In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on "hate speech". This is because exercising freedom of speech always takes place within a context of competing values.
The 'Submission' is a 10-minute movie showing a veiled woman, praying to Allah. The front of the veil is transparent and we can see the naked body of the woman on which verses of the Koran are written. During her prayer she professes here submission to Allah and her husband and other male members of the family, at the same time recounting acts of abuse and violence by these family members. The images of the praying woman are interrupted by images of parts of a mutilated female body. The contrast between the professed submission and the suffering undergone by that submission is stark and painful. Someone with a basic knowledge of Islam can imagine that this film is provocative, to say the least.
As a Muslim, I could choose to say nothing, but this movie has been very thought provoking, it is very controversial and people are in fact already stereotyping muslims in such a way that suits us, thinking that it relieves them from stupor and simply yet another trend. People love the hype, the passion it apparently commands. Sadly, it is 'cool' to hate, what merely is, one religion amongst many.
Still from the video Submission Part 1.
Reference:Wikipedia 2007, Define Freedom of speech [Online, accessed 27 Oct. 2007].URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech
Youtube 2008, Submission Part 1, What Theo Van Gogh was murdered for [online, accessed 7 Novermber 2008]
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnKxefgI15A&feature=PlayList&p=0ADFEC0F4F46A684&index=0&playnext=1
Kees Bakker 2005, The Good, The Bad, And the Documentary [online, accessed 7 November 2008]
URL: http://pagesperso-orange.fr/kees.bakker/goodbad.htm
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