Film trailer sparks protests across the Islamic world

[Truck]

I know it's Andrew Bolt and everything, but did you guys read the article? Actually kinda made some valid points lol.

[Genericname2365]

I know it's Andrew Bolt and everything, but did you guys read the article? Actually kinda made some valid points lol.

Pay-wall. 

[ninwa]

I know it's Andrew Bolt and everything, but did you guys read the article? Actually kinda made some valid points lol.

Pay-wall. 

I can see it fine?? http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/its-time-to-stop-pandering-to-bigots/story-e6frfifx-1226477632907

[Genericname2365]

I know it's Andrew Bolt and everything, but did you guys read the article? Actually kinda made some valid points lol.

Pay-wall. 

I can see it fine?? http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/its-time-to-stop-pandering-to-bigots/story-e6frfifx-1226477632907

Do you have an account there though? It requires me to sign in.

[ninwa]

Hell no I would never pay for the Herald Sun

The trick I've found (and it works for the Australian paywall as well) is to google the title and then click on the link - somehow it shows you the entire article

Failing that:

THE most frightening thing said about the Sydney riot against the Innocence of Muslims video wasn't said by a Muslim.
Digital Pass - $5 weekend papers

No, give the booby prize to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

His spokesman announced Conroy wanted Google to review its terms of service to consider pulling the clearly offensive clip from YouTube.

Hey, this is exactly what one of the world's top terrorist leaders wants, too.

"The distribution of this entire film must be banned by the Americans," demanded Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday.

They slandered the purity of his birth, slandered his faith and his morals.

When our own Communications Minister and a terror chief in Lebanon speak as one about banning an obscure video to placate furious Muslims who haven't seen it, we are already halfway to lost.

Even in America we see this same disgraceful scramble to placate mobs threatening to cut our throats at home or burning Western embassies abroad.

The Obama administration falsely blamed Innocence of Muslims for triggering even a deadly al-Qaida assault on September 11 on the US consulate in Benghazi.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton repeatedly denounced the ultra-low-budget film, as if it were the cause of the lethal Muslim rage and not the excuse for it.

Meanwhile, US authorities raided the film-maker's home after midnight to take him away for questioning over alleged breaches of this jailbird's probation.

Message received.

Make a film attacking Islam and if you aren't hacked to death in the street like Dutch director Theo van Gogh, your own police could drag you out of your bed.

You'll kill us if we don't remove the film? OK, we'll try.

We'll even rough up the film-maker for you.

You won't have to cut our throats, because we'll cut them for you.

What sort of message does Conroy think he's sending? May as well ask Nasrallah what else he wants banned.

Already, Prime Minister Julia Gillard dutifully echoes Nasrallah's contempt for a film I'm almost certain she's never seen, either, calling Innocence of Muslims truly repulsive.

Repulsive? But that the film is (undoubtedly) bad and rude is no reason to wish it suppressed.

If we let jihadists stop us watching trash, we've let them decide for us what trash is.

Trouble is, for a Nasrallah trash includes even prize-winning novels such as Sir Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses and the illustrations of Danish cartoonists who mocked Islam and Islamic fanatics.

That book and those cartoons were also attacked with a murderous rage.

Rushdie was sentenced to death by Iran and, in this latest orgy of outrage, an Iranian religious foundation upped the reward for his killing to $3.5 million.

One of his translators was murdered, and two others wounded.

The Danish cartoonists have also been hunted by jihadists sent to kill them, and three Muslims were jailed over a bomb plot to punish Denmark for its impiety.

Sadly, such violence has worked.

Rushdie was asked by the British government to write an apology for his novel, and some Leftist intellectuals attacked him for his rudeness.

Australian newspapers still refuse to show the Danish cartoons, and Yale University Press didn't dare publish them even in Jytte Klausen's history, The Cartoons That Shook the World.

How careful our publishers and artists now are not to offend such extremists.

Scholastic Australia scrapped an adventure thriller, Army of the Pure, after booksellers and librarians said they would not stock a book with an Islamist terrorist as the baddie, and the Melbourne Comedy Festival banned two acts that joked about Muslims.

