Hey people…you want to become famous and get attention?
Well, it seems that one of the easiest way to fame in 2008 is Islam bashing.
Recent attempts at fear mongering, hate, and uneducated characterizations of Islam include the newly released Dutch films, “Fitna the Movie: Geert Wilders‘ film about the Quran” and the cartoon, “The life of Mohammad,” by Iranian-Dutch politician Ehsan Jami. Both of these directors are public figures in the Netherlands.
It seems that anyone who once dreamed of gaining fame can simply generalize Islam as a hateful religion and make negative and offensive comments.
I have to point out that criticism of people’s ways is fair. People make mistakes and go astray. We intrude on one another’s forms of pleasures and step on one another’s rights as human beings. And pointing out the flaws of others for the sake of devaluing them is not a difficult task.
To be constructive, however, is a much more daunting but valuable endeavour, especially for artists and public figures who want to practice freedom of speech and make the world more livable for all human-kind.
I believe that it is unfortunate and shameful on the part of weak artists who strive to gain attention under the pretext of freedom of speech.
I celebrate freedom of speech, but I speak within the realm of constructive and positive feedback. I speak within the realm of love, of dialogue, of discussion.
I have met some Muslim fanatics in my time at various Mosques and religious centres. However, instead of making fun of them and offending them, I have tried to understand them and make them listen to my interpretations of the Quran.
I believe that the distinction is the difference between freedom of speech and “freedom of hate speech.”
I believe that Islam, after all, is simply a way of life. Bringing up fanatical and misguided interpretations of any way of life – including Islam – and using those exceptions as a fear mongering tool is the undertone of Islam-bashers’ new line of business: they sell hatred, not love; they want to separate people instead of bringing us together.
If the Dutch film makers were really educated intellectuals who sought to make the world a better place; and if they truly wanted to express themselves, I suggest that they should have simply sought to take the best things out of every religion and every philosophy and changed their own selves instead of bashing others’ potential for wrong doings.
I will change the world by changing myself.
