Because torching a fast food joint is the best way to protest a cartoon (via the BBC):
Angry demonstrators protesting over Western newspaper cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad have set fire to a KFC outlet in Pakistan, reports say.
Police used batons and teargas to break up the demonstration in the north-western city of Peshawar…Hundreds of protesters are said to have torched the KFC outlet and ransacked it.
An eye-witness reports:
“Fire is still raging from the KFC,” resident Tehseen Khan told the AFP news agency.
“I can see smoke coming out of the windows, the furniture has been gutted.”
To be fair, the protests which go down almost every day in Pakistan are usually less violent, but unfortunately, that’s about to change:
…(the demonstrations) are getting bigger and angrier as Islamic opposition parties begin a rolling campaign of protests ahead of a visit by US President George W Bush at the start of next month, she says.
No word yet on whether the Colonel was injured.
Anuj, I have always held that the Indian news media is just one big load of fecal matter. And I agree that not discussing the problem does not help. But republishing the cartoons does not add to anything except further a certain “look at us we can do this kind of shit if we want to” swinging dick attitude among the members of the 4th estate.
Also, No compromise, I will ignore your silly statement since I don’t classify myself as a liberal. But that does not stop me from classifying your silly diversion as a non-sequitur.
DDIA, which country would you say has good news media?
“And Expose – maybe I’m picking on you b/c your post is right at the end and therefore easy to spot – but considering you’d like to be rid of all this “god nonsense”, that was a pretty heartfelt, hand-wringy post you had up about California texbooks getting all thier “Hinduism” “facts” wrong. What, some god nonsense is better than other god nonsense?”
Brownfrown – My qualm with the California school system was not inspired by religion or god. Albeit it may seem so.
I have a cousin who grew up in California and is a product of the sate’s school system. Growing up she had to face some very ignorant and sometimes hateful remarks about her Hindu/Indian heritage. Some of the incidents she recalled for me are truly horrible and have left an indelible scar on her psyche. So my grouse is rooted in concern for the Hindu/Indian kids who will continue to face more ridicule and harrassment, especially, in the smaller disctricts where they can’t find safety in numbers. If I had my say, I would not teach anything religious. And If compelled to do so, I would treat all religions with the scorn they deserve. For example, I would teach that not a single prophet’s, including Mohd’s existence can be proven historically. And tell them of their prophets misogyny and intolerance. I would tell the students about the evil unleashed upon our planet by monotheism. I would teach them that none [including Hinduism] of the religions deemed women to be equal….ever. Especially, Islam.
Above all I would call it like it is…..No Political correctness in my classroom. No siree, Bob. My class would have cartoons just for the heck of it.
There are historical records verifying the exact dates for the births, deaths, and major life events of all 10 Sikh Gurus during the 200 years from Guru Nanak until Guru Gobind Singh.
With all due respect, I suggest you conduct some proper research into North Indian history with regards to the individuals mentioned above.
Then I’m afraid you’d be mistaken. Sikhism does, explicitly and unequivocally.
I had said, I agree with that. There are many such instances when republishing and repitition does not help the situation. But these ethics are not followed…
Expose – Without going into the particular myths of any tradition, it is, I think, dangerous as a whole to conflate history and religion. Religions are ontological systems – they have thier own currency and thier own logic and thier own fantastical accounts which may not make much sense scientifically or historically. Most would not stand up to that kind of “empirical” analysis – and they shouldn’t have to.
I would also question your definition of “religion”. The anti-religion “secular” stance you seem to take could be seen as just as strong as a belief system as any of these religions that you “scorn”.
As for your cousin, I’m sorry she’s faced such trauma because of what has been taught in the California school system about Hinduism. However, we have to be careful not to extend that same injustice to other religions such as Islam in an urge to clean up the religious education kids recieve. I don’t know if attacking the basic tennants of Islam or railing against misogyny to that age group is the best way to ensure equal and fair treatment. And believe me, as a feminist and a woman, misogyny on all levels makes me see red. But show me one privilaged system – religious or “secular” – that hasn’t been grotesquely skewed towards heterosexual men. It seems like these traditions only (sometimes) start becoming more inclusive once they are critiqued by feminist voices.
i’m jumping in late, but…
“Anuj, I have always held that the Indian news media is just one big load of fecal matter. “
TOI and HT are, yes, but both the hindu and asian age have addressed the cartoon issue AND the ensuing unrest thru articles and several editorials…. so i think you just have to get your eyes off of TOI/HT — i think it’s like looking at some of america’s less than stellar publications and basing the entire print media on them…
Jai, in # 54 I stand corrected on your first and second points. An oversight on my part. Do forgive. On the third, I will have to disagree very strongly. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. If you haven’t already, I would urge you to spend some time in Punjab and see for yourself.
Brwonfrown – I love this quote by the nobel recepient linus pauling.
” all religions are not equal. some are much worse than others” So apt.
And in my opinion, in our times, Islam can easily lay claim to the worst spot. As I said this is my opinion. Informed by personal experiences and observation.
