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Rights, Freedoms and Repression
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 Thursday March 02, 2006 16:27 by pat c
 Heres a group of writers who are prepared to stand up for democracy against Islamic Fundamentalism. The writers include Salman Rushdie , Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Somali-born Dutch MP, Maryam Namazie - Iranian writer living in Britain and Taslima Nasreen - exiled Bangladeshi writer, with fatwa issued ordering her execution. Their statement deserves the support of every socialist and secularist. Salman Rushdie is among a dozen writers to have put their names to a statement in a French weekly paper warning against Islamic "totalitarianism". |
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Comments (22 of 22)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22Finally! A group of well known activists has the guts to stand up and refuse to give up their right to free speech. Progressives must stand shoulder to shoulder with them and reject the continued encroachment on free speech and civil liberties. Not an inch!
Every yellow politician who has grovelled and apologised for the cartoons should be sacked.
And we can start with Masses "L'Etat, C'est Moi" McAleese. Roll on Bono for President next time around...
at last we half agree on something. mcaleese must go but please, not bono! how about christy moore?
Unfortunately, the rioting business has taken the heat out of the cartoon debate in this country.
Christy sweats too much, but anyone better than the buffoon we have now. I expect Olive Braiden or Geraldine Kennedy will be tapped.
Good to see pat C and GG agreeing alright . It's a pity it has to be about these racist cartoons though.
the cartoons are not racist. thats what 12 writers from an islamic background say. iraqi and iranian secular womens organisations also support the publication of the cartoons and oppose islam.
perhaps these people are racist as well?
i think not. religion is not race. no religion should be above parody. if these were cartoons parodying christianity none of the irish left or liberals would be suggesting that they be banned. if the catholic church suggested that women should wear hijabs then they would be laughedat; but the "left" support islamists when they support it
A good question to ponder over but not for too long. You just weigh things in the balance. I like to look at things from both sides. On one side you have the Islamists who want an end to Democracy and Womens Rightsbut on the other side of the scales you have the Secularists who support Democracy and Womens Rights. I know which side I am on.
"Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present,"
Never were truer words spoken and in this case by people who have lived under the threat of death from Islamists. Lets rally around and support those who the Islamists want to kill. Lets fight the real Racists, the Islamic Fundamentalists.
RSF has a couple of hundred members but Islam has 1.2 billion. You'd wonder why our government spent more time huffing and puffing over a few rocks thrown outside the Gresham than the presence of Madrassas on Aungier Street and the clandestine support offered for this oppressive creed by the likes of Masses McAleese.
i agree with you that there are fash among islam, i consider islamic fundamentalists to be islamofascists. but not all muslims wish to bring about a world islamic state and not all muslims qualify for the title facsist. i think your logo there is a bit over the top. but i wouldnt have it banned.
It's not like "the prophet" (or should that be "the profit") or some other beardy guy in a turban is pictured in it....
You have to admit though, they are not as bad as the christians. That is a far more bloodstained religion.
Ooooh Nooooh! Under the Islamic Sharia Law you lose a hand if you steal and if you are a woman you get stoned to death if you shag outside of marriage. If you are Gay like Geori you either get hanged or stoned to death depending on their humour. Muuuch worse than the Christians.
Massive oppression - no Poove Power in Islamic countries I am afraid which is a shame as some of them lads in dresses really rock my boat. Funny how you don't see Nigerians using the old heterosexist islamofascist oppression thing as an asylum reason though. wonder why? maybe they're all women or the gay ones stay in the UK where "the scene" is a bit more extensive than "The George"...
Pat C: ' i think your logo there is a bit over the top. but i wouldnt have it banned'
Gay Geori is just testing the indy editorial policy waters here - trying to provoke people with his borderline racist/islamophoibic graphic and if his borderline racist/islamophoibic image gets hidden - he can always use it for blog fodder to whinge about indymedia.ie elsewhere.
