Everybody's asking me, e-mailing me, talking about the furor over the insulting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in the Danish press. Juan Cole says this on his blog, Informed Comment:
few places in the Muslim world have seen violence over the caricatures, so far mainly Damascus and Beirut (which are unexpected in this regard.) Protests in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and elsewhere have been nonviolent. This is not to play down the seriousness of what happened in Damascus and Beirut over the weekend--acts which can only inspire horror and condemnation--only to set it in context. There are 1.5 billion Muslims. A lot of Muslim countries saw no protests at all. In some places, as in Pakistan, they were anemic. The caricature protests are resonating with local politics and anti-imperialism in ways distinctive to each Muslim country. The protests therefore are probably not mostly purely about religion.
Cole gives his opinion about the whole business here, setting it into context.
The ever-thoughtful Laila Lalami says this: "In North Africa and the Middle-East, the response has been far more nuanced than the press in the West has let on. Several newspapers have written editorials denouncing the caricatures, but they have also pointed their anger at those among Muslims who blaspheme the Prophet through their actions."
She also posted a comment calling for calm: Cartoon Shmartoon.
Her most recent post as of 2/7/06 surveyed reaction and again asked "can't we all just get along?"
I've already received emails forwarded from people howling "Where are the moderates?" These folks don't read the sources where Muslim moderates publish, I guess. Meanwhile Muslims of every persuasion condemn embassy burning, terrorism, and all manner of acting out, but those who want to bash Islam refuse to be convinced.
The Brussels Journal, a blog new to me, has been following this controversy from the beginning. They are generally on the side of the Danes I would say, but this link has a roundup of Muhammad cartoon articles, which yield much information. For instance, a Muslim reader from Canada pointed out the context in Denmark - the queen recently asked her subjects to oppose Islam, and there has been a rise of anti-Muslim activity in that country.
It's a big mess, indeed. Be very suspicious of simplistic explanations.
Just in: See Khalil Bendib, Algerian-American political cartoonist, in today's SF Chronicle. Definitely check out his cartoon on the topic.
i'm quoating frm a blog,"This is the 21st Century. Can't they take a joke?"...What if someone publish the same cartoons of Pope or Jesus? ... Will all of us take that easy? Remember, don't try to find positive things which is bad!
Posted by: Sam | February 23, 2006 at 08:52 AM
I was born as a moslem but condemn islam long befor I could speak. Those who do not know muhammed let me spell it for you: he was illegitimate son of Amina who was a slave from Koraish. He never knew his father while his bitchy mother put the idea of prophecy in his mind.
Muhammed was nothing more than a bastard, homosexual , pedophile & criminal.
Posted by: Karim A Karam | September 01, 2006 at 10:54 AM