Star Wars Lego stirs Muslim outrage

[Stelio Kontos]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...336932,00.html



Turkish Austrian community insulted by Lego model which it says bears similarity to important Muslim symbol.

Can Lego offend the world's Muslim community? Definitely, according to the heads of the Turkish community in Austria.

A statement was posted on the community's website that the Star Wars themed Lego model of "Jabba's Palace" bares insulting similarities to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

The British Telegraph reported the Turkish community publicly demanded that the company apologize for its offense against Islam.

Jabba the Hutt was an arch-villain in the successful Star Wars movie franchise. His palace is the setting to several memorable scenes including Han Solo's imprisonment and Princess Leia's short slavery stint.

"The terrorist Jabba the Hutt likes to smoke a hookah and have his victims killed," the Turkish community website said.

"It is clear that the ugly figure of Jabba and the whole scene smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Asians and Orientals as people with deceitful and criminal personalities.”

The Turkish organization said it is considering taking legal action against Lego for inciting racial hatred and insulting human dignity.

The Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian basilica, built during the days of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great around 300 CE.

The church was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian I to become the world largest church.

Through the ages the structure suffered earthquakes, looting, fires and many renovations, and was repurposed by the Ottomans to become a mosque (1453).

Today the Hagia Sophia functions as a church and a museum for Byzantine art.

Lego denied any similarity between Jabba's Palace and the famed mosque and said the Lego is based on the movies alone.

The Company expressed its regret over the Turkish organization's mistaken interpretation.


So wait, let me get this straight: Turks in Austria are crying racism against Turks and Muslims over an American science fiction building which bares a minor passing architectural resemblance to a church built by Greek (and Hellenized non-Greek) Christians?

I am boggled.

[Deleted]

You cant do fuck all these day's without somebody being outraged it's pathetic.

[Deleted]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...336932,00.html



Turkish Austrian community insulted by Lego model which it says bears similarity to important Muslim symbol.

Can Lego offend the world's Muslim community? Definitely, according to the heads of the Turkish community in Austria.

A statement was posted on the community's website that the Star Wars themed Lego model of "Jabba's Palace" bares insulting similarities to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

The British Telegraph reported the Turkish community publicly demanded that the company apologize for its offense against Islam.

Jabba the Hutt was an arch-villain in the successful Star Wars movie franchise. His palace is the setting to several memorable scenes including Han Solo's imprisonment and Princess Leia's short slavery stint.

"The terrorist Jabba the Hutt likes to smoke a hookah and have his victims killed," the Turkish community website said.

"It is clear that the ugly figure of Jabba and the whole scene smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Asians and Orientals as people with deceitful and criminal personalities.”

The Turkish organization said it is considering taking legal action against Lego for inciting racial hatred and insulting human dignity.

The Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian basilica, built during the days of the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great around 300 CE.

The church was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian I to become the world largest church.

Through the ages the structure suffered earthquakes, looting, fires and many renovations, and was repurposed by the Ottomans to become a mosque (1453).

Today the Hagia Sophia functions as a church and a museum for Byzantine art.

Lego denied any similarity between Jabba's Palace and the famed mosque and said the Lego is based on the movies alone.

The Company expressed its regret over the Turkish organization's mistaken interpretation.


So wait, let me get this straight: Turks in Austria are crying racism against Turks and Muslims over an American science fiction building which bares a minor passing architectural resemblance to a church built by Greek (and Hellenized non-Greek) Christians?

I am boggled.

what doesn't stirr up religious outrage? ... i think raping children/women. they handle this quite calmly ...

[Stelio Kontos]

what doesn't stirr up religious outrage? ... i think raping children/women. they handle this quite calmly ...

No need for anti-religious bigotry in this topic, I don't want it closed down. This is more a topic about misguided nationalism. I doubt Arabs would really care, honestly.

I still don't get how looking like a Byzantine Greek church is somehow insulting to Turks. That basilica was there for many, many centuries before they even rode out of central Asia and migrated into the land they call Turkey today.

[Cybran]

How about they make the Temple a church again and then it won't bear any resemblance at all.

[Stelio Kontos]

How about they make the Temple a church again and then it won't bare any resemblance at all.

Us Greeks will never be allowed to use Hagia Sophia for worship, it's just not going to happen unless by some bizarre circumstance the demographics and borders change over generations and Greeks begin moving back.

[Budong]

I'm starting to think Islam is a disease that removes multiple layers of skin instead of a religion.

I also am outraged against these people's assault on reason. I'm considering legal action against anyone who is offended by Lego blocks or hookah smoking puppets. How dare they be offended by someone re-purposing an image of something they re-purposed first.

Infracted

[Shadock]

No need for anti-religious bigotry in this topic, I don't want it closed down. This is more a topic about misguided nationalism. I doubt Arabs would really care, honestly.

I still don't get how looking like a Byzantine Greek church is somehow insulting to Turks. That basilica was there for many, many centuries before they even rode out of central Asia and migrated into the land they call Turkey today.

I am assuming that since the church has been under the control of Turks and Muslims for a long time now, such that the Hagia Sophia has now become a part of the Turkish and Muslim culture, having a terrorist character's palace resemble such a structure has conjured the idea of accusing those people of terrorism.

Since such accusation is present for a long time, this lego model supposedly carries it further, thus the outrage...

I am a Turkish Muslim myself, and I do hate the stereotypes against Muslims, however what I hate more is the ridiculous outrages they keep making, which causes nothing but more hatred against them...