Yes, that's the same festival that's staged Catherine Deveny's foul-mouthed tirade against Christianity, God Is Bulls---.

The only difference: Christians don't kill their critics.

Yet every such concession to threats and demands for censorship just invites more.

First, The Satanic Verses had to be outlawed.

Then the Mohammed cartoons.

Now Innocence of Muslims.

Next, who knows - Dante's Inferno, the great Renaissance masterpiece?

Quick, read it before the likes of Conroy decree even Dante's famous descriptions of the damned in hell are too dangerously offensive:

 

I saw one there - so burst wide,

From the chin severed down to where we fart ...

Look at Mohammed and his mangled trunk!

And all the other souls you witness here

Sowed scandal, discord, schism when alive,

And therefore they are cloven as you see.

 

Yes, to hell with bigots who threaten us with death for saying and reading as we please. Give in once, and we'll give in forever.

Trash handed over today, treasure tomorrow.

[brenden]

Possibly the first Bolt article I have read without wanting to pull my brains out through my nose. Did only read 3/4 of it, but fair calls.

[yearningforsimplicity]

Personally, I don't see why (even a peaceful) protest over the film is even worth it. If it's to create better awareness of Islam in Australia then there's better means of doing that (and probably would relate to issues irrelevant to this film).

I don't agree with or condone the violent protests in Sydney, but I can understand why there would be such an uproar by some individual muslims. I say "individual muslims" because it's not everyone that engages in this kind of violent response to the film - you see the guys screaming and inciting violence on TV but maybe you don't see the ones who are friendly and just want to be at peace while spreading the truth about Islam - not always in the hope of forcing the religion on you, but at least of giving you some clarity regarding it. Muslims aren't taught to be violent - they're taught to practice patience and tolerance and I find it unjust when some people (not all but a few) point the finger on all muslims. I know so many people today are well knowledgeable enough to know the truth about Prophet Muhammad and to not pay much attention to the video, but there are people who depend only on the media for their understanding of a religion. There are extremists and fundamentalists in every religion and there are people who will justify violence or wrongdoing with religious principles in every religion. It's not just about Islam. Regardless of the religion, I find it cruel that people would belittle the God or Holy Prophets or any other religious figure of ANY faith. I don't understand how a religious figure could be disgraced to such an extent...I know everyone has free speech and freedom of speech is permissible, but isn't there a place where we should draw the line? Freedom of speech is granted to ensure people have their voice heard and aren't oppressed (i.e. to prevent violence). I know violence wasn't the right answer to all this, but was making the video really necessary either? Was it necessary to make a video knowing that it could potentially cause outbursts of violence or at least global-scale intolerance and embitterment? I know violence need not and should not be the direct answer in response to the video but once again what you saw on TV encapsulates the attitudes of a few muslims - not the whole muslim population. This doesn't, however, mean that muslims aren't unmoved or deeply saddened and heartbroken by whatever has been portrayed in the video. The media has terribly misconstrued Islam and while the muslims that work so hard to spread the right message about the religion succeed at times, a simple 13 min trailer can undo the mutual understanding and spread of knowledge that took so many years to establish I don't condone the violent uproar that has been splashed over the media in the past week. I know that it's wrong and not an effective way of responding to the situation. The Prophet Muhammad himself was belittled and demeaned during his times for his spreading of Islam - people hurled rubbish at him, mocked him and plotted to kill him - but eventually his ceaseless patience, love and tolerance even with people who hated him the most meant that people ultimately came to admire him - the muslims partaking in the violent protests are not truly portraying what Islam is about nor how such a situation as this one should be responded to. I don't mean to preach here AT ALL, but I just hope people know that the violent protests are in no way a reflection of the principles of Prophet Muhammad or of Islam - and that although I don't condemn free speech, people like "Sam Bacile" should have at least been a little sensitive of what muslims believe in - not because they're muslims but because they're first and foremost human beings. If Bacile treated others the way he would have wanted to be treated, then maybe this minority group of muslims wouldn't have begun this protest and stopped treating others the way they'd like to be treated. I acknowledge that there is some fault on both sides but in both cases, in the end it's the peaceful and devout well-meaning muslims who lose - and really, that's what hurts the most

