Everybody Draw Mohammed Day was an event held on May 20th, 2010 in support of free speech, specifically in opposition to those who threaten violence against artists who draw representations of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It began as a protest against censorship of an American television show, South Park, "201" by its distributor, Comedy Central, in response to death threats against some of those responsible for the segment. Observance of the day began with a drawing posted on the Internet on April 20, 2010, accompanied by text suggesting that "everybody" create a drawing representing Muhammad, on May 20, 2010, as a protest against efforts to limit freedom of speech. U.S. cartoonist Molly Norris of Seattle, Washington, created the artwork in reaction to Internet death threats that had been made against cartoonists Trey Parker and Matt Stone for depicting Muhammad in an episode of South Park. Depictions of Muhammad are explicitly forbidden by a few hadiths (sayings of and about Muhammad), though not by the Qur'an. Postings on RevolutionMuslim.com (under the pen name Abu Talha al-Amrikee; later identified as Zachary Adam Chesser) had said that Parker and Stone could wind up like Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker who was shot to death by a Muslim extremist, who afterwards pinned a letter to his body with a knife. The individuals running the website later denied that the postings were threats, although they were widely perceived as such.[citation needed] Norris said that if people draw pictures of Muhammad, Islamic terrorists would not be able to murder them all, and threats to do so would become unrealistic. Within a week, Norris' idea became popular on Facebook, was supported by numerous bloggers, and generated coverage on the blog websites of major U.S. newspapers. As the publicity mounted, Norris and the man who created the first Facebook page promoting the May 20 event disassociated themselves from it. Nonetheless, planning for the protest continued with others "taking up the cause". Facebook had an "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" page, which grew to over 100,000 participants (101,870 members by May 20). A protest page on Facebook against the initiative, named "Against ‘Everybody Draw Mohammed Day'", attracted slightly more supporters (106,000 by May 20). Subsequently, Facebook was temporarily blocked by Pakistan; the ban was lifted after Facebook agreed to block the page for users in India and Pakistan. In the media, Everybody Draw Mohammed Day attracted both support from commentators who felt that the campaign represented important issues of freedom of speech, and the need to stand up for this freedom, as well as criticism from other commentators who found the initiative crass, juvenile, and needlessly offensive. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody_Draw_Mohammed_Day This is a video about last years DMD before it happened: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7ok4njJXI8"]YouTube - Draw Mohammad Day (First Annual!)[/ame] This is a video summarizing the events that transpired afterward. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuD3Ex5p3Aw&feature=relmfu"]YouTube - Why We Won on Draw Mohammad Day[/ame] This is a video about this years Draw Mohammad Day. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61WjEd0y6zM"]YouTube - DMD2: THIS TIME ITS ARMAGEDDON![/ame] How do you guys feel about this? My reaction was simple: If someone in America told you to shut your mouth, are you inclined to shut your mouth or open it even wider to demonstrate your freedom? So the idea that a bunch of whackos in another country think they can restrict our freedom of expression, especially when we're not even of the same, or any religion, will be met with us opening our mouths wider, and we will express our freedom by drawing what they say we cannot.
yet another example of bias against the creatively disabled! what about those of us that can't draw a straight line to save our own lives??? (*)(*)(*)(*)ing racist bastards!
It would be like publically p*ssing on a treasured old Torah.. or tearing out the pages. Finding whatever is sacred to a particular religious group and desecrating it. Its like mocking the Holocaust.. Intelligent, civilized, responsible people don't do such things.
I disagree. Being told I'm not allowed to draw something is entirely different than saying don't urinate on our Torah. Being threatened from another country for cartoons in the USA doesn't fly.
It kind of spreads a bit of hate and is extremely disrespectful but in the end I don't think people should be held accountable for OTHER religion's beliefs. So... I can't help but say I support free speech. The idea that it becomes limited because of a single belief not held by everybody or anybody at all outside that religion is ridiculous. The videos stereotype a bit though.
Attacking what people hold sacred is stupid and provocative.. and deliberate. It endangers innocent people. May not resonate with you if you hold nothing sacred. PS... there are Muslims, Christians and Jews all over the world.
It isn't "stupid." It is provocative and deliberate. My drawing something endangers no one. Psychos who feign a position to tell me I cannot and decide for themselves to hurt people are the ones endangering people. I do hold some things sacred, such as my family. I'm not sure what the geographical distribution has to do with anything.
You're doing nothing but trying to get people hurt and angry. What is the point of that? Making a stand? It's like the teenager who gets a piercing behind her parents' back; such a rebel! Fight the power!
Of course your intent is to insult, sadden, inflame and provoke. Don't plead innocence. It won't fly. http://www.politicalforum.com/current-events/182001-holy-books-unholy-actions.html#post3755257
No, I'm not trying to get anyone hurt. Yes, I am trying to get some people angry as a matter of reflection. Okay, so you're a pacifist willing to give up your freedoms anytime someone tells you you're not allowed to do something. More power to you. I'll keep fighting against the oppression.
It is not to insult, perhaps a little to sadden, not really inflaming, and most assuredly to provoke. I never pleaded "innocence," nor am I sure what you mean by it. Fact is, you cannot hold me accountable for what some religious freak does.
Let me try this from another angle. If the United States Government stated that no citizen was allowed to draw Muhammad, how would you react? If a muslim group stated that no citizen was allowed to draw Muhammad, how would you react? If the United States Government stated that no citizen was allowed to draw Jesus, how would you react? If a muslim group stated that no citizen was allowed to draw Jesus, how would you react? If the United States Government stated that no citizen was allowed to draw any images reflecting the bible, how would you react? If a muslim group stated that no citizen was allowed to draw any images reflecting the bible, how would you react?
Are you kidding me? The world is full of religious fanatics and nationalist freaks.. You are crwoing about your "Right" to insult and provoke them.. and disvow both intent and responsibily for the results.
Okay, none of you are allowed to draw anything about christianity ever again. If you do I will kill a nun.
If we cower in fear against these brainless thugs they win. Look at all the furor over the FL pastor who burned the Koran--look at how many Americans are blaming him for the actions of some brainless thugs in a desert 10,000 miles away...
So should they be stopped from participating? Should there be legal sanction? How should they be punished?
What endangers innocent people are cancerous ideologies that encourage murder as a means of getting your point across. IMHO.
Indeed. It's amazing how people shift that burden of responsibility, as if the religious freaks making threats and hurting people aren't responsible for their own mind and actions. Did I say amazing? I meant nauseating. My last post states that if anyone draws anything about christianity I'll kill a nun. I can't wait to see how they try to make that different from a muslim saying if anyone draws a picture of muhammad they'll kill someone. This ought to be good.
