Danish boycott – Mandy to the rescue!
The AP reports that EU trade commissioner Peter Madelson has warned the Saudi government against supporting the trade boycott of Danish goods. He made it clear that any action against Denmark would be regarded as action against the EU, and would result in the matter being brought before the World Trade Organisation.
Yay for Mandy.
Wow, who’d have thought Mandelson would do something worthy of praise. The EU does need to stamp down hard on the threats of boycott against a member country. Fair play.
Muslims in Europe need to face a very, very simple fact. You are a small minority. If you start throwing your weight around by telling Europeans what they can and cannot say about ANY subject (including Muhammed) you will bring great trouble upon your people. This is not a threat – it’s the truth. It’s not just young men who will suffer – it’s Muslim women, children and old people. You are handing ammunition to racists who will hurt vulnerable people in your communities. Stop before its too late.
hey why are you moaning,,, Exercise your free speech… and pay for it.lol and then ask the newspaper to pay for your benefit
.. by the way racist do not need excuse ,,, they targeted black and enslaved other and then asian and now muslim
,,, the jews the list can go on stop before its too late lol
Kindly visit this link on my blog : bakpakchik.blogspot.com/2006/01/down-with-danes.html.
Where is our freedom of speehc now? Please admit it, the West (nd include any and all generalizationsin that: the US, the EU, Christian, what have you) sees it fit to exercise these rules only in their own interests.
What makes the Pope better (or worthy of more consideration) than the Holy Prophet?
The Danish Government should apologize, as should the magazine and the creators of the cartoon.
Agreed, The danes should apoogize. Such deregatory acts do not suit any nation and any religion. Irrespective of that fact that muslims are a minority in europe, this does not justify the insult to any persons religion.
The danes may take this as violation of their free speech, but then we too, have a right to choose. We choose non-dane.
Since when is Truth measured by numbers?
The basic fact is: that Freedom of Expression was abused very clearly in this case;
why?
One’s Freedom stops at the Freedom of others; and since we all have a right to respect our religions this was unacceptable from the newspaper;
So be it and whatever comes will come
It would appear that the blackmail-victims of Mahmud have found this blog!
Well, islam is a religion – just like all the others, consisting of blackmail, lies and murder – see mentin of christianity, above …
Grow up!
You are threatening peoples lives for a few cartoons?
After all, the late Douglas Adams, and Sirius Cybernetics said it first … “Go and stick your head in a pig!”
To all muslims complaining about the cartoons:
How about a deal? We will stop printing cartoons which offend your beliefs if, in your countries, you will stop executing gays, stoning adultresses and generally suppressing women, which offends our beliefs.
Crap, crap, and crap again. I have no respect for your religion. The belief in any sort of god is just so incredibly ludicrous that it is impossible for me to respect that belief.
I do, however, respect your right to HAVE that belief. You do not respect the rights of others to have a different belief.
I was happy to see the news of the editor of Jyllands-Posten apologizing to the Muslims & we thank God for this; This is a proof that by using the correct means we can achieve our goals.
Also this proves beyond doubt that even in a country where Muslims are a minority justice exists and human rights are protected.
This is the True Freedom of Speech; that everyone: people with belief or no belief enjoy.
Nice to see all our suspicions confirmed here – that those who demanded an apology are, indeed, pigshit-thick, sanctimonious bigots who wouldn’t recognise freedom if it walked up to them and introduced itself.
This is a good example of the double standards the West has, if this was a case of a cartoon or statement regarding the jewish faith, the media would not have dared publish it, if they did, they would have been branded anti-semites and had most Western governments condeming the Newspaper
Freedom of speech is for us more sensitive and important that any religious feeling.
It is necessary to make this statement clear enough.
While I strongly support the right to publish the cartoons, and think Muslims would do better to get witty, not mad,it’s a certainty that if a UK magazine had published this stuff the government would have closed it down by now. Unlike Denmark, the UK has an arms industry that depends upon Saudi weapons sales and nothing (international law, human decency, etc. etc.) is allowed to get in the way of that.
Also worth saying that seeing all Muslims as a faceless mass doesn’t help. The cynical Saudi attempts to draw the poorest, most oppressed immigrants towards a quite modern and extreme version of that faith should be exposed at every opportunity, but the tactic only works because too many of the rest of us can’t distinguish between one brown face and another. By the way, many Muslims ARE Europeans and were born here, and without medieaval Muslim learning there would be no Europe because we’d still be incapable of counting to 10 or using a knife and fork. Finally don’t forget that Denmark is a notable haven for neo-nazis, so if the poorest Muslims there are worried it isn’t just because of a few smart arse cartoonists.
