Draw Muhammad Day

- - - - the term "rag head" isn't necessary. We are championing the idea of freedom here. Insults do not further the cause.

I certainly won't respond to the backlash that comes from this day with kind political correctness.
The war begins, I'm going to get a gun.

Originally Posted by keckster

- - - - the term "rag head" isn't necessary. We are championing the idea of freedom here. Insults do not further the cause.

Necessary? No. But let me explain why I used it. I don't like Muslims. They piss me off because they are brutal, barbaric, ignorant, annoying, sexist, homophobic morons. But so are Christians, right? Sure, but Christians don't pour acid on girls, blow up innocent civilians, or get angry to the point of assault and murder just because other people think differently or have the nerve to dare to draw an image of their ridiculous god. Just recently they've attempted to physically impose their ignorance on one such person once again. So I'm trying to show them that I'm not scared and that I want them to get pissed off, I want them to be offended. Islam is completely incompatible with modern western values and deserves no respect what so ever.

Necessary? No. But let me explain why I used it. I don't like Muslims.

Sure, but Christians don't ...

I call bullshit.
Humanity as a whole is a brutal bunch. Give a lynch mob a reason, even if it's a shitty reason to kill someone and it will take to the act like paranhas to fresh meat.

I won't "insult" your intelligence and pretend that you don't know that Christians quite frequently rape and murder people in Africa, burn witches and torture children that are alleged to be possessed...or that buddhists in Tibet and Sri Lanka killed people.

That every single religion on this planet practices a form of discrimination that subjects non-believers to a position that it is not their place to question beliefs, rather to obey.

While I'm sure you can site any number of resources where individuals have abstained from this, in the same way you may call bullshit to the claim -ALL RELIGION IS WRONG-, I call bullshit to the claim any one of them should be spared scrutiny at any time simply because they don't murder people.

Live and let learn.

Originally Posted by Kiefer

Necessary? No. But let me explain why I used it. I don't like Muslims. They piss me off because they are brutal, barbaric, ignorant, annoying, sexist, homophobic morons. But so are Christians, right? Sure, but Christians don't pour acid on girls, blow up innocent civilians, or get angry to the point of assault and murder just because other people think differently or have the nerve to dare to draw an image of their ridiculous god. Just recently they've attempted to physically impose their ignorance on one such person once again. So I'm trying to show them that I'm not scared and that I want them to get pissed off, I want them to be offended. Islam is completely incompatible with modern western values and deserves no respect what so ever.

But here's the thing: calling anyone a "raghead" offends me, too. Probably many other people. It's a racist term that distracts from the main issue here.

IMO, the whole point of Everybody Draw Muhammad Day is to show the unreasonableness of Islam when it works itself up about something that a reasonable person shouldn't be bothered by. When you add stuff that people can legitimately be offended by, it diminishes the whole point of what's going on.

When people go into a rage about stick figure depictions of their prophet, then it's clear they're being irrational. When they go nuts about a campaign that has all sorts of other insulting stuff as well (whether or not it's based in fact), then it introduces the possibility that their anger might actually be well-founded.

A day to antagonize others. How brilliant! What kind of immature moron delights in such activity?

If that's what you think it is, then you don't know what started the movement. You only know that information which has opted to use it perversly.

The very fact that they are "antagonized" says more about freedom then you can imagine.

Threatening and conducting actual violence on a person, just because he drew some cartoons with bearded men.
Now that I consider antagonizing, immature, moronic behaviour.
Banning a popular (although I never get it) TV cartoon for the same thing, but then allowing a new cartoon about JC.
That I consider antagonizing, immature, moronic behaviour.
Pointing out these stupid irrational and dangerous responses with a well thought out campaign on free speach
is great.
No sidewalks here otherwise I would join in.

If that's what you think it is, then you don't know what started the movement.

I know what started the movement. Lack of common sense started it. You stick your pen in a hornets nest, you're going to get stung. It has everything to do with freedom, but the idiot who waves a red flag in front of a bull that doesn't give a damn about his freedoms has no one but himself to blame if he gets gored to death.

Threatening and conducting actual violence on a person, just because he drew some cartoons with bearded men.
Now that I consider antagonizing, immature, moronic behaviour.

Yes, that is immature, moronic behaviour too. So when presented with immature moronic behaviour the best course of action is to respond with immature moronic behaviour? Makes loads of sense.

Molly Norris, the originator of the "Everybody Draw Mohammad Day", explains this is not meant to disrespect any religion, but rather meant to protect people's right to express themselves. Yet the title of the day targets a specific group of people, Muslims. Norris knows this is disrespectful ( not that I think any religion deserves respect) and therefore the cartoonist is being disingenuous.

