Muslims complain about Muhammed Cartoons again;Dane complains back about Muslim world

[Erik Mesoy]

http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20090829/large/90829030/

AHMED ZAKI YAMANI
Lawyers and & Legal Consultants
Since 1956

By fax 0045 3375 2020 and e-mail likn@berlingske.dk

Berlingske Tidende
Pilestræde 34
1147 København K
Denmark

Att.: Ansvarshavende Chefredaktør Nis, Lisbeth Knudsen

Jeddah, 28 August 2009

Dear Ms. Lisbeth Knudsen,

Re.: Mr. Kurt Westergaard’s drawing of the Prophet Mohammed

I am writing to you in relation to your newspaper’s re-publication, on 13 February 2008, of Mr. Kurt Westergaard’s drawing of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

Over the past months my law firm has been contacted by several thousand descendants of’ the Prophet, who have learned about your newspaper’s re-publication of the drawing, depicting their esteemed ancestor as a terrorist suicide bomber with a bomb in his turban.

As descendants of the Prophet, these individuals feel personally insulted, emotionally distressed and defamed by your newspaper’s re-publication of the drawing. They have therefore retained my law firm and instructed me to approach you, as well as the editors of other Danish newspapers, which re-published the drawing last year.

Accordingly, I am now contacting you with the request that you, first of all, remove the drawing of the Prophet Mohammed from any Internet websites, which your newspaper owns, controls, or have [sic] posted the drawing on. The drawing must be removed before the end of September 2009.
- - - - - - - - -
I secondly request that you, on behalf of your newspaper, before the end of September 2009, issue a clear, public and unconditional correction and apology for the insult and injury which your newspaper committed when it re-published the drawing by Mr. Westergaard last year. The correction and apology must be announced in a “teaser” on the front page and printed on one of the first three pages of your newspaper in all four of the English, French, Danish and Arabic texts that are contained in the appendix attached to this letter. These four texts must furthermore be published on the Internet version of your newspaper as one of the top headline stories. which must be available for at least 30 days from the date of the publication.

Thirdly, my clients have instructed me to request you to confirm and undertake that your newspaper will not again print or otherwise make public any similar drawings or materials concerning the Prophet Mohammed, since they affect my clients directly and personally due to their common ancestry and their status in the Muslim world. The apology in the attached appendix contains wording to this effect, as you can see.

If you fulfil these conditions before the end of September 2009 my clients will be satisfied and refrain from taking further legal action against your newspaper.

Furthermore, it is my belief that your newspaper’s fulfilment of the above-mentioned conditions would be perceived as a sign of respect and understanding throughout the Muslim world in general, and your newspaper might thus help resolve the severe conflict, which your re-publication of the drawing has created. As you may be aware, this conflict is still affecting Danish and Arab interests, in particular in the Middle East, where a number of Danish products are still being boycotted.

I invite you to respond to this letter at your earliest convenience and in any event before 30 days from the date of this letter by informing me whether you intend to fulfil the above-mentioned conditions.

If you decide not to fulfil the above-mentioned conditions, please note that this letter is by no means a waiver of any legal rights of my clients, including in particular their fight to bring a lawsuit against you and your newspaper for defamation. Accordingly, I reserve all rights of my clients in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

[signature]

Faisal A. Z. Yamani
Attorney-at-Law

[seal]

[appendix with instruction on how to apologise]

http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20090908/politik/90908008/

Dansk Folkepartis Martin Henriksen foreslår, at Danmark kræver undskyldning for kvindeundertrykkelse, stening og knægtelse af frihedsrettigheder fra muslimske nationer

Af Troels Mylenberg
Sidst opdateret Tirsdag den 8. september 2009, 07:36

Som et modsvar til de ofte fremkomne krav om undskyldninger og dementier, som senest en Saudi-Arabisk advokat har fremsat overfor danske aviser, der sidste år genoptrykte Muhammed-tegninger, vender Dansk Folkeparti nu kanonen den anden vej.

- Jeg kræver en undskyldning for kvindeundertrykkelse, stening, hetz mod anderledes troende, knægtelse af frihedsrettighederne, og ikke mindst en udpræget foragt for dansk kultur og demokrati, danskere og vesterlændinge, siger Dansk Folkepartis socialordfører Martin Henriksen, der er godt og grundigt træt af, at muslimske lande og organisationer vedblivende vil have Danmark og danskere til at undskylde.

