Robert L. Jamieson, Jr. had a chat with a local Muslim about the Muhammad cartoons:
[Lena] Tuffaha, 30, is a writer who comes from a family of Middle East writers. As a former board member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, she champions free expression.I personally have a hard time feeling sorry for someone who says she felt "torn apart" after looking at a cartoon of Muhammad wearing a bomb for a hat, when that cartoon was meant to remind us of all those who really were torn apart by Muhammad's followers wearing bombs in their pants. But Jamieson was persuaded to join the Dhimmis. "Kill these cartoons", he concludes. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 11, 2006 08:58 PM | Email ThisShe also is Muslim. Her curiosity prompted her to surf the Web and look at the controversial depictions. It was as if someone had punched her.
"I feel like I'm being torn apart," she says.
It seemed phony and put-on, play-acting, adjusting one's emotions to fulfill a role.
Posted by: Raw Data Complex on February 11, 2006 09:47 PMIt stings them to see those cartoons.
Jamieson doesn't see it that way, of course. Otherwise, he wouldn't suggest that Christians would be similarly stung by a cartoon of Jesus holding an Uzi.
Posted by: Micajah on February 11, 2006 10:07 PMArab newspapers haven't had any problem publishing cartoons that depict Jews as snakes/rats, or which desecrate the Star of David, or compare Sharon to Hitler.
Read this post for more on the Cartoons FROM The Arab World.
The radical response by Muslims across the globe leads me to boil this all down to two words (Team America-esque) "Dirka! Dirka!"
Posted by: Patrick E. Bell on February 11, 2006 11:44 PMAt this point, any more commentary by anyone on the cartoon capitulation is just regurgitation.
Posted by: Jeff B. on February 11, 2006 11:58 PM888888888888888888888
"Kill the cartoons."
OK. After that, what do we kill next?
Robert, I wish you folks would stop buying into this nonsense that "In the Muslim world, however, just printing an image of Muhammad -- no matter how witty or artsy -- is being interpreted as heresy."
People will use anything, no matter how (as in this case) false the premise is if the outcome furthers their aim... in this instance, the victimhood of this Lena Tuffaha person. What did you expect her to say? "It's no big deal?" That kind of response could get her killed by one of these adherents to this "religion of peace."
There have been depictions of Mohammed since the dawn of the Muslim religion. Given the tenor of this issue, I'm surprised that you didn't at least Google "Images of Mohammed," where, throughout the last 1300 years or so, Mohammed's image has been repeatedly done in almost every imaginable way.
You might start here: http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/ They have a rather extensive archive of images dating back hundreds of years.
I don't buy this nonsense. This is America. You print a cartoon of Jesus with or carrying an uzy, some people might get upset. Some people would write letters. Some people might picket. Some might demand your firing. But I seriously, seriously doubt that anyone would claim to be "feeling like they're torn apart."
And I also doubt that anyone would try to kill you. I doubt that anyone would burn cars. I doubt that anyone would burn down the PI's offices.
The media's failure in this matter is just that, a failure. You've started from the absolutely false premise that an image of Mohammed is heresy, and all of your conclusions have flowed from that premise. As a result, you cluck rather loudly, re-enforcing that absolutely overdone victimhood of a Muslim woman, feeding it and nurturing it to make it worthy of a column.
If, in fact, there were no images of Mohammed available, your column would have some merit. That there are and have been shows that this nonsense is just being used for an excuse. An excuse to riot. An excuse to kill. An excuse to maim, burn and to blame America, even though we had nothing to do with the initial printing of these cartoons.
Freedom of the press is a precious thing. Some might say that this freedom has been under attack, particularly in the recent past. But there are also attacks far more insidious, and this cartoon thing is one of them... a political correctness run amok.
Now, you advocate for a Muslim standard of expression, at least in this area. I say just the opposite. Every paper in America should print these cartoons... which shouldn't insult ANYONE, but as an exercise in what true freedom of expression really means.
After all, Mr. Jamieson, those who burn our flag in this country cause an outrage not entirely dissimilar to that whipped up by this corps of bogus Muslim victims. Are we now going to see you advocate for laws against desecrating the flag as a result? Do those of us so offended need to go out and kill a few people, burn some cars and buildings to get you to move flag desecration to the same column as "Mohammed cartoons?"
I've noticed over the years that the media has no problem offending people on the political right. Is it just the depth of the offense that matters? The fact is that no Muslims in THIS country have rioted, killed or burned as a result of these cartoons? Why is that?
