[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Hate Speech in the Guise of Freedom of Expression

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2006 07:01:36 +0100

** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List **
** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi:
** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ **
** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral
scholarship, kunjungi
http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com
**http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=77325&d=5&m=2&y=2006&pix=opinion.jpg&category=Opinion

Sunday, 5, February, 2006 (06, Muharram, 1427)

Hate Speech in the Guise of Freedom of Expression
Dr. Khaled Batarfi, kbatarfi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Freedom of expression is important, but so is respect for
other people." This was the opinion of Danish Vice Prime Minister Bendt
Bendtsen in an interview with daily Jyllands-Posten about the paper's action in
publishing 12 demeaning caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
that has pitted Denmark against the Muslim world.

"Freedom of speech is an important right, but it also carried
with it an obligation to use good judgment," he contended. "What
Jyllands-Posten did is totally legal. I've got nothing against freedom of
speech - it is important for us all - but if it can offend and hurt a lot of
people, why use freedom of speech for that? This is about respecting other
people's cultures."

Bendtsen reminded: "It was not unheard of for Danes to get
upset over misused religious symbols: Two summers ago, a grocery store was
forced to stop selling flip-flops with pictures of Jesus after religious groups
complained."

"Danish newspapers could possibly learn something from US
newspapers, which tended not to try to push the limits of what was
permissible," he advised. "In the US, freedom of expression is also important.
At the same time, there is also a tradition of showing consideration for
others."

I don't think I can put it any better. It is amazing, though,
that he needed to state the obvious.

The editors of the Norwegian, Danish, French and Jordanian
newspapers that published the caricatures have something in common. They run
small-time newspapers, and were probably trying to make waves, build up
reputation and boost sales. This might sound cynical, but it is much better
than the alternative explanation - religious hatred. One can't call what these
papers did an exercise of "maximum free speech", as the Danish paper's editor
put it. If so, why not start with your own? Muslims believe in and respect all
of Allah's prophets and messengers and would not tolerate disgracing any of
them.

If practicing "maximum free speech" was the real motive, then
there are other ways to flex your muscles. Try, for example, casting a single
shade of doubt on the "official" number of the Holocaust victims. People get
imprisoned, fired and their character assassinated for discussing the issue.

Denmark and Norway are among the few European nations that
have clean history with the Muslim "Ummah." They didn't join in the Crusades.
They never colonized Muslim lands. They didn't help in the creation and support
of Israel. They took no part in the so-called "war on terror" against Arab and
Muslim nations. Therefore, they have never been on any black list of the
terrorists, the anti-Western, or anti-globalization activists.

With such a clean record, spotless history and profitable
business relations with over 1,200 million Muslims, you expect Danish leaders
to be wiser.

Why would the queen, prime minister and conservative
Christian groups go out of their way to squander all these fortunes?

Why would they, out of the blue, insist on inflaming Muslim
passions with mindless, hurtful, hateful statements and caricatures?

What is the cultural, intellectual value of depicting the
holiest symbol of a fifth of the world's population as a suicidal bomber,
womanizer and terrorist ?

Hate speech got the world into its worst conflicts and wars,
most on ideological grounds - Christian Crusades, European holy wars, Muslim
sectarian civil wars, World War I and II, down to recent conflicts in Ireland,
Bosnia, Chechnya, Lebanon, Rwanda, Kosovo and neocon "crusade" on terror. Hate
speech killed millions of Native Americans, blacks, Armenians, Jews, Bosnians,
Indian untouchables, Chinese and Cambodian intellectuals, Chechens, Gypsies,
and Kosovars. All started with some hateful doctrine based on race or
ideological superiority, such as Nazism, Zionism, white supremacy and Mao's
Cultural Revolution. By dehumanizing and demonizing the other, it makes you
feel superior and helps you rally your own behind a cause. It also justifies
your acts of aggression, suppression and injustice.

So, what could and should the civilized world do to fight
this disease? When Jews suffered because of hate speech, we invented the
anti-Semitism law to protect them. I propose widening this umbrella to include
the rest of us. The UN and other concerned international organizations,
governmental and nongovernmental, must start collaboration to come up with such
rules.

Otherwise, the current clash of civilizations will continue
at a larger and more dangerous level and rate.

Humiliated people of a certain religion, race or culture may
take it only for a while. The world's most devastating war, World War II, was a
direct result of humiliation the German race suffered at the hands of
victorious World War 1 powers. Humiliating over a billion Muslims can't go on
for long without a hit back. Extremists, terrorist organizations and hate
preachers are already working on it. Can we afford to wait until the damage is
irreversible? We waited too long before and did too little. We should wake up
earlier and do better ... this time.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

***************************************************************************
Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia
***************************************************************************
__________________________________________________________________________
Mohon Perhatian:

1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik)
2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari.
3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi
4. Satu email perhari: ppiindia-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5. No-email/web only: ppiindia-nomail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
6. kembali menerima email: ppiindia-normal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ppiindia-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Hate Speech in the Guise of Freedom of Expression

Other related posts: