Oh, come on!
I would never go to Saudi Arabia and shout that the ruling sheikhs go with whores and that Mohammed wasn’t a true prophet but a self-publicist whose campaigns were funded by his astute wife’s market-dealings. I would show that kind of reserve only out of respect for the political and religious sentiments of the people who might overhear, but mainly because I wouldn’t want to end up in the hands of the police, being prosecuted in some shariah court.
If we look askance at Islamic and totalitarian states for that kind of behaviour, then we should also be looking askance at ourselves when we read something like this story in today’s newspaper.
The Times, Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Charged with insulting PM, Cabinet and religion
A Libyan national was yesterday charged with threatening five police officers and insulting the government and vilifying the Roman Catholic religion when he was escorted to the Ħamrun police station on Monday.
Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani heard Rashad Mabruk, 34, who resides in Valletta plead not guilty to threatening the police officers, making false accusations against the police and disregarding their orders between 7 and 9 p.m. in Ħamrun. Mr Mabruk also pleaded not guilty to insulting the government and the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the police and vilifying the Roman Catholic religion by claiming the host is nothing more than a biscuit.
He was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €4,658 (Lm2,000).
I know that insulting the president is against the law (and for goodness’ sake, it shouldn’t be), but insulting the government? When did that become a crime? We insult the government all the time, and we damn it, too – haqq il-gvern is practically a registered expletive. The Labour Party has spent the last 20 years insulting the government. The government is insulted by newspaper columnists every day of the week, and by Super One almost every minute. It’s a free country. We’re free to insult the government. Maybe if we were living in China, which Joseph Muscat so admires, things might be a little different. But Chinese laws have no place in Malta.
And as for insulting the Roman Catholic religion – oh, please. What would we say if we were arrested in Iran for insulting Islam? We would say that they were backward savages who haven’t a clue what democracy and freedom of speech are. And we would be right. Well, with this kind of legislation, the same applies to Malta. It’s just not consonant with the 21st century.
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Sorry Daph,
But this time I don’t agree with you! Maybe to argue against the government might be acceptable, but for someone to insult our religion is not acceptable. To critise is accepted, but to insult is another thing whatsoever.
I’m not basing my argument on the fact that if you criticise Islam or worst insult anything related to the Muslim faith, you are afforded a death sentence wherever you are. My basic argument is that no one has a right to INSULT. Criticise is accepted, but insulting is not. Two different approaches which are very different.
Thanks for the fab blog. Keep up the good job.
[Moderator – How do you define an insult, as distinct from criticism? The thing is, in the eyes of the law, the host really is ‘nothing more than a biscuit’. If I steal a box of hosts, I will be prosecuted for stealing a box of hosts, and not for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jesus.]
The difference between INSULTING or criticise is mainly in identifying the intention or scope of doing or saying something.
What was the intention or scope of the Libyan to insinuate that the host is just a biscuit? Was he saying it in a formal discussion or just to insult the Maltese in an anger situation? Was he aiming to offend by insulting against something which is dear to us as a nation?
I agree that anyone has a right to criticise, but not to insult aiming to offend.
Thanks again Daph.
[Moderator – Yes, that’s true, the distinction is important. But insulting someone with a fact is not illegal, most of the time it’s just a case of rudeness, which isn’t a prosecutable offence. Unlike Normal Lowell, the person in question didn’t make a libellous claim about an institution, a group of people or a person. He stated a fact: the host is a biscuit.]
This week I learnt about 3 crimes I never knew existed at all… what’s next?! Are they just making them up as they go along?
Well I agree 100% (because that’s the maximum)with what Daphne said. I just wish more and more people keep saying it.
Yes, so it pisses me of that a Libyan insults the government and the religion of the majority of this country. But having legislation which enables the police to prosecute those making these insults as a crime is ridiculous and unworthy of an EU country.
They might as well arrest me now, because I am always willing to let off with a few choice insults of my own.
Maltese Taliban disgust me! Go preach your fundamentalist drivel in Girgenti and shake a few magic shoelaces at your kids maybe they’ll pass their moronic common entrance exams.
