Much like the AI revolution, the Industrial Revolution held immense promise. It propelled society forward, shaping cities, fueling economies, and forging new paths of progress. Similarly, AI offers extraordinary possibilities—automating tedious tasks, enabling precision medicine, enhancing customer experiences, and more. It is a 'useful servant,' assisting us in tasks beyond human capabilities, saving time, and increasing efficiency. However, the Industrial Revolution brought its own hazards. A similar cautionary tale resonates in our AI-driven world. Increasingly sophisticated AI systems could lead to widespread job automation, digital misinformation, and an existential risk should AI surpass human intelligence.
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Writing Poetry in a Second Language: My Experiences and Insights
"Poetry is a beautiful form of expression that transcends the boundaries of language and culture. In his latest article, poet Omar Albeshr shares his experiences and insights into writing poetry in a second language and how his Arabic heritage has shaped his work. Join him on a journey of exploring both Arabic and English poetic traditions and discover how writing poetry in a second language can be a rewarding and enriching experience that fosters cross-cultural understanding and appreciation."
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The Power of Public Demand: How the Snyder Cut Movement Revolutionized Filmmaking
The Snyder Cut movement, sparked by fans of Zack Snyder's original vision for the 2017 film "Justice League," has brought about a new era in filmmaking. The movement, which called for the release of Snyder's original cut of the film, demonstrates the power of fan demand and the influence it can have on the entertainment industry. Learn how the Snyder Cut movement has revolutionized filmmaking, the implications it has for the future of alternate versions of films and why keeping fans informed and involved in the creative process can lead to a more positive outcome.
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Redemption in the Age of Cancel Culture: Is It Possible?
Is it possible for individuals to redeem themselves after being affected by cancel culture? In recent years, cancel culture has significantly impacted the careers of numerous notable figures. The question remains: is there a path to redemption for those who have been "canceled"? In some cases, such as with Lance Armstrong, the answer may be yes. However, the answer to this question may ultimately depend on individual people's beliefs, creeds, and "red lines." The power of the internet and social media has made it easier than ever for people to express their opinions and shape public opinion.
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On Freedom of Speech and Europe
Let me begin by saying that I am against any act of violence and firmly stand against terrorism in all its forms. What happened in France on the 16th of October 2020 is indefensible.
A 47-year-old teacher Samuel Paty showed children in his class two caricatures of Prophet Mohammed PBUH published by the satire magazine Charlie Hebdo. The very same images that sparked the 2015 incident, where terrorists murdered 11 staff members of the magazine and six bystanders in Paris. After some parents protested this incident and called for Paty to be fired from the school, a terrorist beheaded the teacher and posted it on social media before the authorities shot him dead. It goes without saying that this is considered an act of terrorism, and we as Muslims condemn this heinous crime. It stands against everything that Islam represents.
In reaction, the President of France Emanuel Macron called the incident an attack on the republic and their secular system, and projected the caricatures on government buildings under tight security. Two Muslim women have been stabbed in Paris since then.
The caricatures in question were designed particularly to cause offense and hurt the Muslim population, and depict racist, bigoted stereotypes of Muslims. The popular opinion in Europe has been that the caricatures represent freedom of speech, and that making fun of the Prophet PBUH is permitted under such freedom. But this incident is marred with controversy because of the double-standards that can make this defense seem discriminatory and prejudiced.
For example, to become more inclusive of marginalized groups, European countries have established official bodies to ensure certain words that used to be commonly used are not spoken or published anymore (‘political correctness’). Anti-Semitism, denial of the holocaust, or hate speech towards LGBTQ are also frowned upon. In 1988, when Salman Rushdie published his book The Satanic Verses, the book which sparked protests in many Muslim countries, the English court did not deem the work as offensive. But in that same period, it deemed an 18-minute video that was against the church offensive and banned it from distribution. In 2005 France's Catholic Church won a court injunction to ban a clothing advertisement based on da Vinci's The Last Supper fresco. The court's judge ruled that the display was "a gratuitous and aggressive act of intrusion on people's innermost beliefs" The advertisement featured a female version of the fresco, which consisted of a female Christ. French lawyer Thierry Massis said "When you trivialize the founding acts of a religion, when you touch on sacred things, you create an unbearable moral violence which is a danger to our children. Tomorrow, Christ on the cross will be selling socks."
Any kind of freedom has to have limits. Without limits it would infringe on other people's rights. No freedom is absolute. If I am free to play music in my own house, there is a limit to how loud I can play. The moment I cause discomfort to my neighbors, I am infringing on their rights.
Lawyers should advocate for laws to ensure that rights are established to protect all religions and faiths, to spare people's feelings from hate. We need to create a world where we all live in peace, to learn to co-exist, and help each other to live without hate in our hearts.
Sources:
BBC NEWS- French court bans Christ advert
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4337031.stm
Michigan Journal of International Law – Volume 32 Issue 4 - 2011
Islam in the Secular Nomos of the European Court of Human Rights - Peter G. Danchin
University of Maryland School of Law
https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=mjil