[Industrialblog,
February 3, 2006]
Round up of links on the Danish cartoon fight
Michelle Malkin has an excellent round-up of links on the Danish cartoon issue.
You can find the cartoons, which are pretty much innocuous, here.
The issue of cowardice is simple: CNN wouldn't have hesitated to show something offensive to any other group. But they're afraid of Muslims, so they created a pretense of respect.
The issue of real respect is different. Ron, in the comments to the last post, discusses how as an editor he would've shown respect for both Muslims and Christians. Fine. That's one thing.
But CNN has never hesitated to talk free speech before. And now, suddenly, in the face of intimidation, they find religion. Better stuff is at Michelle's Web site.
This is a crucial fight. Muslims need to understand that they simply cannot come to our countries and dictate terms to us. If they can't live with free speech, they need to get the fuck out of our countries. Pretty simple.
You can find the cartoons, which are pretty much innocuous, here.
The issue of cowardice is simple: CNN wouldn't have hesitated to show something offensive to any other group. But they're afraid of Muslims, so they created a pretense of respect.
The issue of real respect is different. Ron, in the comments to the last post, discusses how as an editor he would've shown respect for both Muslims and Christians. Fine. That's one thing.
But CNN has never hesitated to talk free speech before. And now, suddenly, in the face of intimidation, they find religion. Better stuff is at Michelle's Web site.
This is a crucial fight. Muslims need to understand that they simply cannot come to our countries and dictate terms to us. If they can't live with free speech, they need to get the fuck out of our countries. Pretty simple.
(1) Admit their error in publishing material offensive to Christians and give them the same benefit as Muslims, or
(2) Publish the cartoons.
My choice would be (1).
That said I also do not believe people need to take a stand on every issue. Sometimes it's just better to concede a point temporarily. Since I believe our own actions in Iraq and in the Palestinian issue are deplorable, I am willing to bend over backwards to appease Muslim sentiment.
Anyone who wants to understand terrorism should read "The Gun and the Olive Branch," by David Hirst, the best history of the Palestinian conflict. Our host has promised to do so and I look forward to his comments.
Free speech is not a battle worth fighting? Free press is not a battle worth fighting? An open society is not worth fighting for?
This is exactly a battle worth fighting. The question is, "Do we allow Muslims to come into our countries and impose their rules on us through violence and intimidation?" The answer is no.
A free exchange of ideas is the basis of a free society.
Why are these pictures getting so much play in this neo-Free Speech movement and not pictures of, say, Little Black Sambo, or hardcore porn, or other things I could describe but will not out of respect for the sensitivities expressed (and clearly and deliberately trod upon by me) in the previous post's comments? Certainly some people would take offense at these images, but, hey.
It is disingenuous to pretend that this is a discussion of free speech. There's a difference between freedom of expression, a free exchange of ideas, and deliberate provocation by direct offense against religious tenets. It's not necessary, it's not helpful (go ask the State Department), and it sure as hell ain't Christian. (Go ask your priest.)
Now, when do we start bitching about CNN refusing to run a special on the Secret Protocols of the Elders of Zion?
St. Paul wasn't a cartoonist, btw.
By the way, you're not the one who gets to determine if they're offensive to Muslims. They're not offensive to you, fine. They're offensive to me, mainly because 1)The style of the samples I've seen is generally crappy and childish, unworthy of global attention, and 2)For the sake of these cartoons, more Muslims will become radicalized and will pose an even greater numerical threat to our troops (and others). Or is that what you want - to see this conflict escalate?
These cartoons were specifically intended to offend Muslims by violating their dogmatic (=irrational, unfounded in reality) prohibition of depictions of Mohammed. Guess what? They worked.
Do you have a translation or link of what the Pope actually said?
OK. Not "seems to agree". Agrees. Or, rather, his position on this issue and mine are in agreement.