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Facebook And Muslim Outrage: Freedom Of Expression - What
Freedom?
06 June 2010 By Ramzy Baroud
'Any depictions of the prophet are considered
blasphemous by Muslims,' wrote Agencies, as reported
readily by Aljazeera.net English. The above statement
is meant to fully summarize the reason behind the
outrage that arises in Pakistan and other parts of the
Muslim world whenever some provocative ‘artist’
decides to express his freedom of expression and
‘expose’ Muslims as anti-democratic.
Such a simplistic interpretation of such an
intricate issue.
There is no denial – and no shame – in the fact
that most Muslims hold their Prophet in the highest
regard. Despite the continued decrease in the number
of faithful in increasingly secularized Western
societies, Muslims are clinching even tighter to their
faith. However, while the outrage over the latest
transgression by some Facebook user and his “Everybody
Draw Mohammed Day!” may appear as a straightforward
news story – that of Western values vs Muslim
narrow-mindedness – the true underpinnings of the
outrage is suspiciously missing.
The naïve depiction by Western media makes it easy
for ‘freedom of expression’ enthusiasts to condemn
Muslims for yet again failing the democracy test.
The latest Facebook episode is a remake of the same
old story. Some ill-intended ‘artist’, under the guise
of freedom of speech, takes on a confrontational
mission, knowing fully the response such an act would
generate, and perhaps the lives that would be lost.
Muslim masses, predictably, respond through angry
protests, burning flags, denouncing America, Israel,
Zionism, Facebook, Youtube and so on. Strangely, the
very governments that are considered US allies tend to
be on the forefront of condemning the ‘blasphemous’
provocations. Muslim masses are thus exploited on all
fronts - by the media, by anti-Muslims, by rightwing
forces in the West, and their own governments.
This, in turn, gives more ammunition to the
Islamaphobes who constantly try to fan the flames in
order to validate their racist perception of Muslims.
The likes of Daniel Pipes, Alan Dershowitz, and other
‘experts’ invade our TV screens and take on the
responsibility of lecturing the world on Islam. They
use the same reductionist and racist language that
they have utilized for years in the guise of academic
jargon.
Why, though, are these ‘academics’ and
‘intellectuals’ eager to discredit Islam? And why are
Muslims playing right into their hands?
It behooves us all to remember that some of those
who champion freedom of expression are selective in
their advocacy. Freedom of expression becomes
important when the holiest symbols of Islam and its
Prophet are paraded, ridiculed and stereotyped.
However, these very advocates are enraged when the
opinions being expressed are inconsistent with their
own agenda, which is overtly militant and hegemonic,
and refuses to take into consideration any honest
opinion on Israel and its war crimes against
Palestinians. One needs to repeat the way that the
respected South African Judge Richard Goldstone,
himself Jewish, was depicted for pointing out the
horrendous crimes committed in Gaza during Israel’s
most recent war. More, these individuals seem
completely oblivious when Muslims are denied the right
to express their own values. When, for example, was
the last time a rightwing fanatic stood up for a
Muslim woman’s right to cover her hair or face?
It must be stated, however, that discrediting Muslims
and Islam is not a random strategy. It is very much in
tandem with an overriding agenda that has occupied the
thinking of many rightwing and Zionist ideologues for
years, especially following the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, and the rising of anti-immigrant and
anti-Muslim fervor in various Western countries. The
aim is to dehumanize Muslims, to make them seem less
civilized, and thus less worthy of equal human rights.
In other words, Muslims cannot be treated using the
same standards that apply to Westerners, because they
have failed to subscribe to Western values. The angry
protests in Pakistan are supposedly proof of this.
This makes war easy and sanctions morally justifiable.
Why are Muslims playing right into this scenario?
Actually, they are not, although it would seem
otherwise. The fact is, many Muslims nations are
caught between two layers of oppressions: that of
outsiders – wars and occupation, interference in their
countries’ affairs, all forms of humiliation and
exploitation – and internal pressures – corruption,
oppression and denial of rights, including, yes,
freedom of expression, speech, assembly and democracy
itself. These rights are also denied by the very
countries that are seen as ‘pro-American.’
Under these external and internal pressures, Muslim
societies embrace even tighter their everlasting
Islamic symbols. Islam, for many Muslims, represents
more than just a way of life and an answer to
unworldly questions. It also provides a sense of hope,
and it helps to maintain a level of solidarity and
societal cohesion. The harder people’s lives become,
the more impoverished, oppressed and abused, the
stronger their faith grows.
Considering all of this, insulting Islam, depicting
the Prophet in degrading (or any other) ways, bashing
Islamic symbols and values is equivalent to denying
Muslim masses with their last and only chance at
dignity and hope.
Those who are under the impression that Muslims are
opposed to freedom of expression are only seeing a
small part of the picture. Those versed in history
understand that it was Muslim advancements in science,
art and literature, and their most impressive
translations of the great works of ancient
civilizations that allowed Europe to bask in the sun
of its renaissance.
Moreover, those who are sensible enough to see the
big picture will understand that when a Pakistani
woman chants “Death to Facebook” – as pitiful and
confusing such phrase may sound - she is not actually
referring to a social networking website. Far from it,
especially since numerous Muslims have utilized
Facebook to share their own ideas with the rest of the
world. What the woman is chanting against is the
manipulation of freedom of expression to further
humiliate her people. She is standing in solidarity
with European Muslim communities who are under a most
intense attack on their civil rights and liberties.
She is angry at the war in Afghanistan, the constant
bombing of innocents in Pakistan, the occupation of
Iraq, the rape of women and the parading of naked
prisoners, the siege in Gaza. She is angry about the
Western double standards regarding democracy, about
her own oppression and her people’s misfortunes. And
so much more.
- Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net)
is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the
editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is "My
Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story"
(Pluto Press, London), now available on Amazon.com.
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