Oriana Fallaci
Oriana Fallaci, an Italian author currently living in New York, has made history as the first person to be prosecuted for defaming the religion of Islam. Fallaci has been critical of the religion in her works, pointing out the inordinate number of people killed in its name in past years, its ill treatment of women, etc. She’s been charged in Italy, where the offending judge says that her writing is “without doubt offensive to Islam and to those who practice that religious faith.” The offense could carry jail time.
This is absolutely crazy, and frankly tyrannical. What’s worse, we’re sliding quickly down the slippery slope towards this possibility becoming a reality in America too. It begins with signs at a 2 horse town in NC making national news because of their anti-Islamic sentiment, and it won’t get any better. You know what offends me? Planes crashing into U.S. buildings and killing 2,000+ of my fellow citizens offends me. Video tapes of innocent Americans and British captured by Jihadists, with machine guns to their heads, begging for their lives offends me. Resort buildings full of vacationers being blown to smithereens offends me.
We’re talking about a religion that condones the killing of “infidels,” and through which women are executed for being raped. Maybe the world scene should quit worrying about OFFENDING Muslims, and start demanding of Muslim clerics mass condemnation of the very brutal and very real acts that are committed every day all over the world.
hey make sure you follow up on what happens to her, if she goes to jail italy sucks. i was thinking about writing a book after college, so be sure and remind me NOT to offend anyone in it. these people act like muslims are forced to read it and be offended, which by the way isn’t such a bad idea….
Admin:
Now, this is something you and I can agree on almost 100%. I second the plea to keep up with this story and let us know what happens to this woman. The entire idea of people trying to stifle other people’s voice just becaue they find it offensive makes me want to vomit, yak, blow chunks, and admin, you know how I feel about blowin chunks. Im not abig fan.
The point is - most aspects of the Muslim religion, and the history of the Muslim religion, are offensive to most people. Yet most people don’t get to go around telling Muslim’s what religion they can practice. And, when people speak out, like the minister in podunk city, they are clamored upon like they have just murdered a child on national TV. I think the main point here is that people are entitled to beliefs and values and opinions, and that your given right and ability is to either subscribe to or stand against or ignore others. ONCE again - if you find a TV show offensive, DONT WATCH IT. If you find a book offensive, DONT READ IT. If you find ME offensive, dont invite me over to dinner. I wonder why that is such a hard concept to absorb.
‘The slow suicide of the West’ by Jorge Majfud, presented an argument against the views of a certain famous Italian journalist (an Italian best seller writer/journalist who is known to have problems with most of the people around the world). While the journalist’s venom was mainly targetted against African Muslims, it does not exclude Muslims of different ethnicity. Her argument was based on the premise that west has a open tolerant value system while Islam is repressive and intolerant in doctrine. Jorge Majfud presented the other side of the view with gallant logic.
I have heard many such arguments from intellectuals who on one hand proclaim to be tolerant, rational and logical but on the other hand stand rigidly on jingoistic opinions. Infact those who tout the supremacy of the western rational and progressive values often forget that this was not the case during its entire history until the very recent times. The history of the west is replete with many instances of regressive values (the crusades, the inquistion, slavery, not to mention colonization atrocities) and irrationality.
I suppose the journalist’s intolerance of Islam talk volumes of her open minded values. Muslim Immigrants are growing ever more conscious of the image that they carry with them considering that even before they open their mouth, their last name, their attire and skin colour subject them to a prejudiced straitjacket. In the meanwhile, thank god for some sane voices like that of Jorge Majfud.