I'm not saying 'Gay Geori' is racist - but he's not exactly honest about the motives of his 'contributions' to the discussion.
Why would want to post stuff about Indymedia into blogs? That's disgraceful behaviour. It's not like there's anything to take the piss out of here is there?
When are Muslims going to understand that their actions of some of their congretationcan be counterproductive?
Beheadings Hurt Islam
Racism refers to irrational hatred of a group of people of the same RACE.
Islamists and muslims are not a RACE - they are a religion. A white-bread wasp sloanie can be muslim.
Ergot, one CANNOT be RACIST agaist MUSLIMS.
Although one could be a BIGOT against MUSLIMS...
Islam is a business.
But are you saying that the Iraqi Women who call Islam uncivilised are bigots? Are the 12 writers above who come from Islamic backgrounds bigots when they say "Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism"?
Islam is like every other religion it has its fanatics and it has its moderates. The problem with Islam is that adopting "The Sharia" is part of mainstream Islamic ideology. Therefore the idea that Women who have sex outside of marriage should be stoned to death is an acceptable proposition for debate in World-wide Islam. Where the fundamentalists are in control they enforce the Sharia and Women and Gays are exexcuted and thieves have their hands cut off.
I am opposed to the idea that Women should be treated like animals; I am opposed to the idea that Women who have sexoutside of marriage should be stoned to death; I am opposed to the idea that Gays should be executed; I am opposed to the idea that thieves should have a hand cut off. But these are not just ideas: they are are realities in the Muslim World. If opposing these realities makes me a bigot then I am proud to be a bigot.
Geori:
Yes, islam is a business. But so are christianity, judiasm, scientology, rosicrucians, bahai, astrology, voodoo etc.
By the way I like your graphic. But are you prepared for the street riots they will spawn? Are you prepared for the whinging sycophants who will apologise and cajole the swarms of programmed killers? According to some, you would be solely responsible for the violence.
Hmmm... perhaps the American Black civil rights activists in the 60's should have been silenced in their struggle against racial status quo and social dogma Think of all the lives and property that would have been spared by silencing troublemakers like Malcom X and MLK. Some might say there were asking for it and would probably still be alive today if they hadn't been so insulting.
Freedom of speech is absolute - full scale resistance is the only sane response.
Full text: http://lark.phoblacht.net/MAN0503061g.html - MANIFESTO: Together Facing the New Totalitarianism
Supporting article: http://lark.phoblacht.net/AM05030611g.html - Freedom of Speech
Pat C:
I think we agree for the most part.
My key point was in reference to symantics - "Racisim" is the wrong word to apply to Irrational hatred of a religion. I suggested the word "Bigotry" to be more correct.
The words "irrational hatred" don't apply to the political commentary the cartoonists published, nor would it apply to (Iraqi) women who object to sharia law. These were perfectly rational opinions.
In my opinion there must be no limitations on free speech. Even racists and bigots have a right to speech - otherwise someone then gets to determine what is correct thinking vs incorrect thinking. Publishers, of course, don't have an obligation to publish anything they don't want to.
Sunday Times reports:
"The controversy was caused by a satirical piece headlined “Stinking sand niggers outraged by Danish slight on their towel-headed religion”. It contained fictitious comments attributed to President Mary McAleese and described Muslims in other terms that the college has since requested are not repeated.
Sheikh Dr Shaheed Satardien, of Interfaith Roundtable, said the headline would “cause offence to any Muslim” who read it.
Satardien, one of the organisers of the recent Muslim march in Dublin, said: “Students are supposed to be radical and mischievous, but this is stupid. This is not a student prank or a joke. It is supposed to be a satirical magazine. on that basis the reference to Islam as a ‘towel- headed religion’ is fine, but the ‘stinking sand niggers’ part is blatant racism and disturbing. It’s just not acceptable.”
I would have thought "t-head" was just as bad.... They have overstepped the mark here - into racism. Plus it just ain't funny. No sympathy for Masses "where's me driver" McAleese, though