THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume XII, Issue # 73, May 14, 2010
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MUHAMMAD?
By Raymond Ibrahim
PUBLIC CARTOONS OF THE MUSLIM PROPHET MUHAMMAD AS THE ISLAMIC WORLD'S PREMIER PROVOCATEUR:
HOW CAN WESTERN CARTOONS OF MUHAMMAD ROUSE MUSLIM IRE MORE THAN PUBLIC ASSERTIONS IN ARABIC THAT
THE PROPHET WAS A PRACTICING SEXUAL DEVIANT? THE ANSWER: WESTERN APPEASEMENT &
SELF-IMPOSED CENSORSHIP, DUE TO THE WEST'S TOLERATION OF MUSLIM OUTRAGE. WITH THE WEST
CONSTANTLY BUCKLING IN TO THE SLIGHTEST MUSLIM DISPLEASURE, MUSLIM SENSITIVITIES ARE EVER HEIGHTENED &
OUTRAGED AT THE SLIGHTEST SLIGHT, & WESTERN FREEDOMS OF EXPRESSION ARE CORRESPONDLINGLY DIMINISHED &
TRAMPLED UPON.
FULL STORY:
Which is more likely to elicit an irate Muslim response: (1) public cartoons of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, or (2) public
proclamations that Muhammad was a bisexual, sometime transvestite and necrophile, who enjoyed sucking on the tongues
of children, commanded a woman to "breastfeed" an adult man, and advised believers to drink his urine for salutary health?
Based on the recent "South Park" fiasco — where an animated episode depicting Muhammad in a bear suit sparked outrage
among various Muslim groups, culminating with the usual death threats — the answer is clear: cartoons, once again, have
proven to be the Muslim world's premiere provocateur. Indeed, during a university lecture the other day, Swedish artist
Lars Vilks, whose life is in jeopardy, due to his depiction of Muhammad as a dog, was violently assaulted to undulations
of "Allahu Akbar!" (Islam's primordial war cry).
Yet, how can cartoons rouse Muslim ire more than public assertions that Muhammad was a bisexual, a transvestite, a
necrofile, et al? First, context:
The evangelical Arabic satellite station, al-Haya (Life TV), regularly takes the Muslim prophet to task,
especially on two weekly programs: "Hiwar al-Haq" ("Truth Talk"), hosted by Coptic priest Fr. Zakaria Botros, and "Su'al
Jari'" ("Daring Question"), hosted by ex-Muslim Rashid. Both shows revolve around asking uncomfortable questions
about Islam and its Founder in an effort to prompt Muslims to reconsider the legitimacy of their faith. (It is on these shows
that the aforementioned, unflattering assertions about Muhammad originate.)
These broadcasts are viewed by millions of Arabic-speaking Muslims around the world. That the satellite station strikes a
Muslim nerve is evinced by the fact that it is formally banned in several Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, and is
regularly condemned by Islam's demagogues on mainstream Arabic media, including al Jazeera.
When the programs first began airing, they certainly caused uproar in the Muslim world. Then, Muslims regularly called
in cursing the hosts, promising them death and destruction (both here and in the hereafter). Al-Qa'ida reportedly put a $60
million bounty on Fr. Zakaria's head; and the priest is on CAIR's radar.
Far from being cowed by the daily death threats, however, Life TV and its unrepentant hosts have responded by
upping the ante and providing even more anecdotes discrediting Muhammad. Rashid recently examined the theological
implications of Muhammad's hatred for the gecko lizard, which the prophet accused of being "an infidel and enemy of the
believers." Muslims who kill it in the first strike receive 100 "heavenly-points," whereas those who kill it in two strikes
receive only 70. More graphically, Fr. Zakaria recently examined canonical hadiths (authenticated Muslim accounts) that
record Islam's first believers eating Muhammad's feces, marinating food in his sweat, drinking the water he gargled and
spit out, and smearing his phlegm all over their faces — all to his approval.
