2006年VOA标准英语-Muslim Protests Against Prophet Cartoons S

By Sonja Pace
Damascus
07 February 2006
 
 
Anti-Danish protests in Jakarta
  
New protests erupted Tuesday across Asia and the Middle East over controversial cartoons that many Muslims see as an insult to the Prophet Muhammad . Meanwhile the prime minister of Denmark, where the cartoons were first published, has appealed for calm. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the deeply held views and basic cultural misunderstanding surrounding this issue.

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The series of 12 cartoons first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September. The editor in chief says that even though one cartoon depicts¹ the Prophet Muhammad as a bomb carrying terrorist, the picture was not meant to insult Muslims, but rather to spark a debate about Islam inside Denmark.

The cartoons have sparked less debate, than outrage². Islamic tradition does not allow any depiction³ of the prophet and Muslims feel that to portray⁴ him as a terrorist is not only blasphemy⁵, but defames their religion and culture.

Muhammad Habash, a professor at Damascus University and director of the Islamic Studies Center, and also a member of the Syrian parliament, tells VOA there is a very fundamental misunderstanding between Muslim countries and the West. He says in the West there is a long culture of separation of church and state, of faith and society. Not so, in the Islamic world.
 

Children protesting against cartoons of prophet in Basra  
  
"Here in the Middle East it is so different," noted⁶ Professor Habash. "We believe that religion is a part of our history, a part of our identity, a part of ours [us]."

He says people in the West simply do not understand that Muslims feel they must protect the image of the prophet and their religion with heart and soul.

Thousands of angry Muslims have taken to the streets in Arab capitals, in other Muslim countries and in Europe. Protests turned violent in Damascus last Saturday when angry mobs set fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies. On Sunday in Beirut, demonstrators burned the Danish consulate⁷ and then attacked a nearby church, threatening briefly⁸ to turn the protest into a sectarian clash. In London, a protest by Muslims took on very strident tones, with calls for revenge and for beheading those responsible for printing the cartoons.

There is a widespread sense that the anger expressed in the streets goes well beyond protests over cartoons and also expresses a general feeling by Muslims that the West does not respect them, their religion or their concerns.

Mohammed Habash says there may be some pent up anger being expressed - not only against the West.

 
Anti-Danish protests in Gaza
  
"Here in Syria, it is no secret, protests against anything, there is no chance. Maybe this is the first chance to launch these people into the streets to protest," he said.

Some analysts⁹ suggest the Syrian government, which normally controls any such action very tightly, may have been content to let the protesters vent¹⁰ anger and frustrations¹¹ against outsiders, diverting attention away from its own internal problems.

Whatever the case, Habash says it does not take away from the very deep feelings here about just how offensive those cartoons are to Muslims. And that, he says is something the West must understand.

1 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

2 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

3 depiction   

n.描述

参考例句：

• Double rhythms, resounding through the lyric depiction and connecting with each other, indicate the thespian place of mankind and the cognition of the writer to this thespian place. 这双重旋律互为表里，表明了人类的某种悲剧性处境以及作家对这种悲剧性处境的感受和认识。
• A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. 日常家居生活的写实画。

4 portray   

v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等)

参考例句：

• It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
• Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗？

5 blasphemy   

n.亵渎，渎神

参考例句：

• His writings were branded as obscene and a blasphemy against God.他的著作被定为淫秽作品，是对上帝的亵渎。
• You have just heard his blasphemy!你刚刚听到他那番亵渎上帝的话了！

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

8 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

9 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

10 vent   

n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄

参考例句：

• He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。
• When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

11 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。