@ Moderator
It is not my intention to enter into an ethical debate, however I tend to correct your statement. The Libyan made that remark as an insult to the Maltese faith! It’s like the difference between stepping on a natural wooden cross in the countryside versus to stepping and jumping on a cross found in a church, just to despise the christian faith. Criticise is one thing, but insulting someone’s faith just to despite it is not acceptable.
@ Guzeppi Grech
Please do try harder to offend me! However don’t mention our kids in vain. I might get offended then! ;)
That is the difference between criticising and insulting. Criticising parents using traditional beliefs or ‘magical potions’ for attaining saintly favours for kids to pass exams is understandable. However saying this remark to a parent passing through difficult times, (like kids suffering from long illness) might be offending. Parents passing through such a time many a times, only have faith to help them survive. ‘Insulting’ them during this period is not acceptable.
This can be seen as a practical example of the thin difference between the two.
Thanks guys/gals ;)
[Moderator – Damaging someone’s cross by jumping on it is one thing, calling a biscuit a biscuit is another.]
The irony is that Mabruk was telling the truth, including that bit about the host being nothing more than a biscuit.
Do I get prosecuted now?
Note: My email address can be procured from Daphne’s mystery moderator without the need for torture.
Sorry Guzeppi
I forgot to ask you wheteher I can borrow your turban!!! he he he
Heqq since I’m a taliban I need to dress like one hux??? ;)
I’m sure you can help me out……….
Mister Sorry, are you one of the Mr Men characters?
My kids used to love those tiny books. Now they love other things. But I really miss all of you Mr. Men.
@ Moderator
As I said earlier, the difference is in the intention.
I respect your beliefs… you respect mine!
No need to insult!
Joking about these issues is acceptable, but insulting is degrading other’s basic human right.
Maybe it’s a case of we agree not to agree! But please don’t ridicule other person’s beliefs just to make a laugh. You might hurt someone. I’m sure you understand.
Can I remove my turban now? he he he ;)
Nah, there are no Taliban here :)
Just a few superstitious folk who look for moral fortitude in the best-selling book of myths ever published.
Here, have a “velu” cause I’ve run out of turbans!
I am what many may consider quite religious, I try to be a good Catholic and try to raise my children in the same way.
I PERSONALLY take offense at what that person said.
However the charges are ridiculous. For heaven’s sake he was expressing an opinion, perhaps a tad insensitive to the likes of me but an opinion nevertheless. I obviously disagree 100% with him but agree 1000% to his right to disagree with me. And if I take offense (and I do) well, tough really. It’s a personal matter.
Also why was there need to mention that he was Libyan? Is it to incite more racial and religious hatred and bigotry?
Would he have been arrested had he been Maltese?
As to insulting the government – please!!!
Another thing, please remember that it is not the Church prosecuting him but the police i.e. the state.
I cannot see Archbishop Cremona calling for his arrest.
Guzeppi Grech, just because you don’t believe in something does not make it drivel.
@ europarl.
Sorry mr, have no idea who mr men are or were.
And by the way, my kids are still very young, but never came across these. Maybe you can help me. I still like kids’ characters. Make me feel kid again he he he
@ ALL
Please excuse me if I insulted anyone in here… Please do forgive me!! ;)
You’re right David Buttigieg, and I apologise.
Now, since I have proved without a shadow of doubt that I can express regret, unlike others:
Support my bid for leader!
http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/?p=303#comment-5361
An atheist was walking through the woods.
‘What majestic trees’!
‘What powerful rivers’!
‘What beautiful animals’!
He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out, ‘Oh my God!’
Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man , a voice came out of the sky. ‘You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don’t exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.’ ‘Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer’?
The atheist looked directly into the light, ‘It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian’?
‘Very Well,’ said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the fores t resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
‘Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.’
Hudu ja’ qatta ateisti!!! And yes, it’s me “Sorry”!. This time I’m not SORRY at all!! he he he….
@ Sorry Daph
In your first comment you say that you take offence when somebody offends ‘our’ religion. Do not automatically assume that your religion is the religion of the rest of the inhabitants of the country.
It would be interesting to know which law was applied here. Would the police have prosecuted had the insults been directed towards Islam or any other religion for that matter?
“My basic argument is that no one has a right to INSULT.”
I sincerely hope this is a joke.
Dear Ronnie,
I adopt policies throughout. If don’t insult, I expect other2 not to insult me! Very simple.
