Comments on: Sad day for freedom of expression http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/ An Arab man's attempt at bridging the cultural gap. Trying to make a difference, failing a lot, succeeding once in a while. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:10:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Free Kareem! » Blog Archive » Media and Blogosphere Coverage of Kareem’s Trial http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77916 Free Kareem! » Blog Archive » Media and Blogosphere Coverage of Kareem’s Trial Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:28:38 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77916 [...] defamation case in a Bahraini court, was also quick to the defence of Kareem, describing today as a sad day for freedom of expression. “And if Egypt leads, the Arab world are supposed to follow, right? So the arrest, detention and [...] [...] defamation case in a Bahraini court, was also quick to the defence of Kareem, describing today as a sad day for freedom of expression. “And if Egypt leads, the Arab world are supposed to follow, right? So the arrest, detention and [...]

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]]> By: i SEND THIS TO JAPAN http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77914 i SEND THIS TO JAPAN Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:35:10 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77914 No one gets jailed for insulting Islam, how can you insult something that is already GREAT & LARGER THEN MAN? The simple fact is that the despot rulers of the Middle East use the religion to jail anyone that they feel is a fret to there hold on power. The Jews did it to Jesus and the almighty kings and prime ministers of Arabia do it to there citizens. That’s how they hold on to power the British and the Ottomans did it during there colonial Middle East rule, and that's how they trained are rulers to hold on to power….IT works does it not. Imagine all this Oil wealth and what have we done with it. Most countries have no natural resources and they are centuries ahead in development. Oil is wasted on the middle east better we give it away for free No one gets jailed for insulting Islam, how can you insult something that is already GREAT & LARGER THEN MAN? The simple fact is that the despot rulers of the Middle East use the religion to jail anyone that they feel is a fret to there hold on power.

The Jews did it to Jesus and the almighty kings and prime ministers of Arabia do it to there citizens. That’s how they hold on to power the British and the Ottomans did it during there colonial Middle East rule, and that’s how they trained are rulers to hold on to power….IT works does it not. Imagine all this Oil wealth and what have we done with it. Most countries have no natural resources and they are centuries ahead in development. Oil is wasted on the middle east better we give it away for free

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]]> By: can we talk http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77912 can we talk Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:11:35 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77912 to add to #14. those who might object to his opinion in countries all over the globe, and shout "blasphemy" everytime they don't like someone else's opinion would have little knowledge of the Azhar institution, whereas he had first-hand experience, having been on the inside of it, and has an informed right to think what he thinks and feel what he feels.. and by the way, <a href="http://www.sandmonkey.org/2007/02/02/a-twist-in-abdel-karims-trial/#comments" rel="nofollow">did you hear </a>that the head judge of the court of appeals has <a href="http://www.drmourad.net/" rel="nofollow">a blog</a> himself and is a blogging expert? to add to #14.
those who might object to his opinion in countries all over the globe, and shout “blasphemy” everytime they don’t like someone else’s opinion would have little knowledge of the Azhar institution, whereas he had first-hand experience, having been on the inside of it, and has an informed right to think what he thinks and feel what he feels..

and by the way, did you hear that the head judge of the court of appeals has a blog himself and is a blogging expert?

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]]> By: Muh'd M. Mansour http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77871 Muh'd M. Mansour Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:24:48 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77871 There must be rules to protect us and other from our way of thinking and our thoughts, limits to the chaotic freedom of speech. There must be rules to protect us and other from our way of thinking and our thoughts, limits to the chaotic freedom of speech.

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]]> By: inpursuitofjustice http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77829 inpursuitofjustice Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:18:21 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77829 I don't think the Arab press is neglecting the issue because of the blasphamous charges. That didn't stop them from reporting on the Danish cartoons. They could easily carry the story without quoting the controversial statements. I think its an issue of the Arab press being afraid of attacking an Arab regime. Ironically, freedom of thought and freedom of speech are not a topic for open discussion in the Arab world. I don’t think the Arab press is neglecting the issue because of the blasphamous charges. That didn’t stop them from reporting on the Danish cartoons. They could easily carry the story without quoting the controversial statements.

I think its an issue of the Arab press being afraid of attacking an Arab regime. Ironically, freedom of thought and freedom of speech are not a topic for open discussion in the Arab world.

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]]> By: And Far Away » Sad Day for the Arab Blogosphere http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77777 And Far Away » Sad Day for the Arab Blogosphere Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:55:54 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77777 [...] [source, via] [...] [...] [source, via] [...]

