The Cartoon War Lands In Ohio
Hold on. Put your guns away. I did not mean by the above that we have angry Muslims protesting, burning, and breaking things in Ohio. No. It is just a little editorial cartoon that has CAIR's panties in a twist. This would be said cartoon, and here is the link to the story from the Akron Beacon Journal. (Just a side note, there is a bit of commentary mixed in with the story because after reading it a second time, you can tell that there is a bit of a slant to it.)
Several Northeastern Ohio Muslims and community leaders met Friday to express their concerns about the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have ignited outrage and violence.
At issue are the caricatures published in the European press -- work that many U.S. newspapers decided against publishing. The group also took issue with a cartoon inked by Beacon Journal editorial cartoonist Chip Bok.
Bok said he did not draw his cartoon with intentions of offending Muslims and has defended his right to free press.
Indeed, Mr. Bok is telling the truth. Go to the link above, and look at his cartoon. It is a blatant slap at CNN for their politically-correct choice of pixelating the Mohammed cartoons so they did not "offend" any Muslim or "insult" the Islamic religion. At least when other outlets lie, they do not take the lie as seriously as CNN does.
But Muslims on Friday said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful and demeaning.
So, Muslims side with CNN now? That comment sounds like supposition on the part of the writer.
The level of hurt, they said, was deeper since it was in the local paper.
``It pained me to know that the Beacon Journal printed its own editorial cartoons that sought to challenge the beauty of our community by bringing hate into its pages,'' said Rabbi David Lipper, of Akron's Temple Israel.
To Rabbi Lipper: Hush, please. You have no idea what you are talking about. Clearly you have not seen the cartoon (again, linked above) and this is a shrewd attempt by you to get your opinion out that you "support" the Muslims in the community that are "offended." I would be willing to wager that less than 100 are upset, and this is the big deal being made out of this cartoon.
The Beacon Journal has not published the Danish cartoons. However, on Feb. 5, the Akron paper published a Bok cartoon depicting a pixilated picture of Muhammad on CNN. A couple in the cartoon said, ``Well, no wonder Muslims are upset. Muhammad looks like he's on acid.''
The editorial cartoon has prompted several letters in response. Also on Friday afternoon, there was a demonstration outside of the newspaper's East Exchange Street building.
Are those anything like our antiwar demonstrations held here in Arizona on 24th St. and Camelback where they can barely muster thirty people to go stand on the corner? Or is it like France and Germany protesting our entry into Iraq (remember that protest? The one where they acted like children holding their breath?).
At Friday's news conference at the Islamic Society of Akron & Kent in Cuyahoga Falls, the speakers were passionate.
A.R. Abdoulkarim, Amir of the Akron Masjid, applauded newspapers that decided against running the cartoons, but condemned those who did. The Beacon Journal, he said, was in a class of its own.
Yes, the class is called coward, and it is the same class which the Euro-press belongs with. The Europeans are not only scrambling to avoid their printing--even their mere mention--that they have taken steps to avoid any further problems like this. The EU is even going to great lengths to come up with a "media code" so that this sort of offense does not happen again.
``They take the prize for being the most ill-intended, irresponsible property group,'' he said. ``Allah curses and condemns them and every Muslim in this community should curse and condemn them.''
Unless Allah watches CNN, he is not cursing and condemning anyone. The cartoon was an intentional slam on CNN. Do these people not understand subtlety or humor? Are they that far gone? When Mr. Hewitt makes hay about this, I want to be listening; explain it, please, how this could be as offensive as the Danish cartoons, which only one of those cartoons were.
Julia A. Shearson, director of Ohio's Council of American-Islamic Relations, said they want the Beacon Journal to apologize for running the ``unethical'' cartoon and want the paper to publish their letters to the editor.
