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Thread: Pakistan blocks Facebook over 'Draw Mohammed Day'

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    Senior Member galvatron's Avatar
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    Default Pakistan blocks Facebook over 'Draw Mohammed Day'

    Pakistan blocks Facebook over 'Draw Mohammed Day'

    By Richard Allen Greene, CNN
    May 19, 2010 -- Updated 2058 GMT (0458 HKT)

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    Pakistani students shout slogans during a protest in Lahore over "Everybody Draw Muhammed Day."

    STORY HIGHLIGHTS

    • NEW: Facebook group's creator says idea meant to protest "bullying" by Muslim groups
    • "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" urges users to submit drawings of Mohammed
    • Devout Muslims consider it offensive to depict Mohammed
    • Telecommunications official says Facebook blocked on government's orders






    (CNN) -- Pakistan is blocking access to Facebook in response to an online group calling on people to draw the Prophet Mohammed, officials said Wednesday.


    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority issued the order a day before "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day," scheduled by a Facebook group with the same name, because of "the objectionable material" on the social networking site, said Khoram Ali Mehran of the telecommunication authority.
    "We have blocked it for an indefinite amount of time. We are just following the government's instructions and the ruling of the Lahore High Court. If the government decides to unblock it then that's what we will do," he said.
    The organization has not received any complaints from internet users about the Facebook group so far, he said. Devout Muslims consider it offensive to depict Mohammed.
    There were riots around the world in response to a series of cartoons of Mohammed in a Danish newspaper in 2005, and at least two European cartoonists live under police protection after publication of their drawings of the Muslim prophet.
    Mimi Sulpovar, who started the Facebook group, said she read about the idea on a blog after Comedy Central bleeped out part of an episode of "South Park" that mentioned the prophet.
    "This is meant to be in protest," said Sulpovar, who is American. "This is something I have felt strongly about for a long time: Bullying by certain Muslim groups will not be tolerated in a free country."
    Sulpovar said Pakistan's decision to block Facebook was ridiculous. Her group and a similar one had attracted about 7,000 fans between them Wednesday. Groups opposing the idea had about 68,000.
    A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the idea behind the group was offensive.
    "Islam discourages any visual representations of the prophets of God -- Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, anybody -- because we believe it can lead to a form of idol worship," Ibrahim Hooper said. "The majority of Muslims worldwide object to any representation of a prophet of God."
    The idea of "Draw Mohammad Day" originated with a cartoonist who has since distanced herself from the idea, Sulpovar and Hooper said.
    "The whole campaign has been taken up by Muslim-bashers and Islamophobes," Hooper said.
    Sulpovar denied being anti-Muslim.
    "This extends beyond being able to draw Mohammad," she said. "If it's offensive to you, that's fine, but I don't feel it's right to impose your belief on others through intimidation.


    The Link
    http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/as...ex.html?hpt=T2

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    Moderator kidd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by galvatron View Post
    Mimi Sulpovar, who started the Facebook group, said she read about the idea on a blog after Comedy Central bleeped out part of an episode of "South Park" that mentioned the prophet.
    "This is meant to be in protest," said Sulpovar, who is American. "This is something I have felt strongly about for a long time: Bullying by certain Muslim groups will not be tolerated in a free country."
    Sulpovar said Pakistan's decision to block Facebook was ridiculous. Her group and a similar one had attracted about 7,000 fans between them Wednesday. Groups opposing the idea had about 68,000.
    Well, maybe she would think twice on starting such an insensitive protest group next time and realise that not everyone live in a free country and now her action has brought about inconvenience and difficulty to Facebook users in Pakistan.

    Next time, use your head to think of the consequences first before doing something your 'feel strongly' about.

    Her protest group did nothing but cause more harm. What's worse is Facebook users in Pakistan are the ones suffering from the consequences of her action and she's still sitting comfortably in her American home complaining about how ridiculous Pakistan's government action is.
    Last edited by kidd; 05-19-10 at 09:44 PM.
    什麼是朋友?朋友永遠是在你犯下不可原諒錯誤的時候,仍舊站在你那邊的笨蛋。~ 王亞瑟

    和諧唔係一百個人講同一番話,係一百個人有一百句唔同嘅說話,而又互相尊重 ~ - 葉梓恩

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    Don't you just love it when fanatics get their panties in a knot. I wonder if I make a cake of Mohammad. Will the Pakistanis boycott food.

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    Moderator kidd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Banh Mi View Post
    Don't you just love it when fanatics get their panties in a knot. I wonder if I make a cake of Mohammad. Will the Pakistanis boycott food.
    Nope, they will not boycott the food. But, they will boycott your cake, a lot of them will think badly of your race/countrymen and maybe some will call for a boycott of cakes imported from your country.

    They were angry that Facebook allowed such group to be formed. They use the wrong way to solve the problem, but they have the right to be angry at people deliberately insulting someone dear to them.

    Honestly, are their act any different from Chinese who boycotted Sharon Stone and her movie because of one dumb speech she made?

    Everywhere there's extremes like this.

    Btw, not very fair to blame ALL the Pakistanis. I think most Pakistanis lamented the lost access to Facebook more.
    什麼是朋友?朋友永遠是在你犯下不可原諒錯誤的時候,仍舊站在你那邊的笨蛋。~ 王亞瑟

    和諧唔係一百個人講同一番話,係一百個人有一百句唔同嘅說話,而又互相尊重 ~ - 葉梓恩

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    My point is that their grief is self inflicted. Finding certain things offensive is normal, but within reason please. No one is forcing them to participate in that group.

    Also, their reaction is the collective mass of infants throwing a tantrum because they don't like something. What was said about Muslims bullying their way around things is just confirmed by how they reacted.

    No one said anything about all Muslims, or all Pakistanis. Just recognising that there are a group of people from a Muslim Pakistani position, making life hard for their and their peers because the world is not how they like it.

    These people also do these things when it doesn't terribly inconvience themselves. The ones who can live with facebook are happy for the entire nation living without facebook.

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    Moderator kidd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Banh Mi View Post
    No one said anything about all Muslims, or all Pakistanis. Just recognising that there are a group of people from a Muslim Pakistani position, making life hard for their and their peers because the world is not how they like it.
    "Will the Pakistanis boycott food?"

    Quote Originally Posted by Banh Mi View Post
    These people also do these things when it doesn't terribly inconvience themselves. The ones who can live with facebook are happy for the entire nation living without facebook.
    What does that sentence mean? I don't get you.
    Last edited by kidd; 05-20-10 at 12:29 AM.
    什麼是朋友?朋友永遠是在你犯下不可原諒錯誤的時候,仍舊站在你那邊的笨蛋。~ 王亞瑟

    和諧唔係一百個人講同一番話,係一百個人有一百句唔同嘅說話,而又互相尊重 ~ - 葉梓恩

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    Quote Originally Posted by kidd View Post
    "Will the Pakistanis boycott food?"
    The Pakistanis that want to ban things. The ones that we were talking about. Is it necessary to specify everything.

    What does that sentence mean? I don't get you.
    Yeah, I screwed up there, didn't communicate that well. What I wanted to say is, the people who don't care for facebook don't mind depriving all their fellow citizens of it. What about the ones that want to join in this fun occasion over facebook.

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    Member yongbifan's Avatar
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    pakistan is an islamic republic that means their religious law is part of their legal system, technically their constitution offers feedom to all but you cant become head of state if you are not muslim, or serve in the judiciary or legislative wing(and hence the ban)...pretty much most islamic nations are the same as well...
    "The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience."
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