This morning brings the news that a Iranian newspaper – Hamshari – is going to run a competition satirising the Holoucast. I gagged. Coupled with the pronouncements of the Iranian Leadership – this entire thing is probably going to act as a neat lightening rod for hate campaigners. Hamshari? says that it is in retaliation to cartoons satirising Islam, and that
the cartoons would be published to test the argument of western newspapers which have cited freedom of expression in printing the prophet Muhammad images. "The western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let’s see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons,"
I have been following the fracas about the protests across the world against cartoons of Prophet Mohommad that appeared in a Danish Newspaper. Really stupid of the editor to publish such stuff. Irresponsible really. This is the expression equivalent of killing a pig and dumping it outside a mosque or a cow and dumping it outside a temple. In today’s day and age where every idiot and his cousin decides to take to the streets to prove a point, and every media vehicle is pointed at the ‘idiot and his cousin’ to broadcast their pronouncements – acting as though the western ethos of irreligiousness prevails across the world is silliness. There are people who take their sacred cows very seriously. And while the rest of us don’t have to believe in these sacred cows – making a mockery of them or ridiculing them is asking for trouble. It very conviniently acts as an effective platform for the extreme right & the extreme left. Oxygen for their hate. And above all a disruptor for civil society. When people stand on soapboxes and? scream "Freedom of Expression" they conviniently forget that every freedom has a responibility attached! On a complete aside – i am glad that the Indian Government has resisted the temptation to support Iran on the nuclear issue.Even if it was not a rogue state – it is definitely getting there!
every freedom has a responsibility attached
True. Every expression must me respectful to others, that is what civilization taught us. We can caricature a friend provided that he/she understands my respect towards him/her. But we cannot injure others feelings by stereotyping in the name of freedom of expression.
I am glad to learn that the Indian Penal Code has an entire section dealing with offences relating to religion.
While some think that the Muslims should not dictate others in abstaining to taboos in Islam as it hampers one’s freedom of expression, the lack of respect for other religions and completely ignoring them is not civilized either.
I had a great learning when my wife reminded me that I should not order beef while dining with my Hindu colleague even if he says it’s OK. She told me that there are other choices available so I should respect his culture.
That is what civilization teaches us, to respect others, not to think about ourselves only.
The editor should have attended your Culture Studies classes mam.
Anyways, I dont think the European papers will have much problem in publishing the Holocaust cartoons, if they were pushed to prove a point by the Irani newspaper. If i were the one who published the Mohammed caricatures while defending my freedom of speech I would have no problems printing any caricature, even if I hate it. For two reasons, 1) To stand by my principles 2) Business.
Wont be suprised if there is some terrorist attack in Denmark pretty soon.. and then the whole ‘ war on terror’ routine will be seen again with Bush giving the same speech worded differently. A few more bombs here and there , a few more innocent lives lost and then the world settles into an uneasy calm till some one else pours oil into the fire….
Hi Rezwan
i am sure western papers would not caricaturise someone on the basis of race. They have different parameters on political correctness from us. Race (and lets face it the holocaust had its roots in race – hitler was anti the semitic race – and not religion).
The east doesnt really give a damn about either race or gender – we are terribly biased in our imagery about both. But are fairly well bahaved – mostly – as far as religious icons are concerned.
this entire fracas – seems to be designed to cause trouble. Just when the progressive leadership in the islamic world seemed to be turning the tide – something like this comes up to get the madmen back in the limelight.
Publishers Editors really need to be more responsible. They run more than a business. They run a media that influences and guides many!
France Soir a french tabloid which was in deep financial trouble found the cartoon episode at just the right time. I guess they would have sold a few more copies thanks to this. They commisioned one more fresh cartoon. The editor has since been fired. But frankly speaking I did find that cartoon humorous, Mohammed, Buddha, some Jewish monk, and some more religious icons sitting in the clouds and one of them consoling Mohammed, “Its okay Mohammed, we’ve all been caricatured in europe.”
