we see in many news media editorials and opinions of academics.
Bulls**t . ..I have zero tolerance for those who attempt to dictate to others using threats and intimidation (as I suspect you do as well from your comments).

 

My mistake, the picture were from an earlier protest. A protest which I understand was disturbing to a lot of Brits.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 33,00.html

 

You suspicion is correct.

The way this has been handled in many European countries, including my own, does not only represent a danger to the freedom of expression, but to democracy itself. By making threats, using violence and in general making a lot of noise, a small minority has managed to get their will. What is mind-boggling is that the same politicians who have caved in still claims that those using threats are extremists are not representative for the muslim population, an even smaller minority got their will with undemocratic means in other words.

But where are the moderate majority? Two demonstrations in Oslo the last week. 1500 muslims demonstrated against the printing of the caricatures, 30 muslims demonstrated for the protection of the freedom of expression. Is there really a moderate majority at all?

I don't think anyone really knows. But it is becoming increasingly apparent that the moderate part of Islam, majority or minority, have a loyalty towards their brothers in faith that is much stronger than any loyalty they may feel towards their nation, the people of that nation and the values of that nation.

 

Well do they? I wonder just what they have achieved.
I mean most of the press printed the cartoons(some here even added some of their own)regardless of muslim protests, and papers not publishing them supported freedom of speech in editorials or comments.
Some politicians or opinion makers may have claimed that it was a mistake to publish such cartoons, but all acknowledge that it's up to the papres to decide what they want to publish.

 

Spain and Great Britain are not the countries involved. Norway and Denmark are, primarily. I think you are confusing the comic books with the war in Iraq, were Spain and Great Britain are relevant countries.

 

Um - further division between Muslim communities and the majority of the population of their home country (Britain, Denmark, wherever) appear to be the only result.

 

That's true of course....
By showing their muscle trough anti-european violence islamists have certainly angered a lot of europeans.
That's part of their plan for the clash of civilizations....

But I was referring to the fact that they did not impose their will concerning the cartoons.

 

Let them protest all they want.I don't care.I believe in freedom of speech,expression,etc...
However,if the protesters start to make threats of violence,threaten to kick their ass if they make good on those threats.

 

Not the words I would choose Sturmtiger, but to use them anyway...
I'd kick their ass precautionary when they make such threats.