Pakistan Bans Facebook Over "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day"

[Rocketboy13]

It is very odd that they decided on two different courses for the same problem IMO, or am I missing some significant differences.

I would imagine that the reason they took such different paths was that the guy who runs relations with the censorship board in India is a different guy than the one who runs it in Pakistan, and that this solution was probably not reached entirely by Facebook, but was instead dictated to them by the governments in question.

Pakistan: take down this page or your not allowed in this country
FB: How about we just block access to that sight for your country, that way you still get access to nearly the entire sights use.
Pakistan: take it down or we won't let you in the country.
FB: WE can't do that, so I guess you'll have to take us down in Pakistan.

India: This page is causing so friction with a very violent fringe group of Muslims in our country, can you block this page from access over here.
FB: Yeah sure, let me just put up the right firewall... and, done. Any other problems?
India: No that is all. Thank you.

 

[PwnSt0nes]

yes but u arnt allowed to talk logically, this is planet earth we are on.

"quoting" tehroc
Isnt Hindu the prominent religion in India?

 

[adrakonis]

Isn't Youtube also banned in Pakistan? I read that in the papers last saturday.

 

[Phoenixlight]

lol @ Pakistan, south park has drawn jesus and other religious figures without any christians or other people complaining.

 

[FolkLikePanda]

Wouldn't mind drawing Mohammad... if I could draw that is

 

[SachielOne]

So out of all of the different limitations and violations of your freedoms of speech, the only one you want to protest is this specific example? People aren't "protesting free speech", they're just doing it for the sake of doing it, childishly poking to get a reaction.

The limitations and violations that you are likely referring to are the product of laws of certain countries. The only way countries like China and North Korea will ever get full freedom of speech will likely involve a long and bloody series of civil wars. No, in this case we are talking about an attempted erosion of our rights by a group of fundamentalist nutjobs on our own soil.

 

[Legion]

Isnt Hindu the prominent religion in India?

It's Hinduism and I thought so too.

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

Mohammed would be disgraced to see what has happened to Islam now.
The core of Islam is of love, not slaughtering millions.

 

[samsonguy920]

Isnt Hindu the prominent religion in India?

It is but there is also a strong Muslim base as well. As well as Buddhism. Okay maybe it's not that prominent.

I for one quite enjoy many renditions of Christ that people make. That are in good taste. And not looking like they were drawn by a 40 yr old with the maturity of a 7 yr old. Why it seems to be so different with Islam, only God knows.
With the constant difference of opinion that seems to be rampant between extremist Muslims and those who do live a life of peace, I have gathered that the Quran is as vulnerable to different interpretation as the Bible is. Which in a way is as it should be.
Getting cranky about it and demanding people censor their own work seems contrary to the mission of Islam to bring more followers into their faith. But these days contradiction seems to be the norm.
Being a person of tolerance, open mindedness, and understanding, I would like to have this apparent when I say.....Facebook needs to dry up and blow away.
And then someone sets up a "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" on their own website and quit being so cheap and lazy about it.

 

[Thisshouldsay2K]

Pakistan blocking access to all of Facebook restricts the ability of all people in the country to express their thoughts and opinions through Facebook. Facebook blocking access to only that group for people in India still allows them to access and use Facebook, they just can't see that group. That's a very narrow restriction they put on India.

If there's any hypocrisy there, people are stretching a tiny scrap trying to make it huge. It's not that big of a deal, imo.

 

[Legion]

So out of all of the different limitations and violations of your freedoms of speech, the only one you want to protest is this specific example? People aren't "protesting free speech", they're just doing it for the sake of doing it, childishly poking to get a reaction.

The limitations and violations that you are likely referring to are the product of laws of certain countries. The only way countries like China and North Korea will ever get full freedom of speech will likely involve a long and bloody series of civil wars. No, in this case we are talking about an attempted erosion of our rights by a group of fundamentalist nutjobs on our own soil.

The internet doesn't really have a "home base" so to speak. Blocking a website that would be deemed offensive to a large amount of the population isn't infringing on the rights of anyone outside that country.

If Facebook banned that page in Canada, then you'd have a valid reason to get up in arms about it.

People are so quick to jump on the "freedom of speech" gimmick while completely neglecting the perspectives of anyone who might take offense from it.