I do respect other religions as well. Heqq, that is our basic teaching in ‘my’ religion. Tajjeb hekk siehbi, halli ma ndahhalx lilek ukoll! he he he
@ Drew
Your basic argument is that no one has a right to INSULT. Yes I understood as much.
My point was; I’m just curious to know law was applied in this case and what the LAW actually states, since the guy was charged according to the law and not according to your basic argument :)
Ronnie, I was quoting “Sorry Daph.” I am all for freedom of speech and expression, even if that means spitting on the Bible (or the Koran, or the Satanic Bible) in public.
haha!
sorry about that :)
i redirect my comment to ‘sorry daph’
accept my humble apologies drew :)
@ Drew
Yes correct… No one has a right to insult another human being! NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.
Have a nice day Drew
“@ Drew
Yes correct… No one has a right to insult another human being! NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.
Have a nice day Drew”
You’re a raging nincompoop.
Sue me.
The massive problem with your logic is the subjectivity of the definition of word “insult.” What is an insult? Who decides what an insult is? You? The government? The Pope?
According to the dictionary: “To treat with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness.”
By definition, I find that abominable housewife show, “Becky”, to be infinitely insulting, vulgur, and offensive, and I look forward to the day the show gets cancelled. Should I sue the creators of the show for offending my morals and my intelligence? Or should I perhaps take the other easier option, that is change channel.
I also find obese women in skimpy clothing offensive. Racists, homophobes, fundamentalists, traditionalists, communists, scientologists, politicians, pseudo-intellectuals, Peppi, Rachel, boy racers, chavs… All these people explicitly insult my morals on a regular basis, and I would approve if they all ceased to exist.
If we had to criminalise insults, everyone would be in jail. Including you, because I find your comments greatly insulting.
[Moderator – Please don’t take Drew’s tongue-in-cheek comment literally.]
Respecting other people’s beliefs and sentiments is a must , especially if one is a ‘guest’ in a foreign country.
If you are in Thailand do not even try to utter a word against their monarchy , if you are in Saudi do not complain about women not driving , if in Egypt do not say a word against Mubarak, and in Indonesia do not complain about the morality police, and when in Malta guests should respect our traditions , sentiments and beliefs.
When the Danish cartoonists painted Prophet Mohammed ,they probably did not know that Muslims were insulted because it is not allowed in their religion to depict the Prophet . The people who reproduced the pictures knowing that Muslims would feel insulted , were highly disrespectful.
By hurting other people’s sentiments , europarl il-kawboj created more enemies . He and others are only abusing their freedom of speech.
[Moderator – I think the key words in that comment are Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Malta. You’ve inadvertently formed a neat little category. The point is that when an ultra-conservative community in one of those countries, like Gozo or Cairo, is exposed to change, its members have to deal with a huge amount of cognitive friction. Because they lack the mechanisms to deal with this friction – education, freedom of expression – they explode in terror. These events are called ‘flashpoints’, and they happened during the Brixton Riots, the Sette Gunio rioting, the Cartoon Crisis rioting and the incidents of violence associated with the hunting lobby that we’ve seen recently. Take a look at the Ten Commandments: you’ll notice that Christianity, like Islam, prohibits the worship of false idols (‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.’ Deuteronomy 5:8). From this, conservative Muslims draw the conclusion that the creation of an image of a living thing is tantamount to the worship of a false idol, and therefore sinful. This is why most mosques are decorated with intricate patterns, and not statues and icons. Most European Christians do not reach the same conclusion because they are equipped with the coping mechanisms that liberal democracies give their citizens, and not because Christianity is inherently more liberal than Islam (it isn’t). The proof of this is that, while Christians were busy burning people at the stake and pouring molten lead onto people who had been skinned alive (a punishment carried out during the Maltese Inquisition), Muslims were busy inventing algebra (al-gabara/il-gabra/the gathering), medicine and the public health service, and translating the works of Aristotle so that we may read them today.]
Sorry guys and dolls but I cannot tolerate a Libyan national to threaten my fellow country men, the police officers, my government whether PN or MLP and my religion. Who does he think he is? Why doesn’t he go to his country and do the same thing there. But he won’t do that as he knows that he will have his throat slit.
