Worthy News: Muhammad cartoon row intensifies - BBC

[Guest shiloh357]

I have an interesting question. What would you think the chances are of the Mohammed cartoons becomming popular t-shirts? It probably wouldn't be wise, but you never know with some people.

It would be the height of stupidity. It is one thing to stand against Muslim aggression; it is another thing altogether to encourage it. If a person is willing to sport one of those shirts, he kinda deserves whatever happens to him. Hopefully Christians will not engage in such behavior. The Bible says that as much as it lies within us, we are to live at peace with all people. We are not to stir up unnecessary strife and controversy. To me, the cartoons were wholly unnecessary, and some innocent person(s) may die as a result.

It reminds me of the 2002 Miss World Contest in Nigeria. Some reporter/columnist made the offhand remark that Mohammed might have enjoyed spending some "intimate" time with any of one of the contestants. This set off a Muslim firestorm in Nigeria. Since the woman who made the remark was not Muslim, the assumption was drawn that she was Christian. 200 Christians in Nigeria were slaughtered in Muslim outrage about that remark. Many who were killed were illiterate, defenseless, and poor. They had no idea that such a comment about Mohammed had even been made. The Muslim radicals imposed their violent rage (as they always seem to do) on the most vulnerable, and defenseless members of that community. Given how that Muslim radicals in that part of the world are given to such irrational, overtly violent responses, anyone who would wear such a cartoon on their shirt is simply taking their life into their own hands, and may risking the lives of others as well.

[Guest AngelicBeliever]

Many cartoons have been published about christianty, some are really funny and we christians laugh at them. Others are not so funny, but we're not taking to the streets destroying property and killing people over it. Big difference in our reactions because of our faith.

[MK202002]

did someone already post something like this? if so, sorry, if not, check it out!!!

Extreme over reaction:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060205/ap_on_...rophet_drawings

[penfold]

BBC 24 ran this story- thought you might be interested:Cartoon protest slogans condemned

Many Muslims do not believe the protesters are representative

There has been widespread condemnation of a demonstration by Muslim protesters who threatened violence during a march.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said some of the messages on the placards amounted to "incitement to murder".

The protest on Friday in London over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad saw slogans such as "7/7 is on its way".

The police say they are studying photographs of those who attended and that arrests, if necessary, will be made at the "most appropriate time".

Separate protests held on Saturday passed off peacefully.

Police said more than 100 complaints had been received about the protests.

Among the images which have sparked outcry is one of Muhammad with a bomb-shaped turban on his head. Newspapers in Spain, Italy, Germany and France reprinted the material.

'Disgraceful'

Mr Davis told the Sunday Telegraph that protesters should be dealt with firmly by police.

It's irrelevant whether it's Muslims causing hatred or anyone else - freedom of speech has to be responsible

Asghar Bukhari

BBC TV interview

"Clearly, some of these placards are incitement to violence, and indeed incitement to murder - an extremely serious offence which the police must deal with and deal with quickly," he said.

"Whatever your view on these cartoons, we have a tradition of freedom of speech in this country which has to be protected.

"Certainly there can be no tolerance of incitement to murder."

On Saturday, Asghar Bukhari, chairman of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, said the demonstration in London on Friday should have been stopped by police because the group had been advocating violence.

He said the protesters "did not represent British Muslims".

Mr Bukhari told the BBC News website: "The placards and chants were disgraceful and disgusting, Muslims do not feel that way.

The cartoons were deeply offensive to hundreds of millions of Muslims

Labour MP David Winnick

In quotes: UK protest

"I condemn them without reservation, these people are less representative of Muslims than the BNP are of the British people."

He said that Muslims were angry over satirical cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published in European papers but it was "outrageous" for anyone to advocate extreme action or violence.

"We believe it [the protest] should have been banned and the march stopped.

"It's irrelevant whether it's Muslims causing hatred or anyone else - freedom of speech has to be responsible."

Prosecution call

Meanwhile, Labour MP David Winnick called for people who waved threatening placards to be prosecuted.

Mr Winnick, a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, said: "The cartoons were deeply offensive to hundreds of millions of Muslims.

Protesters waved placards outside London embassies on Friday

"But it is totally unacceptable that, on British soil, there should be thugs demonstrating for people to be beheaded and actually glorifying the atrocities of July 7.

"It is to be hoped that prosecutions will follow very quickly indeed."

He said those responsible who were temporarily in Britain should be deported, even it meant stripping them of permission previously given to remain in the country.

The Walsall North MP added that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Britain "have the same distaste as the rest of us about these thugs".

"I hope it will be the last time we ever see such a demonstration, totally unacceptable to the Muslim community," he said.

Police estimated Friday's crowd at between 500 and 700 and no arrests were made.

On Saturday more protesters, organised by the Hizb ut-Tahrir group, gathered outside the Danish embassy in London.

It appeared that the rally was far more restrained than the one on Friday.

Police later said two men had been arrested near the embassy during the protest.

"They were arrested to prevent a breach of the peace, after a search by officers found leaflets including cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed," a Met spokeswoman said.

Many Muslim groups have condemned Friday's protests and the images that were used there

Taji Mustafa, Hizb ut-Tahir

Q&A: Hizb ut-Tahrir

Flanked by a forest of messages such as, "'Freedom' to insult", a speaker at Saturday's rally told the crowd they were demanding an end to "vilification".

"If you want to debate and criticise then we are ready and we have been waiting, but we are not going to accept these images," he said.

He called on "the governments of the Muslim world to completely sever all contact with European governments" until they had "controlled the media".

Taji Mustafa, a spokesman for Hizb ut-Tahir, told BBC's Sunday AM that the posters, images shown by the television programme, had featured in Friday's protests which his group had "nothing to do with".

"It had absolutely nothing to do with us, and we condemned those - they are not acceptable," he said.

"And many Muslim groups have condemned Friday's protests and the images that were used there.

"Our protest yesterday was very peaceful."

He said the group advises Muslims "not to stoop to the level of those who want to resort to insults on the Prophet of Islam" and instead to engage in peaceful, responsible protests.

And these protests should demand the media outlets who published the cartoons should apologise, retract them and pledge to "never to repeat this offence" in the future, he said.

He added that it was an "issue of respect" between people

I wonder if Christians had protested in a Muslim country if they would have escaped WITH THIER LIVES? These are misguided, decieved people but we MUST STAND UP TO THESE BULLIES.

The report doesnt mention that the people who were waving "freedom of speech" slogans and references to European news agency cartoons WERE arrested and the millitants WERE NOT because "the police were afraid to incite a riot"

Edited February 5, 2006 by penfold