How to strike fear into the heart of Yale University Press
The absurdity of cringing dhimmitude and Fear of Offending Muslims reaches its apotheosis.
"Yale Press Bans Images of Muhammad in New Book," by Patricia Cohen for the New York Times, August 12 (thanks to Benedict):
It’s not all that surprising that Yale University Press would be wary of reprinting notoriously controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a forthcoming book. After all, when the 12 caricatures were first published by a Danish newspaper a few years ago and reprinted by other European publications, Muslims all over the world angrily protested, calling the images — which included one in which Muhammad wore a turban in the shape of a bomb — blasphemous. In the Middle East and Africa some rioted, burning and vandalizing embassies; others demanded a boycott of Danish goods; a few nations recalled their ambassadors from Denmark. In the end at least 200 people were killed.So Yale University and Yale University Press consulted two dozen authorities, including diplomats and experts on Islam and counterterrorism, and the recommendation was unanimous: The book, “The Cartoons That Shook the World,” should not include the 12 Danish drawings that originally appeared in September 2005. What’s more, they suggested that the Yale press also refrain from publishing any other illustrations of the prophet that were to be included, specifically, a drawing for a children’s book; an Ottoman print; and a sketch by the 19th-century artist Gustave Doré of Muhammad being tormented in Hell, an episode from Dante’s “Inferno” that has been depicted by Botticelli, Blake, Rodin and Dalí.
The book’s author, Jytte Klausen, a Danish-born professor of politics at Brandeis University, in Waltham, Mass., reluctantly accepted Yale University Press’s decision not to publish the cartoons. But she was disturbed by the withdrawal of the other representations of Muhammad. All of those images are widely available, Ms. Klausen said by telephone, adding that “Muslim friends, leaders and activists thought that the incident was misunderstood, so the cartoons needed to be reprinted so we could have a discussion about it.” The book is due out in November.
John Donatich, the director of Yale University Press, said by telephone that the decision was difficult, but the recommendation to withdraw the images, including the historical ones of Muhammad, was “overwhelming and unanimous.” The cartoons are freely available on the Internet and can be accurately described in words, Mr. Donatich said, so reprinting them could be interpreted easily as gratuitous.
He noted that he had been involved in publishing other controversial books — like “The King Never Smiles” by Paul M. Handley, a recent unauthorized biography of Thailand’s current monarch — and “I’ve never blinked.” But, he said, “when it came between that and blood on my hands, there was no question.”
The blood wouldn't be on your hands, Mr. Donatich. The blood would be on the hands of the murderous fanatical Muslims who might kill because of these cartoons. That would be on their heads, not yours. This is one of our biggest problems: we are letting irrational, bloodthirsty people dictate terms for us, and allowing them to displace their responsibility for their irrational, murderous actions onto us.
Reza Aslan, a religion scholar and the author of “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam,” is a fan of the book but decided to withdraw his supportive blurb that was to appear in the book after Yale University Press dropped the pictures. The book is “a definitive account of the entire controversy,” he said, “but to not include the actual cartoons is to me, frankly, idiotic.”...
First time I've ever agreed with Reza Aslan, and probably the last.
No Dhimmi at Amazon.com. The same week (last week) that Yale caved in to the terrorist, Amazon allowed the publication of "How Fatima Started Islam" by Noor Barack.
No punches pulled here. Mohammad is portrayed (and photographed on the back cover) as an imbecilic, drunken pimp. The village idiot who is totally controled by his daughter Fatima.
Orthodox Islam will be very upset. This will be a real clash between the First Amendment and Fatwa
No Dhimmi at Amazon.com. The same week (last week) that Yale caved in to the terrorist, Amazon allowed the publication of "How Fatima Started Islam" by Noor Barack.
No punches pulled here. Mohammad is portrayed (and photographed on the back cover) as an imbecilic, drunken pimp. The village idiot who is totally controled by his daughter Fatima.
Orthodox Islam will be very upset. This will be a real clash between the First Amendment and Fatwa
While we were still using IntenseDebate for comments, there was quite an interesting discussion of this article about Yale University Press and the book on the Muhammad Cartoons.
Having appointed myself de facto archivist, I shall re-post those comments, from that discussion, that I copied and kept.
I shall divide this material into two parts. Here is the first part.
GRAVENIMAGE quoted ' But, he [John Donatich, the director of Yale University Press] said, “when it came between that and blood on my hands, there was no question.”