Expose,
We are talking about specific religious tenets, not the behaviour of some alleged followers of the faith who contradict the ideals of the religion they claim affiliation to. The latter is an abherration, not evidence of misogyny in the religion itself. Sikhism is very, very clear indeed about the complete equality between men and women.
Unfortunately, as you’ve correctly indicated, people sometimes don’t put these ideals into practice. But the religion itself states gender equality (in absolutely all aspects) as a fundamental principle for “ideal” human behaviour and spiritual enlightenment, and all 10 of the Sikh Gurus were very firm about promoting this concept. How matters may have changed in the 300 years after Guru Gobind Singh’s death with regards to the real-life implementation of these ideals is, of course, possibly a different matter (unfortunately).
References would be helpful. To my knowledge, the issued wasnt covered in Indian media until very lately…
There’s no point blowing up parliament buildings or I dunno, some battalion somemwhere because the real power rests with the MNCs.
If those protestors happened to come upon a non-Western Hindu walking home, do you think he would’ve been spared? I don’t see why we have to conclude that this is about “oppression or imperialism” just because a KFC was targetted in addition to other shops and businesses. It seems like a riot that expanded to include the usual targets.
P.S. How does capitalism depend on a “demonized other” to survive? Nation states, I can see, but not capitalism…If anything, capitalism thrives on converting all sorts of “others” into segments to be targeted like anything else.
“We are talking about specific religious tenets, not the behaviour of some alleged followers of the faith who contradict the ideals of the religion they claim affiliation to.”
I have to agree with Expose on this b/c the above is true of any religion which has extremists. Another problem is identifying what the ‘specifics religious tenets’ are b/c extremists also justify that they are indeed following such tenets. From my understanding, all religions have some sort of contradicting tenets….which is what leads to problems amongst believers who follow them differently…
I was thinking about TOI/HT when I made that sweeping generalization (I stand corrected). The Asian Age is just a sleazy little rag that my folks banned from the house when they began leading with stories about the efficacy of certain oysters in the manly equipment department — making for really awkward tea-and-toast conversations. The Hindu and Statesman are both good newspapers but a bit too left leaning for my political tastes (no fault of their’s).
But they are still nowhere compared to the NYTimes or the WashPo in terms of coverage, analysis and style. Most of the regional US dailies though, such as the Austin American Statesman — that torchbearer of truth, justice and responsible journalism — carry articles about how to get the best Christmas deals in under 30 mins at your neighbourhood JC Penny’s on their front pages. Or swing the other way and talk about what Cindy Sheehan had for lunch today.
“References would be helpful. To my knowledge, the issued wasnt covered in Indian media until very lately”
can’t give you references, but can let you go thru my recycle bin — i read the asian age and hindu each day before work and they all covered it with not only full blown articles but with editorials, and not just today or the the day before. i know that the hindu and asian age especially covered the srinagar reaction with front page pictures plus news.
as for asian age, have you read it lately? totally revamped, got picked up by the international herald tribune and NYT to try and make a good newspaper in india, day by day it gets better, ya they still have crap in their supplement but the bulk of the newspaper has a fair amount of excellent journalism. and they carry all the nyt and iht columnists.
If those protestors happened to come upon a non-Western Hindu walking home, do you think he would’ve been spared?
I’ll find out in late May-June. Seriously, I will be in Pakistan-India, in fact also in PoK Kashmir. We’ll see – I still need to get a visa to Pakistan.
Rani,
I know what you mean, but the above actually isn’t true with regards to Sikhism. The faith has no “contradicting tenets” with regards to the question of gender equality. There is absolutely no religious basis or justification whatsoever for misogyny, or the general mistreatment of, injustice towards, or oppression of women; these things do indeed occur due to various localised cultural factors, but are not due to the religion itself, which takes a diametrically-opposite stance on the matter. I don’t want to take this thread too off-topic so instead I can refer you to the following sources, which concisely summarise the status of women from the traditional Sikh perspective:
Kush Tandon wrote:
I will be in Pakistan-India, in fact also in PoK Kashmir. We’ll see – I still need to get a visa to Pakistan.
Practice saying Azad Kashmir. It might help.
Practice saying Azad Kashmir. It might help.
Pakistan controlled Kashmir might be a better term. I prefer ‘Indian controlled Kashmir’ for the part of Kashmir controlled by India and Pakistan controlled Kashmir for the part of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan.
That sounds like good news 🙂
“Practice saying Azad Kashmir. It might help.”
“Pakistan controlled Kashmir might be a better term.”
We’ll see. Or I might act as a firangi and keep complaining about lack of western-style toilets in Muzaffarabad. Who knows?
Now Indian flamers have put a bounty on the head of the cartoonists
Nice goin’ by the party that is although not part of the ruling congress party but has given its “support” to the “secular” central govt. of India.
And it’s the same ‘punish them all’ idea that lies behind American acceptance of civilian casualties in Iraq.
Do u seriously believe what u said? What are you? A brown Michael Moore? If America and the West hadn’t really cared about civilian casualties, the war in Iraq would have been long over.