Letters to the Editor
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The Burqini
Wow, I cannot believe the Wa Po is so sensitive that it spiked this comic strip. There was not even an image of Muhammad in it.
This event says a lot about the incompatibility of Islam and original American values. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..."
Yes, we have religious freedom for all here in America. Don your burqini and have a "blast" at the beach. (What's that woman carrying in her beach bag, anyway?)
But it's not a "one-way street." We're all equal under our nation's laws, regardless of religion. Anyone who knows anything about human rights in Muslim countries knows Islam cannot tolerate that concept. Muslims and infidels cannot be considered equal -- infidels MUST be killed or "dhimmified" by command of Allah.
So what can we do? How do we make America and Islam compatible? Two ways: 1) Deport all Muslims or allow them to convert to any compatible religion, or 2) Change the bill of rights, either by amendment (not likely), or by terror and subsequent martial law (very likely.)
The fact that we're already seeing instances of restriction of free speech / free press due primarily to fear should tell us something about the prominence of the "Islamic factor" in our nation's institutions, i.e. our government and what we used to call the "free press."
25 years ago, the Post would have printed this comic, and free people would have had a good laugh about it. That's because we've been proceeding with option no. 2 when we should have implemented option no. 1... a long time ago.
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Designer of the Burqini swimsuit
This is fantastic!!! I love it.
This did not affend me in any way.
Aheda Zanetti
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denigrating Arab culture - next time denigrate Jew's culture
There certainly is nothing humerous or informative about this cartoon. It is particularly stupid! Why waste time denigrating another culture? This is what the cartoon is actually doing. Let's see a cartoon about the orthodox Jews with their locks and garb at the wailing wall. Perhaps a cartton about Jews laundering money in order to circumvent U.S. campaing laws and how it is done.
Why someone should make fun about a culture different from one's own often adds to discrimination.
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I blame the Jews
Because they control all media.
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Look Who's Actually Doing the Censorings Here
The problem that no one is actually noticing here is who has censored the cartoon. We all know that author of the cartoon is a bleeding Lib. He has nothing to hide. He is a has- been, but what else is new. The actual censurers are the Washington Post a hard core Lib. Paper. Now, why did “They” censor it? The reason is that all you cool-aid drinking lamb’s out there will fall right into their trap, which you have with all your pathetic responses. The cartoon was not offensive to anyone at all. I’m a strong conservative and backer of Bush’s policy with regards to Iraq and I was not at all offended or pushed over the edge with the “America Rocks” and all that it involves in this cartoon. But, the Post is looking to keep its flock in check and all up in arms over offending the Muslims or that the government is censoring the press. Come on people! Only the stupid and uniformed vote Democrat. Just one more thing --- NO MORE AL GORE.
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Explosive Content
The cartoon was censored because Muslims toss bombs for sport. Better safe than sorry...
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If it was a Christian Parody?
Berkeley Breathed lampoons the Christian religion on a regular basis, and as a Christian myself, I might disagree with the point he is trying to make, but I never threaten to kill anyone over it. Members of the relgion of peace (Islam), have made threats regarding cartoons, so that the Washington Post is now afraid to run the strip.
The washington Post has not become more sensitive toward relgion. Next time one of their cartoon strips chooses to make fun of the Christian religion, they will run the strip.
The funny thing about this whole situation, is that this strip was poking fun at Steve's attitude, not her's. I guess the chance that any Muslum will get a part in a sitcom this fall is fairly remote.
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personally, what bothered me the most....
was the web site reference at the end of the strip. Why is Berkely Breathed giving free advertising to a Muslim fundalmentalist merchant? Why does he feel the need to do that?
This was what drove Ayaan Hirsi Ali away from liberal politics and I know other people who are fed up with it also, based simply on this one issue, the knee jerk support for Islamic fundie weirdness in the name of anti-colonialism (as we can see in the rest of the cartoon). This is a perfect example. Women should be able to swim without being fully encased in rubber (or whatever it is). So why give applause to a businessperson who makes money from telling women they must dress like that?
It's stupid. So is the cartoon. It would be more accurate if Lola came out wearing a burqini because her Muslim husband and family members commanded her to do so. This is the case in the real world.
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Brilliant
Really. Just brilliant.
And I find it alarming to imagine what might have gone on in the minds of those who made the decision not to publish it. Each possible explanation is more frightening, and discouraging, than the one before.
So I'll try not to think about it, and just re-read the comic again.
Brilliant.
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It's just possible that the cartoon was censored because...
the WaPo did not choose to support Aheda and her viciously sexist enterprise "Ahiida". If that is the case, kudos to WaPo. Make fun of the Burqini if you will, but don't promote the damn thing. And that is what Breathed is doing.
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a bit of ethnocentrism, don't ya think?
Being a woman, I appreciate immensely the fact that I was born and raised in a culture that allows women the most freedom. But, at the same time I can't help but notice all the commentaries on this cartoon and see that you guys can't see beyond your own cultural perspectives. I am not advocating the traditions of Islam (censoring women), I am though, wanting to point out that what seems ridiculous to you, is and has been the way of life for some people for hundreds of years. Just as some customs may seems absurd to us, others might feel the same way about ours. Just as Allie mentioned :
Someone from the south of France could make a comic about how stupid Americans are to wear tops. Someone from Brazil could make a comic about how stupid Americans in some places are to outlaw thongs.
Let's try to see things beyond our perspectives and realize why American's are disliked so much by other countries: We think we know what's best for others. If we really did, we'd go about foreign policy in a very different manner but, that's a whole other spiel I won't go into right now.