So out of all of the different limitations and violations of your freedoms of speech, the only one you want to protest is this specific example? People aren't "protesting free speech", they're just doing it for the sake of doing it, childishly poking to get a reaction.

I won't go into details though, since I'll be opposed by everyone here, seeing as gaming communities are the most aggressive anti-religious zealots out there.

While I agree with most of what you say, I do feel that I should point out that nobody would be forced to read the page or anything. Sure it's pathetic, but it's completely avoidable by anyone who wishes to, so banning the site is just as stupid.

 

[JaredXE]

As one of those 115,000 fans who actually drew a picture of Mohammed, I say bring it on Pakistan and you other bitchy muslims. Here in the western world, and America especially, we have Freedom of Speach and Expression. Now, unless my expression causes you PHYSICAL HARM, you can ***** all you want but I don't have to do shit to accomodate you. Go ahead and threaten death, I support the rights of any person to say what they want to whomever they want. However, if you act on it, as you crazy extremist muslims tend to do, well then you are commiting an actual crime against an actual person, not a mythic figure that can take care of himself. And that is a big no no, which means you are going to burn in hell, if it actually exists.

 

[Billion Backs]

Mohammed would be disgraced to see what has happened to Islam now.
The core of Islam is of love, not slaughtering millions.

That's what every religion says while they murder you slowly.

Of course, considering all the rules just about every religion has about what one can and can't do, their version of "love" probably isn't worth it either.

 

[Billion Backs]

As one of those 115,000 fans who actually drew a picture of Mohammed, I say bring it on Pakistan and you other bitchy muslims. Here in the western world, and America especially, we have Freedom of Speach and Expression. Now, unless my expression causes you PHYSICAL HARM, you can ***** all you want but I don't have to do shit to accomodate you. Go ahead and threaten death, I support the rights of any person to say what they want to whomever they want. However, if you act on it, as you crazy extremist muslims tend to do, well then you are commiting an actual crime against an actual person, not a mythic figure that can take care of himself. And that is a big no no, which means you are going to burn in hell, if it actually exists.

Heh, I support that opinion.

Wait till you get probated for "trolling" like I just did.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

I really admire Facebook for keeping the page. This was really unexpected and a really nice move.

 

[SteinFaust]

oh, also. Mohammed is banned from being made into a graven image. Mohammed is the most commonly used name in the WORLD-- what's more graven an image than a person?? imagine the gall-- the stinking, unabated hubris necessary to name your son after your religion's most revered and holy prophet!! hundreds of times over, nonetheless!! and they want to threaten bombings over cartoons? pfft, start smiting your own people for "sacreligious atrocities".

 

[Nuke_em_05]

They are actually two different scenarios.

1. Pakistan blocked all of Facebook for all of their users.
2. India requested, of Facebook, that they restrict access to only the group's page to India.

Facebook said they don't take down pages. They haven't.

They are dissapointed with Pakistan because they blocked the entire service.

They respected the wishes of the Indian authorities, by restricting access to the one page.

 

[punkrocker27]

I'm gonna start by saying that I'm an avid fan of free speech and freedom of the press. But this is a really stupid thing to start controversey about in the first place, and I imagine Facebook just doesn't want to look responsible for the inevitable repercussion on some Hindu Indians. You know what I mean. It's not that hard to fathom if you just put down the banner and think geopolitically for a second.

Yeah. Even if it is a little hypocritical, you people are only trying to make mountains out of molehills.

 

[CountArioch]

Mohammed would be disgraced to see what has happened to Islam now.
The core of Islam is of love, not slaughtering millions.

That's what every religion says while they murder you slowly.

Of course, considering all the rules just about every religion has about what one can and can't do, their version of "love" probably isn't worth it either.

Are you kidding? You get 4 wives, who are allowed to be bisexual. Plus, their religion tells them to attend to your needs first before their own.

Granted, if you're a woman that sucks. As a man, I gotta say the Muslim version of love looks pretty darn good .

And all the people who are screaming about "FREEDOM OF SPEECH I'LL DRAW MOHAMMED ALL I WANT RARGRARG" would be saying the same thing if they weren't anonymous. I am not trying to argue that people who think it's okay to kill other people over religious arguments isn't a problem, but I AM saying that the internet makes people 150% more gutsy then they would have been in real life.