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	<title>Comments on: The cartoon row: aiming for maximum shock value</title>
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	<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/</link>
	<description>European Opinion</description>
	<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:43:47 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>By: SR.Marimuthu</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13464</link>
		<dc:creator>SR.Marimuthu</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2006 14:08:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13464</guid>
		<description>Dear Sir ;

  I want your Contact Address

</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dear Sir ;</p>
<p>  I want your Contact Address</p>
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		<title>By: Abdul-Rahim</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13463</link>
		<dc:creator>Abdul-Rahim</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:56:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13463</guid>
		<description>Well writen. The Holocaust cartoon competition is and should be perceived by all Muslims as aweful and shameful. Insulting the Prophet (peace be upon him) is an aweful offense, but trying to hurt and disrespect other religions to attack some abstract princible is stupid. This fight does need to be faught, but not in such base ways.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well writen. The Holocaust cartoon competition is and should be perceived by all Muslims as aweful and shameful. Insulting the Prophet (peace be upon him) is an aweful offense, but trying to hurt and disrespect other religions to attack some abstract princible is stupid. This fight does need to be faught, but not in such base ways.</p>
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		<title>By: Bob B</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13462</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob B</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2006 11:15:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13462</guid>
		<description>Worrying forebodings reflected in the report of this YouGov poll in Sunday's press in Britain:

"PEOPLE in Britain take a hard line against Muslims protesting violently against supposed insults to their religion, and are gloomy about future relations between Muslims and the rest of the population. . . "
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2036533,00.html</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Worrying forebodings reflected in the report of this YouGov poll in Sunday&#8217;s press in Britain:</p>
<p>&#8220;PEOPLE in Britain take a hard line against Muslims protesting violently against supposed insults to their religion, and are gloomy about future relations between Muslims and the rest of the population. . . &#8221;<br />
<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2036533,00.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2036533,00.html</a></p>
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		<title>By: Bob B</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13461</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob B</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 20:02:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13461</guid>
		<description>There was a big row generated by Christian fundies about Jerry Springer: The Opera, but the BBC went ahead and screened it at prime time. Because of the row, I made sure to watch it and thought it not only funny but also that the objections completely missed the point. It was a satire on the Jerry Springer show and the ridiculous and offensive events that occurred on it, not an attack on Christianity.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There was a big row generated by Christian fundies about Jerry Springer: The Opera, but the BBC went ahead and screened it at prime time. Because of the row, I made sure to watch it and thought it not only funny but also that the objections completely missed the point. It was a satire on the Jerry Springer show and the ridiculous and offensive events that occurred on it, not an attack on Christianity.</p>
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		<title>By: Oliver</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13460</link>
		<dc:creator>Oliver</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:44:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13460</guid>
		<description>And there were some other incidents:
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/134180.htm
It is interesting that this happened in the UK, but that may be simply the Internet's sampling bias.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>And there were some other incidents:<br />
<a href="http://atheism.about.com/b/a/134180.htm" rel="nofollow">http://atheism.about.com/b/a/134180.htm</a><br />
It is interesting that this happened in the UK, but that may be simply the Internet&#8217;s sampling bias.</p>
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		<title>By: Oliver</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13459</link>
		<dc:creator>Oliver</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 17:35:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13459</guid>
		<description>Why don't we run into similar problems with Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists?

I remember a minor controversy about a popular singer shooting a video showing herself with multiple arms as a Hindu godess.
The answer to your question is that there are no other major terrorist groups claiming to act on behalf of a religion.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Why don&#8217;t we run into similar problems with Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists?</p>
<p>I remember a minor controversy about a popular singer shooting a video showing herself with multiple arms as a Hindu godess.<br />
The answer to your question is that there are no other major terrorist groups claiming to act on behalf of a religion.</p>
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		<title>By: Bob B</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13458</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob B</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 05:31:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13458</guid>
		<description>I've only seen a copy of one cartoon and have lost the link to it - it was the one showing a turban with a burning fuse.

Among the interesting puzzles in all this is the time gap between the original publication of the cartoons last September and the current furore. Why did it take so long for outrage to emerge? 

Another is how some western government ministers - particularly Britain's Jack Straw - are playing down the suggestion of a "clash of civilisations" while the governments of some Islamic countries are evidently stoking up and fuelling the controversy as best they can.

