The world is wacky. I can't get over it. This week has been crazy stressful from almost every angle, and the news is no exception. I get stressed out just reading it. On that note, enjoy this extremely creepy video:
Animal Collective - Peacebone
First up today, I want to mention this "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" thing you might have heard about. Since my internet still randomly drops in and out (LA is split up into little mini-monopolies by the various crap cable companies, and there's really nothing worse than the monopoly of a crap company), I don't feel like tracking down a bunch of background articles and such, but the gist of the story is that a woman in Seattle was upset over the fact that Comedy Central censored the South Park episode that was supposed to feature the Prophet Muhammad in a bear costume, so as a joke (supposedly) she suggested that there be a national "Everybody Draw Muhammad" day during which people...draw Muhammad. As you might expect, there are a boatload of interesting and uninteresting opinions out there:
First up today, I want to mention this "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" thing you might have heard about. Since my internet still randomly drops in and out (LA is split up into little mini-monopolies by the various crap cable companies, and there's really nothing worse than the monopoly of a crap company), I don't feel like tracking down a bunch of background articles and such, but the gist of the story is that a woman in Seattle was upset over the fact that Comedy Central censored the South Park episode that was supposed to feature the Prophet Muhammad in a bear costume, so as a joke (supposedly) she suggested that there be a national "Everybody Draw Muhammad" day during which people...draw Muhammad. As you might expect, there are a boatload of interesting and uninteresting opinions out there:
In the Chicago Tribune, CAIR executive director Ahmed Rehab thinks that just because you can doesn't mean you should.
For CNN, international human rights lawyer Arsalan Iftikhar is annoyed at Pakistan for banning Facebook and Youtube. Oh yeah, they totally banned Facebook and Youtube. Dude, banning websites is totally bad form. Almost everybody agrees on that.
Zeenat Rahman, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Interfaith Youth Core (also for the Chicago Tribune) thinks it's counterproductive.
...and finally, good ol' Fox News thinks that the day is an insult, but is mainly pissed that Facebook is okay with religion bashing, but not racism. Fox, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
I think the original point of the movement was that since we live in America, we should be able to say or write (or draw) whatever we want, even if it might be very offensive to a very large group of people, and in this case, especially if it's very offensive to a large group of people. In any case, I pretty much agree with Rahman and Rehab (surprised?). I will defend free speech until my dying day, but when the free speech in question is solely for the purpose of pissing people off, my defense is suddenly going to be a lot less vigorous. I guess if you think some religion/philosophy/way of life is bogus, you should have every right to say so, but is it necessary to offend people just because you can? Rahman and Rehab are right, and I don't think the campaign even proves anything. Does anyone remember why the South Park thing was canned? Two people from one wack website made some crazy veiled threats, and that did it. There was no worldwide Muslim call to arms or outcry or anything of the sort; this whole campaign is a preemptive overreaction to an overreaction that never even happened. It's completely in bad faith and in bad taste, and it isn't even thoughtful or clever. It is counterproductive and finally, it just isn't nicecore. For shame!
So, the Iran saga is literally never-ending. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m almost getting tired of reading about it, and my interest really begins to wane significantly when I see our government shooting itself in the foot. Take this week’s news, for example: Iran finally agreed to a nuclear fuel swap deal arranged by Brazil and Turkey (random, anyone?) and the US decided that this was the week it wouldn’t take yes for an answer. Nope, my friends, Hilary Clinton announced the very next day that there was a party in the State Department’s pants over an exciting new round of sanctions. Ah, sanctions, my favorite thing to read and hear and dream about. Forget progress, forget the fact that Iran actually conceded something on the nuclear issue, forget the fact that three young Americans are imprisoned indefinitely and illegally in Iran (as well as hundreds of Iranians whose situations will scarcely improve under a further agitated government), what we need to show to the world is that we are tough. Yes, we need to show them that we are tough on Iran, even when Iran is prepared to give us what we originally asked for. Seriously, the whole thing is so predictable it’s disgusting; world leaders hate nothing more than getting along with each other.
For CNN, international human rights lawyer Arsalan Iftikhar is annoyed at Pakistan for banning Facebook and Youtube. Oh yeah, they totally banned Facebook and Youtube. Dude, banning websites is totally bad form. Almost everybody agrees on that.
Zeenat Rahman, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Interfaith Youth Core (also for the Chicago Tribune) thinks it's counterproductive.
...and finally, good ol' Fox News thinks that the day is an insult, but is mainly pissed that Facebook is okay with religion bashing, but not racism. Fox, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
I think the original point of the movement was that since we live in America, we should be able to say or write (or draw) whatever we want, even if it might be very offensive to a very large group of people, and in this case, especially if it's very offensive to a large group of people. In any case, I pretty much agree with Rahman and Rehab (surprised?). I will defend free speech until my dying day, but when the free speech in question is solely for the purpose of pissing people off, my defense is suddenly going to be a lot less vigorous. I guess if you think some religion/philosophy/way of life is bogus, you should have every right to say so, but is it necessary to offend people just because you can? Rahman and Rehab are right, and I don't think the campaign even proves anything. Does anyone remember why the South Park thing was canned? Two people from one wack website made some crazy veiled threats, and that did it. There was no worldwide Muslim call to arms or outcry or anything of the sort; this whole campaign is a preemptive overreaction to an overreaction that never even happened. It's completely in bad faith and in bad taste, and it isn't even thoughtful or clever. It is counterproductive and finally, it just isn't nicecore. For shame!
