Quote:
Originally Posted by 7thsfsniper
I would be interested to hear your opinion on the thread starter post. I think the thread has meandered a little.
|
What the article suggests as the criteria for taking legal action against defamation - "slighting of their religion or its sacred symbols" - I disagree with.
I suppose one could make the argument that widespread "defamation" might result in negative or even xenophobic sentiments against the segment of society being targeted, and in the extreme, could this be equated to the hysteria and propoganda against the Jews by the Nazis, and the "anti-Jew, anti-West propoganda in some Muslim countries today?
That said, I don't think the situation in the West is anywhere close to the above. While some commentators and a section of the media do tend to focus solely on the negativity of Islam, there is also opportunity given for Muslim organizations and personalities to present their opinion and views. I think that would be the more effective manner to target "defamation", ensure that Muslim organizations are effectively lobbying to have their voice heard.
There also needs to be a lot more inter-community interaction than there is currently. Last summer I was invited to an interfaith dialog at a local Episcopal Church, organized by the Islamic Students Association on campus (though I ended up being invited by a lady I knew who went to the church, since I am not a regular mosque attendee - if my moniker didn't give that away).
The lack of information, or misinformation, about each others positions was quite surprising. You could see the discomfort of the audience in the beginning from how everyone was just tense and unsmiling, by the end however, there were laughs, handshakes, some hugs and suggestions to widen the initiative by contacting other churches and mosques.
Its just amazing how much is accomplished by people to people contacts, when those contacts occur with the intent of understanding the other side, rather than imposing ones view. To borrow from Obama - non-Mulsims need to look beyond the stereotype, and try and understand Muslim sensitivities (not to be equated with curtailing free speech and cutting back on the satire), while Muslims need to understand why some non-Muslims have the fears they do.
Ultimately these issues are best resolved through dialog and interaction between communities, because then each side realizes that the actions of the other are not out of spite or an intent to insult or impose ones beliefs, but an expression of that communities own strongly held beliefs.
Hope that helps clarify my position.