Pakistan blocks YouTube over Danish cartoons

Mon, Feb 25, 2008

Yes, that Danish cartoon story just keeps going, as we pretty much all knew it would; it is quite amazing to me how long people will try and keep themselves violently angry, puts me in mind of Robert Burns’ line from Tam O’Shanter when he describes Tam’s long-suffering wife sitting at home “nursing her wrath to keep it warm.” While I’m sure many were genuinely offended I can’t help but think sometimes that some people just want to keep those feelings going for their own ends and a lot of protestors play right into their hands. The latest casualty now is YouTube – authorities in Pakistan have ordered all the country’s ISPs to block YouTube from web access in the country because it carries some of the images. Because obviously in a country which has the Taliban parked on one border and a leading politician opposed to military rule assassinated in public, banning YouTube is the most important and pressing problem to deal with…

The Times also reports that the Sudan is threatening to expel Danish groups, including the Danish Red Cross, despite the fact the Red Cross has nothing to do with these events and is busy trying to alleviate the suffering of that country’s people. Send them home and let many Sudanese lose their only access to food and medicine, that will teach those Danes a lesson… If it wasn’t for the fact people have died over this and more look set to suffer because of it the whole thing would be a farce…

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3 Comments For This Post

Zebunisa Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am

I wonder if anyone has thought of this solution, I don’t think they have. Perhaps if you decided not to purposefully incite anger by offending a certain group of people whose religious beliefs have become known to all, that there are certain tenets of their faith that they will not accept insult for, then you would not get a reaction that offends yourselves. Why is it that you ask that you be allowed to cast a blow upon someone, but they are not permitted to strike back or even feel the pain? Ok, the first time around that you did it, you were innocent and did not know this would happen. Even at that time if an apology was offered and a pledge to be more careful in the future, such a furore would not have arisen. But again? and again? When will you learn?
Another point to remember is that you will not find Muslims ridiculing or insulting any prophets from any other faith. Two reasons for this; first that the prophets mentioned in the Bible and Torah are our own aswell. The second is that to belittle another faith is to incite the other to return the insult.

Joe Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

Zebunia, you make some fair points and I have already said I wasn’t convinced this re-publication was wise and that the point about the sanctity of freedom of speech could have been made just as well in a written article without re-using the cartoons. But that said in Europe we are free to use satire on any topic, including religion – other faiths have been lampooned in cartoons and humorous comedic sketches and films (most famously Monty Python’s Life of Brian) and if we start deciding that certain groups have to be exempt from satire then we abandon true freedom of speech, which is as central to our way of life as religion is to some others and also requires to be protected and respected. I can understand a person disliking it, but we’re all supposed to try and be tolerant of different cultural practises and this goes both ways. Besides if a person has real faith then nothing, certainly not an ink sketch, can really damage their belief.

Zebunisa Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 6:04 pm

Thanks for the reply Joe, and I do understand your point of view. Yet there are until now Blasphemy laws in existence in the UK and most western countries. Whether they are evoked or not, they represent the fact that there was a need for them. You will find parodies and criticism of prominent figures and world leaders in all countries of the world, even in Pakistan, and whether President Musharraf likes it or not, they are viewed and enjoyed. The important point is that with freedom of speech, as with any other freedom, there come responsibilities (with great power comes great responsibility?!) to keep it in check otherwise what is the purpose of having laws? Now if you respect that there should be boundaries, then that would make things easier for everyone. If you do not want to accept the boundaries and feel that one should be able to do whatever the heck they want, then one should be able to accept the consequences that everyone also has the right to do whatever they want too. You lose the right to criticise the party you are attacking about how emotional they are becoming. And this basically is about emotions. No matter what difficulty a person faces, self-respect and sense of dignity is the last thing to go before a downfall. No matter how bad things may be in a person’s life, he or she will not condone obscene insults to their loved ones, parents or children….or should we say, “hey, freedom of speech, it is ok”, or even “things are so bad for me, what difference does it make if they insult my father?” If we defend the member of family who is being insulted it does not mean that we believe the insults or do not have faith in the integrity of our parents etc.
You have to read about Islam to learn how its teachings instil love, character, courage, unity and honour and above all, peace. It is tragic that it is so misrepresented in this day, because the Messenger Muhammad (may peace be upon him) came to unite everyone, and to be a blessing for all of mankind, not for just our group of people. Under his governance, non-Muslims were given the greatest respect and kindness that they have ever experienced under any other system, and he required a pledge for future kindness to non-Muslims under an Islamic state. If you read about his character you would realise why even young Muslim children who have been taught about Islam have a deep love for him as a father.
If freedom of speech was applicable for all, then programmes like The Agenda from The Islam Channel would not have been banned. This was a current affairs programme that invited interesting guests from all spheres of life to talk about politics, foreign affairs etc, and quite often the truth behind the news on TV. No blasphemy on here, no insults to anyone. Yet this programme was banned. This goes to show that freedom of speech is against Muslims, but not for them.