To some degree every religious group thinks every other religious group is wrong. I think this is a case of targetting the one group who seem to think, not only does everybody else have it all wrong, but that everybody else had better believe the same as them. Most believers seem to believe that everyone who doesn't think like them will get their come-uppance in the next life but only muslim extremists seem to feel that the draconian rules they apply to themselves should apply to everyone else. They need to be made to understand that they are not welcome in civilized society unless they can behave in a civilized manner.

No one is suggesting their mosques should be vandalized or their homes defaced. All that is being suggested is that people assert their right to write or draw what ever they want in the public arena without being threatened with violence. It's unfortunate that many peaceful, non-agressive islamic people may feel offended by some of the images they see or articles they read. They have a right to not buy the paper or turn off the TV or change the channel or pick up a pen or keyboard and respond and that is exactly what most of them do. They do not have a right to not be offended. Offense is in the eye of the beholder and nobody gets to dictate the actions of others based on their assessment of what is offensive.

I would not normally advocate agitating or provoking anybody (or any insect!) but what choice do they leave us? Currently muslims are the only group actually rioting, burning buildings, murdering people, etc when they get their panties in a bunch but there are people with "fatwa envy" who suggest that other religious groups should be cranky and brutal, too. Unfortunately they don't seem to understand that people might be more sympathetic to their feelings if they behaved like reasonable civilized people. I don't really think islam deserves any less or any more respect than any other religion (and that's not much) but caving to their demands will only strenthen their sense of entitlement since they either don't understand or don't care about the difference between fear and respect.

I would never go and poke a stick in a hornets nest but if some of the hornets are going to sting my BBQ guests then you can bet I'm going to get out the fuckin' Raid. I'm sure most muslim people would far prefer that their more extreme brethren would just relax a bit and try to get along than suffer the kind of backlash that I think is inevitable.

My submission, a day early but I probably wont be able to upload it tomorrow. Also, I can't draw so I just made a cut/paste picture. I call it Mo'sass. Bible humor... lol.

Posted by Blondin:Most believers seem to believe that everyone who doesn't think like them will get their come-uppance in the next life but only muslim extremists seem to feel that the draconian rules they apply to themselves should apply to everyone else.

Only Muslim extremists? Don't forget the dead abortion clinic doctors and nurses killed by Christian extremists, or the stem cell researchers who had to move out of their country in order to do their research, or the gay and lesbian couples who can't get married in most of the USA, or the terminally ill patients who suffer long agonizing deaths because religious extremists won't let them have doctor assisted suicide, or...well, I won't go on.

Posted by Blondin:Currently muslims are the only group actually rioting, burning buildings, murdering people, etc when they get their panties in a bunch

In the news, lots of rioting and burning going on in Bangkok. Check out this site:
Businesses set ablaze as riots erupt in Thailand | Business Insurance

Posted by Kiefer:I can't draw so I just made a cut/paste picture.

Pathetic! So steal someone else's drawing and photo. You may have freedom of speech and expression, but you don't have freedom to steal other people's work. Shame on you! Even an original stick figure would be better, Kiefer.

Honour the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) | Facebook
This is the appropriate response to "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" by the islamic community.

Despite some of the threats I've seen coming from some of the members of this website, they do keep pretty civil.

There will always be loose bowels in the shitstorm.

Rationella,

You are right of course. I forgot about anti-abortion extremists. We could probably include a few other religious wingnuts in the "likely-to-go-postal" club (like the Hutaree in Michigan) but at the time I wrote that I was thinking of people who threaten or carry out violence simple for insulting their religion. The rioting in Thailand is about political control and (perceived) fixed elections isn't it?

Alright, I'll throw down my thoughts:

Should 'Everybody draw mohammed day' be removed?
No.
I hold strong to the saying: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death your right to say it". Chomsky also has a saying that goes like that too: "If you do not believe in freedom of speech for those you despise, you don't believe in it at all".

Is it all good?
No.
Some of those pics were pretty bad and do not follow the original intent of the protest. Drawing depictions of him with lewd and explicit sexual scenarios and threatening hate speech isn't appropriate anywhere.

Is it just an inflammatory stunt?
No.
It marginalizes the chilling effects that death threats are supposed to have on people.
It also spotlights the obscure idea that simply drawing something is offensive.
It is completely non-violent.
It pushes back on islam's censorship on emotional mediums like art. And actually, if you look at it closer...

By saying that depicting mohammed is blasphemy, they can remove communication in this medium, effectively stopping people who are more open to this type of communication. Thus, people who are less rational and more emotional are never shown the other end of the spectrum in their own type of expression.

Does the ends justify the means?
Yes.
-This kind of protest actually solves the problem. It makes people no longer afraid of Islam threats.
-It exposes the slippery slope of islam's demands in the name of tolerance. Most people will accept that you should respect religion, but once you start demanding that nobody can draw about it, people will turn; the gig is up.

Molly Norris, the cartoonist who was reported as having come up with the whole "Everyone Draw Mohammad Day" has come out in opposition to the event.
Molly Norris Art Sculpture Criticism Lovelace Watkins English Bulldog