- Jeg forestiller mig, at vi simpelthen spiller bolden tilbage på deres banehalvdel og kræver nogle undskyldninger derfra. Vi kan jo sende et standardbrev afsted, hver gang der opstår en ny sag, siger Martin Henriksen, der såmænd allerede har forfattet et udkast til standardbrevet:

"Vi takker for henvendelse angående en eventuel undskyldning for en tegning, der blev bragt i de danske aviser for nogle år siden. Vi har overvejet sagen, også i et historisk perspektiv, og konkluderer, at før vi kan realitetsbehandle anmodningen, ønsker vi i den vestlige verden følgende:

1. En undskyldning for den massive undertrykkelse af kvinder2. Et fuldt stop for stening, piskning og hængninger for overtrædelser af sharialoven3. En undskyldning for og stop af hetz mod anderledes troende/tænkende samt omfattende hærværk og urostiftelse i de vestlige lande, der har taget imod flygtninge og indvandrere."

Martin Henriksen foreslår tilmed, at en rækkke kyndige historikere opremser 'de mange overfald, etniske udrensninger osv. som op igennem verdenshistorien er begået i islams navn'.

- Det er vel på sin plads, og når vi har fået det, vi forlanger, og det skal naturligvis være uden nogen forbehold, så vil vi overveje ikke at genoptrykke de omtalte tegninger igen, lyder forslaget fra Martin Henriksen.

Translation:

The Danish Member of Parliament Martin Henriksen suggests that Denmark demands Islamic countries to issue an apology for oppression of women, stoning and assaults on civil liberties.

In response to the frequent Islamic demands for apologies and withdrawals, the latest being from the Saudi lawyer Faisal A.Z. Yamani towards Danish newspapers reprinting the Muhammad cartoons, the Danish Peoples' Party now takes aim in the opposite direction.

- I demand an apology for oppression of women, stoning, intimidation of adherents of other beliefs, violation of civil liberties, and not least the extensive contempt for Danish culture and democracy, Danes and Westerners, says social issues spokesman Martin Henriksen, who is seriously weary of Islamic countries and organisations repeatedly demanding Denmark and the Danes to apologize.

- I would like to simply return the ball to their court and demand some apologies from them. We could issue a form letter every time a new incident appears, says Martin Henriksen, who has already drafted such a letter:

"We thank you for your inquiry concerning a possible apology for a cartoon issued in Danish newspapers some years ago. We have considered the issue, also from a historical perspective, and conclude that we are not in a position to process your request before the Western world has received the following:
1. An apology for the massive repression of women.
2. A full stop of stoning, whipping and hanging for violation of Sharia law.
3. An apology for and full abandonment of: Persecution of adherents of other faiths, extensive riots and destruction in Western countries having received refugees and immigrants."


Martin Henriksen further proposes that a series of qualified historians list “the extensive number of assaults, ethnic cleansings etc. which throughout history have been committed in the name of Islam.”

Such an apology would seem fitting. When our demands have been met, obviously without reservations or conditions, we shall consider not to republish the cartoons in question, according to the proposal by Martin Henriksen.

I approve. Props to the guy for not being a racist (yes I know it is not technically correct but 'religionist' already means something else) and holding Muslims to a lower standard.
I think he goes a bit too far at the end of point 3 by demanding that governments mind emigrants, but hey, Congo sued Norway for it recently.

Thoughts?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

"Dear <insert name of country>:

You are annoying me. Stop it, or I will hire a lawyer and sue you if you don't say you're sorry and promise never to do it again.


Yours truly,

Valka D'Ur"

 

[Berzerker]

idiots, the depiction aint of Muhammed being a suicide bomber but of modern Muslims taking to suicide bombing in the name of the religion and its prophet.

if Christians ran around with bombs strapped to their waists a similar cartoon would show Jesus with a bomb to show the insanity of religious interpretation. Or maybe Muhammed was just a murderous ahole who'd support suicide bombing.

