{"id":380,"date":"2013-08-28T10:37:57","date_gmt":"2013-08-28T17:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/?p=380"},"modified":"2013-08-28T11:16:18","modified_gmt":"2013-08-28T18:16:18","slug":"representations-of-muhammad-in-out-and-about-the-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/representations-of-muhammad-in-out-and-about-the-box\/","title":{"rendered":"Representations of Muhammad, in, out, and about the box"},"content":{"rendered":"

by David Raffin<\/em><\/p>\n

If a cartoonist draws Muhammad, he or she invariably will frame that drawing between four straight lines, a graphic representation of a box. Herein lies a problem: Nobody puts Muhammad in a box.<\/em><\/p>\n

Muhammad in the Box was a toy popular in the fifties. You turned the crank and it played a tune. But Muhammad never popped out. Angry parents would take the toy to the manufacturer and complain. The manufacturer invariably told them that Muhammad does not “pop out.” Such would be unseemly.<\/p>\n

Some asked if Muhammad was really in the box. Here the manufacturer had to be clever. He said that Muhammad was, in fact, simultaneously in the box and not in the box at the same time. Possibly with, or without, a cat. \u201cIs he or isn\u2019t he?\u201d they would ask. And he would reply \u201cIt depends on whether you want him to be. Do you want him to be? Are you looking? What are your expectations? Would you know him if you saw him? Would you know him from Jack? Perhaps you and your questioning are really the issue here.\u201d
\nIn this way, while there was never a no-return policy, the lack of returns was assured.<\/p>\n

Sometimes people would journey to the manufacturer and ask, \u201cIf Muhammad is in the box, what is he doing in there?\u201d and associated questions like, \u201cHow did he come to be in the box, if that is where he is?\u201d and \u201cIs there possibly anyone else in there?\u201d sometimes followed by \u201cand how do they get along?\u201d Occasionally a traveler looking for answers would become clever and ask, \u201cAre we even talking about the same Muhammad? It is a very common name.\u201d
\nThe manufacturer would say, \u201cNo one knows\u201d \u201cIt is matter for the scholars\u201d \u201cHow is it any of your business?\u201d \u201cWith the utmost hospitality, as is the custom\u201d and \u201cLook in your own heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fast food outlet Muhammad in the Box makes the best falafel, granted the locations are difficult to find. They neither advertise or have a logo. But their falafel is the best.<\/p>\n

Falafel in Europe, an experience in hospitality<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Falafel stands are fairly ubiquitous throughout the world. You can buy a falafel about as cheaply as a hashish brownie in Amsterdam. Once, when I was alone in the city, I stopped at a small falafel place. I was the only customer. Here I was witness to the famous Middle Eastern hospitality. Arabs are actually renowned for their hospitality. I can only say I was treated very well for a guy who walked into a place and only spent \u20ac4.50. It\u2019s more expensive to eat at Burger King (they have them but that doesn\u2019t mean you should eat there).<\/p>\n

Culinary deception!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you ever gone to an Indian restaurant, eaten, then stood and shouted, \u201cAre you telling me this is Pakistani food?\u201d I have.
\nAll I can say is \u2014 they take it graciously.<\/p>\n

I understand the reticence of the Pakistani immigrants to name their resulting restaurants \u201cPakistani\u201d and going instead with the more common \u201cIndian.\u201d I get it. No one knows what Pakistani food is. Rarely, if ever, do people outside of Pakistan declare \u201cHoney, let\u2019s eat Pakistani food tonight.\u201d Come to think of it, they don\u2019t say that in Pakistan either. I don\u2019t think they commonly use the endearing nickname \u201choney.\u201d I think most of them, being 70% Sunni Muslim, prefer the more common middle eastern term of endearment, \u201csohniye.\u201d Wait. That\u2019s just Punjabi for \u201cbeautiful girl.\u201d There is a lot of interchange in endearment.\u2028But that is neither here nor there.<\/p>\n

What it is \u2014 is culinary deception. When I go out for Indian food I don\u2019t want Pakistani food foisted on me as Indian food; and I certainly don\u2019t want Indian food foisted on me when I go searching for Pakistani food.<\/p>\n

I tell you, that is as offensive as lacing mock apple pie with real apples.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/davidraffin.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by David Raffin If a cartoonist draws Muhammad, he or she invariably will frame that drawing between four straight lines, a graphic representation of a box. Herein lies a problem: Nobody puts Muhammad in a box. Muhammad in the Box was a toy popular in the fifties. You turned the crank and it played a tune. But Muhammad never popped out. Angry parents would take the toy to the manufacturer and complain. The manufacturer invariably told them that Muhammad does not “pop out.” Such would be unseemly. Some asked if Muhammad was really in the box. Here the manufacturer had...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13,12,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-my-books","category-writing"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3u13S-68","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":829,"url":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/representations-of-muhammad-for-charlie-hebdo\/","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":0},"title":"Representations of Muhammad [for Charlie Hebdo]","author":"David Raffin","date":"January 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"in, out, and about the box [for Charlie Hebdo] If a cartoonist draws Muhammad, he or she invariably will frame that drawing between four straight lines, a graphic representation of a box. Herein lies a problem: Nobody puts Muhammad in a box. The Muhammad in a Box was a toy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2750,"url":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/coffee-gives-gas-the-musical\/","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":1},"title":"Coffee gives gas the musical","author":"David Raffin","date":"November 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The day you could no longer buy leaded gasoline was the saddest day for every waiter in America who was dependent upon the \u201cleaded\u201d or \u201cunleaded\u201d joke whenever approaching a table to offer caffeinated or decaf coffee. Now the coffee service was a hollow gesture. A mechanistic gruel. 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Me: Confined all my emotions to a cardboard box and taped\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "My books"","block_context":{"text":"My books","link":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/category\/books\/my-books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":127,"url":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/scenic-cesspools\/","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":3},"title":"Scenic Cesspools","author":"David Raffin","date":"May 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"My book \"Scenic Cesspools & other indignities\" came out May 1. Scenic Cesspools is a tragi-comedy about work. With just enough time travel. And a bucket of grease which has something to do with free will. Possibly everything. Scenic Cesspools\u00a0is the story of a kid who is pulled into his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scenic Cesspools","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/SCcover-197x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":723,"url":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/cursed-objects-and-the-purchase-thereof\/","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":4},"title":"Cursed objects and the purchase thereof","author":"David Raffin","date":"June 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Not every item at The Old Curiosity Shop is cursed. In fact, those that are we keep safely behind the counter. You may only gaze upon them in the presence of our highly trained staff. Touching is forbidden unless you are over the age of eighteen and are certified to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Writing"","block_context":{"text":"Writing","link":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/category\/books\/writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2019,"url":"https:\/\/davidraffin.com\/weblog\/moaning-joe\/","url_meta":{"origin":380,"position":5},"title":"Moaning Joe","author":"David Raffin","date":"November 20, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The day you could no longer buy leaded gasoline was the saddest day for every waiter in America who was dependent upon the \u201cleaded\u201d or \u201cunleaded\u201d joke whenever approaching a table to offer caffeinated or decaf coffee. Now the coffee service was a hollow gesture. A mechanistic gruel. 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