Demands, demands, demands. Tsk, tsk. Whereas the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten recognized their mistake--an overtly obvious one--and apologized, the Beacon Journal should not apologize for anything. If the Muslims in Ohio cannot seem to grasp the fact that this cartoon was meant to make fun of CNN and their PC rules, then they have problems. It might be a shallow, self-aggrandizing problem, but that is not the fault of the paper, nor should they apologize. The only apology that should be uttered by the paper is: "Gee, we are awfully sorry you people took the cartoon well out of context, and we would like to remind you that your offense, while legitimate to you, is not shared by the greater majority of Akron. Therefore, your offense is your problem, not ours."
After yesterday's press conference, Bok met with several leaders. The cartoonist said he drew the cartoon to take a shot at CNN for ``distorting a distortion'' and not at the prophet or Muslims.
``I don't draw cartoons just to offend,'' he said.
Still, Muslim leaders said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful because the prophet should not have been depicted in such a way. In fact, they said, there are no pictures or statues of Muhammad because he should not be confused with God.
I do hope the author of this piece is referring to no statues or depictions of Mohammed in Akron. If he means across the country, or around the globe, the author might want to do some fact-checking on that one. First, I recommend starting with Zombie's Image Archive of the depictions of Mohammed, and here for the sculpture of Mohammed on the United States Supreme Court's north wall in a marble frieze. There are depictions of Mohammed. There have been depictions of Mohammed. And this dog will not hunt anymore on that subject. If Muslims claim that is their stance they are either lying, or grossly misinformed.
After the meeting, Bok said he learned a lot about the religion.
``My cartoon wasn't about them. To them it was; to me it wasn't,'' he said. ``They're cartoons. They're irreverent. I feel like that's something I have to defend.''
We all have a right to protest inthis nation. It is enumerated under the First Amendment. But there is a point at which one must really remove their brain to be upset over Mr. Bok's cartoon. It is not degrading or defamatory towards Muslims. It is a reminder to CNN for their hypocrisy and political correctness run amuck.
The Bunny ;)
Hold on. Put your guns away. I did not mean by the above that we have angry Muslims protesting, burning, and breaking things in Ohio. No. It is just a little editorial cartoon that has CAIR's panties in a twist. This would be said cartoon, and here is the link to the story from the Akron Beacon Journal. (Just a side note, there is a bit of commentary mixed in with the story because after reading it a second time, you can tell that there is a bit of a slant to it.)
Several Northeastern Ohio Muslims and community leaders met Friday to express their concerns about the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have ignited outrage and violence.
At issue are the caricatures published in the European press -- work that many U.S. newspapers decided against publishing. The group also took issue with a cartoon inked by Beacon Journal editorial cartoonist Chip Bok.
Bok said he did not draw his cartoon with intentions of offending Muslims and has defended his right to free press.
Indeed, Mr. Bok is telling the truth. Go to the link above, and look at his cartoon. It is a blatant slap at CNN for their politically-correct choice of pixelating the Mohammed cartoons so they did not "offend" any Muslim or "insult" the Islamic religion. At least when other outlets lie, they do not take the lie as seriously as CNN does.
But Muslims on Friday said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful and demeaning.
So, Muslims side with CNN now? That comment sounds like supposition on the part of the writer.
The level of hurt, they said, was deeper since it was in the local paper.
``It pained me to know that the Beacon Journal printed its own editorial cartoons that sought to challenge the beauty of our community by bringing hate into its pages,'' said Rabbi David Lipper, of Akron's Temple Israel.
To Rabbi Lipper: Hush, please. You have no idea what you are talking about. Clearly you have not seen the cartoon (again, linked above) and this is a shrewd attempt by you to get your opinion out that you "support" the Muslims in the community that are "offended." I would be willing to wager that less than 100 are upset, and this is the big deal being made out of this cartoon.
The Beacon Journal has not published the Danish cartoons. However, on Feb. 5, the Akron paper published a Bok cartoon depicting a pixilated picture of Muhammad on CNN. A couple in the cartoon said, ``Well, no wonder Muslims are upset. Muhammad looks like he's on acid.''
