Islam and the Fear Of Offending

Two news stories drew my attention today and especially after the attack by two Muslims on a solider in the streets of London the other day in the UK.

The first, an attack by machete-wielding Muslims on two men in a barbershop which left the men seriously injured, and the second, a story about a student newspaper at an Australian university having to apologize and withdraw a satiric article about Islam after having previously made fun of other religions or beliefs in other issues with no consequence whatsoever.

MACHETE wielding thugs have left two men with ‘serious injuries’ after attacking them in an Accrington barber’s shop.
The two victims had been inside the shop in Ormerod Street when four masked men carrying machetes and knives forced their way inside.

Detectives investigating the incident said the gang attacked the pair before forcing them into the street.

Police said they were looking for a gang of Asian men in connection with the attack.

You see, in British 'media-speak', Muslims are now referred to as 'Asians'. To even refer to Muslims in a story that (rightly) describes who they are in relation to a crime is now to somehow cause offence.

In the second story -

An Australian university forced the editors of its student newspaper to retract a satirical piece about Islam, fearing violent reprisals from radical Muslims.

The Woroni, a student newspaper at The Australian National University, recently published a series of satirical infographics making fun of Catholicism, Scientology, Mormonism and Judaism.
But the final installment, which mocked the religion of Islam and derided the Islamic view of women as a “rape fantasy,” prompted a stern rebuke from university administrators and some students who claimed that the newspaper had offended Muslims.

The editors issued a broad apology to anyone who might have been offended. Later, when the infographic was published on the Woroni’s website and Facebook page, the university again intervened. The editors and writers were hauled before an administrative review board and threatened with expulsion unless they took down the infographic.

Administrators claimed the piece of satire violated the university code of conduct. They also feared it could inflame radical Muslims.

“In a world of social media, [there is] potential for material such as the article in question to gain attention and traction in the broader world and potentially harm the interests of the university and the university community,” said a statement from the Chancelry of the university.
Satirical depictions of Islam or its prophet, Muhammad, have been known to prompt violence among radical Muslims. In 2005, A Danish cartoonist was murdered after drawing Muhammad, and in 2010, the creators of the television show “South Park” received death threats.

The editors of the Woroni felt they had no choice but to comply, and took down the infographic. The incident left them worrying about the future of the freedom of the press on campus, however.

“Although the issue was eventually resolved, Woroni is concerned about the implications of these events for freedom of speech and, more generally, the role of student publications,” wrote the editors in a statement.

Maybe they are beginning to wake up to the fact that freedom of speech genuinely is being threatened?

It looks like it wasn’t even Muslims who said they were offended by the article – it was other people who were offended on their behalf. And why? Because that is what is being drilled into us – the fact that you can’t offend Muslims or Islam because there will be reprisals. That is part of Sharia law and it is becoming slowly ingrained into the universal consciousness that they are not to be offended. It is becoming taboo; becoming like bad manners, and that is what they want.

It has to do with FEAR, which reinforces the wishes of those who follow Islam. No one cared when any of those other faiths or beliefs were satirized. Even if there were Christians, Jews or Scientologists who were offended by previous articles, it didn’t seem to matter. Even if those groups had complained or said they were offended, it still wouldn’t have mattered and the university administration wouldn’t have taken any action.

It is the policing of thoughts by an ideology; so much so that it is we in the West who are censoring ourselves on behalf of Muslims. It is not looking good. Hopefully the West will wake up in time but the media and others who have influence have to realize that they are enablers.