Against Your Neighbour
It's not about freedom of press, it's about tolerance and tact. Just because you're free to insult your neighbour doesn't mean you'll do it. Nobody would think of being unfriendly just because he knows there will be no punishment for it. Of course you can argue the caricaturist who drew a picture of the prophet Mohammed in the Danish newspaper simply didn't know he was insulting anyone. But seriously, if you have such a little idea of what you're doing when you are drawing cartoons about islam, just don't do it! Really, if you are a professional caricaturist for a newspaper which is sold successfully throughout the country then do your research properly! The problem with these caricatures is not the image of Mohammed but the way he is drawn as being the source of all terrorism. The same thing can be said about all religions, draw Jesus his head as a bomb and at least everyone in Northern Ireland will understand what Christian terrorism is about.
But using these pictures months after their publication for demagogic purposes isn't fine either. I have little doubt that the protest was planned. But the trigger for the violent protest doesn't matter much, the radicals would have found anything to turn their people into idealistic radicals who have never known our way of thinking and living, who's to blame? Who is blaming the children who joined the Hitler Youth and believed in everything their leaders said? If you grow up with a certain ideology and someone attacks it you'd do anything to prevent your world from going down, especially if you're in a group of friends and family who support your view.
If dialogue had ever worked there wouldn't have been all those wars under the flag of "religion". (Talking of flags, where did all those Danish flags suddenly come from to be burnt in masses..?) The optimistic opinion would be that people just haven't tried hard enough and that now we live in an age of communication where dialogue between cultures and countries is in its best phase.
Open your eyes and see.
But using these pictures months after their publication for demagogic purposes isn't fine either. I have little doubt that the protest was planned. But the trigger for the violent protest doesn't matter much, the radicals would have found anything to turn their people into idealistic radicals who have never known our way of thinking and living, who's to blame? Who is blaming the children who joined the Hitler Youth and believed in everything their leaders said? If you grow up with a certain ideology and someone attacks it you'd do anything to prevent your world from going down, especially if you're in a group of friends and family who support your view.
If dialogue had ever worked there wouldn't have been all those wars under the flag of "religion". (Talking of flags, where did all those Danish flags suddenly come from to be burnt in masses..?) The optimistic opinion would be that people just haven't tried hard enough and that now we live in an age of communication where dialogue between cultures and countries is in its best phase.
Open your eyes and see.
posted by Silk_and_Velvet at 7:39 pm
3 Comments:
Before we know it we will not be allowed to speak because some-where and some-how some-one will be offened....
well i can tell you where all those flags came from - ebay ;)
hehe schmidti, i conclude you must be really rich now, having made such a profit with your ebay auctions there..!? are you going to invite the world for a drink, mate? it's the least you can do as a millionair and gentleman!
and vincent, this will only happen if we join the easily-offended crowd and become part of them but as long as there are so called "sensible" people left the goodness of the world will prevail (oh yeah!) =)
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