Zebunisa Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I wonder if anyone has thought of this solution, I don’t think they have. Perhaps if you decided not to purposefully incite anger by offending a certain group of people whose religious beliefs have become known to all, that there are certain tenets of their faith that they will not accept insult for, then you would not get a reaction that offends yourselves. Why is it that you ask that you be allowed to cast a blow upon someone, but they are not permitted to strike back or even feel the pain? Ok, the first time around that you did it, you were innocent and did not know this would happen. Even at that time if an apology was offered and a pledge to be more careful in the future, such a furore would not have arisen. But again? and again? When will you learn?
Another point to remember is that you will not find Muslims ridiculing or insulting any prophets from any other faith. Two reasons for this; first that the prophets mentioned in the Bible and Torah are our own aswell. The second is that to belittle another faith is to incite the other to return the insult.
Joe Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Zebunia, you make some fair points and I have already said I wasn’t convinced this re-publication was wise and that the point about the sanctity of freedom of speech could have been made just as well in a written article without re-using the cartoons. But that said in Europe we are free to use satire on any topic, including religion – other faiths have been lampooned in cartoons and humorous comedic sketches and films (most famously Monty Python’s Life of Brian) and if we start deciding that certain groups have to be exempt from satire then we abandon true freedom of speech, which is as central to our way of life as religion is to some others and also requires to be protected and respected. I can understand a person disliking it, but we’re all supposed to try and be tolerant of different cultural practises and this goes both ways. Besides if a person has real faith then nothing, certainly not an ink sketch, can really damage their belief.
Zebunisa Says:
February 26th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Thanks for the reply Joe, and I do understand your point of view. Yet there are until now Blasphemy laws in existence in the UK and most western countries. Whether they are evoked or not, they represent the fact that there was a need for them. You will find parodies and criticism of prominent figures and world leaders in all countries of the world, even in Pakistan, and whether President Musharraf likes it or not, they are viewed and enjoyed. The important point is that with freedom of speech, as with any other freedom, there come responsibilities (with great power comes great responsibility?!) to keep it in check otherwise what is the purpose of having laws? Now if you respect that there should be boundaries, then that would make things easier for everyone. If you do not want to accept the boundaries and feel that one should be able to do whatever the heck they want, then one should be able to accept the consequences that everyone also has the right to do whatever they want too. You lose the right to criticise the party you are attacking about how emotional they are becoming. And this basically is about emotions. No matter what difficulty a person faces, self-respect and sense of dignity is the last thing to go before a downfall. No matter how bad things may be in a person’s life, he or she will not condone obscene insults to their loved ones, parents or children….or should we say, “hey, freedom of speech, it is ok”, or even “things are so bad for me, what difference does it make if they insult my father?” If we defend the member of family who is being insulted it does not mean that we believe the insults or do not have faith in the integrity of our parents etc.
You have to read about Islam to learn how its teachings instil love, character, courage, unity and honour and above all, peace. It is tragic that it is so misrepresented in this day, because the Messenger Muhammad (may peace be upon him) came to unite everyone, and to be a blessing for all of mankind, not for just our group of people. Under his governance, non-Muslims were given the greatest respect and kindness that they have ever experienced under any other system, and he required a pledge for future kindness to non-Muslims under an Islamic state. If you read about his character you would realise why even young Muslim children who have been taught about Islam have a deep love for him as a father.
If freedom of speech was applicable for all, then programmes like The Agenda from The Islam Channel would not have been banned. This was a current affairs programme that invited interesting guests from all spheres of life to talk about politics, foreign affairs etc, and quite often the truth behind the news on TV. No blasphemy on here, no insults to anyone. Yet this programme was banned. This goes to show that freedom of speech is against Muslims, but not for them.

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