Cartoons
The irony of this is not lost on me. In fact, there's so much irony here I almost can't write it all down.
So a Danish newspaper does a variety of racist Muslim jokes (they are many things, and racist is one of them, like it or not), including depicting Muhammad with a bomb on his head (personally, I thought the one where the angel is screaming to all the souls waiting to get into heaven, "Stop! Stop! We're all out of Virgins!" was HILARIOUS). Guess what happens next? Come on...take a shot in the dark. What do you think happens next? Yep. You're right.
This reminds me of World War I. A relatively minor skirmish from two countries that were not world powers ended up plunging the world into a war that lasted 50 years. Now, we have an offensive cartoon in a pissant newspaper that is in a country that has had almost nothing to do with the current Muslim crises going on in the world lead to a worldwide mess that who knows where it will end?
You see, this is a story of too many people making stands on extreme principals, while not thinking of the consequences of these actions. Which seems to happen every time Islam is involved.
Now for the disclaimer part: I don't hate Islam, don't hate Arabs, etc., etc. As always, I will merely call things like I see them. Insert the token "I have friends that are Muslim" line here, except whereas when most people say that it means they shook hands with a guy once, it's a truth here. I even know how to pronounce Muslim correctly.
Back to the post. So who's the bad guy in this? The answer is simple: the media.
That's right media. This is all your fault. You're the bad guy. You're in the wrong. You're the asshole.
Don't get me wrong: Muslim extremists are the REALLY bad guys. They always are. Anyone who would kill another human being--or burn a building down, potentially killing the people inside--because of a stupid political cartoon is an evil person. You're crazy buddy.
But are we surprised by this reaction? Anyone? I mean seriously. It never entered your pea fucking brain as you were drawing Muhammad with a bomb on his head that these fanatically maniacs might get a little pissed about it? And have you not realized that when these nutballs get pissed about something, their response is to KILL ANYONE THEY CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON? What a shocker there!
But no. Not only did some asshole draw that cartoon, not only did some dickfuck decide to print it, but editors around the world decided that now, when the world is just coming off a war with Muslim Terrorists ("coming off" being a relative term--I'd probably describe it better as "enjoying a lull"), now would be a good time to take a "journalistic stand" and "fight for free speech" and print that cartoon all over the world.
WHAT KIND OF FUCKING MORONS ARE YOU?
I've said it before in this very blog: freedom of speech does not mean the right thing to do is say whatever is on your mind. Sure, you have the freedom to express to a drunken Ron Artest in a club that his rap album sucks and he's a shitty NBA player--you cannot be arrested for doing that. But is that a good idea? If someone asked you when you wake up in your hospital bed a week later if, in hindsight, you'd say that again, what do you think your answer would be? Yeah. That's what I thought.
So everyone in the world, here's a lesson that my parents taught me that seems to be lacking in the world today: "Think before you speak." Just because you have the right to say/write/draw something does not mean that you should. Think about the consequences of what you say. Muslim Extremists are crazy. Crazy people--surprisingly--act crazy. If A = B, and B = C, then Muslim Extremists are going to start acting crazy when you say something to piss them off!
So to whoever drew that cartoon because you thought taking an edgy shot at crazy, unpopular people would make you a few bucks, and for those editors who wanted to sell more papers by riding a wave of controversy, I have this to say to you: I wish you personally will receive an eye for an eye. You see, every person that died, every building that was burned, those blood and those ashes belong on your hands. IT IS YOUR FAULT, just as much as it is the evil men who went out and committed those crimes.
So since too many people had bad parents who weren't smart enough to teach them to think before they speak, learn that lesson today. And shut the fuck up next time.
So a Danish newspaper does a variety of racist Muslim jokes (they are many things, and racist is one of them, like it or not), including depicting Muhammad with a bomb on his head (personally, I thought the one where the angel is screaming to all the souls waiting to get into heaven, "Stop! Stop! We're all out of Virgins!" was HILARIOUS). Guess what happens next? Come on...take a shot in the dark. What do you think happens next? Yep. You're right.
This reminds me of World War I. A relatively minor skirmish from two countries that were not world powers ended up plunging the world into a war that lasted 50 years. Now, we have an offensive cartoon in a pissant newspaper that is in a country that has had almost nothing to do with the current Muslim crises going on in the world lead to a worldwide mess that who knows where it will end?
You see, this is a story of too many people making stands on extreme principals, while not thinking of the consequences of these actions. Which seems to happen every time Islam is involved.
Now for the disclaimer part: I don't hate Islam, don't hate Arabs, etc., etc. As always, I will merely call things like I see them. Insert the token "I have friends that are Muslim" line here, except whereas when most people say that it means they shook hands with a guy once, it's a truth here. I even know how to pronounce Muslim correctly.
Back to the post. So who's the bad guy in this? The answer is simple: the media.
That's right media. This is all your fault. You're the bad guy. You're in the wrong. You're the asshole.
Don't get me wrong: Muslim extremists are the REALLY bad guys. They always are. Anyone who would kill another human being--or burn a building down, potentially killing the people inside--because of a stupid political cartoon is an evil person. You're crazy buddy.
