For Pete’s Sake

Rob Lesslie wrote:

My rights are non-conditional.

My right to life is non-conditional, ergo my right to free speech is
non-conditional.

Therefore, I can say and draw whatever I want about who ever I want, even if it
offends Muslims!

Hmm this is quite a tough one to respond and is quite topical at the moment. So please, anyone who reads my response, don’t take offence to my response or the question asked. In short I agree that our freedom of speech is non-conditional I don’t think that’s the issue here. What I believe to be the issue is the fact that there was no thought to the feelings of the Muslim community; this is all about respect to the Muslim religion (Islam).

Say a Muslim paper produced a cartoon mocking the Holocaust or September 11th bombings, what would happen? I can guess; there’d be racial beatings, the Americans would probably start saying we should bomb them or something and we’d be generally offended by it. Producing a cartoon of their prophet Muhammed linking him with terrorism (the cartoon apparantly depicited him with a bomb in his turban) is pretty much the same and I do think it’s trying to say all Muslims are terrorists even if its very subtle.

The outcry and protests by the Muslim community is, I think, justified as we have insulted their religion. Their reaction may be over the top and I don’t agree with all this flag burning etc. However as someone on one of the forums I frequent said “It’s not about imposing views, it’s about respecting peoples belief system.”

Overall I’m sick of religion in the sense that it’s caused more wars/atrocities than anything else and to be honest its getting boring. I think we really have to start respecting other peoples beliefs, views and attitudes and perhaps following what my parents always used to say to me ‘Think before you act!’ and let us be honest, the Danish paper didn’t. Yes a lot of what these protesters are doing are hypocritical e.g. saying that the cartoon will make people fear Islam and then they go off and burn a flag or two and tell us all our 9/11 is on its way. I’m just getting sick and tired of all of this, how about we all forget about religion and have a nice cup ‘o tea?

So, not long after putting up Suggest-A-Topic, I get my first e-mail from CATCAT and I was asked:

I think you should talk about…

movies
music
sports (to play)
sports (to watch..yep, you have to choose your favourite!)
funny websites
photographs
pictures

Well, lets get cracking and answer this. Since this is really suggest other topics I should cover I’m going to slightly change this and put down my favourite things in each catagory.

Favourite Movie: Shawshank Redemption without a doubt though it’s closely followed by Lord of the Rings (I’m including all three films as they really are just one long movie split up). I’m a big movie fan and so its hard to pick just one but Shawshank is one I could watch again and again.

Favourite Music: I really have a general taste in music and I have many favourite artists. One such artist is Rage Against the Machine (who are sadly no-more) though these days I don’t listen to them much as Cati doesn’t like their music much. One which we both listen too and someone I really like is Jools Holland. I’ve seen him live three times and he’s amazing as is his Orchestra highly recommended if you have the chance.

Favourite Sport (to play): Hmm, now this *is* tough. Upon consideration I’d have to say basketball. It’s fast, furious and really needs amazing team work if you’re to be successful. I was lucky enough to be in two teams who were highly successful. My school team were area champions twice in succession and my college were also area champions. I feel proud to be able to say I was in both those teams and to have played with the players that I did.

Favourite Sport (to watch): Football (soccer for any US readers) has to be my favourite sport to watch mainly because no matter what level you watch it at you can always see a cracking match. It is also the only sport I fully understand and appreciate the most.

Funny Websites: If you watch my del.ici.ous links in the mid-section you’ll see my favourite bookmarks which will include any funny links I find.

Favourite Photograph: I think I’ll go for my favourite photograph taken which would have to be Parisian City of Lights which I took whilst visiting Cati in Paris. It was amazing to capture it and even more amazing to be there and see it for myself.

As for pictures I really don’t know and so, unfortunately can’t answer that. But if I ever do find one I like I will certainly let you know :) So, I hope you peeps enjoyed this and that it encourages some more people to Suggest-A-Topic!