Charlie Hebdo’s Idea Of Freedom of Religion And Freedom Of Speech

“Every time we draw a cartoon of Mohammed, every time we draw a cartoon of prophets, every time we draw a cartoon of God, we defend the freedom of religion,” – Gérard Biard,.

Firstly as a Muslim, I do not support the mass shooting at Charlie Hebdo’s office and it must not been done in the name of Islam because it is wrong according to the teaching of Islam Ahli As-Sunnah Wa Al-Jama`ah, as what we practise in Malaysia.

Now, it is always interesting to see how people interpret freedom of speech and freedom of religion and use them for their own agendas.

I do not understand why humiliating and disgracing religions can be regarded as defending freedom of religion.

Freedom of religion means the rights for everybody to manifest his or her religion in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; and not the rights for everybody to insult religions.

So people who support freedom of religion must respect these rights and not the other way around.

When one make fun and disgraces a religion, the person no longer respect the rights of the believers of that religion; hence there is no more freedom of religion.

Then talking about freedom of expression and freedom of speech, some people believe in total freedom and that they have the rights to do anything or say anything they like, including to purposely hurting or insulting others and there is no limit to how far they can go.

I cannot comment about the French law regarding freedom of expression and freedom of speech because I do not know about the constitution of the country; however as a civilised and responsible person I think that it is weird to purposely make fun and insult religion just because the law allows one to do so.

Just because my mother bought me a big box of my favourite chocolate, it does not mean that I should eat them all at once, because that will not be healthy; and so I must think before I do something.

In Malaysia, there is a limit to freedom of expression and freedom of speech as written in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and making fun of other religions is against the teaching of Islam.

It is a good thing because we must learn to respect each other and while some people love to insult others, most of them do not like to be insulted in return.

And while the supporters of Charlie Hebdo want others to respect their freedom of expression and freedom of speech, they themselves cannot respect the freedom of expression and freedom of speech of others.

They slam Pope Francis for saying:

“There is a limit. Every religion has its dignity … in freedom of expression there are limits,” and that “one cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”

And Gérard Biard denounced the Western publications that have declined to reprint his paper’s controversial cartoons, he told NBC that:

“When they refuse to publish this cartoon, when they blur it out, when they decline to publish it, they blur out democracy.”

Isn’t democracy means the right for everybody to choose what we want?

So if Gérard Biard and his supporters believe in democracy, freedom of expression and freedom of speech, they must not slam the Pope and those publications for not following their ideas.

Murid Lelaki Beruniform Perempuan Ke Sekolah?

On Friday, the Court of Appeal lead by Justice Mohd Hishamuddin Mohd Yunus ruled that punishing transgenders for cross-dressing contravenes freedom of expression.

Justice Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus said:

“A person’s dress, attire or article of clothing are a form of expression, which in our view is guaranteed under Article 10 (freedom of expression)” – The Star.

Now I wonder, if it is legal to cross-dress, then will it one day be legal to cross-dress to school in Malaysia?

Since punishing transgenders for cross-dressing contravenes freedom of expression, will it be okay for a school boy to wear a female’s uniform to school or vice versa?

Logically, if cross-dressing is ruled as a part of the transgenders’ freedom of expression, then surely others including students have that rights too, right?

Imagine what will happens if one day a student cross-dress to school and says that it is his or her rights to cross-dress?

Nauzubillah.

Actress Cindy Lee Garcia Sues Producer Of ‘Innocence Of Muslims’

Cindy Lee Garcia (AP)

Actress Cindy Lee Garcia who acted in the film, ‘Innocence of Muslims’ sues the film producer for fraud and slander.

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula alias Sam Bacile is reported to be the producer.

She also named Google Inc and its YouTube unit as defendants, asked that the film be removed from YouTube and said her right to privacy had been violated.

The suit accuses Nakoula, Google and YouTube of invasion of privacy, unfair business practices, the use of Garcia’s likeness without permission and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“This lawsuit is not an attack on the First Amendment nor on the right for Americans to say what they think, but does request that the offending content be removed from the Internet,” the lawsuit said.

Does the producer’s freedom of expression gives him the right to use and cheat the actress in expressing his freedom of speech?

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (L) is escorted out of his home by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officers in Cerritos, California September 15, 2012. REUTERS/Bret Hartman

And what about the rights of actress Cindy Lee Garcia?

I really pity the actress if she really was cheated by the producer.

And why did Sam Bacile cheated the actress if he thinks that it is okay to produce the “hateful” film?

I agree with the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that freedom of expression should not be abused to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs.

The world will be a better place to live in if every body can try to be a better person and respect people around us.

Related Post:

1. Muslims Protest Over ‘Innocence of Muslims’

2. Peaceful Assembly Over ‘Innocence of Muslims’ Is A Waste Of Time But Bersih Is Not?

3. U.N. Chief: Anti-Islam Filmmaker Abused Freedom Of Expression

U.N. Chief: Anti-Islam Filmmaker Abused Freedom Of Expression

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Bern September 11, 2012. REUTERS/Pascal Lauener

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday the maker of an anti-Islam film that triggered violent protests across the Muslim world abused his right to freedom of expression by making the movie, which he called a “disgraceful and shameful act.”

The film, posted on the Internet under several titles including “Innocence of Muslims,” mocked the Prophet Mohammad and portrayed him as a womanizer and a fool.

It sparked days of deadly anti-American violence in many Muslim countries, including an assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in Libya in which the U.S. ambassador died.

“Freedoms of expression should be and must be guaranteed and protected, when they are used for common justice, common purpose,” Ban told a news conference.

“When some people use this freedom of expression to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs, then this cannot be protected in such a way.”

“My position is that freedom of expression, while it is a fundamental right and privilege, should not be abused by such people, by such a disgraceful and shameful act,” he said.

A California man convicted of bank fraud was taken in for questioning on Saturday by U.S. authorities investigating possible probation violations stemming from the making of the video. He has denied involvement in the film and has now gone into hiding.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by David Brunnstrom

I agree with the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that freedom of expression should not be abused to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs.

I protest over what Sam Bacile did as well as over the violence and killings during the protests over the film in some countries.

Muslims must protest but it must be done in a peaceful assembly or in other peaceful ways because that is how good Muslims should behave.

Related Post:

1. Peaceful Assembly Over ‘Innocence of Muslims’ Is A     Waste Of Time But Bersih Is Not?
2. Muslims Protest Over ‘Innocence of Muslims’