“Burn this city to the ground
Take a torch and spread the fire”
Persepolis / Now a pile of dust
A blackened carcass / A land of ash
Persepolis / You lost your crown
Persepolis / Burned to the ground
Consumed by hate / Ablaze by pride
Persepolis / Naked as the sand……..” Persepolis (Septic Flesh)
“Tunisia on Tuesday denounced “American interference” in judicial affairs after the U.S. ambassador criticized a ruling that fined a television station boss for showing a film that depicted God. The U.S. ambassador in Tunis, Gordon Gray, last Thursday expressed “serious concerns” after a court fined the Nessma station’s chief executive Nabil Karoui for broadcasting the Franco-Iranian film “Persepolis”. “The declarations of the American ambassador to Tunisia constitute interference in Tunisian justice,” the foreign ministry announced in a statement reported by the official TAP news agency. “The Tunisian government declares itself to be deeply astonished” by these statements. The film, which looks at the Iranian revolution through the eyes of a little girl, features a controversial scene showing a depiction of God. Muslims consider portrayals of Allah to be blasphemous. Karoui was fined on May 3, 2,400 dinars (, $1,700) in a high-profile trial on conviction of “broadcasting a film that disturbs public order and threatens proper morals.” Gray then issued a statement saying that the verdict “raises serious concerns about tolerance and freedom of expression in the new Tunisia.”……..”
When the politicians currently ruling Tunisia were in opposition and in exile, they railed against the United States and the West for not opposing (and for supporting) the dictatorship of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. They also complained about repression and not allowing the freedom of expression under the old dictator. Now that they are in power, they have made a 180 degree turnaround about the freedom of expression: now they rail against the United States for asking them to allow freedom of expression.
When out of power, they wanted world powers to seek more freedom of expression in Tunisia; now that they are in power, they want world powers to stay out and not push for freedom of expression. That is ‘somewhat’ hypocritical. Somewhat.
Cheers
mhg
[email protected]