Bashing Islam is Freedom of Speech Criticizing Israel is a Hate Crime
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*Bashing Islam is Freedom of Speech Criticizing Israel is a Hate Crime*
*By Mohamed Khodr
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*"We sent thee not, O! Muhammad, save as a mercy to all the people. Say, O!
Muhammad: "It has but been revealed unto me that your God is the One and
Only God: will you, then, surrender yourselves unto Him?" *(Qur'an: 21:
107-108)
There is only one "Absolute" form of Free Speech in the west, the freedom
and right to bash Islam, stomp, shoot, and flush the Holy Qur'an down the
toilet, and portray Islam's beloved Prophet Muhammad (p) in the most vile
manner in all forms of "art".
Freedom of Speech is an ever changing and evolving right that depends on
time, person, place, method of delivery, issue, and people involved. Since
the time of Socrates who was prosecuted for corrupting young minds to
today's blasphemous attacks on Islam, the Quran, and Islam's Prophet;
freedom of speech has always been defined and determined by those in power.
Bashing Islam is not new. In fact it began during the Prophet's own lifetime
by those who rejected his message in Arabia only to be followed by
Christians, Jews, and followers of other faiths. Saint John of Damascus (7th
– 8th C) while ironically working as an administrative officer for the
Muslim ruler of Damascus wrote that the Prophet Muhammad (p) was a "false
prophet…heretic…an Anti Christ." Such attacks continued throughout
historical Christian Europe by men such as Martin Luther, Voltaire, Dante,
to , right wing European parties, to the U.S. by such men as Franklin
Graham, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Hal Lindsey (who called Allah (God)
Satan), and politicians. Bashing Islam has become a respectable political
and money making cottage industry.
Thus it's not surprising that 9/11 opened the flood gates for a wider
multitude of westerners who inflame and further incite hatred of Islam. Such
vileness arises out of total ignorance of Islam and the historical innate
fear of the "other". The West fears what it does not know. In Europe,
especially, fear of an Islamized Europe has conveniently morphed into a
political agenda against the immigration of the "other", mainly people of
color who immigrate to Europe from formerly European colonized nations.
It is inexplicable to describe the West as civilized when such uncivil
behavior toward those of a different faith or color permeates a significant
portion of the population. If civilization is based on education then such
people must be hailed as arrogant, racists, supremacists, and ignorant
fools.
The Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks as part of an art exhibition entitled "Dog
in Art" decided to follow in the footsteps of the Danish cartoonist Kurt
Westergaard (who drew cartoons depicting Muhammad as a terrorist) and drew a
cartoon of the Prophet with the body of a dog. While the public rationale is
freedom of speech, the underlying motive is pure racism. But freedom of
speech in the west depends on who you offend. Offending Jews, discussing the
Holocaust, criticizing Israel's brutality against the Palestinians is either
attacked as "Anti-Semitic"
media quashes such "free speech". God forbid such a cartoonist would draw a
similar cartoon of Moses (p), a Jew with a swastika as a tail, or of the
Crown Prince of Spain. (Spanish cartoonist fined for royal dishonour", UK
Telegraph, Nov. 14, 2007)
The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote of Freedom or Speech, "*People
demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which
they seldom use*."
The European Union Human Rights reports on Racism and Xenophobia annually
reports that racism against Muslims and people of color in Europe is an ever
increasing problem. While the E.U. and Sweden have laws on "hate crimes",
which I consider these foul cartoons to be, they seldom if ever prosecute
the perpetrators of such hate crimes if the intended victim is Islam or
Muslims. On the contrary such politicians and artists are applauded and
welcomed in the U.S. (Salman Rushdie, "The Satanic Verses", in the White
House), by Conservative Christians and Pro Israeli lobbies, think tanks, and
the mainstream Pro Israel media as idols of free speech. Yet in Europe and
the U.S. if the perceived crime is "Anti Semitic" governments are in the
fore front to decry and prosecute such "hate crimes".
When Israel is portrayed in a negative light in the Arab media due to its
murderous occupation of Palestinians and constant theft of their land both
European and U.S. governments immediately and publicly condemn such actions
as hateful and anti Semitic, but when Islam's Prophet is subjected to vile
hate it is considered "freedom of speech". It is a fine line and slippery
slope between what is considered free speech and blasphemy. Didn't the Nazis
use hateful cartoons of Jews as part of their propaganda for the "final
solution?