So, the Iran saga is literally never-ending. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m almost getting tired of reading about it, and my interest really begins to wane significantly when I see our government shooting itself in the foot. Take this week’s news, for example: Iran finally agreed to a nuclear fuel swap deal arranged by Brazil and Turkey (random, anyone?) and the US decided that this was the week it wouldn’t take yes for an answer. Nope, my friends, Hilary Clinton announced the very next day that there was a party in the State Department’s pants over an exciting new round of sanctions. Ah, sanctions, my favorite thing to read and hear and dream about. Forget progress, forget the fact that Iran actually conceded something on the nuclear issue, forget the fact that three young Americans are imprisoned indefinitely and illegally in Iran (as well as hundreds of Iranians whose situations will scarcely improve under a further agitated government), what we need to show to the world is that we are tough. Yes, we need to show them that we are tough on Iran, even when Iran is prepared to give us what we originally asked for. Seriously, the whole thing is so predictable it’s disgusting; world leaders hate nothing more than getting along with each other.
In any case, I use the word “saga” without even a hint of irony, and the bloggers and news agencies freaking love it (myself being no exception, clearly). It features all the familiar elements of a saga, doesn’t it? You have the Evil Empire, seemingly headed by a deranged, power-hungry lunatic with a penchant for ludicrous speeches...
I saw my stack of votes myself; it was this big!
...but in reality run by a shadowy, bearded figure in dark robes who possesses unmatched lightning bolt force powers (or substantial religious/political clout, as the case may be):
He would have built the perfect Islamic Republic if it weren't for those meddling kids.
While the Evil Empire cracks down viciously upon any who would dare oppose it, a unified opposition movement emerges from the ashes of oppression, chooses a characteristic color, and begins to muster its forces in preparation for a final confrontation. The young, fearless leaders of the opposition movement are prepared to sacrifice everything for truth, justice, and the right to listen to American pop music without fear of lashings:
This young woman faces a severe beating for wearing Gucci sunglasses in public.
They are even led by an aging spiritual leader with a funny voice and powers even greater than the shadowy figure leading the Evil Empire, but due to some extenuating circumstance or vaguely defined personal condition, the aging spiritual leader is unable to face the leader of the Evil Empire directly:
Ayatollah Montazeri: "Learn to dodge flying teargas canisters, you must."
Once the spiritual leader passes into the next life, his catchy mantra remains with the young opposition and becomes embedded in pop culture for decades. Eventually, the opposition triumphs over the Evil Empire by blowing up their massive spherical space palace with little fighter jets. See, it’s almost the same exact thing!!
Anyway, I digress. So the USA isn't buying Iran's little Turkey/Brazil deal. Much to my disappointment, Obama is going right along with the whole game. This was his chance to make some actual progress, and he's choosing to show his strength rather than his ability to compromise, which is one of the main reasons I voted for him. Oh, well. Since the world is a place in which "big powers" get together and decide what "little powers" can and can't do, I guess this will all be pretty predictable. Actually, wait. Mark my words: Israel likes things unpredictable, and they'll make it that way pretty soon.
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ReplyDeleteIran did have the option of accepting a proposal where the low-enriched uranium would have been stored in France before this. In that deal, though, Iran had no guarantee that it would get its stockpile back; they also failed to convince the P5 that the actual swap should happen simultaneously and on Iranian soil.
ReplyDeleteThe Turkey/Brazil deal makes sense for Turkey and Iran for several reasons, the first being that it would be stored in Turkey, a country which views their goals for nuclear power favorably provided Iran isn't developing weapons. It also bolsters Turkey's status in the region, something important to the current Turkish government - they've been parting ways on foreign policy with the U.S. since they took power and are wanting to play the role of Middle East superpower. Iran also has the guarantee that, if the negotiations fail, Turkey has to give back the stockpile immediately and without exception. Turkey also has an interest in there not being sanctions because of the adverse effects on its own economy (the Turkish economy suffered heavily due to sanctions on Iraq during the 1990's).
So Iran has put itself in a comfortable position - if the U.S. and the others in charge say no to the deal, we will look like we're being unnecessarily harsh on Iran. Saying yes puts us in a bad position as well since this isn't really close to what we wanted (the stockpile they're sending to Turkey isn't the 75% of the total stockpile that we had originally been pressing for), and it also gives Turkey a pass for undermining the P5, as they had originally been asking Turkey to be on board with them on the sanctions issue.
There's also the Israel-Turkey dimension to it, the deteriorating relationship of which I'm sure you're aware of.
In all, I mean to say that it's understandable where the U.S. is coming from on the issue. We've been trying to work something out with Iran since Obama came into office but they've insisted on violating the Non-Proliferation Treaty again and again.
Believe me when I say I have no love whatsoever for the way the current Iranian government "plays the nuclear game," as it were - although I still find the whole "big powers" thing very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteOn that note, I'm all for someone like Turkey stepping up to even out the field a little. Of course it will eventually go too far and they'll want to be the Middle East superpower and they'll probably clash with Iran, etc., but oh well. Say what you will about Iran, they know just how to put the US in a tight spot.
And I'll go ahead and say it; I'm pretty sure Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons. There are too many reasons why they probably are and not enough reasons to convince me that they aren't. Obviously I'm against yet another group of punkasses having nuclear weapons, but it's hard to be too vocal in my opposition as an American when we've got mountains of them and we have allies like Israel who get away with not even formally reporting them or allowing them to be inspected. World leaders are really just a big bunch of treaty violators.