The editorial cartoon has prompted several letters in response. Also on Friday afternoon, there was a demonstration outside of the newspaper's East Exchange Street building.
Are those anything like our antiwar demonstrations held here in Arizona on 24th St. and Camelback where they can barely muster thirty people to go stand on the corner? Or is it like France and Germany protesting our entry into Iraq (remember that protest? The one where they acted like children holding their breath?).
At Friday's news conference at the Islamic Society of Akron & Kent in Cuyahoga Falls, the speakers were passionate.
A.R. Abdoulkarim, Amir of the Akron Masjid, applauded newspapers that decided against running the cartoons, but condemned those who did. The Beacon Journal, he said, was in a class of its own.
Yes, the class is called coward, and it is the same class which the Euro-press belongs with. The Europeans are not only scrambling to avoid their printing--even their mere mention--that they have taken steps to avoid any further problems like this. The EU is even going to great lengths to come up with a "media code" so that this sort of offense does not happen again.
``They take the prize for being the most ill-intended, irresponsible property group,'' he said. ``Allah curses and condemns them and every Muslim in this community should curse and condemn them.''
Unless Allah watches CNN, he is not cursing and condemning anyone. The cartoon was an intentional slam on CNN. Do these people not understand subtlety or humor? Are they that far gone? When Mr. Hewitt makes hay about this, I want to be listening; explain it, please, how this could be as offensive as the Danish cartoons, which only one of those cartoons were.
Julia A. Shearson, director of Ohio's Council of American-Islamic Relations, said they want the Beacon Journal to apologize for running the ``unethical'' cartoon and want the paper to publish their letters to the editor.
Demands, demands, demands. Tsk, tsk. Whereas the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten recognized their mistake--an overtly obvious one--and apologized, the Beacon Journal should not apologize for anything. If the Muslims in Ohio cannot seem to grasp the fact that this cartoon was meant to make fun of CNN and their PC rules, then they have problems. It might be a shallow, self-aggrandizing problem, but that is not the fault of the paper, nor should they apologize. The only apology that should be uttered by the paper is: "Gee, we are awfully sorry you people took the cartoon well out of context, and we would like to remind you that your offense, while legitimate to you, is not shared by the greater majority of Akron. Therefore, your offense is your problem, not ours."
After yesterday's press conference, Bok met with several leaders. The cartoonist said he drew the cartoon to take a shot at CNN for ``distorting a distortion'' and not at the prophet or Muslims.
``I don't draw cartoons just to offend,'' he said.
Still, Muslim leaders said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful because the prophet should not have been depicted in such a way. In fact, they said, there are no pictures or statues of Muhammad because he should not be confused with God.
I do hope the author of this piece is referring to no statues or depictions of Mohammed in Akron. If he means across the country, or around the globe, the author might want to do some fact-checking on that one. First, I recommend starting with Zombie's Image Archive of the depictions of Mohammed, and here for the sculpture of Mohammed on the United States Supreme Court's north wall in a marble frieze. There are depictions of Mohammed. There have been depictions of Mohammed. And this dog will not hunt anymore on that subject. If Muslims claim that is their stance they are either lying, or grossly misinformed.
After the meeting, Bok said he learned a lot about the religion.
``My cartoon wasn't about them. To them it was; to me it wasn't,'' he said. ``They're cartoons. They're irreverent. I feel like that's something I have to defend.''
We all have a right to protest inthis nation. It is enumerated under the First Amendment. But there is a point at which one must really remove their brain to be upset over Mr. Bok's cartoon. It is not degrading or defamatory towards Muslims. It is a reminder to CNN for their hypocrisy and political correctness run amuck.
The Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 11:44 AM
1 Comments:
f I were a cartoonist, I would draw one with Buddha and the leaders of recognized religions together on a cloud and across the way on another sits Ubu'l Kassim alone with the caption "They don't recognize me." Rawriter
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