[brenden]

I got to a school where greater than 50% of people are Muslim and there are absolutely no troubles. I fully recognise that the majority of Muslims, like the majority of all people are peaceful. The protests didn't shake my view in the slightest, nor did the video. As far as contravening the 'truth' of Islam, whatever that may be to many, I think the video did a pretty shit job, 'cause I sat through that thing picking apart the terrible editing and acting.
On necessity, the video certainly wasn't and was by all definitions pointless and having free speech doesn't mean we should exercise it. However I think when 'we should be a little bit sensitive' of beliefs etc. we are entering a dangerous field. All ideologies and beliefs need to be challenged to an extent in democracy. The cruelty of belittling prophets lies within the hands of those who are offended; ultimately, no one can offend you without your permission. Pretty tired atm, sorry of that didn't make sense, I'll come back tomorrow lol

[yearningforsimplicity]

I got to a school where greater than 50% of people are Muslim and there are absolutely no troubles. I fully recognise that the majority of Muslims, like the majority of all people are peaceful. The protests didn't shake my view in the slightest, nor did the video. As far as contravening the 'truth' of Islam, whatever that may be to many, I think the video did a pretty shit job, 'cause I sat through that thing picking apart the terrible editing and acting.
On necessity, the video certainly wasn't and was by all definitions pointless and having free speech doesn't mean we should exercise it. However I think when 'we should be a little bit sensitive' of beliefs etc. we are entering a dangerous field. All ideologies and beliefs need to be challenged to an extent in democracy. The cruelty of belittling prophets lies within the hands of those who are offended; ultimately, no one can offend you without your permission. Pretty tired atm, sorry of that didn't make sense, I'll come back tomorrow lol

Haha you mean "today" and I get what you're trying to say but when people put their belief into something, it's natural that they would get easily offended if that belief is attacked or demeaned  People do get offended, some of them will not act on their frustration and some will (as we see in the protests). While beliefs should be challenged and tested, why does that have to correspond to denigration and debasement of those beliefs? Anyways I don't want to blab on for too long zzzz - I've already said what was on my mind

[abcdefghijklmnopq]

Hahahahahaha omfg I just watched the movie. What on Earth?! How absurd. I see no reason this should come down. It's almost hilarious that people took that shit seriously. What did I even just watch!

It just shows how stupid fundamentalists are, LOL!

@ Brenden, I don't think you realise the movie was called 'Innocence of Muslims' or if you do, you don't quite understand it's implications. Basically the person who made this film not only denigrates our beloved Prophet (pbuh) but also suggest that all Muslim's are the way he has portrayed and you expect us not to be hurt by it. Furthermore, what you don't understand is that this person he has mocked means a lot to us (as much as our own parents) and for someone to go ahead and put him in such a negative and disgusting light really hurt's. But you and others (mostly) will never understand either because you don't want to, or you believe behavior like that is perfectly acceptable.

@Paul define fundamentalists? We are all angry by this so are we all STUPID for being angry? we have no right to be angry? YOU'RE STUPID to say the least.

To everyone who is judging Muslims based on some violent protests, for example as Ninatron's mum stated and El2012 +1ed, "do you know any Muslims, be careful what you say to them, you may get hurt", it just makes me think how fast people are to attack Muslims, it's scary really. If you like, don't associate with us, it's as simple as that. You wanna take up the stereotypes so be it. You wanna HATE, so be it. And Nintron & El2012 i'm not trying to suggest you are judging I understand you put that quote up to demonstrate that people, including your mum, are judging and quickly taking up a negative image of Muslims because of the violence and I don't believe this should happen and isn't right.

This movie should clearly be banned. It not only denigrates our Prophet but also all Muslims. It questions our humanity and our morals. It questions our being. It encourages people to hate, it promotes a negative image of all Muslims and anything like that whether it be against Islam or any other religion/culture/race should not be acceptable. Anything that suggests a specific group is inferior to all others should not be acceptable. It should be banned so people don't think it's okay to engage in such a racist and ill-intentioned behavior.