...............................
and said - Caving in to these barbarians will ultimately result in more blood than standing up to them will.
-HESPERADO said to Gravenimage - It already has, many times.
-SORROW observed - It just emboldens them. The proper response to the cartoon controversy would have been the publication in ever journal great and small of the cartoons. That would have quashed the whole thing, which was in itself contrived rage.
JETCAL remarked - I wonder if it is a question of donations.
JEWLOVER quoted 'The cartoons are freely available on the Internet and can be accurately described in words, Mr. Donatich said, so reprinting them could be interpreted easily as gratuitous."'
and said - No need for pictures in medical or art books either I suppose.
-IMNOKUFFAR then said - Or art galleries, or in churches, or on billboards or on TV or childrens books, comics...... in fact nowhere. However we can write up what they would have looked like so thats alright then. Problem solved !
SALEEM said - A joke:
What did the Fundamentalist Muslim say to the Moderate Muslim?
Follow the way of the Prophet or I will kill you you filthy Infidel.
-CHAMP said - Moderate Muslim: No response
MEEKER said - A tad OT, but have you seen the news of rare bit of spine being shown in France, where "Carole" the muslema has been banned from a public swimming pool for wearing a "burkini". She disingenuously says "it's a pity it's become political" (as if that's not what you wanted all along; as if that's not the whole purpose of political/stealth Islam).
She also says that if she can't get the decision reversed she will "consider leaving the country". At which I'm sure all les francais will be saying "bon riddance, mademoiselle"!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2585456...
-SASHLAND said - Another tad (offtopic)
Sadequee Convicted. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/12/us/AP-...
His sister: "''What's most frustrating to see that the post-Sept. 11 climate, even though Obama has communicated there's going to be a shift, it hasn't really gone down to the general understanding of the community and social attitudes,'' she said.
The Feds: But federal authorities say it was a reminder that those who actively seek to aid terror groups may be lurking within the U.S. "
Rorshatz test: Read the evidence about Sadequee. Is he guilty as sin or a victim of an "overzealous prosecutor"? How can any rational person conclude that he was just an innocent boy who just happened to be sending video clips to terrorists and meeting with them in Bangladesh? 60 years seems about right. Key line; the trial turned when they showed pictures of his vacation date (no, not his new wife he 'picked up') in pictures two years later being arrested with bomb belts and explosives. Changed the courtroom atmosphere... nah!
A very good catch. Thanks guys!
Maybe Obama will release him to improve relationships with Bangladesh?
-GREATICON said, re. the French Muslimah - she will "consider leaving the country" Good riddance where does she plan to go which muslim sharia hell hole. Put her on any plane immediately.
-HESPERADO said - Don't bet on it. The French caved when Muslims complained about topless sunbathing and speedos on the River Seine in the Paris area, and the banks of the Seine had been relaxed about those things for decades, that's just the French way -- until Muslims complained, that is.
The French philosophy teacher Robert Redeker, who currently is in hiding along with his family because Muslims want to kill him over the "insults" he wrote in an essay, has written about the Seine controversy.
Part two of original discussion, as conducted on IntenseDebate's bug-haunted premises.
GREATICON said - Shame on you Yale!!!!!!!!! Fear of these savages will lead to more violence by these Mohammedan barbarians. You are a bunch of cowards.
MEEKER said - I sent the following to YUP: (yup.email.news@yale.edu)
'I have just read reports that Mr John Donatich has taken the decision not to include the 12 Cartoons in the book “the Cartoons that shook the world”.
This is disturbing. It is giving in supinely to the worst in radical Islam, those who would kill people whose opinions are different from theirs. Could you not have shown some spine? Why did you have to go out to a group of “experts, including diplomats and experts on Islam”? Surely your own common sense should have told you that to fail to publish cartoons which satirise the violence inherent in Islam -- because you are worried about violent Islamists -- is an irony too far. As for “diplomats”, I speak as a former diplomat for many years in saying: diplomats are the last people you’d go to if you wanted robust and unbiased views, as their views on most issues are conciliatory to the point of appeasement and you can bet they’re going to be bending-over-backwardsly so on this one.
I hope you’ll change your mind and include the cartoons. After all, failing to include the cartoons is probably not going to stop the Muslim anger you fear; so you may as well go for the unbowdlerised version and in doing so stand up for the vaunted rights of free and open speech.'
