The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Facebookers respond to 'Draw Mohammed Day'

Thousands of users posted illustrations of Muslim prophet Mohammed to the web Thursday, responding to a controversial Facebook group that prompted Pakistan to block access to the social-networking site.

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day encourages people to flout the belief by devout Muslims that it is wrong to depict religious figures because it could lead to idol worship. The group has more than 81,000 fans on Facebook.

Creators of the group say they got the idea after recent controversies surrounding the belief. A series of cartoons of Mohammed published in a Danish newspaper in 2005 led to riots in countries around the world.

At least two European cartoonists live under police protection after drawing Mohammed and, most recently, Comedy Central edited part of the animated show "South Park" because it showed the prophet.

By mid-morning on Thursday, more than 7,300 images had been uploaded to the Facebook page, most of them drawings of Mohammed.

Some are silly. But a quick scan showed many that are crude, and some seemed to be intentionally offensive.

The creators of the page said that's not what they're after - that their message is about free speech, not attacking Islam.

"Enjoy the rest of the day and draw Mohammed however you may like," said a Thursday morning post. "We will of course encourage you to make a creative and humourous picture, instead of something hateful."

Predictably, the group has created backlash. Another Facebook group, called "AGAINST Everybody Draw Mohammed Day," actually had more members - about 96,000, as of Monday morning.

Recent posts on that page called on members to "keep protesting against those filthy pages" and report the Draw Mohammed page to Facebook as being objectionable.

But a Facebook spokesman said the page does not violate any of the site's terms. A glitch prevented some users from accessing the page briefly Monday morning, but he said that was technical and has been fixed.

"We want Facebook to be a place where people can openly discuss issues and express their views, while respecting the rights and feelings of others," he said Thursday.

Read the rest here.

-----------------------------

My question is simple: does anything CHANGE because we did this? How many people woke up to realize that getting upset about cartoons is immature foolishness? Will a fanatic listen or even change his mind? Personally, I'm dubious ... and yeah, my bit was and is up there for all to see.

Tags: Draw Mohammed Day, Facebook, Mohammed, protest

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on May 21, 2010 at 6:58am

I know a few people who have woken up from apathy on questions of Islam due to this...but I agree no fanatic will listen.

Permalink Reply by Hugh Kramer on May 21, 2010 at 10:05am

Considering some of the comments from Muslims I've seen, the moderates weren't listening either. Too bad. I thought this would be a teachable moment.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 21, 2010 at 3:43pm

I'd be dubious about teaching an enraged person ... or even a person moderately upset.

It still begs the question, though: why the thin skin?!?

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on May 21, 2010 at 3:45pm

They can't defend their position so, they get upset instead.

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on May 22, 2010 at 2:51pm

I'm not so sure about how "moderate" moderate Muslims are. I've known one liberal Muslim, but that was in high school. Moderate Muslims are sort of like moderate Mormons...still whacky.

Permalink Reply by Jaume on May 22, 2010 at 3:24pm

The Muslims I've met and known well enough to get a 'taste' of their religiousness turned out to be very similar to the moderate Catholics you usually see in France. Usually not very interested in arguing about their own religion, not very practising (sometimes not at all), some pretty close to agnosticism. I'd describe most of them as 'cultural Muslim apatheists'. Although most of them easily get touchy when you attack Islam in scathing terms, but I suppose minorities usually react like that.

Permalink Reply by Jaume on May 21, 2010 at 4:33pm

That's a good question, and while I've mulled over it for about 5 years now, I still don't have the answer. People have been threatened or even killed because of it, yet (at the risk of sounding callous) I have a feeling - or maybe just a hope - that it will turn out to be worth the cost eventually. Just don't ask me why and how, I've been unable to find a satisfying reason for this feeling so far. I just hope it isn't mere wishful thinking :-/

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 24, 2010 at 5:52am

There's going to be a measure of "blind stampede" in any mass effort like this. The question becomes WHY any one given person participates. I for one did for fun (yes, I admit it), but also to reinforce my right to free speech in the face of the radicals' desire to muzzle free speech to spare their sensibilities.

As surely as "faith is no reason" is very nearly axiomatic, so I think is "no one has the right not to be offended." There's plenty to be offended about in this world as it is; there remain two questions regarding offense: what's the nature of the offense and what are you going to DO about it? Are you adult enough to blow off the little stuff, the better to focus on the stuff that matters, or is every sin against your ideology a bee-sting in your ego?

This whole issue is as much about that as any other single element ... "blind stampede" notwithstanding.

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on May 24, 2010 at 9:37am

Orange: a blind stampede of people drawing pictures is a hell of a lot better than a blind stampede of people burning and rioting and killing. So it's cartoonists who need to "grow up", and not people who make death threats over cartoons?

Also, abuse if you slight it will not just go away. Just look at any kid who is bullied and told to "just ignore it", or look at the Westboro Baptist Church, or anyone in an abusive relationship or society.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 24, 2010 at 10:40am

Wasn't meant to be "pissy" at all, Orange. I DO appreciate your input ... FULL STOP.

That said, if I poke a rattlesnake, you can bet the farm that I know what the rattlesnake is about and am prepared to deal with the consequences.

As it comes to muslims in the US, things are probably calmer with them than things may be elsewhere in the world. When and if conditions become more ... let's say, "turbulent," I have no qualms whatsoever about arming and defending myself from any stupidity vectored in my direction. I am not in the habit of starting fights. I AM in the habit of finishing them.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 24, 2010 at 11:02am

... and prosper, while yer at it! [grin!]

No worries, bro. Plenty OTHER crapola to worry about.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on May 24, 2010 at 10:45am

pissy remark left by Loren "G'day yourself, and thanks for your input!"

How is that being pissy?

As for your contention that this is just going to enrage the masses of Muslims. This is exactly the kind of thing Ayaan Hirsi Ali would advocate in order to stop the violence because at that point there would be too many people to threaten.