Needless to say, Life TV's hosts — especially the flamboyant Fr. Zakaria — are hated by Muslims around the
world. But, to the careful observer, the outrage appears to be subsiding, ostensibly replaced by apathy — that is, the
default strategy when threats and displays of indignation fail. Most callers are now Muslim converts to Christianity,
who encourage and thank Fr. Zakaria and Rashid (often in tears). Conversely, the diminishing angry callers usually
spew a barrage of insults, culminating with a "may-you-burn-in-hell," and quickly — almost as if ashamed of their
impotent behavior — hang up.
Now, back to our original observation: how can Life TV get away with outlandish weekly disparagements
concerning Muhammad, whereas Western cartoons spark widespread outrage? Considering that millions of more
Muslims watch Life TV than have ever heard of South Park makes the question doubly puzzling.
The answer is simple: the "South Park" incident is less a reflection of Muslim anger and more of Western appeasement. By
constantly buckling in to the slightest Muslim displeasure — whether by altering films, removing museum art, or
canceling book launches — the West has perpetuated a vicious cycle wherein Muslim sensitivities are ever heightened
and outraged at the slightest slight, and Western freedoms of expression are correspondingly diminished and trampled
upon. What's worse, such self-imposed censorship falls right into the hands of homegrown Islamists actively working to
subvert Western civilization from within.
Conversely, by holding fast to onetime Western principles of free speech and open dialogue, Life TV has
conditioned its Muslim viewers to accept that exposure and criticism of their prophet is here to stay. As Fr. Zakaria
often points out, every religious figure is open to criticism: so why should Muhammad be sacrosanct? (Indeed,
Comedy Central, which was quick to acquiesce to Muslim threats to censor "South Park," is "brave" enough to run
an entire cartoon series mocking Jesus.)
Of course, one need not agree with Life TV's tactics or evangelical mission to appreciate the lesson it imparts:
Muslim outrage — as with all human outrage — is predicated on how well it is tolerated. Continuously appeased, it
becomes engorged and insistent on more concessions; ignored, it deflates and, ashamed of itself, withers away. Put
differently, if you voluntarily act like a dhimmi — a subjugated non-Muslim who must live in debased humility — you
will be treated like a dhimmi (including by being killed for the slightest offense); conversely, if you assert yourself like a
freeman, you will be perceived as a freeman — even as you are still hated.
To be fair, there is one caveat: whereas Muslims have no choice but to interpret South Park's and Lars Vilk's caricatures
of Muhammad as egregiously offensive — no known Muslim records depict Muhammad in the guise of a bear or dog
— the much more disturbing Life TV anecdotes all originate in Islam's most authoritative sources (Koran,
hadiths, tafsirs, fatwas, etc). In other words, perhaps the anger toward Life TV is subsiding as Muslims become
reconciled to the fact that, no matter how heinous, the things being attributed to their prophet are, in fact, grounded in
Muslim sources, and thus must be true.
Yet, if that is the case, it seems like silly cartoons of Muhammad are the least of Muslims' problems.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Political Correctness, Censorship, Thought Control:
Supression of Unacceptable Views & Opinions
Islamism & Jihadism -- The Threat of Radical Islam
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Raymond Ibrahim, a historian of Islam, Islamism and the Middle East, is the Associate Director of the Middle East Forum,
a guest lecturer at the National Defense Intelligence College, and the editor of The Al-Qa'ida Reader, a collection
of tranlations of key texts and documents of the Islamist movement. Ibrahim's translations of the religious texts and
political propaganda comprising this collection help readers comprehend the origins, development, history, and serious
danger of the Islamist war doctrines of Usama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Founders of Al-Qa'ida and
implacable enemies of the U.S.A. and the West.
The foregoing article by Raymond Ibrahim was originally published in Pajamas Media, May 12, 2010, and
can be found on the Internet website maintained by the Middle East Forum, a foreign policy think tank which seeks to
define and promote American interests in the Middle East, defining U.S. interests to include fighting radical Islam,
working for Palestinian Arab acceptance of the State of Israel, improving the management of U.S. efforts to promote
constitutional democracy in the Middle East, reducing America's energy dependence on the Middle East, more robustly
asserting U.S. interests vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia, and countering the Iranian threat.
(Article URL: http://www.meforum.org/2650/what-did-you-say-about- muhammad)
Republished with Permission of the Middle East Forum
Reprinted from the Middle East Forum News
mefnews@meforum.org (MEF NEWS)
May 14, 2010
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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