The hypocrisy here is some notion you have that the Danes can insult a customer base and expect business as usual.how stupid
…. Exercise your free speech… and pay for it. so far it cost Arla Foods around $234 millions in few weeks
all you can do now suck you cow milk or sell to ur neighbouring no wonder the jews left europe cos of racist nature
considering the size of the country Denmark is the one of the biggest donators of money in the Middle East – yes people work hard in Denmark and almost a half of their well-earned money goes to tax – and then later to the middle east – so lets just get the facts straight: Danes do like muslims. and no: Denmark is not a notable haven for neo-nazis. and the most important thing in this case: IT IS A DANISH NEWSPAPER THAT PRINTED THE CARTOONS – NOT THE WHOLE POPULATION NOR THE GOVERNMENT so no matter what muslims do to try and make the goverment apologize it is in vain – it will (mark my words) NEVER happen! and here is what muslims misunderstand; they think the lack of an apology is the same as conscent – you couldn’t be more wrong. as I mentioned it is not the government who is resposible for the drawings (some of them which are actually offending the newspaper itself – if you own the ability of interpreting a thing as simple as a cartoon u will know)it is a newspaper. I live in the Middle East myself, and I tell you – the situation couldn’t be more twisted and missunderstood as it is right now. apparently the muslims are being told in their mosques that the cartoons were an ongoing series of cartoons showing Mohammed with pigs ears and pigs nose. This is a fact (i have a sourse: my Muslim friend) No wonder they are so pissed of here!
living in the Middle East it is also very common that respected newspapers bring article and letter stating that the Holocaust is pure rubbish that the jews came up with to get some sympathy – butdo we stop buying Hommus because of thet – I don’t think so… we just laugh and shake our heads BECAUSE those who said that are entitled to their opinion – and we are entitled to laugh and shake outr heads and think it is stupid and that my friends is freedom of expression!
once again you guys dont get it
Exercise your free speech… and pay for it and the muslim are exercising their freedom to buy so where is the fuss.
only few cows will be upset and many pigs , by the way you are what you eat so ….. moving on
No, you are the one who doesn’t get it.
Ohh what a mess – well here goes:
I personally find it rather funny this “you have your right – now pay for it†– another funny thing is that freedom of expression is wide spread in the Middle East – so all the demonstrations, boycotts, and flag burnings were self initiated, :-), no boys they were government initiated – don’t worry we know!
“now pay for it†– we are and I don’t really care any more that it is government initiated, but then I guess you don’t wont our aid money any more? And Danish support of Muslim issues you don’t wont either?
I can live with that – but I know some Arab countries are running out of butter 😉
What worries me most about all this is that it seems that wanting to suppress free speech is a majority view among Muslims. When the Christian extremists were protesting about Jerry Springer: The Opera, it was clear that they didn’t represent mainstream Christianity as there were plenty of moderate Christians to be heard saying how embarrassing it was to be associated with the extremist elements and that they personally had no problem with freedom of expression. I haven’t heard many Muslims trying to distance themselves from the Islamic leaders calling for such things as a ‘international day of anger’.
I find that deeply troubling.
I am a firm believer in freedom of speech and thought. It goes to the very heart of our basic human right. Its is one right that must be preserved. Only by questioning and testing our arguments can we as humans understand each other and hopefully enrich our lives and live in peace with each other’s
Being a Muslim, I do find the cartoon insulting as they go to the very core of what I believe, my identity and the way I choose to lead my life on Earth. Contrary to the popular image in the west of Muslims, most Muslims I know, and millions across the world, are perfectly law abiding people choosing to live and make a positive contribution to society.
The real question is that if the papers have a right to print the cartoon (which they do) then surly I have every right to feel insulted and express my views, freedom of speech…right?. If a cartoon can depict the prophet with a lit bomb in his turban with one of the cornerstone versus in Islam printed then equally Muslims have the right to exercise their expression of freedom of speech and peaceful protest i.e. burn flags, not buy certain brands or hold equally stereotypical views about the west. While some may say this is not a proportional, but its is still my right of freedom of speech and thought. After all the BNP has that right, a right which was upheld in a court of law (as long as there is no violence what so ever). This point is completely dismissed/ignored or even met with out right hostility rather than being welcomed as freedom of speech, Not very SPORTING, IS IT??
Instead the argument put forward is that we (Muslims) should not feel insulted. Just as many people are championing the papers right to print the cartoons, they should also respect my right, and other’s, to take offence and be insulted, even if they do not agree. NO ONE has the right to tell/dictate/ENFORCE anyone on how and what they should think, feel, and act…..
Extremist on all sides are winning. As history has already shown, in Europe and the rest of the world, the consequences of stereotyping and demonising people on the basis of religion, race etc. We can ignore the history and trade in insults under the banner its our right and therefore we must exercise it or we can have genuine a meaningful debate… IT’S OURS CHOICE!!