Kate's topless pictures were banned (and i don't care if that's somewhere else and blah blah blah) the  point is that something like that can be banned but a movie which attacks a group of people and questions their morals/ values cannot be deleted because of freedom of speech. This is just ridiculous, freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of HATE.

All in all this film should be banned, whether it breaches the first amendment or not. And no you will not be giving in to terrorist groups and bigots as Andrew Bolt cleverly suggests to persuade the public that it shouldn't be banned. It is the only correct step, and promotes the respecting of each other. If the film remains, that just demonstrates that it is perfectly okay to pick on a minority group and suggest that these people are inferior and whatnot.

And as yearingforsimplicity states, you can question and disagree but does that mean you can mock, make fun of and degrade people. To question a group's humanity. To encourage people that this sort of disgusting behavior is okay because hey it's 'freedom of speech'. 

edit: Herald Sun poll: Was the French magazine in the wrong to publish topless pictures of Kate Middleton?

yes: 2187 (78%)
no: 610 (22%)

I would love to see a poll of : Should the anti-Islamic film trailer be banned which promotes hatred towards Muslims and depicts a negative image of all Muslims not just the prophet?
I hope unlike the majority on AN, people actually think freedom of speech doesn't mean stuff like this should exist, and agree that banning it is the most appropriate action.

Oh an youtube terms and conditions:
We encourage free speech and defend everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. But we don't permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation/gender identity, or their status as a returned soldier).

yet they refuse to remove the film  you can't have it both ways you-tube either you encourage hate speech or take the damn thing off!

[Starlight]

El2012 +1ed

This was in regards to the consequences caused by the protest (i.e. the extremists who took it upon themselves to resort to physical violence to police who were simply doing their job). However, I do not hold this view for every muslim and I am aware this is not an accurate representation of all muslims.

[abcdefghijklmnopq]

El2012 +1ed

This was in regards to the consequences caused by the protest (i.e. the extremists who took it upon themselves to resort to physical violence to police who were simply doing their job). However, I do not hold this view for every muslim and I am aware this is not an accurate representation of all muslims.

I should edit my comment, i should've clarified it with you and Ninatron in my post. I apologise, I wasn't suggesting that you are also judging (or Ninatron), what I was trying to say was, that people are judging which is evident through Ninatron's comment (who also suggests this is a consequence of the violence) and the fact that you also agreed that this is something that may happen. Obviously my communication skills aren't the best! anyways what I do believe is that, judging people based on a few individuals is not correct, which is what I was trying to convey and those who want to judge can go ahead and so be it. I hope this has clarified things El2012

[Truck]

Hahahahahaha omfg I just watched the movie. What on Earth?! How absurd. I see no reason this should come down. It's almost hilarious that people took that shit seriously. What did I even just watch!

It just shows how stupid fundamentalists are, LOL!

@ Brenden, I don't think you realise the movie was called 'Innocence of Muslims' or if you do, you don't quite understand it's implications. Basically the person who made this film not only denigrates our beloved Prophet (pbuh) but also suggest that all Muslim's are the way he has portrayed and you expect us not to be hurt by it. Furthermore, what you don't understand is that this person he has mocked means a lot to us (as much as our own parents) and for someone to go ahead and put him in such a negative and disgusting light really hurt's. But you and others (mostly) will never understand either because you don't want to, or you believe behavior like that is perfectly acceptable.

@Paul define fundamentalists? We are all angry by this so are we all STUPID for being angry? we have no right to be angry? YOU'RE STUPID to say the least.

To everyone who is judging Muslims based on some violent protests, for example as Ninatron's mum stated and El2012 +1ed, "do you know any Muslims, be careful what you say to them, you may get hurt", it just makes me think how fast people are to attack Muslims, it's scary really. If you like, don't associate with us, it's as simple as that. You wanna take up the stereotypes so be it. You wanna HATE, so be it. And Nintron i'm not trying to suggest you are judging I understand you put that quote up to demonstrate that people, including your mum, are judging and quickly taking up a negative image of Muslims and I don't believe this is right.

