Here is what an obviously upset Molly Norris has to say about it on her website-
I did NOT 'declare' May 20 to be "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day." I made a cartoon about the television show South Park being censored. (I wish that was what our energies were going toward -- protesting revolutionmuslim.com's threat to Comedy Central, and Comedy Central's over reaction to it which set America on a slippery slope toward censorship!)
At any rate, my satirical poster, with a fake 'group' behind it (Citizens Against Citizens Against Humor) was taken seriously, hijacked and made viral.
I never started a facebook page; I never set up any place for pepole to send drawings to and I never recieved any drawings (I see that two European graduate students and another woman started the facebook pages).
My one-off cartoon does not work well as a long-term plan. The vitriol this 'day' has brought out, of people who only want to draw obscene images, is offensive to Muslims who did nothing to endanger our right to expression in the first place. Only Viacom and Revolution Muslim are to blame, so...draw them instead!
I apologize to people of Muslim faith and ask that this 'day' be called off.
Thank you to those who are turning this crazy thing into an opportunity for dialogue.
Oh, and screw all of you who are mad at me for not leading a 'movement'. My cartoon was the beginning and end of what I had to say about this creepy, historic censorship. (By the way, where is Cowardly Central now? Pretty dang quiet. Guess they can dish it out but can't take it.)
Sincerely,
Molly
P.S. The nicest email I have received have been from Muslims.
I am sure that I am not the only blogger to receive the following e-mail from Miss Norris, which appeared in my comments for this post-
Hi,
Yes I have asked this 'event' to be cancelled, too.
More info on my site: http://www.mollynorris.com/
Thanks!
Molly
Although I am reasonably certain a great many other bloggers probably received the exact same e-mail, it would seem as though many of them just didn't get it. Or perhaps they purposely chose to ignore it. I would like to think better of Andrew Breitbart, yet in this post one of his fellow site bloggers, Andrew Mellon, purposely credits Miss Norris for starting the movement, with no caveat so far as I can see as to her true intentions.
As for her true reasons, I can only speculate. I take her at her word that she never intended for this to go viral, and that her intentions was purely satirical and aimed more at Comedy Central's cowardly decision to censor one of its own programs in response to a perceived threat from an Islamic organization. She might well at the same time be motivated by fear of assault on her self or her family, or for that matter she might have professional concerns. If so, this is all certainly understandable, and it is not for us to judge.
I will gladly, however, judge another comment that came just yesterday on the comments of the same post. Here it is in its entirety, from someone who identifies himself as Ramez Kakakhel-
Extremists exist everywhere they aren't limited to religion. Yes, Muslims are too much conservative about their religion and that sometimes raises issues but this doesn't mean every single one of them is that way.
All we ask for is " Please, Don't make fun of our religious figures". And I think this isn't much to ask there are millions of things the world can talk, chat, joke, argue, draw about. Whats the problem in leaving one, just-one thing of all those aside??
May be I will never be able to find out the answer. But you know it kind of feels bad when you request for a small thing and one is not even willing to fulfill that. I am a person that will add you to category of "not people" and go on living with the situation but not everyone does too than...
.
Whatever, Thanks for not participating for whatever reasons.
@mollydolly5 I respect your views in this regard.
Notice please the implied threat. He will go on living with the "situation" but not everyone "does too than". I will let my response to Mr. "Kakakhel stand on its own merits.
Ramez-
Okay I can answer your question for you, albeit with a question. Why should Mohammed get any kind of special consideration that is not generally afforded to Jesus Christ, Buddha, Krishna, Moses, or innumerable pagan Gods and Goddesses, the adherents of whom have every bit as much respect and devotion towards as you do towards Mohammed, or Allah?
The main thing is, the radicals bring this disrespect on themselves and on their religion. If they had just blown it off when the Danish cartoonist drew Mohammed, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. Believe it or not, their reaction is an inducement for people to disrespect them. Especially when they go around trying to burn down people's houses, issuing fatwas against them, and all others sorts of madness.
You all need to lighten up. If Mohammed and Allah are really all that great, they aren't going to be harmed by a cartoon, regardless of how insulting.
By the way, as I like to point out, there is a rich history of art dedicated to depictions of Mohammed. I have seen them and posted them. Admittedly, they are from Persia, thus probably Shiite, and I am aware there is some major differences. That being said, the artwork exists. Some of them are artistic renderings of Mohammed touring hell accompanied by the Buraq, and viewing the different people who are destined to endure eternity in hell. These are mainly women who have acted immodestly in one regard or another, which is another unfortunate aspect that leaves your religion rife for satire.
Whether you like it or not, America is and will remain a secular society with a very rich tradition of free speech, which includes criticism and satire, including of religious figures and religion itself.
Your religion is special only to you. You cannot expect to come here and be treated as though your faith deserves special consideration and protection above all others and expect us to take you seriously.
I could have added that if I had my way about it he and his ilk would not be here at all, but I was not in the mood at the time to start a dialogue with this person, who obviously thinks his religion should be treated with a degree of respect none others are either subject to or deserving of.
How long will it be before these fucktards are "politely requesting" that we refrain from outdoor barbecues involving meat from swine because one of them might inadvertently stumble on the scene and be subjected to the fumes? How long before they want minarets in every city to blare out the call to prayer five times a day and that when it does so everyone else should refrain from their daily business out of respect? How long before they demand that girls in public schools attended by Muslim children dress according to their definition of modesty?
Like I said in the previous post, although I don't care to participate in Everybody Draw Mohammed Day partly due to concerns for my own safety and that of my family, I will only be pushed so far, and I do not take threats lightly, nor should anyone else. As such, I wish good fortune to any who might wish to participate in Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, and if there was a winner, I might well post it. Otherwise I might just post my favorites.
After all, the main reason I personally won't participate is, simply, I can't draw worth a shit.