[Moderator – Well, your religion’s main teaching is ‘love thy neighbour’.]
Moderator, I love my neighbour more than you think. It’s arrogance that I don’t like.
Well well well congratulations to all of you champions of freedom of speech. Why don`t you all view the rampages and violence at the football stadium. There I think that the tifosi start of by having a free exercise of their freedom of speech by insulting their adversaries and then from mouthful of insults they proceed to full blown fights. Shall we sacrifice law and order for this pseudo freedom of speech. Be careful everybody. These sophistic arguments in favour of freedom of speech might be leading us all up a blind alley.
@ Drew
Zvugajt issa?? Phewww..
So according to you I’m a raging foolish person eh?? Pity you don’t know me!!! (Xi hsibt li int biss taf xi tfisser dik il-kelma li ma tezisti mkien??)…. eh.. never underestimate anyone, especially if he’s on the other end of a pc terminal….
I’m quite a lovable chap!! ;)
Provare per credere…. And don’t worry I won’t sue you… However I do empahatise with your low morale. Hopefully you’ll get out of this period soon….. heqq ma rridukx narawk daqstant down pupa :)
Smile Drew… :)
[Moderator – Drew’s comment was not to be taken literally.]
@ Moderator
Nice of you to teach us about history :) and most of all of the Muslim teachings…. Are you an Imam? ;)
Smile dear Moderator… The world will look much nicer …
AM.SA – If it were a European, would it make it OK for you?
@ John Schembri
i agree with the moderator. you inadvertedly put Malta in the same category as Egypt, Saudi, Thailand etc. :) Need one say more!
don’t know about you, but i’d rather if we tried to compare Malta to Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden ….
Daphne, as much as you can be very funny, most of the time, you have really crossed the line on this one.
What makes it worse, you have drawn a number of smart alecks anxious to imitate you with worse humour.
No, no one has the right to insult someone else and I am truly perlexed why you cannot distinguish between criticism (your explanation)and insult.
With regard to the host being described as a wafer, why would a sane Libyan insult a wafer, unless he had the explicit intention of insulting our belief? Whether you chose to practice our faith or not, is your business but for your edification, we believe that a consecrated host is indeed the body of Christ. If you choose to make fun of this under your right of free speech that is fine. But if you choose to call me stupid or crazy for believing, then that would be insulting me and yes, you have no right to do that.
I hope that this time my comments get through since several I wrote failed to reach their destination.
By the way, without being racist, may I ask if this Libyan is visiting? In that case his stay I hope, is a short one.
If he is on business, I hope nobody buys but make sure he has enough money to go where he came from, presto.
If he is married to a Maltese, I hope his mother-in-law does not lay her hands upon him or else may Allah be merciful to him!
There – those were a few comments – no insults and no intention to insult – except I wish the brat will meet justice.
@Moderator: I think we should ban smileys. This place is beginning to look like a 1990s rave.
@ Moderator
Some history hints… Not that I am an expert, however I still remember some of my professor’s notes during one of my history modules!
The Arabs made many of the inventions you mentioned at a much earlier period. The Arab culture flourished at a time much before they focused on the propogation ‘with the sword’ of Islamic faith around the world. Unfortunately, when Islam and other religions were afforded a higher agenda and priority on other socio-cultural issues, this reflected badly on the other subjects.
Nonetheless, one must also inform that the Arabs did have their bad habits even before the Knights and/or other christian military armies were even invented. Malta was a case in point. In fact, there was even a time, when the Arabs came to Malta and destroyed everything on the Islands and took everything with them. Locals were taken along as slaves and many of the exisiting buildings were demolished and stones taken to build other temples/buildings in Arab countries. It is thought that due to that savage attack, Malta was inhabited for a long period of time. (Only, if any, a limited number of the Maltese community managed to survive and kept living on the islands). It was after some decades that Arabs returned and rebuilt Mdina and other places.
I’m only saying this as a justice to history and nothing else. I just wanted to highlight that every civilisation, even if it was most cultured and sophisticated, had its own faults.
Have a nice day.
[Moderator – Yes, that’s the point. The relationship between Islam and the West has so far been cyclical. As one flourishes, the other immerses itself in obscurantism.]