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]]> By: mahmood http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77769 mahmood Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:35:44 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77769 Hi <a href="/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77763" rel="nofollow">Mark</a>, racism is a line that should not be crossed. Doing so would immediately encroach on others' freedoms, and my belief is that one's freedoms stops at others' beginning. So if the blogger intentionally wrote a racist epithet, he or she shouldn't complain from being ostracised by the community so that they know the error of their ways and hopefully correct it. Hi Mark, racism is a line that should not be crossed. Doing so would immediately encroach on others’ freedoms, and my belief is that one’s freedoms stops at others’ beginning.

So if the blogger intentionally wrote a racist epithet, he or she shouldn’t complain from being ostracised by the community so that they know the error of their ways and hopefully correct it.

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]]> By: mahmood http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77767 mahmood Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:32:58 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77767 How very true <a href="/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77762" rel="nofollow">inpursuitofjustice</a>, that's why NGO's concerted effort to educate the lethargic masses to rise and demand their rights, particularly as freedom of information is concerned. Letting them having it their way all the time is no longer an option. As citizens we <i>do</i> have the right to at least with with dignity. And taking away our voices is not going to achieve that, in fact it should be regarded as the start to complete erosion of our dignity. Just like they have a right to speak, so does everyone else. My theory as to why the Arabic press have not highlighted this is because of the blasphemous charges. They are most probably scared of losing their advertising cheques. So what if Kareem criticised Al-Azhar? Is it a place that God Himself built and filled with clerics to "protect Him"? Does He need protection? Does His religion need protection? No, They are much bigger than criticism no matter how harsh that criticism is. Islam is secure - or at least it is supposed to be - so what does it have to be afraid of for a 22-year-old criticising it? It is his complete right to question his beliefs, maybe it is his own way of strengthening them. The only thing that imprisoning him would do is turn him resolutely away from religion and the government that took away his God-given rights. How very true inpursuitofjustice, that’s why NGO’s concerted effort to educate the lethargic masses to rise and demand their rights, particularly as freedom of information is concerned.

Letting them having it their way all the time is no longer an option. As citizens we do have the right to at least with with dignity. And taking away our voices is not going to achieve that, in fact it should be regarded as the start to complete erosion of our dignity. Just like they have a right to speak, so does everyone else.

My theory as to why the Arabic press have not highlighted this is because of the blasphemous charges. They are most probably scared of losing their advertising cheques.

So what if Kareem criticised Al-Azhar? Is it a place that God Himself built and filled with clerics to “protect Him”? Does He need protection? Does His religion need protection? No, They are much bigger than criticism no matter how harsh that criticism is. Islam is secure – or at least it is supposed to be – so what does it have to be afraid of for a 22-year-old criticising it? It is his complete right to question his beliefs, maybe it is his own way of strengthening them.

The only thing that imprisoning him would do is turn him resolutely away from religion and the government that took away his God-given rights.

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]]> By: mark k. http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77763 mark k. Fri, 23 Feb 2007 06:49:13 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77763 Hi mahmood, In Israel we had a small scandal when a popular blogger issued racist remarks toward arabs. It is describe in this article http://2jk.org/english/?p=39. No legal charges were brought against the blogger (either because bloggers are not considered to be important enough, or because some legal fine line was not crossed), but there were some vocal calls to remove her from 4 itoot like feed aggregators. Two of the aggregators had removed her, and two had refused based on freedom of speech principals. I'm interested in your views on how much should the speech be free in "blogland". Hi mahmood,

In Israel we had a small scandal when a popular blogger issued racist remarks toward arabs. It is describe in this article http://2jk.org/english/?p=39.

No legal charges were brought against the blogger (either because bloggers are not considered to be important enough, or because some legal fine line was not crossed), but there were some vocal calls to remove her from 4 itoot like feed aggregators. Two of the aggregators had removed her, and two had refused based on freedom of speech principals.

I’m interested in your views on how much should the speech be free in “blogland”.

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]]> By: inpursuitofjustice http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/comment-page-1/#comment-77762 inpursuitofjustice Fri, 23 Feb 2007 06:39:02 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/2007/02/22/sad-day-for-freedom-of-expression/#comment-77762 It is amazing how little coverage there has been of this case in the Arabic press. Not completely surprising, but still very distressing. The bottom line is that authorities can get away with things like this because the people let them. It is amazing how little coverage there has been of this case in the Arabic press. Not completely surprising, but still very distressing. The bottom line is that authorities can get away with things like this because the people let them.

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