-HESPERADO observed - 'to fail to publish cartoons which satirise the violence inherent in Islam -- because you are worried about violent Islamists -- is an irony too far.'
It's even more ironic since this Yale book is all about the Mohammed cartoons!
SASHLAND said - I've been seriously pondering the delusional aspects of political mind-meld cultists and trying to understand on a human level how a person can avoid and ignore conflicting information to the way they want things to be. Or, maybe I am just so wrong about people and they really don't care, or even enjoy. Proof of evil and all that.
I came across a great, no, absolutely amazing bit of writing with explanations of what I have labeled "belief blinders". What are the underlying motivations and worldview that can allow a person to live with genocide?
Why do humans do such silly things? What's your Serious explanation?
A great read @ comment by USMCSniper: Useful Idiot
http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTI...
So good I wonder if its stolen...
JAMESTHEFIN said - Who needs an official ban on free speech when the MSM, Publishers, and government enact a flawless unofficial one?
Cowards all of them.
However, the Hate Crimes (and de facto hate speech) Bill HR 1913 is quite real. Even if it violates the 1st amendment it will be costly for the average person to defend themselves against the charges.
IPSOFACTO said - WHO IS JYTTE KLAUSEN?
In the Danish anti-Islamic blogosphere she is known as a left wing apologist for Islam. She refuse “Eurabia” as pure fantasy and among her primary hate objects is Geert Wilders and “Fitna”.
In February 2009 she appeared on Danish TV2 News where she repeated the story about American Jews who were unable to understand the change in attitude and tolerance towards religious minorities (Muslims) since the Danes saved most of the Jews in 1943 from the Nazis.
Muslims have very different beliefs and many went to Europe because they preferred to live in an democracy - claimed this Islam expert.
Last year Jytte Klausen wrote an article in SPIEGEL Online International “Taking a Cue from the Danish Cartoon Scandal” presented with this summary:
“There are parallels between Dutch politician Geert Wilders' anti-Koran video and the response to the Muhammad cartoons that rocked Denmark two years ago. By placing his video on the Web, he will merely help Islamic fundamentalists and right-wing, anti-Muslim activists feed off each other's extremism.”
In my view Jytte Klausen is a leading figure among useful idiots for Islam in the academia.
Link to article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518...
And part three.
MAXPUBLIUS said - '200 people killed over cartoons'.
It's interesting to note that Islamists murdered more people over these cartoons then the Klan has murdered in the last 80 years combined.
Yet the new administration says the latter is the main threat to democracy, while practically denying the former exists.
-EPISTEMOLOGY replied to MAXPUBLIUS - As for racism against black people, the Klan's people are a bunch of choir boys compared to Arab Muslims.
I experienced that myself, when a Southern Sudanese friend of mine was insulted and verbally harassed by a Muslim.
-DUMBLEDORESARMY asked EPISTEMOLOGY - Epistemology - where did that happen (the harassment of your Sudanese [Christian?] friend, by a Muslim)? In a street in the USA? On a university campus?
-EPISTEMOLOGY told DUMBLEDORESARMY - Not in the States, I live in a small town in Bavaria, pretty close to Munich.
We, a group of politically active people organised an information session in a local pub about human rights in Algeria and Sudan.
My Christian friend Mödi reported about the human rights abuses in his country, Southern Sudan.
Some Turk had brought an Arab from Munich to this session in order to clarify that the religion of peace (TM) does not condone human rights violations.
Funnily enough, when we were talking about Algeria, that Arab Muslim claimed to be Algerian, when we were talking about Southern Sudan, he claimed to be Sudanese. But we were all infidels, so taqiyya is sanctioned.
When the session was over and the people were on their way home, Mödi was my guest that night, he and that Muslim got into a heated debate.
The Muslim insulted him, called him liar, everything was SPLA propaganda, of course.
I nearly freaked out, but Mödi remained very calm, I admired him, he somehow remained aloof, he hid his feelings from that racist Muslim.
But when we were on our own, at my place, things became different. We had to talk until 4 o'clock in the mornig to get rid of these nasty feelings that Muslim had caused.
HOURGLASSEF said - I wonder if Yale is getting its pockets filled by Saudi Arabians. Just like my university is with its explosion (no pun intended ;) ) of Saudi students and various other foreign imported muslim students. I dont feel safe at my university anymore, and i wonder how long it will be until students at Yale feel the same way.