It is this double standard and hypocrisy by western governments that
inflames the Muslim world against their policies and practices, especially
with respect to Israel's invasions and genocide against Lebanese and
Palestinian civilians. Criticizing Israel for its illegal occupation,
inhumane siege of Gaza, massacring Gaza's children, demolishing thousands of
homes, destroying hospitals, clinics, schools, churches and mosques,
depriving the population of food, water and medicine, it's massive abuse of
human rights and defiance of International laws, and much more is
unacceptable, censored, hateful, and strongly defended by western
governments and the media as "Israel's right to self defense", a right that
its victims are denied.
Muslims are strictly forbidden from carrying out any violence or calling for
death threats against the perpetrators of hate against the Prophet. The Holy
Quran forbids such violence and directs Muslims to endure and be patient as
the Holy Prophet endured during his lifetime.
*"And, whenever they heard frivolous talk, having turned away from it and
said: "Unto us shall be accounted Our deeds, and unto you, your deeds. Peace
be upon you – [but] we do not seek out such as are ignorant [of the meaning
of right and wrong]."* (Quran: 28:55)
"Believers (Muslims), stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair
dealing, and let not the hatred of others toward you make you swerve to
wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear God.
For God is well-acquainted with all that you do." (Qur'an 5:8)
The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) and the Federation of
Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) condemned the death threats issued by
Al Qaeda and other small extremist groups against Lars Vilks, the Swedish
cartoonist, and Ulf Johansson editor in chief of the paper that published
his cartoon of the Prophet with a body of a dog. Such hate must be met with
patience and a strong educational outreach program to tell the truth about
Islam and its beloved Prophet Muhammad (p).
Perpetual racism, arrogance, and ignorance of Islam in the west are the
combustible ingredients for assured mutual destruction of our planet. The
lack of any sacredness in the west that belies the misguided application of
free speech against the "other" rests on the premise that if I hold nothing
sacred and I damn my own faith and religious figures then I have the right
to damn yours and if you are civilized like me you will accept such racist
rantings as free speech. That is the rational of fools who've surrendered
their superficial intellect to misguided stupidity.
It's not enough that the west has annihilated, bombed, and committed
holocausts across the globe against the "other"; now the "other" must endure
the verbal and written bombs upon their faith, culture, and traditions.
What conceivable civilized aim can be achieved by denigrating a Prophet of
1.6 Billion Muslims? Why aren't Muslims retaliating with the same vile hate
against Judeo-Christian religious founders such as Moses and Jesus, peace be
upon them both, or the Torah and Gospel? Because Muslims believe and revere
these two prophets and the original holy revelations they received.
The least that can be expected from "civilized" people who wish to criticize
a faith is to have a working knowledge on the subject to confer some
credibility for their critique. Such knowledge of Islam is sorely missing in
the West, thus such critiques are frivolous and meaningless.
Both the Danish and Swedish cartoonists who drew the vile cartoons of the
Prophet were unknown entities until they entered racist contests concocted
by two small papers in a competition to defame and demonize a most exalted
person. After the controversy these two men achieved the celebrity status
that has eluded them for decades.
But what of this man, Muhammad (p), who for centuries became the object of
racist depictions by people who knew nothing about him in Christian Europe
and in the U.S. (Read: "Muhammad in Europe", by Minou Reeves)
The British Historian Michael H. Hart in his book: "The 100: Ranking of the
Most Influential Persons in History" chose Muhammad (p) as the most
influential human being in history. He wrote:
*"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most
influential
persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by
others, but he
was the only man in history who was supremely successful on
both the
religious and secular level."*
The famous French writer, poet, and politician Alphonse le Lamartine
(1790-1869) in his book, "Histoire De La Turque", wrote of Muhammad (p):
*"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are
the
three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man
in
modern history with Muhammad"?
The renowned Professor of Comparative
Religion Karen Armstrong wrote a book in 2006 entitled "Muhammad: A Prophet
for Our Time"*
There are endless biographies, books, speeches and statements on Prophet
Muhammad (p) by renowned authors around the world that exalt his person, his
unshakeable spiritual beliefs, morality, ethics, compassion, mercy, and
extraordinary leadership.
Sadly in America's educational system the study of cultures, world
religions, history, and geography are sorely lacking. Such a vacuum can only
lead to further misunderstanding and conflict between religions and peoples
*"There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the
religions. There will be no peace among the religions without dialogue among
the religions."*
–Hans Kung, Catholic Theologian
The foundation for a peaceful world is the knowledge that all humanity is
equal in the eyes of God and in human laws and that human nature is the same
throughout time, place, and geography. The secret is simple: R-E-S-P-E-C-
*"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye
may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of
Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge
and is well acquainted with all things.* (Qur'an: 49:13)
** Mohamed Khodr M.D., M.P.H. is a political activist who frequently writes
on the plight of Palestinians living under the brutal occupation of Israel,
U.S. Foreign Policy, Islam, and Arab politics.*
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