Embassy Burning

I'm a big believer in the grooviness of free speech. While I think those cartoonists are complete wankers and deliberately set out to insult people and stir up shit, I believe they should have the right to do so. Law should not prevent them doing so. Personal resposnibility and manners should be the only limits (and self-imposed at that) to such things.

As for the reactions, it's vandalism, plain and simple. Islam forbids Muslims from making any image of god, and some include Mohammed in that too. But guess what. Most Europeans aren't Muslims, and are therefore not bound by any Islamic rules. Live and let live. If they don't want to live by your code, it's not your business. Go away, and live your way, and let others live theirs.

That being said, I'd bet the people getting these mobs going have things other than cartoons in mind. I'd bet they're folks who see this as an opportunity to achieve some political goals.

 

Somehow I'm confused... what cartoonists?

You're getting kind of crazy now Xz, an embassy is not equivalent to Mecca. Them burning your embasy might be comparative to you destroying a mosque, but Mecca... that's like their capital.

 

Somebody published a fairly nasty cartoon of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper, and now there are Muslims threatening terrorist attacks against all of Europe and burning embassies and whatnot.

 

The cartoons weren't nasty, they just portrayed Mohammed, which gets the Muslims panties in a wad.

 

Idolatry is forbidden in both Christianity and Islam. Most Christians don't really care much about that particular rule, and have images of their god and Jesus all over the place. Many Muslims tend to take it all more seriously, and actually believe their chosen religion. Among those, many extend the rule to cover Mohammed as well. So images of Mohammed are forbidden.

As for generalisations, remember that there are more than 1.3 billion Muslims on this planet. What was it, a couple of hundred people throwing Molatov cocktails at those embassies? Maybe one or two sending threatening letters to newspapers? Heck, a few years ago a predominantly Christian army slaughtered more than 6,000 Muslims in Srebrenica, but I'm not silly enough to use that incident to paint all Christians are insane mass murderers.

A more reasonable approach is being taken by the various governments around the Middle East. Some are severing trade tied with large European companies. One Danish company is now losing more than US$1 million per day from this. That's the accepted "Western" method of making a protest these days. The USA boycotts trade with nations they're upset with. European nations do it too. Using economic leverage to get what they want. It's rather normal if these Middle Eastern states do the same thing. And such economic boycotts are, in my opinion, preferable to violence.

I'm a big fan of free speech. In my opinion, those cartoonists should have the right to make such cartoons, and their newspapers should have the right to publish them. But I recognise that others don't share my beliefs. And I don't go around deliberately trying to upset people by insulting whatever they value most. That's just stupid. Anyone who wanders around deliberately insulting whatever people value most must be a complete wanker. Rude, in desperate need of an ego boost, and not worth knowing. Those cartoonists should (in my opinion) have the right to say what they like. But they're still complete wankers. As are those who resorted to violence instead of merely voicing their own opinions in response.

 

A couple of thousand protesting in the streets maybe, but not all of them throwing fire bombs. That would have burnt down half the city.

 

It's funny how they pick their battles. Of the countries whose newspapers have reprinted the cartoons, they focus only on the smaller, less influential ones like Denmark and Norway. This Egyptian blogger hits the proverbial nail on the head:

As expected, no one started a boycott France and Germany campaign. And when I mention it to people, they mumble uncomfortably and then change the subject. Guess it's easy to show off your islamic economic might against the makers of Lego and Butter. But Boycott Channel, Cartier, Rolex, Mercedes or BMW? We don't love the Prophet THAT much.

 

I'd bet they would have done any other embassies they thought "guilty" had the opportunity arisen while they were rampaging around. I wouldn't put anything beyond people who burn down embassies over cartoons.

 

You think they didn't touch the French embassies because they're scared of the G.I.G.N.?

 

I have no idea. All embassies have guys with guns protecting them, so I'm surprised there weren't a few people shot.

 

Your argument is utterly stupid that the constitution and flag are that important. First of all I want you to know that your fanaticism towards a country is no better than their fanaticism to Allah.

Secondly, they burned down a reproduction of the constitution and one of your flags. They didn't hit the Norwegian capital. They hit an outpost of the Norwegian capital. An equitable exchange would be an outpost of their religious capital. I.e. a large mosque.

That said, I have no patience for this kind of tit-for-tat crap, so I'm going to wander away.

 

They burned the swedish embassy too. And the chilean embassy burned down too, not because they had anything against Chile, but only because it was in the same building (if I´m not mistaken). The danish embassy was also in the same building.

A danish consulate in Lebanon was also attacked.

 

Eh? They burned down a swedish embassy? The swedes haven't even done anything!

[edit]: Well, chile hasn't done anything either, but they weren't really a target. Any of this gettin' through to you? Am i making sense here? ...Shit, I need sleep...

 

No, we swedes haven't done shit against them fuckers in the mid-east. Who do they think they are, anyway? The only place where this doesn't start a war of some sort is in the mid-east; we westerners can take a loss of an outpost in another country.
But if WE were to attack one of THEIR outposts here... Oh momma, that wouldn't be swell, now would it? We would have bloody Jihad all over ourselves. They can all go fuck themselves.

 

It's okay, the U.S. is already fucking them for you. When I go to Iraq this summer, would you like me to write "From Wolfsbane" on my M60 bullets?