Washington Post: Why I Published Those Cartoons

Posted by Owen Densmore on Feb 21, 2006; 7:58pm
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/Washington-Post-Why-I-Published-Those-Cartoons-tp521395p521403.html

Good insights.

I find I simply do not "get it" in terms of European Islam, which  
seems much different than the version of US Islam I see more of  
here.  I'm not sure if its a difference in the size of the US (thus  
diluting cultural differences), a difference in assimilation models,  
or possibly just luck!

I am reading the book by Reza Aslan (one VERY hip dude!)
   http://www.rezaaslan.com/html/aslan_book.html
.. which makes some really interesting points on Islam, and that the  
struggle is much less a "cultural revolution" than a "Islamic  
reformation".  His John Stewart (Daily Show) interview was interesting.


     -- Owen

Owen Densmore
http://backspaces.net - http://redfish.com - http://friam.org


On Feb 21, 2006, at 10:37 AM, Jochen Fromm wrote:

>
> The fear is justified, since an Islamic court in India has
> recently issued a fatwa on the cartoonists, condemning to
> death the 12 artists who drew the controversial images of
> the prophet Mohammed.
> http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18220608-38197,00.html
>
> I think it is a bit frightening how stupid people can be,
> although I see it more from the viewpoint of a complex system.
> It is interesting how a few insignificant cartoons posted
> in a minor newspaper in a tiny country can cause a series
> of violent protests and deadly aftershocks which are felt four
> months later (see http://www.iq.harvard.edu/blog/netgov/2006/02/).
>
> In the city where I live, Kassel, 1500 people on Saturday took part
> in a demonstration against the Mohammed cartoons. First only the men,
> about 600, and then separately the women, many with headscarf (as if
> they want to say "now more than ever"). I guess nearly none of them
> has really seen the cartoons, and they didn't even manage to create
> banners with correct spelling. Many carried turkish flags, which
> had nothing to do with the cartoons or carricatures at all.
>
> It think it is a buzz-related media phenomenon. One blog entry says
> "it started with reports and reprints of the Mohammed cartoons
> all over Europe". That was apparently enough to exceed some
> critical mass or tipping point. There is often positive feedback
> in this kind of events because the media itself is involved in it.
> The newspapers print something about a delicate subject, which stirs
> small protests, which trigger in turn more reports and articles about
> the delicate subject, which makes the situation even worse and
> causes bigger protests, which goes on and on (see also the O.J.  
> Simpson
> issue and other related cases). A self-reinforcing process,
> although there are certainly a lot of other reasons, too.
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4678220.stm
>
> -J.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Owen Densmore
> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 5:44 AM
> To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Friam
> Subject: [FRIAM] Washington Post: Why I Published Those Cartoons
>
> Hard to believe, but apparently in Europe, there is great fear
> growing among editors and reporters over possible insulting Islam.
> Puts the cartoons in an entirely new light.  It would be interesting
> to see if similar self-censorship is occurring in the US too.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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