What act could be considered a provocation to murder? The murdering or sexual assault of a loved one, perhaps? Infidelity? To The Independent's Isabel Conway, writing a film is one:
Ms Hirsi Ali, 36, became internationally known when a film she wrote provoked the murder of its controversial director, Theo van Gogh, by an Islamic radical in 2004.
She's not the only one. Arthur Max of the Associated Press agrees:
Elected to parliament four years ago, she became internationally famous when a film she wrote provoked the murder of its director, Theo van Gogh, by an Islamic radical on an Amsterdam street.
He further adds that "Her 11-minute film "Submission" got its director killed three months after it aired on Dutch television..."
Actually, many people agree.
It's a strange turn of phrase. If Ayaan Hirsi Ali provoked a murder by writing a film, then Theo van Gogh provoked his own murder by directing it.
I'd always considered the killer to be the one with the problem.
Legally, the list of what is considered a provocation to murder is small and the acts extreme. Culturally, are we expanding the list to include writing or directing films? Is this an example of a double standard based on origin or religion?
If we don't hold everyone who walks our streets to the same standards, then we become the ones with the problem.
Incidentally, Ayaan Hirsi Ali is moving to the United States. Hopefully she's put her murder-provoking ways behind her.
Posted by floridacracker at May 15, 2006 08:48 AMyeah VanGogh committed suicide, at least that's what I've heard... now, does that qualify as a batshit crazy comment or what ?
I kinda like the far reaching cultural implications myself, Donnah... I am definitely
gonna kill me a dump truck driver one of these days.
If someone had offed Martin Scorsese after he directed "The Last Temptation of Christ" would it be written that he'd provoked his murder?
Damn, they're selling that movie over at something that calls itself the "national Catholic weekly."
http://www.americamagazine.org/FilmMovieJesusStore.cfm
It's us holding other people to a lower standard because we think they're too freakish to meet our own. That might work out if they were far away and we were reading about them in National Geographic, but when they're on our soil, that kind of thinking just isn't going to work out.
Unless we want to change our minds about honor killings.
Seriously, getting killed because of someone's taboos and then having the papers blame you for it is low.
Europe is comprised of a collection of failing cultures in full retreat before an onslaught of unchecked legal and illegal immigration. When someone like Ayaan Hirsi Ali flees to America for her own safety, the apologists, appeasers, and above all, her persecuters will point and say, "See how she has run to America? This proves our point!"
Posted by: tfhr at May 15, 2006 10:14 AMBetter re-write history, because in this light, a lot of guys provoked their murder.
Posted by: Donnah at May 15, 2006 10:52 AMThese guys don't think before writing - they probably don't mean what they wrote. As for Ayaan Hirsi Ali, word has it she was thrown out of her apartment building. I sure hope the lady can have a decent life here.
Posted by: MaxedOutMama at May 15, 2006 01:11 PMI disagree with you on this. Just do a regular Google of "provoked the murder." See what you get.
For stories dealing with Western people there's one thing, for people from the East another. One story from India is about the father who felt such shame at his daughter's behavior he was provoked into murdering her.
If you yourself killed a director because of a movie, any movie, do you really think anyone would say you were provoked? I don't think they would. That's because you're held to a Western standard.
yeah I called my wife a bitch once..but I didn't really mean it..(btw I have never called her that, nor do i HAVE A REASON TO) .. I don't buy it, nah...these writers are inebriated on the whole 'motivational conspiracy' deal. Of course, this 'mindstream' has for its headwaters, world peace. In other words, if everyone was just 'selfless' we wouldnt HAVE a need to kill.
He brought it on himself...he should have shaved his eyebrows and cut out his own toungue instead.
Sort of like saying the pretty girl provoked her rape by wearing that skirt.
Posted by: TallDave at May 16, 2006 06:58 PM