But are we surprised by this reaction? Anyone? I mean seriously. It never entered your pea fucking brain as you were drawing Muhammad with a bomb on his head that these fanatically maniacs might get a little pissed about it? And have you not realized that when these nutballs get pissed about something, their response is to KILL ANYONE THEY CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON? What a shocker there!
But no. Not only did some asshole draw that cartoon, not only did some dickfuck decide to print it, but editors around the world decided that now, when the world is just coming off a war with Muslim Terrorists ("coming off" being a relative term--I'd probably describe it better as "enjoying a lull"), now would be a good time to take a "journalistic stand" and "fight for free speech" and print that cartoon all over the world.
WHAT KIND OF FUCKING MORONS ARE YOU?
I've said it before in this very blog: freedom of speech does not mean the right thing to do is say whatever is on your mind. Sure, you have the freedom to express to a drunken Ron Artest in a club that his rap album sucks and he's a shitty NBA player--you cannot be arrested for doing that. But is that a good idea? If someone asked you when you wake up in your hospital bed a week later if, in hindsight, you'd say that again, what do you think your answer would be? Yeah. That's what I thought.
So everyone in the world, here's a lesson that my parents taught me that seems to be lacking in the world today: "Think before you speak." Just because you have the right to say/write/draw something does not mean that you should. Think about the consequences of what you say. Muslim Extremists are crazy. Crazy people--surprisingly--act crazy. If A = B, and B = C, then Muslim Extremists are going to start acting crazy when you say something to piss them off!
So to whoever drew that cartoon because you thought taking an edgy shot at crazy, unpopular people would make you a few bucks, and for those editors who wanted to sell more papers by riding a wave of controversy, I have this to say to you: I wish you personally will receive an eye for an eye. You see, every person that died, every building that was burned, those blood and those ashes belong on your hands. IT IS YOUR FAULT, just as much as it is the evil men who went out and committed those crimes.
So since too many people had bad parents who weren't smart enough to teach them to think before they speak, learn that lesson today. And shut the fuck up next time.
posted by Michael Pondrom at 6:34 PM
8 Comments:
Mike,
I think you are right, in that the media is mostly to be blamed for instigating and continuing this crisis, but I also think that this cartoon thing touches upon some deep fundamental differences in Western and Middle Eastern cultures. For the most part, both sides are looking at the same thing and seeing vastly different pictures. Those in the West see free speech and public debate. And in the West, free speech and debate usually includes mocking your rival/competitor. Let’s face it, Republicans have Democrat jokes and Democrats have Republican jokes. But, and this is a big but, we don’t kill each other over these disputes. In the West, it is taboo to kill your enemy. It’s ok to politically and financially ruin him, mocking him in the process, but you don’t kill him. I am not a Middle East expert, but I find it interesting that it’s sacrilege to draw a derogatory cartoon, but it is ok to attack and kill people and burn buildings. My other thought is, even if a non-believer sins against Allah, wouldn’t a Muslim believe that non-believer is going to hell anyway? Why do some Muslims have to defend their god?
Hey guys, in now way am I saying the crazy Extremists/Fundamentalists/Terrorists aren't guilty. To me, that goes without saying. If you kill (or try) someone in cold blood, you're a horrible, evil person. Period. I'll get that bold proclamtaion out of the way.
The point goes back to expectations. If I had gone up to you and said, "Hey Bo/Nick, what do you think would happen if someone drew a newspaper cartoon with Muhammad having a bomb on his head?" If you'd asked me that, my answer would have been simple: they're going to start killing people. And I think most of us would have expected that.
So why did we A) write and publish the cartoon anyway, and then B) turn it into a huge "free speech" ordeal and republish it all over Europe? Why did we choose to dump gasoline on a fire?
And you guys know me. I write a blog for God's sake, obviously I strongly believe in free speech. But use your heads, people!
I'm sick of the mainstream media doing whatever they want for ratings, with no thought to the repricutions to their actions. I want them to start thinking before they act--like they used to do. The media used to sit on stories all the time they deemed harmful, so what I'm asking isn't unprecedented.
The Muslims who murdered those people are evil, and are guilty of that horrible crime. But the idiots who provoked this incident are also to blame.
Michael
Cartoons like this are published every day. I can see the cartoon sparking controversy, but I would never have thought, the cartoons would spark riots and killings. And Mike, I have no problem telling someone my opinion, even if its Artest. (Although, I may phrase it according to the circumstances.)
What I also find interesting is that this isn't just a very small number of extremists, its a lot of people involved in all this violence.
racism = race. not religions. semantics, maybe.
To quote Burachrat 1.0 from Futurama, "Technically, you are correct: the best kind!"
I could make a case for the vast majority of Muslims being the same race, but instead I'll just apologize and change "racist" to predjudiced".
Michael
And Bo, thank you for proving my point with "Although, I may phrase it according to the circumstances."
And if the reaction of the Extremists does surprise you, well, then not to be rude my friend, but my answer would have to be pay more attention to the world around you.
Michael
How many "a priest, rabbi,and buddist..." jokes have you heard in your lifetime. Mike, I have seen the cartoons. They aren't any worse than one of those jokes.
You're right Bo. There's just one difference...THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!
Like it or not, one should treat crazy people who are able and willing to kill you differently than those who have a good sense of humor.
Michael
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