@Daphne
May I suggest we issue a rule of only 1 smilie per post? Smilies are sometimes needed to illustrate the general feeling of the post. If smilies are not allowed, I think myself and Meerkat would be sworn enemies instead of blog buddies!!!
Amanda Mallia,
That’s my point – I did no see the need to stress that the person was libyan.
This apart from the fact that the charges are ridiculous. (Well except for the alleged threatening of police officers).
I repeat, I personally am offended by the remarks about the host, but it’s a personal matter and should definitely not be a crime!
I have a feeling that if this person were maltese or “white” he would not have been charged with anything.
Having said that I do get annoyed that if I said similar things in certain countries about other religions I could well be beheaded but still that does not make it OK for us to do it. Two wrongs never made a right.
@ Charged with insulting PM, Cabinet and religion
Anyone interested can wade through a couple of hundred pages on the subject of Insult Laws – An Insult to Press Freedom, by Prof. Ruth Walden of the University of North Carolina.
http://www.wpfc.org/site/docs/pdf/Insult%20Laws-Text.PDF
…of insults to religions…
“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it out from religious conviction”
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) Pensee >894
and of religions and humor….
Voltaire ( 1694-1778)
In his “Candide” makes “Pangloss” complain
of certain debauched pervert Catholic clerics who had the cheek to bath with beautiful boys but that “the most disgusting thing” was they were Muslim boys….
and of certain Muslims clerics who between one Surat and another…chopped christian pilgrims on their way to the Holy land…
Oh dear some things never change
I think things should be seen in the right perspective and within the context of the rule of law. If my understanding is correct, this person is accused of what is known as “vilipendju”, which is vilification of public officers and of religion. Public officers are entrusted with the execution of the law and as such they need to be protected by law in their capacity as public officers. This is what has to be understood. This is not a matter of vilification of a person but the vilification of that person in his capacity as a public officer exercising functions of the state. No one has a right to vilify a public officer exercising his function lawfully as otherwise public order would be undermined. This has nothing to do with giving extra protection to private persons. Extra protection is given to public officers in their offical capacity as representatives of the state not as private individuals just as stiffer penalties are imposed on them by reason of the fact that they are public officers if they commit certain crimes.
Articles 163-165 of our Penal Code (officially known rather inappropriately as the Criminal Code)also makes vilipendju an offence in regards to the Catholic religion and other religions tolerated by law, though in the latter case the penalties are smaller. One may agree or disagree with this provision but it is the law. If this person was behaving disorderly, the police are in duty bound to charge him with all offences they suspect him of committing.
The police have a duty to prosecute persons who break the law. On a purely human level, I think it is not unnatural for one to feel more offended when a foreigner offends his hosts in their own country. One feels more offended by one’s guest than by an outsider even if the offence is essentially the same. And this is even more so when the foreigner comes from a culture which is much less tolerant than ours. As we say in Maltese: “qed japprofitta ruhu”. Nevertheless, the law makes no distinction between Maltese and foreigners in its application.
@Sorry Moderator – you need to relearn your history. ‘The Arabs’ did NOT come to Malta and conquer ‘us’ because WE are the Arabs, or rather, their descendants. And that’s why we speak a derivative of Arabic and use Muslim terminology to describe Christian feasts (e.g. Mulied – the feast of the birth of Mohammed; Randan – Ramadan; genna – heaven; L-Ghid (the feast that marks the end of Ramadan and with us marks the end of Lent)….
@Amrio and Meerkat – this is not a dating agency, so please stop flirting.
@ Daphne
Sorry Daphe, but this time I think that you need to relearn our history…
Have a quick look at these:
http://www.maltavoyager.com/history_arabs.html
http://www.malta.cc/history.htm
Maltese originated from other countries before they ruled over Malta…
If you’re still not convinced I suggest you consult with Profs Anthony Bonanno (University Archaeology Department)who is the best known archaeologist so far on the Maltese Islands.
Take care
Since Daphne spent 4 years studying Archaeology I don’t think she needs any advice on who to consult. She knows most of them. Personally my favourite Maltese archaeologist is Profs Anthony Frendo, but he’s more of a world renowned expert in holy-land/bible Archaeology. Brilliant chap, studied and conducted field-work with the best.