This movie should clearly be banned. It not only denigrates our Prophet but also all Muslims. It questions our humanity and our morals. It questions our being. It encourages people to hate, it promotes a negative image of all Muslims and anything like that whether it be against Islam or any other religion/culture/race should not be acceptable. Anything that suggests a specific group is inferior to all others should not be acceptable. It should be banned so people don't think it's okay to engage in such a racist and ill-intentioned behavior.

Kate's topless pictures were banned (and i don't care if that's somewhere else and blah blah blah) the  point is that something like that can be banned but a movie which attacks a group of people and questions their morals/ values cannot be deleted because of freedom of speech. This is just ridiculous, freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom of HATE.

All in all this film should be banned, whether it breaches the first amendment or not. And no you will not be giving in to terrorist groups and bigots as Andrew Bolt cleverly suggests to persuade the public that it shouldn't be banned. It is the only correct step, and promotes the respecting of each other. If the film remains, that just demonstrates that it is perfectly okay to pick on a minority group and suggest that these people are inferior and whatnot.

And as yearingforsimplicity states, you can question and disagree but does that mean you can mock, make fun of and degrade people. To question a group's humanity. To encourage people that this sort of disgusting behavior is okay because hey it's 'freedom of speech'. 

edit: Herald Sun poll: Was the French magazine in the wrong to publish topless pictures of Kate Middleton?

yes: 2187 (78%)
no: 610 (22%)

I would love to see a poll of : Should the anti-Islamic film trailer be banned which promotes hatred towards Muslims and depicts a negative image of all Muslims not just the prophet?
I hope unlike the majority on AN, people actually think freedom of speech doesn't mean stuff like this should exist, and agree that banning it is the most appropriate action.

Oh an youtube terms and conditions:
We encourage free speech and defend everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. But we don't permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation/gender identity, or their status as a returned soldier).

yet they refuse to remove the film  you can't have it both ways you-tube either you encourage hate speech or take the damn thing off!

lol it's not hate speech, it shouldn't be banned.

I very rarely agree with the "big bad bolt", but in this case I do. It presents an opinion on muslims, which however wrong or inflammatory, it is allowed to do. It seems you're too thick-headed to realize that the world doesn't revolve around YOU, and the best thing that you can and should do is simply ignore the opinion of those "haters", so to speak. Most people on AN are asians, indians, or essentially people from minorities who have experienced Racism - and when racist movies/films come out (they exist, believe it or not -.-), you don't see them arguing for their removal - they are simply ignored, as they should be. As the saying goes, "I may disapprove of what you say - but I'll fight for your right to say it". As an fyi, you are in no way representative of the muslim majority in Australia - the majority will simply react like any other group when attacked with hate, and either ignore or it or fight it in a way that doesn't result in the death of innocent civilians.

If you can't see yourself accepting the fact that people will have opinions different to you, and think that it's an appropriate reaction to riot about a movie made by a random idiot that has no effect on society as a whole, then perhaps living in a democratic country which protects its citizens rights is not for you. Just saying.

edit: and tbh, this movie could've been a lot worse. Read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, or Mein Kampf, if you want to read REAL hate speech.

[brenden]

Ugh, too whingy; didn't read. I feel like I could write a ULP response on that.

[abcdefghijklmnopq]

lol it's not hate speech, it shouldn't be banned.

If you can't see yourself accepting the fact that people will have opinions different to you, and think that it's an appropriate reaction to riot about a movie made by a random idiot that has no effect on society as a whole, then perhaps living in a democratic country which protects its citizens rights is not for you. Just saying.

edit: and tbh, this movie could've been a lot worse. Read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, or Mein Kampf, if you want to read REAL hate speech.

I never said it was an appropriate reaction, but I do believe the film should be banned. And thanks Truck, I was yet to be told 'go back to your country' and now you've even done that. Oh and your going to tell me what the majority of Muslim's think about this film?

Clearly most people on AN believe it should remain on the net and they are immovable on this point then so be it. I shall not waste my time, the people who can c it's inappropriateness would c it others won't.