The Mohammed Cartoon Hypocrisy

It was only a matter of time before the Mohammed cartoon controversy reached our shores. It happened this week when the Mail and Guardian decided to publish one of the more parev (neutral) caricatures of Islam’s holiest prophet. In response a Muslim organization the Jamiat-ul Ulama of Transvaal obtained an interdict Friday afternoon from the courts prohibiting other South African newspapers from following suit.

The controversy began when a children's book writer complained to a Danish newspaper, the Jyllands-Posten, that he could not find an illustration for his book of Mohammad. The paper asked several cartoonists to come up with their own takes on what Mohammad might have looked like, and published them. The most offensive of these cartoons depicted the prophet as a terrorist with a bomb for a turban. (You can view the cartoons here.)

The publication of these images touched off protests and a boycott of Danish products throughout the Muslim World. In solidarity and support for the right to freedom of speech many Western newspapers republished the cartoons. This has led to violent anti-Western demonstrations in the Muslim world and by Muslims living in Western countries. The South African Muslim protests are scheduled for this coming Thursday.

This furor raises many important issues. The extent of the right to freedom of speech has been the most widely discussed at local blog commentary.co.za. Another important issue is the imposition by the Moslem World of Islamic values on Western societies in the guise of cultural/religious tolerance through the threat of violence and economic boycotts. But for me the most striking is the hypocrisy of the South Africa Muslim community.

You will remember that only a few weeks ago, It’s Almost Supernatural covered the South African Muslim community’s response to the BMCC ruling against the Voice of the Cape’s anti-Semitic broadcast. The South African Board of Deputies was accused of being anti free speech and responsible for ‘throwing the media industry back to the ways of the apartheid era’. This response from the SAJBD, explains the Muslim Views editor Faried Sayed, “points to a lack of capacity to engage intellectually.”

In a remarkable turn of events, the South African Muslim community faced with a similarly offensive publication has decided to take even more draconian action. They have effectively gagged the South African media. So much for their belief in freedom of expression. How do South African Muslims feel about throwing the media industry in South Africa back to the ways of the Apartheid era? Does this response point to a lack of capacity to engage intellectually? It’s funny how one behaves when the shoe is on the other foot.

The SAJBD was condemned for behaving like Shakespeare’s Shylock by taking the VOC to the BMCC for its anti-Semitic broadcast. They were accused in the hearing of showing no mercy and metaphorically ‘demanding their pound of flesh’. (For my response to these anti-Semitic accusations readers can refer to our debate with Abu Ghaib)

Ironically enough, in response to these cartoons, it is Muslims who are marching through the streets of the world literally calling for Western blood to assuage their anger. British Muslims held posters calling for more terror attacks in the UK; French Muslims chanted death to France and in the Palestinian territories Westerners have been kidnapped.

I personally do not support the publication of these offensive cartoons. I believe that denigrating peoples’ faiths is beyond the scope of freedom of expression. Had I been the editor I would not have published them. I condemn them just as I condemn the many anti-Semitic cartoons that have been published in both Arab and Muslim newspapers. But what I cannot accept is the South African Muslim community’s hypocrisy. You cannot be selective in your support of freedom of speech or your condemnation of intolerance. The South African Muslim community should take heed of Martin Niemöller poem about Nazism.

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out.

Steve adds,

See this post for my thoughts on limitations to freedom of expression.

Also, when thinking about this controversy, consider these cartoons that have recently appeared in the SA press. I selected these because they bring religion into the lampooning of Israel.

Comments

[Steve]

Here are a list of depictions of Mohammed throughout history.

[Jak]

Can you imagine if an embassy got torched every time an anti-Semitic cartoon got published? There wouldn't be many foreign diplomatic buildings left in the world by now...

[Anti-UN]

Except for the ones from Micronesia :)

You know, i have followed blogs for ages now, and virtually every Muslim blog is always a great champion for freedom of speech because they are always defending their right to use hate speech against Jews.

And now the tables have turned.

[Jak]

Gotta love those Micronesians!
You forgot to mention Israel's other great ally - The Marshall Islands

[mike]

Hypocrisy just kills me. Islamists who despise Western civilisation and whose aim is to institute societies that are devoid of freedom are the first to use human rights as an argument against the West.

[Steve]

Naeem Jenna from the Institute for Free Speech in SA was on SAFM this morning discussing the cartoons - but I didnt hear what he said.

How ironic.

[Observer]

Holy crap...haha chekc what the name of the jusge who made the decision was...

On Friday night at an emergency 10.30pm ruling in the Johannesburg High Court, Judge Mohamed Jajbhay found that the right to dignity outweighed the right to freedom of expression and ruled that cartoons of the prophet were offensive and an affront to the dignity of Muslim people.

[Steve]

Observer, I saw that. It really is quite funny :)

[Spindoctor]

Did you know that these cartoons appeared in Danish papers in September 2005.

Danish Muslims had no problem with it back then.

This was a clear attempt by a radical Muslim group to incite hatred. Some groups suddenly pushed these cartoons around indoctrinating the Muslim world into a world that Muslims are being personally attacked.