Is it freedom of expression or a hate crime?

Bülent Keneş *

Let me be clear at the beginning so that no one gets confused: No provocation or instigation could justify or legitimize the killing of innocent people.

From this perspective, the murder of an American envoy and three diplomats who had nothing to do with the incidents in Benghazi of Libya cannot be tolerated, even if it was carried out in response to a heinous movie insulting our Prophet Muhammad. It is my hope that this massacre, which violated the inviolability of the right to life and the immunity of diplomats, is expeditiously investigated, and that those who committed this horrible crime receive the punishment they deserve.

This murder, condemned by all, regardless of whether they are Muslim or not, is just one dimension of the whole case. Unless necessary measures are taken, I am afraid the American envoy, Christopher Stevens, and the other three diplomats who lost their lives will not be the last innocent people killed in violent attacks due to provocation by anti-Islamic radical elements. The anti-Islamic discourse of hate that started with Salman Rushdie in the 1990s and has continued to grow in the ensuing years holds dangerous potential that could sadly lead to additional provocations and casualties unless appropriate measures are taken.

“The Satanic Verses,” a book by Rushdie that has no literary value and includes offensive and anti-Islamic remarks against the sacred symbols of Islam, including the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran, led to the murders of many people in the environment of sensation and provocation that it created. In incidents in Sivas on July 2, 1993, 37 people died after a mob set fire to a hotel where attendees at a cultural festival were housed, due to the presence there of Aziz Nesin, the publisher of the Turkish edition of the book.

Hundreds of people died in countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh during protests against offensive cartoons, holding no artistic or literary value, published in Denmark. Theo van Gogh, a Dutch film producer, was killed by radicals in 2004 over his involvement in a movie made to offend Islamic values and precepts.

As outlined in a report titled “Fear Inc.” by an American think tank, the Center for American Progress, in a 2011 report titled “Fear Inc.,” which can be found at http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/religion/report/2011/08/26/10165/fear-inc/, a small yet well-organized anti-Islamic group in the US and the West has been expending efforts tirelessly to spread Islamophobia in the West; and, sadly, they are becoming successful in their attempts. The works and efforts of this small group to promote hate crimes against Islam and Muslims are unfortunately supported by the mainstream media in these countries. The “Fear Inc.” report showed that the feelings of hatred generated by a small anti-Islamic group had great influence in all Western countries. Undoubtedly, the most visible and horrible outcome of this influence has been observed in the slaughter of 77 innocent people and the wounding of 242 by Anders Behring Breivik in an anti-Islamic terrorist attack in Norway in 2011.

The anti-Islamic discourse of hate and attacks is not limited to these incidents. Subsequent to an attempt by Pastor Terry Jones -- who has announced his candidacy in the upcoming US presidential elections -- to burn pages of the Quran, claiming that Islam is a religion of violence, in 2010, protest demonstrations were held in different parts of the Islamic world in which nearly 20 people died. In consideration of these protests, Jones suspended his attempts; however, he performed this action of hate in March 2011. It should be noted that it is no coincidence that Terry Jones is one of the supporters of the anti-Islamic movie causing outrage among people in Cairo and Benghazi. The only goal of the two-hour long film, “Innocence of Muslims” -- only a small part of which was posted on YouTube -- is to provoke people by its opposition to Islam. Considering the grave incidents sparked by a short trailer for the movie, it could be said that Jones and Sam Bacile, thought to have produced the movie, have achieved their goals.

However, it is becoming more likely that Bacile, introduced as a citizen of the US and Israel working in real estate, does not exist, and that claims the movie was financed with $5 million raised from 100 leading Jewish-American businesspeople are false. Shortly after the outbreak of the incidents, Israel announced that it does not have a citizen by this name. US sources have similarly declared that they have no record of a Sam Bacile working in real estate. More interestingly, the actors in this movie have reported believing that they were acting in a different film entirely, and feeling uncomfortable with the film ultimately released, which was brought about by reliance on post-production tricks. In a joint statement, they have condemned the movie.

In other words, regardless of how you look at it, it is possible to see the traces of a devil plan that nobody could ever make. It is possible to observe the same in the attitudes of Egyptian Copt Morris Sadek, who is acting to create a chaotic environment in Egypt and make the Coptic Christians targets.

Obviously, such circles of evil will not stop making similar attempts because they find these pretty influential and effective in raising arguments against Islam and Muslims. And because they are sure that they can provoke people in the Islamic world, they will make additional moves to commit hate crimes against Islam. But do not we and the public authorities in the US and other Western countries hold responsibility vis-à-vis the evil attempts and actions by these circles?

Personally, I believe that above all, a thick line should be drawn between freedom of expression and freedom of the press and hate crimes and discourses that offend or insult the values of Islam or of any other religion. The attempts and acts that insult or offend the names, people or notions recognized as sacred by the members of different faiths should not be viewed as part of freedom of expression and thought. The acts of provocateurs who rely on evil plans to achieve their goals should not abuse the rights of freedom of thought and expression. Such acts and discourses should be subjected to the provisions of criminal law as hate crimes, defined in all pluralist democratic countries.

And of course, those who fall into the trap of the provocateurs seeking to provoke people in Islamic countries suffering from illiteracy, bigotry and poverty, responding to their provocations by violence and bloodshed, should learn a lesson from what has happened. The best response to these evil provocateurs who offend every Muslim is to deprive them of the result they are seeking. I do not suggest that people should remain indifferent to such offenses. But is there no possible response to such provocation besides violence, bloodshed or destruction? Why do we see no traces of prudence or wisdom in the Muslims' attitudes vis-à-vis instances of provocation and instigation? Who could argue that the reactions in Benghazi and Egypt are Islamic? Why don't we use our reason or intellect against endless evil provocation, and why do we not believe in the power of intellectual struggle?

Source: Today's Zaman

Posted in: Anti-Muslim Movie, Bülent Keneş, Free Speech, Hate Crimes, Libya