Iran tries some Freedom of the Press

[IglooDame]

From http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18066746-1702,00.html?from=rss

Iran to publish Holocaust cartoons
From: Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Tehran

February 07, 2006


IRAN'S largest selling newspaper announced today it was holding a contest on cartoons of the Holocaust in response to the publishing in European papers of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.
"It will be an international cartoon contest about the Holocaust," said Farid Mortazavi, the graphics editor for Hamshahri newspaper - which is published by Teheran's conservative municipality.

He said the plan was to turn the tables on the assertion that newspapers can print offensive material in the name of freedom of expression.

"The Western papers printed these sacrilegious cartoons on the pretext of freedom of expression, so let's see if they mean what they say and also print these Holocaust cartoons," he said.

Iran's fiercely anti-Israeli regime is supportive of so-called Holocaust revisionist historians, who maintain the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of mainland Europe's Jews as well as other groups during World War II has been either invented or exaggerated.

Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted international anger when he dismissed the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of mainland Europe's Jews as a "myth" used to justify the creation of Israel.

Mr Mortazavi said tomorrow's edition of the paper will invite cartoonists to enter the competition, with "private individuals" offering gold coins to the best 12 artists - the same number of cartoons that appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Last week, the Iranian foreign ministry also invited British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Teheran to take part in a planned conference on the Holocaust, even though the idea has been branded by Mr Blair as "shocking, ridiculous, stupid".

Mr Blair also said Mr Ahmadinejad "should come and see the evidence of the Holocaust himself in the countries of Europe", to which Iran responded by saying it was willing to send a team of "independent investigators".

Offensiveness aside, this strikes me as a good thing. Of course, that's an opinion held by a guy in the US that thinks Europe's anti-HolocaustDenial laws are an infringement on free speech as well, so I'm curious as to the general European views on this.

 

[Rambuchan]

I agree with this stunt, this gimmick, this retailiation.

If the West and Israel want to talk about Freedom of Speech, let's see how we can take it when it's irresponsibly handled. Shouldn't be a big deal right?

I bet we won't see Israelis torching embassies over this though, so the whole stunt could backfire on the Islamic world.

Let's not forget this though, which the article points out:

Iran's fiercely anti-Israeli regime is supportive of so-called Holocaust revisionist historians, who maintain the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of mainland Europe's Jews as well as other groups during World War II has been either invented or exaggerated.

Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted international anger when he dismissed the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of mainland Europe's Jews as a "myth" used to justify the creation of Israel.

 

[Leha]

Oh, it sounds like arab press never posted anti-semitic thingies before

Another thing, muslims are offended by European media? - let's offend jews, why not? After all they are got used to it for some thousands years.

 

[The Tollan]

This may embolden the Holocaust deniers however it hopefully will not bring too many more people into their way of thinking. If Iran makes it a habit of spreading this type of false information & propaganda then many more problems may begin or become exacerbated. Especially if the Holocaust deniers begin to organize in some fashion with state support.

Will these independent investigators from Iran actually go to see the evidence? That could lead to some unusual results (if they claim that the evidence is fabricated).

The newspaper may think it is calming the situation down by this. It probably won't though.

 

[IglooDame]

Oh, it sounds like arab press never posted anti-semitic thingies before

Another thing, muslims are offended by European media? - let's offend jews, why not? After all they are got used to it for some thousands years.

But isn't that exactly it? Why should muslims be protected from offense while jews have not been?

As Ram says, it doesn't seem likely that embassies are going to be overrun or burned, or mass boycotts implemented, as a result of an Iranian newspaper doing this, so wouldn't the lesson be "in the modern world, you're just going to have to have a thicker skin if you want to play with the big boys" delivered direct to the muslim world by the jewish one?

 

[Kayak]

Oh, it sounds like arab press never posted anti-semitic thingies before

Another thing, muslims are offended by European media? - let's offend jews, why not? After all they are got used to it for some thousands years.

This sounds about like it is.

I do think they are allowed to print what they like though.

 

[Leha]

But isn't that exactly it? Why should muslims be protected from offense while jews have not been?