[Okacz]

No need for anti-religious bigotry in this topic, I don't want it closed down. This is more a topic about misguided nationalism. I doubt Arabs would really care, honestly.

Nope, this has to be said. There are people out there who do outrageous things, who even claim that it's good to rape a western woman. And those people, or people being led by them, dare to feel offended by Lego Star Wars? It could make a great joke if it wasn't so scary. And of course - Europe and America is too scared of Muslims, so they do what they want. This needs to end quite soon.

I'm not racist. Islam is just as good an religion as Christianity is - it's a moral code, a way to live, a guide, a suggestion of possible better plane of existance called "God" and ways to reach it. I'm Christian myself and I don't have anything againts Islam. But when ANY religion starts threatening world balance, well, things are going to end bad. Even if it's a total minority of Muslim extremists.

[Deleted]

Already been discussed here
Ended up in a lock sadly because people cant discuss this properly like adults and not resort to bashing a religion due to the actions on a minority.

[Cybran]

Us Greeks will never be allowed to use Hagia Sophia for worship, it's just not going to happen unless by some bizarre circumstance the demographics and borders change over generations and Greeks begin moving back.

If Turkey believes they can restart their Ottomanism and keeps its role as an aggressor in the region and it's ambitions to economically and politically invade its neighbors they will be left alone quite fast. They have one of the biggest land armies in Europe. What are they preparing for?

Look at their Kurdish minority. They treat them like dirt the the world doesn't care. NATO is enabling their sick ambitions and i am afraid they will push their luck sooner or later.

[Darksoldierr]

Muslim extremists are the stupidest people on earth, just ignore them and this world would be a happier place.

[Stelio Kontos]

If Turkey believes they can restart their Ottomanism and keeps its role as an aggressor in the region and it's ambitions to economically and politically invade its neighbors they will be left alone quite fast. They have one of the biggest land armies in Europe. What are they preparing for?

Look at their Kurdish minority. They treat them like dirt the the world doesn't care. NATO is enabling their sick ambitions and i am afraid they will push their luck sooner or later.

America and NATO have armed Turkey to the teeth. It's easy to do, they're far away from the Turks and never had to endure what the neighboring countries had to. They massacred thousands in northern Cyprus and NATO turned a blind eye. They massacred thousands in Kurdistan. Hell, the West can't even seem to get the balls to recognize the genocides the Turks carried out in the early 20th century.

But hey, let's arm them to the teeth, what's the worst that could happen?

At this point, American favoritism for Turkey is so prevalent it wouldn't surprise me if America gives Turkey the green light to try and invade my country (Greece) due to its economic problems.

[Lilfrier]

My little brother got this Lego set for Christmas. I had no opinion of it until now, and it is now my favorite Lego set in all the world, just because it caused this hilarious joke of a mess.

[ZenX]

If Turkey believes they can restart their Ottomanism and keeps its role as an aggressor in the region and it's ambitions to economically and politically invade its neighbors they will be left alone quite fast. They have one of the biggest land armies in Europe. What are they preparing for?

Look at their Kurdish minority. They treat them like dirt the the world doesn't care. NATO is enabling their sick ambitions and i am afraid they will push their luck sooner or later.

Maybe 40-50 years ago, but not now.

On the topic of the Lego figure resemling Hagia Sofia, seems the guys have not been able to find anything to pick on and went for a resemblence that has normally there for almost 30 years.

If they would have been really caring about the virtues of Islam being mocked they'd have been better off warning their zealous fellows in Egypt or Tunisia who have been going against those very virtues painting their landmass with blood.

America and NATO have armed Turkey to the teeth. It's easy to do, they're far away from the Turks and never had to endure what the neighboring countries had to. They massacred thousands in northern Cyprus and NATO turned a blind eye. They massacred thousands in Kurdistan. Hell, the West can't even seem to get the balls to recognize the genocides the Turks carried out in the early 20th century.

But hey, let's arm them to the teeth, what's the worst that could happen?

At this point, American favoritism for Turkey is so prevalent it wouldn't surprise me if America gives Turkey the green light to try and invade my country (Greece) due to its economic problems.

Yeah it wasn't the the aforementioned people that got massacred who with the orientation of the British had tried to threaten the sovereignty of Turkey with every chance they've gotten so far.

[Deleted]

A bunch of nutjobs that should be ignored. Don´t like it, don´t buy it. Don´t push your medieval filosophy on the rest of the world.

[Deleted]

Hahahahaha
Hilarious.

Firstly it looks nothing like th Hagia Sophia, i can only assume these people complaining have never seen it.
Secondly, evn if it did, it still insane

[Stelio Kontos]

Yeah it wasn't the the aforementioned people that got massacred who with the orientation of the British had tried to threaten the sovereignty of Turkey with every chance they've gotten so far.

You do know the British killed Greeks in Cyprus, right? I know Kemalists tend to have a persecution complex, but it's just silly in this case.

[Zephyr Storm]

Those idiots are really grasping at straws. The actual Lego structure hardly bears any resemblance to Hagia Sofia. The closest it comes is the rounded design of the building....that's it. And it's based off of a science fiction movie where the palace actually looks like the Lego set does. Idiotic people wanting the spotlight/wanting people to feel sorry for them/thinking everyone is out to get them. Muslims really need to tone it down a notch.

[NatePsy]

I'm sorry but I'm not seeing any resemblance to the Hagia Sophia.. I'll proudly flip my middle finger at the community complaining about it.