Part 2
1. We are often lectured by the West, their leaders and journalists
on freedom of speech, of expression, freedom of the press and
media. These are part of human rights which Governments, and
certainly Governments which accept democracy and the accompanying
rights must respect and uphold.
2. Yet this is an area which the West displays the greatest degree
of hypocrisy, of double-standards. We know of many instances when
Western Governments regulate and control their media. We know that
the press often self-regulates in their wish to uphold Government
policies or practices.
3. But the most blatant example of control over public expression
is with regard to the protection of the Jews. Not only will any
criticism of the Jews be condemned, but laws have been enacted in
many European countries which makes it illegal for anyone to
dispute any aspect of the Holocaust. No one may question the claim
that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.
4. Thus when David Irving a British historian doubted the 6 million
figure, he was arrested and jailed in Austria even though his
opinion was not expressed in that country. Since then no one has
dared to openly question the veracity of the claim on the number of
Jews killed by the Nazis. And David Irving himself has not been
heard to question the legality of his arrest and incarceration for
all the beliefs in freedom of expression. This extra-territorial
enforcement of a country’s law is most unusual although we are
seeing now such extension of the laws of powerful countries to
other countries in the world.
5. The action of the Austrian Government and the existence of such
a law forbidding free expression not only in Austria but elsewhere
is a blatant example of total negation of free speech. And there
are many other examples.
6. The American press is extremely good at investigative reporting.
They will go to great length to expose the truth about any scandal
or event.
7. One of the most newsworthy event of the last century is the 9/11
destruction of the World Trade Towers in New York. Such an event
would have been thoroughly and repeatedly investigated, analysed
and reported in the media even after years have passed. But very
little has been reported about this event except for the first few
weeks.
8. The results of investigations by private individuals and
organisations have never been published in the media. The peculiar
manner of the building collapsing on itself, the similar collapse
of a third building which was not hit by the aircrafts; the total
absence of debris where planes were said to have crashed into the
Pentagon building and in the open field where the fourth plane was
said to have crashed into the ground, the total absences of reports
and recovery of the black boxes which all these planes must have
carried; all these seem not to be in keeping with America’s talent
for investigative reporting. There seems to be a conspiracy of
silence. And this silence negates the loud claim of press freedom
by the West.
9. And yet when an American spent large sums of money to produce a
film to insult the Muslims and denigrate their Prophet in the most
insulting manner; when the producer of the film knows full well
that there would be violent reactions to the screening of this
film; their deliberate provocation of the Muslims is defended by
the American Government as a manifestation of the freedom of
expression.
10. The reaction to this film by Muslims, including the killing of
United States diplomats is condemned as extreme and indefensible.
Muslims should understand that the film producer was only
exercising his rights.
11. If that is so then why are there laws in many Western cities
banning any adverse comments against the Jews. Why was David Irving
arrested and jailed for doubting whether 6 million Jews were killed
in the holocaust? Was he not also exercising his freedom of
expression!
12. The West condemns the lack of restraints among Muslims to such
puerile provocation. They are asked to be rational and not be
violent.
13. Should not they also advise their own people to exercise
restrain regarding provoking the Muslims. If they expect the
Muslims to be rational, shouldn’t they request their own people to
be rational as well? Better still if they can pass laws regarding
the sensitivities of the Jews, surely they can legislate similar
laws regarding insulting the sensitivities of the
Muslims.
14. But instead of restraining their people, at the very time when
Muslims reacted violently over the insult to their Prophet, the
Europeans published cartoons to insult and provoke the Muslims
further.
15. Truly the hypocrisy of the great advocates of freedoms of all
kinds is beyond compare. Such people should not take the high
ground to lecture the world on anything.
-Mahathir