Hi Sriram
🙂
I really do believe in the freedom of speech and expression. But, i also believe htat the corresponding duty that one has to perform in return for that freedom is act responsibly. Otherwise our streetcorners would be filled with people trying to incite hate.
What the Danish paper did – as with the reprints – is the newspaper equivalent of drinking and driving. ANyone with half a brain would tell you that it is going to lead to trouble.
In many western nations you have hate laws which are applied against the extreme right – when they deny the holoucast, or incite violence or discrimination against a group. I think that sacred cows of non european cultures need to get included in these hate laws. Otherwise the repercussions are too great. Media as a whole needs to exercise more self restraint and sense before publishing – it iwll be truly terrible if the controls were imposed from the outside
Hi harsh
that would be sad. I hope that there is no more violence – but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was.
absolutely
i guess when people put prints of hindu gods on chappals or beer bottles or caricaturise the prophet – they do so for maximum impact – to cut through the clutter and grab the eyeball!
hi sriram
lol
the islamic fundamentalists – like the fundamentalists of any other religious grouping – are singularly without a sense of humour. And that coupled with an extremely jittery trigger finger – in terms of inciting violence on things that they don’t find funny (which is just about everything) means easy disorder and social instability. They need to be curbed in all societies. I don’t know if you read about zee alpha getting ransacked by sena activists protesting against a satire on uddhav and raj.
Thankfully most other communities are not held hostage by their fundamentalist wing – we are merely disrupted by it every now and then. Unfortunately in the bulk of the Islamic world and fundamentalist soiceties like the US – the agenda is set by these fringes. And it takes very little to set them off.
And therein lies the clash. This morning sees the dichotomy of Bush supporting Denmark and lashing out against the Holoucast satire. Double standards – would scream the fundamentalist press. And, they won’t be wrong. Both sets of activity are geared at inciting hate and violent reaction. You can’t go around claiming freedom of press on one, and victimisation on the other.
so, what if I claim selling of all meat is offensive to my religious belief? and how about alcohol? or porn, or I might even claim allowing lower caste men into my street is offensive and all…..and who gets to decide what is offensive? and how?
there is a reason for freedom to expression – and that is precisely to escape such tyranny of subjectivity.
Nobody is denying freedom of expression. all i am saying is that all of us who have that freedom need to exercise it in a responsible manner.
Harini,
My point was not the existence of such rights, but their reason. Am just saying your “rider” of responsible use, goes against the very definition and gets into a grey subjective area — avoiding which, was the reason for the right to exist in the first place.
And, I have no idea why I call you Harini. Sorry if that is not your name.
I agree with you. Circimspection is required on both sides. Freedom od expression does not imply that you do things that are obviously provocative and bound to arouse violence where innocent lives maybe lost. Since the western world deems itself more “liberal” and “responsible”, it shoud refrain from such issues. There are plenty of subjects on which freedom of expression can be exercised.
At the same time, one hopes that the protestors also start living in the 21st century.
Hi nilu
no rights exist in vacuum. look at the right to free expression that we as citizens of a democratic society enjoy.
These exist within certain parameters of society. “Freedom of Expression” does not allow for nudity, for example in public. or the right to smoke dope or indeed in many parts of the west, to smke. or the expression of racist or communalist feelings. norms as well as rules exist that restrict these kinds of expression.
I disagree with your point on the ryder on responsibility. From the point of view of hte modern state – responsibilities and rights go and hand.
Rights without responsilbility is chaos, and Duties or responsibilites without rights is dictatorship. We can’t do away with rights just because we don’t like them
and my other name is Harini, which is probably why u called me that. 🙂
You have somehow assumed the existence of a Nation State to be a fundamental requirement for civilization. That is not a valid assumption, in my book.
hi nilu
not really. but the nation state exists and one really can’t wish it away. In any case before the nation state rules were imposed by society – the nation state in comparison is benign.
i am not particualrly fond of the concept of the state – and would love to see its control over my everyday life reduced.
But, the absence of the state will possibly end up meaning more personal responsibility not less.
hello maam… when vl u write about us…our news capsule…enough of media & politics….
hi megha
as requested – not one post but two 🙂