One of my favourite stories from history relates to the response of Metternich to the failure of the Russian delegate to turn up at the Congress of Verona in 1820 something - one of the interminable series of European Congresses to resettle the continent after Napoleon. The said delegate had an entirely reasonable pretext for his non-attendance - he had died on route. "I wonder what his motive was," Metternich said when told.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve only seen a copy of one cartoon and have lost the link to it - it was the one showing a turban with a burning fuse.</p>
<p>Among the interesting puzzles in all this is the time gap between the original publication of the cartoons last September and the current furore. Why did it take so long for outrage to emerge? </p>
<p>Another is how some western government ministers - particularly Britain&#8217;s Jack Straw - are playing down the suggestion of a &#8220;clash of civilisations&#8221; while the governments of some Islamic countries are evidently stoking up and fuelling the controversy as best they can.</p>
<p>One of my favourite stories from history relates to the response of Metternich to the failure of the Russian delegate to turn up at the Congress of Verona in 1820 something - one of the interminable series of European Congresses to resettle the continent after Napoleon. The said delegate had an entirely reasonable pretext for his non-attendance - he had died on route. &#8220;I wonder what his motive was,&#8221; Metternich said when told.</p>
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		<title>By: Oliver</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13457</link>
		<dc:creator>Oliver</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 03:46:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13457</guid>
		<description>While, we are at it, let's look at the cartoons. At least the one about running out of virgins was damn funny.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While, we are at it, let&#8217;s look at the cartoons. At least the one about running out of virgins was damn funny.</p>
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		<title>By: Bob B</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13456</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob B</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 03:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13456</guid>
		<description>"the gist is: Politicians should _first_ condemn the contents of the cartoons, and _then_ start talking about freedom of speech."

There's recently been a lively debate in Britain's Parliament on legislation proposed by the government to extend existing religious hate laws. In the end, the government's proposals were rejected and rather less restrictive law voted through. Something of the flavour of the national debate that went on during the lead-up to the Parliamentary debate can be gathered from this:

"Leading British writers and comedians have welcomed the defeat of a proposed religious hatred law, which they say would have stifled freedom of speech. . . Blackadder star Atkinson said: "I could not be more pleased with the final version of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill that has now passed through Parliament." . . Atkinson previously said he would no longer be able to write sketches such as one set in a mosque that he wrote for Not the Nine O'Clock News:
 
"It showed Muslims at prayer, bowing to the ground with a voiceover saying: 'And the search goes on for the Ayatollah Khomeini's contact lens.'"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4670390.stm

Part of the trouble is that I suspect most folks in Britain do find that sketch funny. We have lots of Pope jokes and bishop jokes and so we find it hard to understand why humour can't be extended to other religions. Why don't we run into similar problems with Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;the gist is: Politicians should _first_ condemn the contents of the cartoons, and _then_ start talking about freedom of speech.&#8221;</p>
<p>There&#8217;s recently been a lively debate in Britain&#8217;s Parliament on legislation proposed by the government to extend existing religious hate laws. In the end, the government&#8217;s proposals were rejected and rather less restrictive law voted through. Something of the flavour of the national debate that went on during the lead-up to the Parliamentary debate can be gathered from this:</p>
<p>&#8220;Leading British writers and comedians have welcomed the defeat of a proposed religious hatred law, which they say would have stifled freedom of speech. . . Blackadder star Atkinson said: &#8220;I could not be more pleased with the final version of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill that has now passed through Parliament.&#8221; . . Atkinson previously said he would no longer be able to write sketches such as one set in a mosque that he wrote for Not the Nine O&#8217;Clock News:</p>
<p>&#8220;It showed Muslims at prayer, bowing to the ground with a voiceover saying: &#8216;And the search goes on for the Ayatollah Khomeini&#8217;s contact lens.&#8217;&#8221;<br />
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4670390.stm" rel="nofollow">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4670390.stm</a></p>
<p>Part of the trouble is that I suspect most folks in Britain do find that sketch funny. We have lots of Pope jokes and bishop jokes and so we find it hard to understand why humour can&#8217;t be extended to other religions. Why don&#8217;t we run into similar problems with Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists?</p>
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		<title>By: Bob B</title>
		<link>http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/the-cartoon-row-aiming-for-maximum-shock-value/#comment-13455</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob B</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2006 03:02:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=2355#comment-13455</guid>
		<description>"Territorial expansion by military aggression was not frowned upon by any of the "good guys" at the time. France, UK, USA, were all colonial powers."

True enough but the complacent notion of the time was that territorial expansion by a European country in Europe went out of fashion with Napoleon. Colonialism was something practised in other continents, not in Europe. Also, by several accounts, many in Germany and beyond regarded Hitler's Mein Kampf as mere rhetoric, something that wasn't to be taken too seriously - at least until the Nazi regime got going in 1933.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;Territorial expansion by military aggression was not frowned upon by any of the &#8220;good guys&#8221; at the time. France, UK, USA, were all colonial powers.&#8221;</p>
<p>True enough but the complacent notion of the time was that territorial expansion by a European country in Europe went out of fashion with Napoleon. Colonialism was something practised in other continents, not in Europe. Also, by several accounts, many in Germany and beyond regarded Hitler&#8217;s Mein Kampf as mere rhetoric, something that wasn&#8217;t to be taken too seriously - at least until the Nazi regime got going in 1933.</p>
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