@ Guzeppi Grech
Sorry Guz… The most renowned archeologist in Malta is Profs Anthony Bonanno. He has written books along with David Trump. Profs Bonanno is specialised in Maltese history. Maybe Daphne can confirm.
Thanks
[Moderator – My marbles are bigger than your marbles.]
@Apologist:
What part of “Personally” and “my favourite” Maltese archaeologist, did you not understand?
@Sorry Daphne – I think you will find that Professor Bonanno will tell you what I told you.
@ Daphne
Ma’ mara bhalek, (positive side ;) m’ghandikx alternattiva ohra!!!! Incedi!!!!
However I’ll try to go through some books again… isservini ghal xi haga din il-battikata …..
keep up the good job Daphne….. especially the socio-political aspect! You’re brilliant in that field… First of all you always manage to bring out certain issues which are not so obvious, and apart from that, you manage to make us laugh with your sarcastic attitude towards politics and political figures. Keep it up
I have studied archaeology extensively too and whilst we have Arab blood in us – just look at Norman Lowell’s features for proof – we are actually Arab, Jewish, Italian, Spanish and a whole “tahlita”.
We are a complete cocktail of “races”.
[Moderator – I always thought that was quite funny: the critic of multiculturalism, with a Saxon or Norman surname and North African features. It’s a bit like the Grandfather Paradox, isn’t it?]
Daphne et al,
History was my pet hate at school so I’m sure I could learn a few things from you learned scholars (I am not being sarcastic). But…
To say we are Arabs is taking it a bit too far no?
If it were so, who has built all the neolithic stuff we have in this marvellous islands – il-gremxul?
If I remember right, I think we are actually firstly traced to the Phoenicians – does that count as being Arab?
Or are you referring to the fact that with the advent of Arab rule, the inhabitants of the Maltese islands were virtually wiped out?
That would be a great blow for a friend of mine – he is convinced that he is a direct descendant of Il-Kbir San Pupulju…
[Moderator – I don’t think the temples were built during the neolithic period – though I’m not completely sure about this. Either way, the Maltese islands must have been deserted many times, and possibly for centuries at a time, after the temples were built. So it is more likely that they were built by il-gremxul, as you say, than that we are the direct descendants of those who built them. The myth that we are descended from the Phoenicians is just that. I know that the ‘Phoenician Origins theory‘ on Wikipedia suggests that Maltese people are descended from Phoenicians and early Maronites (explaining the origin of Christianity in Malta, so they say). The entry cites a study which claims that Malta was settled by people from the Levant within the past two millennia, and ‘that points to the Phoenicians’. The first point is fair enough, but what they should also say is that Phoenicia was conquered by the Persians 500 years before this supposed settlement began to take place, and the nation was completely destroyed by the Roman Empire by the end of the Punic Wars, 400 years later.]
@ Daphne
Just saw your comment about dating agency.
He started it! hehe
That there may be some Arab genes in the Maltese population is undeniable but the most recent studies of the Y chromose by University of Malta geneticists revealed that Maltese men share the same genetic make-up as Sicily and Southern Italy up to Calabria — of course, Arab speakers occupied these places too in the middle ages. I say “Arab Speakers” not necessarily Arabs. Of course, since then a huge influx of Europeans took place. Frederick II Hohenstaufen(stupor mundi) expelled muslims from Malta in the 13th century, though those who converted were allowed to stay. One can argue that Arab genes today are not prevalent in modern Maltese. That we speak the most Latinized from of Arabic dialect today is not necessarily an indication of ethnic or genetic significance.
Rather than archeology, one may read history in this connection and Charles Dalli’s book “Malta, the Medieval Millennium” is one of the best.
I will give more examples how to respect the locals’ feelings when one is a guest in a foreign country , in South Korea one should never mention the Japanese , in Finland people feel insulted if someone praises the Russians , one should never speak about the Nazi period to a German or tell an American that the Arabs within their country attacked successfully The Pentagon(they try to forget that).
The message is always :” You are our guest in our country , so please respect our traditions and our feelings”
Now dear Ronnie & Moderator I changed my “keywords”.
[Moderator – Yes, but will you be arrested for offending a national in either of those countries?]