No... here you and most of the rest of the media have dropped the ball. You've joined the clarion call to sensor things the Muslim world doesn't happen to like, a standard I rarely see imposed on your thoughts, opinions and expressions in other religious areas... such as on the subject of Rev. Ken Hutcherson.
But then, those of us offended by your statements about his positions didn't kill anybody, did we?
As I was reading Jaimeson today, the line about "Jesus bearing an Uzi" struck a chord of rememberance for me. The thing he DOESN'T realize is that the world HAS seen an image of Jesus toting a machine gun.
What I am refering to is the cartoon South Park and it's episode "Red Sleigh Down." It is the episode where Cartman convinces Santa to deliver gifts to a war torn Iraq. Here is the important part:
Santa is interrogated and tortured to find out what he knows about America's plans for Iraq. The boys find Jesus who agrees to go with them to rescue Santa, but first he loads with a little Christmas miracle, automatic weapons. Meanwhile, in South Park, Jimmy's singing has made it to the 7th day. Santa is still being tortured as Jesus, Mr. Hankey and the boys arrive "in a magical Christmas adventure" to rescue him.
In South Park, Jimmy sings about the 11th day. Jesus takes out several Iraqi soldiers and heals Santa's legs as he and the others prepare to escape. Santa takes out a little time to give his torturer a special present. The alarms begin to sound as Jimmy is in South Park still singing away. Jesus is shot by an Iraqi soldier. Before Jesus dies from his wounds, he asks Santa to make sure that they don't take away their Christmas spirit. Santa, Mr. Hankey and the boys make their escape and take to the air. Cartman reminds them why they came here and Santa agrees. He unloads some Christmas filled weapons on Baghdad. Back in South Park Jimmy finally finishes singing his song. He lights the tree the bulbs burn out and Christmas is ruined, that is until Santa flies overhead and brings it to life. Santa has returned the boys home. Santa takes time out to remind everyone that Christmas is a special time of year, but it was almost lost this year, but for the sake of one man. Santa pronounces that Christmas should be a day for everyone to remember that brave man named Jesus.
I have sent Jaimeson an Email telling him this very fact, and how the Christian comunity reacted to it. (By pretty much ignoring it.) I personally cannot wait to hear his reaction to this bit of info.
Domo.
Posted by: Left Behind by the New Democratic Party on February 12, 2006 01:54 AMIt would be interesting to learn Jamieson's position if the cartoonists were black. That could present him with a problem.
Posted by: Organization Man on February 12, 2006 10:25 AMWe know you don't mind all the Muslim murdering, because THEY HATE BUSH. Same for your editors.
Posted by: keb on February 12, 2006 12:10 PMThe simple answer is, there aren't enough of them yet. Just wait.
Posted by: TH on February 12, 2006 12:57 PMObviously, you haven't been to Detroit recently...
Posted by: gaelwolf on February 12, 2006 01:17 PMAlso you only have two choices...only 2, not 19, only 2. Your actions have shown your choice...(1)join them or (2)watch some of us go and kick the living crud out of them....off to rescue Europe a third time we go.
re: Danish Cartoons
No matter how you try to twist it you are a coward.
It is all well and good for you to go out and find a Muslim who feels offended by the cartoons and say, "See? There. We cannot publish the cartoons. Someone got offended." Well, I'm offended by crazy Muslims shouting "Allah Akubar" before they cut blow blast shoot or send an innocent off to the next world. That crushes my heart. But I don't go out and kill, riot and burn. News stations do not worry about non-Muslim sensibilities when they show pleading hostages framed in ribbon bunting of Allah is Great" in Arabic (guess I can't get offended because I can't read Arabic). The point is you are not in the business of muffling hurt feelings. You are in the business of transmitting the news.
In the common weal - your weal! - Muslims are citizens first and Muslims second and you do them no favors by pretendng that you will always honor them as Muslims first. You are postponing an important civics lesson: roll with the punches, bub.
You try to make the moral equivalency of Jesus with an Uzi. I've got news for you pal - after Andres Serrano and "The P--s Christ" an uzi is the least of it as far as Jesus goes.
Since when do you suppress outsized human interest stories to muffle hurt feelings? When those with hurt feeling threaten to kill you. I could at least respect you if you admitted you were afraid to be killed. But you won't and your cowardice and flimsy justification will haunt you to the end of your days.
You have shamed the profession by your cowardice.
Posted by: Doug Anderson on February 12, 2006 06:49 PMYour are right. I have not been to Detroit in 17 years. That is by design. I make it a point to not even catch a connecting flight there to somewhere else.
What a hell hole.
Posted by: TH on February 13, 2006 08:59 AM