 

[Bill3000]

if Christians ran around with bombs strapped to their waists a similar cartoon would show Jesus with a bomb to show the insanity of religious interpretation. Or maybe Muhammed was just a murderous ahole who'd support suicide bombing.

 

[Berzerker]

that was idiotic too

edit, but that was taxpayer funded

 

[Truronian]

Thoughts?

Pretty much what you said.

When on earth will this all blow over? The continued requests for an apology etc. are just rewarding the cartoonist for his IRL trolling.

 

[snakeseare]

 

[Tekee]

Heh funny pictures.

 

[a_propagandist]

Yep, freedom of speech, man.

 

[Ecofarm]

I am writing to you in relation to your newspaper&#8217;s re-publication, on 13 February 2008, of Mr. Kurt Westergaard&#8217;s drawing of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).

That people must say or write that everytime they use the phrase 'Prophet Mohammad' is freaking absurd. It makes them look like full-on cult members.

I hereby require that anytime someone mentions 'Ecofarm', they must put '(greatness be upon him)' afterwards.

Further, I must officially edit that moron's letter:

I am writing to you in relation to your newspaper&#8217;s re-publication, on 13 February 2008, of Mr. Kurt Westergaard&#8217;s drawing of the Prophet Mohammed (poop be upon him).

There, much better.

 

[Bill3000]

That people must say or write that everyime the use they name Mohammad is freaking absurd. It makes them look like full-on cult members.

It's simply an honorific?

 

[Tekee]

That people must say or write that everyime the use they name Mohammad is freaking absurd. It makes them look like full-on cult members.

I hereby require that anytime someone mentions 'Ecofarm', they must put (greatness be upon him) afterwards.

HAHA imagine if I started signing these names like this XD, I will start with my own name, at school. That will teach our teachers to stop showing us documentaries about the "Glory of Islam"

 

[Earthling]

Um, that's not being required of anyone-it seems likely that the person that wrote it was a Muslim and did it out of his own choice. Hardly seems more cult like than various Christian sects saying "God Bless you" when someone sneezes or something.

 

[Atlas14]

That people must say or write that everyime the use they name Mohammad is freaking absurd. It makes them look like full-on cult members.

I hereby require that anytime someone mentions 'Ecofarm', they must put (greatness be upon him) afterwards.

Religion in general is very cult-ish.

I side with those claiming free-speech. The complaining Muslims need to lighten up.

 

[Tekee]

We don't impart glory unto someone else, peace be upon him is some cultist Ismalic thing becuase they hold their prophet to such regards that he is like a second god. They say Peace be upon him but not oeace be upon you if someone other then muhammed does anything/

 

[Bill3000]

We don't impart glory unto someone else/

Uh, Jesus? I mean you're part of the freaking christian sect which worships and kisses icons for god's sake. Far more than a mere honorific.

 

[Ecofarm]

Um, that's not being required of anyone-it seems likely that the person that wrote it was a Muslim and did it out of his own choice. Hardly seems more cult like than various Christian sects saying "God Bless you" when someone sneezes or something.

Saying 'bless you' comes from a belief that one's soul leaves the body during a sneeze and needs time that is blessed to enter back into the body without harm. So yea, that's about equally ******ed.

But they are not at all the same thing. "Bless you" is a social gesture; "(poop be upon him)" is the glorifying of a quasi-deity in a very superficial, pathetic and indoctrinated way.

If you need to say a phrase everytime you use a name, you're a freaking culty.

 

[Earthling]

Saying 'bless you' comes from a belief that one's soul leaves the body during a sneeze and needs time that is blessed to enter back into the body without harm.

No, that's just an urban myth.

Edit: Though I suppose this can count as one of those self-perpetuating things - it is true that some people believe this is why they do it, and regardless of the history behind the practice that's the influence on them.

 

[a_propagandist]

Anyway, can something just show Christian, Muslim, and Jewish heroes in a massive mural cavorting around in a massive orgy? Just piss off everyone equally.

 

[Ecofarm]

No, that's just an urban myth.

Status: Undetermined

http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/blessyou.asp

Though I suppose this can count as one of those self-perpetuating things - it is true that some people believe this is why they do it, and regardless of the history behind the practice that's the influence on them.

Or this could count as one of those 'Earthling was wrong' things. Nonetheless, your pompousity is appreciated.