Slightly at a tangent (OK, drop the slightly)
Have a look at this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouDRDzqTu0M
@ Mod
Your call to allow or not : )
Anybody who loves freedom of expression and the rule of law can only thank Daphne for this post, whether he be Catholic, Muslim or Scientologist.
The horribleness of the charges brought against this man is that first and foremost (other than the ones relating to resisting arrest and breaking the public peace) that they are not based on law. Daphne is correct to state that only insulting the President is a prosecutable (and archaic) offence under Maltese law – otherwise, insulting any person only becomes a prosecutable contravention on the complaint of the injured party. The reason for this is that people DO have a right to express themselves freely – if others take offence at that they have legal remedies in certain cases, but it is certainly not the police’s business to prosecute some individuals arbitrarily.
The second horrible aspect is that this is actually a blatant case of discrimination on the part of the police prosecutor. They only brought the insult charges because this man is foreign and Muslim. Like Daphne said, people insult the PM and Cabinet every day. People call the host a lot of unflattering things every day in front of police officers (try going to a football match at Ta’Qali), and I’ve heard loads of police officers do the same themselves. In the prosecuting officer’s opinion, does this man’s insulting the host by stating a scientific fact about it constitute a more heinous offence than adding a lot of adjectives to it?
Let’s hope that the Magistrate sees through this hogwash and three cheers for Daphne.
@ moderator , if you try to speak in favour of Nazism in Germany , I think you will be arrested, and prosecuted.
I have known some German workers who are of the opinion that Hitler did nothing wrong except that he should have persecuted the Arabs instead of the Jews.
Should such statements be expressed in public without one being arrested?
[Moderator – Germany’s laws must be understood within the historical context of the state. Hosts are hosts – genocide is genocide.]
Allow me to share my two cents (ok it’s five eurocents now) worth on the Arabs-phoenicians debate.
Actually Phoenicians ARE Arabs as they originated in Syria. On the other hand, the North Africans that we usually call “Arabs” are offended when they are called so!!!
@ John Schembri
“@ moderator , if you try to speak in favour of Nazism in Germany , I think you will be arrested, and prosecuted.”
Forget the “I think”. YES, you will be arrested and prosecuted. In fact one may not for example apply for a personalized car registration plate with SS, SA, and/or other initials that may have Nazi connotations.
You may find this article interesting:
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/Holocaust/censor-nazi-net.html
However you have to keep in mind the reason for the heavy hand. The Germans feel that they have a cross to bear, and they will have to carry it for ever.
@moderator: it all boils down to respect, respecting the law even if I don’t agree , respecting other people’s beliefs even though they may sound silly .For you ” Hosts are Hosts” for a Catholic a Host is changed to the body of Christ when consecrated.It will not hurt you if the Catholic believes in this “mystery”, as far as you are concerned you lose nothing and gain nothing. When you state ” Hosts are Hosts” you will only hurt other people’s feelings and gain nothing. The same thing happened with the cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammed , the cartoonists did not respect other people’s feelings and beliefs and brought on themselves and their country only trouble.
When I was in a foreign country an American 18 year old used to stop me to try and convert me to his religion -I think The Mormons- which among other things states that one of the Tribes of Israel emigrated on a ship before Colombus , to America ; I did not believe this story ,but I respected this young lad and did not in any way try to ridicule his beliefs.
Why shouldn’t we consider everything in its context wether it is historical , cultural , religious or whatever?
One should respect other people especially if he/she is in a foreign country.
By the way, in the so called western civilisations we are enphasising on the freedom of expression and running roughshod on the freedom of religion. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Your freedoms stop where my rights start.
@ nobody in particular: if everyone who says ‘Haqq l-ostja’ (damn the host) were to be prosecuted, they would have to set up a special Insulting the Host court.
@SB – Syrians are NOT Arabs. They’re Syrians. Strictly speaking, Arabs come only from the region of Saudi Arabia, though the term can be stretched to include neighbouring states. It has come to be used for all speakers of Arabic and related languages (except the Maltese) by those who don’t speak Arabic. Those who do speak Arabic, on the other hand, prefer to be known as Egyptian, Tunisian, Algerian, Libyan and so on.
@ Daph : Now that is a very sound logical argument!