As Ram says, it doesn't seem likely that embassies are going to be overrun or burned, or mass boycotts implemented, as a result of an Iranian newspaper doing this, so wouldn't the lesson be "in the modern world, you're just going to have to have a thicker skin if you want to play with the big boys" delivered direct to the muslim world by the jewish one?

You know, in Russia and some other countries in the beginning of 20th centuries the same thing was done by government to destract population's anger from government to jews. Then....jews were hated and killed.

 

[luiz]

This is actually quite normal on the press Iran and co. Israelis won't even protest.

 

[classical_hero]

Oh, it sounds like arab press never posted anti-semitic thingies before

Another thing, muslims are offended by European media? - let's offend jews, why not? After all they are got used to it for some thousands years.

It is the Jews fault that the Danes posted a picture of Mohamed. The Islamic world has an unnatural hatred of Jewish People, ever since the start of Islam. Muslims have murdered thousands of Jews, so this reaction is tyoical of a religion that is not one that should be respected.

 

[Kayak]

You know, in Russia and some other countries in the beginning of 20th centuries the same thing was done by government to destract population's anger from government to jews. Then....jews were hated and killed.

Just to butt in. I think that is what is going on here too. The west and the Jews are used as scapegoats for the massive economic failings of the leaders in charge.

 

[IglooDame]

You know, in Russia and some other countries in the beginning of 20th centuries the same thing was done by government to destract population's anger from government to jews. Then....jews were hated and killed.

I understand that, but I don't think allowing material to be published that is offensive to jews leads inexorably to jews being murdered by other people or by governments.

 

[LordRahl]

Another thing, muslims are offended by European media? - let's offend jews, why not? After all they are got used to it for some thousands years.

I guess Islamic fundies finally realized, that the West couldn't care less about them torching their own neighborhoods. But if I were in their place, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Jews to start rioting, and targetting innocent people. That twisted mindset can only be found in one segment of our society.

 

[IglooDame]

I guess Islamic fundies finally realized, that the West couldn't care less about them torching their own neighborhoods. But if I were in their place, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Jews to start rioting, and targetting innocent people. That twisted mindset can only be found in one segment of our society.

Yeah, the extreme sports fan segment.

Oh, and the black segment.

And, of course, the Muslim segment.

And the impoverished French youth segment.

Have I missed any segments?

 

[bhsup]

It's a crappy and disgusting thing to do, and they're right to allow it to be done. I'll bet anyone that you won't see the Israelies burning any of the arab embassies on Tel Aviv over it though. Oh, wait...there aren't any because they don't recognize Israel's right to exist! Silly me...

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

Offensiveness aside, this strikes me as a good thing. Of course, that's an opinion held by a guy in the US that thinks Europe's anti-HolocaustDenial laws are an infringement on free speech as well, so I'm curious as to the general European views on this.

The only reaction this sort of cartoon will get is laughter, because no one could possibly believe that anyone could believe it.

 

[LordRahl]

Have I missed any segments?

Shouldn't you be busy, working on your submissions?

 

[MamboJoel]

Since they do it all the time this wont be too much pointed out. The real question of the freedom of press would've made sense if it came from a moderate source of info, western newspaper. BTW, in terms of offense, representing the prophet is nothing compared to caricaturizing holocaust.

 

[IglooDame]

Shouldn't you be busy, working on your submissions?

Hey, what a FANTASTIC idea!!! If they're looking for submissions in the sense of pushing pot-kettle-black concepts of free press, perhaps we ought to send them some.

Oh, this could be lots of fun.


Of course, I'll probably end up on an FBI Terrorist Watch List and have the NSA listening to all my phone calls for even sending mail to Iran...

 

[Leha]

Just to butt in. I think that is what is going on here too. The west and the Jews are used as scapegoats for the massive economic failings of the leaders in charge.

Yeah, that's what's going on in some arab countries for some time and, sadly, we got used to it.

But this Iranian "cleverness" is special. First - it is open mocking of freedom of speech. Second, I even don't know how to describe it, it is mocking of jews. The very rediculousness of this monkeyism is maddening.

 

[Rambuchan]

Just to butt in. I think that is what is going on here too. The west and the Jews are used as scapegoats for the massive economic failings of the leaders in charge.

Oh good point.