Does Freedom of Speech Allow Stereotyping?

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Courtesy Chicago CBS Local

These days, anything and everything can be uttered under the guise of free speech. We can hurt the religious sensitivities of others, call people names, stomp our foot on someone considered the son of God by billions. It’s all protected in the name of free speech. Don’t get me wrong, as an American Muslim I am indescribably thankful for the freedoms I receive in this great nation of ours. Without the First Amendment, I’d be unable to practice my religion freely, take time off for Friday prayers, invite friends over to my local mosque or even write posts such as this one in a Jewish publication. No doubt about it, freedom of speech is probably the greatest liberty and blessing we all enjoy here in the United States. But sometimes I think we misunderstand this freedom altogether.

I’m not talking about cartoon caricatures or disgusting films. I’m not even talking about equating prayers with terrorism. Regardless of how I or other Muslims may feel about such “free speech”, I think we can agree that people have the right to state their opinions, even when those opinions reflect the filth of their own minds. But sometimes we as Americans use this precious freedom to instigate, encourage and incite negative thoughts and actions against a group of people. Take the example of calling African Americans lazy… it’s not only highly offensive in principle but in practice such speech perpetuates negative stereotypes that belittle an entire group of people. I don’t think anyone, no matter how patriotic an American he or she may be, would condone such speech.

So when a card maker in New Jersey made a birthday greeting card portraying a little Muslim girl as a terrorist, I was surprised to see many pull out the free speech card. That the card included descriptions such as “She’ll blow your brains out” and “Hope your birthday is a blow out!” was more mystifying than anything else. What is the card maker trying to say? Are there many little-girl terrorists in the world today? Is there a connection between the hijab, which the girl was wearing, and terrorism or extremism, even though thousands of American women, both Muslim and non-Muslim, cover their hair in some fashion. The Chicago store carrying the card specializes in offensive material, but I call this more than offensive. After all, free speech can certainly be offensive speech, but should it be false or dangerous speech? Should we have the right to create myths and stereotypes about any group of people, be they African Americans, Jews, Asians or Muslims?

The Chicago Monitor, which covered the story, explains it best:

Notice that nothing identifies this doll as a terrorist in the minds of the card designers other than that she wears a Hijab. Moreover, she – like many Muslim girls who choose to wear the Hijab – is a smiling, non-threatening normal-looking female wearing a pink Hijab and a flower-patterned dress. The unmistakable message behind the “humor” is that even the most peaceful looking Muslims are synonymous and exchangeable with terrorists.

It goes without saying that many Muslims called the store to complain about the card. I encourage people of other faiths, or no faith, to do the same. The precious freedom of speech we all hold dear should never be limited, but stereotyping isn’t free speech. It’s a harmful, dangerous yet insidious way to hold down a group and deny them equality. Let’s not go down that road… again.

0 thoughts on “Does Freedom of Speech Allow Stereotyping?

  1. Freedom of speech is freedom of speech, but it only bothers you when if effects you. I have seen a parade of anti Semitic comments by someone who has posted here and claims to represent islam. he has called Jews garbage and scum. I dare say, the ACLU would defend the card maker, just like it would defend the rights of the hateful KKK. if the cards were published in Pakistan, the card maker would be facing the death penalty.

    • I think American law does make a distinction between free speech and hate speech. If this were a card showing Holocaust victims with rude captions, I wonder how long it would have been allowed to stay on the shelves. This was not even showing actual adults, rather a little girls…that crosses more than one boundary.
      Freedom of speech means to be able to express one’s opinions, and if the card makers and distributors thought that Muslim girls are a threat they can word their opinions and state their arguments if they like, and subsequently others can state their counter opinions and arguments. This incident is nothing more than cashing on hate speech and inciting pain and anger.

      • US law makes a distinction between free speech and hate speech that resulting hate based physical attacks. There are still white supremacist groups and of course either is Louis Farrakhan of The Nation of Islam.

    • Furthermore, anyone who left anti Semitic comments does NOT represent Islam regardless of what he “claimed.” I’m sure if I or any one of my Muslim friends had seen such a message, we would have condemned it as hate speech. The Holy Quran teaches us:
      “Surely, the Believers, and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians – whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah (God) and the Last Day and does good deeds – shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran Ch2:v62/63)

  2. The fact of the matter is, that the depiction of the head-scarf wearing girl on it, whether she’s Muslim or any other faith, is disturbing and sickening. And the message it is trying to spread, even more so.

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