Muslims have found a dozen catoon in a Danish newspaper offensive. In response, some muslims have murdered priests, rioted, and burned down embassies.
Web sites, newpapers, commentators from around the world in every medium have roughly split into a few camps.
Some say "Well of course there's been violence, what do you expect. You offended someone like that, that much and you dont expect violence?".
Others say "Well we should have free speech, but you shouldn't ever offend someones religion like that so we shouldnt ever publish these cartoons".
Still others have said "Free speech is absolute; and if you DON'T publish this offensive material you are censoring me, volation my rights, and giving in to terrorists".
There are the folks who are saying "Well, I don't care for offending someones religion, but it's none of my business what other people publish, and no-one has the right to stop them... of course I don't have to read their newspaper either".
Personally, I don't exactly share any of these views; and heres why. Some offenses must be tolerated, some offenses must not be tolerated, and we need to talk about the difference.
I personally think that everyone has the right to be offensive should they choose to be, so long as no-one else is FORCED to tolerate, endure, or participate in that offense; and that offense does not otherwise violate someones rights. You do not have a right to not be offended; but generally no-one has the right to FORCE you to be offended either.
One is also completely free to not associate with those whose beliefs or actions you find offensive; and one should not be FORCED to associate with or support those things one finds offensive; excepting as those things are part of the legitimate functions and expressions of a society in which one is a member.
For example, I find most abortion offensive, but it is the law of the land and I have no right to try and stop it except by changing the law, or changing an individuals mind; and in fact I don’t think the law SHOULD be changed; but as many peoples minds as possible SHOULD be.
I also believe that anyone who fully and completely believes in and follows either the Koran OR the Bible in their literal entirety is wrong and perhaps even evil (of course that's also logically and physically impossible but that's another argument); just as those who followed the little red book are completley wrong, and perhaps evil.
I believe this because all of those documents advocate killing those who do not follow YOUR rules, and YOUR laws.
Many many people find this belief offensive; but they have no right to stop me from having it, talking about it on my property and most often publicly, or acting on it. They certainly have no right to kill me for it. Importantly though, if they run a newspaper, or a web site, they don’t have to let me publish and proseltyze that belief either; nor do they have to be my friend, hang out with me, or put up with my rantings.
Finally, there is a difference between what response to offense is expected, and what is reasonable, appropriate, and to be tolerated.
If you deeply offend muslims (and lord knows I’ve done so quite handily), you should certainly expect a violent, agressive, and perhaps deadly (or at least the postuing thereof) reaction. It is expected, because we are aware of these tendencies in Islamic cultures, to expect otherwise would be stupid.
Just because something is expected however, doesn’t mean it is reasonable, appropriate, or to be tolerated.
If I go to a Nation of Islam (which isn’t islam, it’s black supremecist fascism with a thin skin of religion thrown on top) rally dressed in blackface I should certainly expect to be beaten up; and possibly killed. That doesnt make it reasonable, appropriate, or to be tolerated.
If I go to a NAZI rally with a yarmulke, a star of david, and a torah I can expect the same thing. That doesnt make it reasonable, appropriate, or to be tolerated.
It is not reasonable or appropriate for muslims to riot in the streets at the cartoon depiction of Mohammed, and it must not be tolerated. It is not reasonable or appropriate for muslims to threaten death, and even kill those (and their friends, and their families) who offend them (and I include myself in the former); and it CAN NOT be tolerated.
These things must not be tolerated, they must be stopped. The islamic world cannot be allowed to impose it’s standards, and it’s behaviors upon us; nor can any other enemy of freedom and liberty; including NAZIs, fascist, genderists, communists, racists, Political Correctists or anyone else.
I don’t believe that we should passively allow anyone to make offense illegal, or punishable by ANYTHING more than social stigma.
I believe we must be active in defending our right to have offensive opinions and ideas. I believe that sometimes it is necessary to give offense to react against those who would make doing so illegal, or deadly.
It’s not just muslims, it’s ANYONE who would force everyone else to live and think by their rules; should those rules restrict legitimate freedom.
I’m a fat guy. A few years back the city of San Francisco tried to make insulting people because of their appearance illegal. Sometimes you need to insult fat people, not because you hate fat people, but because the San Francisco city council tried to make it illegal to do so.
NOTE: Actually let me qualify that, Not you necessarily, you don't have to do anythign you don't want to; but SOMEBODY has to do it.
You don't have the right to hit a fat guy over the head, but you do have the right make a fat joke. The fat joke doesn’t infringe on my rights, I don’t need to listen to it, I don’t need to pay you to do it, I dont need to publish it; but I don’t have any right to stop you from saying it, either in public, or anywhere other than on MY private property.
Is it in poor taste? Absolutely. Do you have to support it or agree with it? Absolutely not. Should you be forced to look at it, much less publish it? Certainly not.
...But YOU shouldn’t be allowed to stop it either, unless it is infringing on YOUR rights; no matter how offensive it is to you, or whatever other reason you wish to.
Posted by cbyrne at February 6, 2006 12:51 PM | TrackBack